Anniversary of a milestone final in Town Leagues history

I recall fondly the fun and games of the famous town street leagues: my team – St Pat’s, and our manager, coach, trainer, performance coach, morals coach and logistics and admin man, and everything else in between – Gerry Kenny. I thought he was George Best back then and he’d show us his soccer skills and tricks and, importantly, how to line out from 1 to 15.

The Fitzgeralds (later Celtic), United and Ardnaree made up the quartet of teams involved. What battles we all had against each other. In my mind’s eye I can still see Gerald O’Hora (Swanee Senior) marching his team up from their clubhouse, Sean Duffy (NT) urging on the boys from over the bridge. And one of my greatest supporters, Mr Courell, his blood red Austin Mini Minor parked at the entrance to the main pitch, leaning on his walking aid, and Kitty keeping an eye on him as he roared his support for the Fitzgeralds.

Kevin McStay, Western People, Tuesday, August 2, 2022 

The innocence of the boys games to which Kevin McStay referred when writing in ‘The Goal of Victory’, last year’s Western People supplement to celebrate 50 years of Bord na nÓg at Ballina Stephenites GAA Club, is something still fondly recalled around the town. Less innocent perhaps were some of the Town League games that involved the men from the same corners of the town.

A report from the Western People in February 1973 explained how the final of the Clarke Cup was brought to an abrupt end when the United team walked off after one of their players had been felled by an opponent “while play was elsewhere”. United were taking on Knockmore and trailed by 2-7 to 0-2 after 40-minutes.

“There was a very brief skirmish after the United player, Joe Duggan, was downed near his own ‘square’ and despite pleas from several United players to carry on with the game, their secretary, Mr Gerald O’Hora, said his team would not continue. “If winning means so much to them they can have it,” was his comment,” wrote reporter Terry Reilly.

The replay some two months later was a much closer affair and “a grand game to watch,” according to Reilly, who said the referee, Dick Conboy, deserved the highest praise.

“[He] made it known from the beginning that he would not tolerate any nonsense.” 

Knockmore, who later that year would go on to win their first-ever Mayo SFC title, only managed to beat United by two points, 0-12 to 1-5. Indeed, such was the strength and abundance of footballers in Ballina at the time, the various pockets of the town – United, Fitzgeralds and Pat’s – each in their own right had no difficulty going up against any of the clubs from the surrounding areas in that aforementioned Clarke Cup. But the McKane Cup was a competition the preserve of those teams from the town only, the Desmonds and Ardnaree included – and this month marks the 50th anniversary of a milestone moment in the history of a competition that had ran since 1924.

The 1973 final, played Saturday, November 4 was the last where players togged for the street of their birth. Thereafter they played where they resided. And it saw United end a barren spell to become champions once again thanks to a 5-7 to 3-7 victory over Fitzgeralds. And with the clubhouse at James Stephens Park having only been officially opened two months previous, the McKane Cup was the first to be carried up its steps.

The Ballina Stephenites Town League eventually made way for the Clarke Cup which continued to be played for many years after before that too ceased to exist owing to the volume of activity for the clubs involved in the various divisional and county-wide competitions. But the Stephenites nonetheless ran a very successful inter-firms league instead, with teams comprised of players from banks, garages, builders, An Post, ESB, teachers, gardaí and shop assistants all going up against each other.

There was also a Feis tournament played in springtime, sometimes 7 or 11-a-side with St Muredach's College often emerging victorious.

All of this activity provided thousands of young men with entertainment and competitive football, mixing the disappointment of defeat with the thrill of victory. And it also provided the various Ballina Stephenites teams with stiff competition and training for forthcoming games.

A feature of the games were the crowds that attended the midweek games in James Stephens Park throughout the long summer evenings. The 1973 McKane Cup final was played in very different conditions though, on a dreary November Sunday, yet the football was reported as reaching a high standard “despite a constant downpour”.

Fitzgeralds defied the breeze they were playing against the begin the game much the stronger, moving into a three points lead before United bagged a fortuitous goal for their opening score, as Martin Foody’s kick dropped into the net from long range. Foody’s teammate, Brendan O’Hora, briefly gave his side the lead before Seamus O’Dowd levelled matters again.

United were much improved after their slow start and looked like they would take a neat lead into the dressing-room after three consecutive points by midfielder Tommy Knight, however, John Peoples struck back with a great goal for Fitzgeralds to leave the scores tied at 1-4 apiece at half-time.

The sides traded further goals after the restart, with Tommy O’Boyle taking a pass from Tommy Knight to hit the net for United before Mick Begly replied in kind for Fitzgeralds, after the spadework of John Nealon and Seamus O’Dowd.

Peoples and Begley had added points as well, which meant Fitzgeralds were two points ahead, but from this stage on it was United who took control, registering their third goal when Martin Sheridan fisted home, and their fourth through Joe Quinn.

A third goal for Fitzgeralds, this one scored by Seamus O’Dowd, left some potential for a late comeback, however, United wrapped up the game in style courtesy of Tommy Knight’s sixth point of the match, and Quinn’s second goal.

“Fitzgeralds had their chances during the hour, missing four close-in frees and at least two goals, and they have no one but themselves to blame,” wrote Terry Reilly in the Western People. “But no one could take from United’s win: they played as a unit, were the fitter side and made the most of their chances,” he added.

United: J Foody; S Healy (c), P O’Hora, G O’Hora; B Leonard, M Sheridan (1-0), G Knight; W Loftus, T Knight (0-6); V Walsh, T Browne, M Foody (1-0); T O’Boyle (1-0), J Quinn (2-0), B O’Hora (0-1). Subs: F Rice, D Barrett.

Fitzgeralds: J Barrett; P Rooney (c), W Casey, D Cawley; N Thornton, J McGarry, A Bourke; J Clarke, T Helly; A Duffy, S O’Dowd (1-3), J Peoples (1-2); J Nealon (0-1), J Smith, M Begley (1-1).