History2






	*Club History Part 2:*

Moving to 2005 the Gaels went all the way to the final of the Senior Championship. Lough Lene Gaels played Castlepollard in the final, the latter needing a late goal to force a replay. The purple and golds who unlucky not to win the drawn encounter, were totally out of sorts in the replay, played on the Saturday of the October Bank Holiday weekend, Pollard wining by a margin of eleven points. The club also contested the final of the Junior 'A' championship in 2005, played in late November versus Clonkill in Cusack Park. With twelve minutes of normal time remaining the Gaels looked to be heading for a heavy defeat trailing by a margin of ten points. However, the Gaels staged the comeback of all comebacks to emerge winners by a margin of two points. Having won their first round match in the 2006 S.H.C. vs Crookedwood the club underachieved in the winners group, losing all three matches they played. The Junior side qaualified for the 'B' Championship Final in 2006, a decider in which they overcame Delvin by a margin of six points. The club also contested the U/16 'B' Final in 2006 versus Southern Gaels/Fr Dalton's. The referee, through no fault of Lough Lene Gaels abandoned this decider in extra time. The title was subsequently awarded to the Gaels. The Club was also busy with off pitch activities as 2006 moved on, putting into action plans to build a new clubhouse, and improve facilities in Collinstown. The death of Anne Smyth, N.T. in November 2006 was the cause of great sadness for the club. First, as a member of staff, and then as principal of St. Mary's National School, Collinstown, Anne fostered and encouraged a love of hurling and camogie in her students. Thanks to Anne many players of the club came to love and play the game. Lough Lene Gaels hurling club was very well represented when the funeral cortege came to St. Mary's Church on the evening of Friday November 3rd 2006. Many of the club's personnel were members of the huge guard of honour that accompanied the cortege on it's short journey from Church to St. Mary's Cemetery, Collinstown on the early afternoon of Saturday November 4th, where Ann was laid to rest. 2007 was a year in which Lough Lene Gaels Qualified for the final of the S.H. Championship. However Clonkill proved far too good in the decider winning easily by a margin of thirteen points. The club also qualified for the U/16 'A' Final, in which they lost narrowly(three points) to Oliver Plunkett's in what was a cracking game of hurling. But the club did win the J.H. 'A' Championship in this year, defeating Clonkill by a margin of two points in a great game of hurling played in Archerstownn 2008 saw the club put out a new look team for the first round of the Championship against local rivals, Castlepollard. The lads turned in one of the clubs finest performances in this match defeating 'Pollard to ensure Senior status in 2009. The club also qualified for the premier U/21, Premier Minor and U/14 'B' finals of 2008 only to suffer defeat in all three finals. The Gaels qualified for the semi finals of the Junior 'A' hurling championship losing to Castlepollard. However, despite on pitch setbacks in 2008, Sunday July 20th 2008 was a very positive day in the club's history. On that day the club's hardworking juvenile committee ran off what turned out to be a day of enjoyment, fun and celebration at the park in Collinstown. The celebrations were to mark the upgrading of facilities at Collinstown G.A.A. ground as personified by the splendid clubhouse. Raharney and Lough Lene Gaels squared up to one another in an over 40s hurling match featuring many players of the great Lough Lene Gaels and Raharney underage and juvenile teams of the late seventies and early eighties. A high scoring and entertaining match was won by Lough Lene Gaels by a narrow two point margin. The combined U/16 and U/14 teams of Lough Lene Gaels and Brownstown played each other as part of the day's celebrations for the Ann Smyth memorial/perpetual cup. Victory went to the Gaels in this match. Overall, Sunday July 20th 2008 was an outstanding day of success for Lough Lene Gaels Hurling Club in all aspects possible. The way in which the day's events were ran off, the participation of all concerned said a lot in a very positive sense for Lough Lene Gaels Hurling Club and the quality of the people involved. As 2008 gave way to 2009, Lough Lene Gaels hurling club continues to make positive progress in it's North Westmeath base

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