Oldcastle club claim top award for Millbrook

Sport can sometimes produce unlikely coincidences and that can certainly be a legitimate claim following Friday night's annual GAA awards at the Ardboyne Hotel, Navan where Oldcastle scooped the ground-of-year accolade. Also on the presentation agenda was the club-of-the-year accolade which went to Ballinabrackey. Almost 80 years ago, Oldcastle enjoyed their first championship success when, in 1937, the JFC title arrived in the north Meath town for the first time. Providing the opposition on the day of the final was none other than Ballinabrackey. The men from Oldcastle won that decider by 3-4 to 1-1. This year, both clubs will bid for glory in the IFC and SFC and with the championship draws looming on Monday 7th March players and officials will be looking for favourable pairings. Last year Oldcastle completed the development of their fine facilities at Millbrook and the ground was officially opened with a senior football challenge game between Meath and Down. The Millbrook ground is one of only a handful of GAA venues in Meath that provides covered spectator accommodation. The development was carried out at a fairly conservative rate as the ground was purchased as far back as 1969 and was used for games on a sporadic basis with the addition of two old railway carriages for changing rooms. The use of old railway carriages, of the goods variety, was very much the norm with many clubs in the 1970s. Oldcastle unveiled the new-look Gilson Park in 1983 with modern dressing rooms, showers and floodlights. It became the club's headquarters although Millbrook was still utilised for training and the odd challenge match. Oldcastle took the 1987 IFC title at the expense of Dunderry at Kells and they reached the Keegan Cup final the following year where they were edged out by Dunboyne in a novel first time senior final appearance for both clubs. A year later Oldcastle captured the Feis Cup after a replay victory over Summerhill, but three years later in 2002, the same opposition sent the club down to the intermediate grade following a SFC relegation play-off at Kells. In 2009 Oldcastle returned the senior ranks when they once again claimed the IFC title defeating Kilmainhamwood in the final. Oldcastle have concentrated on development on and off the pitch since then, they have broadened their under-age structures and added a vibrant ladies section. Last year also saw the long-awaited completion of the development of Millbrook. The pitch was officially opened by Bishop Smith, an Oldcastle native and former club footballer. Millbrook has served as a useful amenity for the local population with a walkway added around the pitch which is now used extensively as an alternative to walking on the roads. An electronic scoreboard is also in place and the Ground-of-the-Year title is well-deserved. Ballinabrackey's exploits in the JFC where they defeated Ballivor in the final and then embarked on a lengthy and successful run in the Leinster Club JFC earned them the Club-of-the-Year accolade.