1990

Down the years Kilcoo club have prided themselves on the service they got from the families of the parish. The Devlins, the Morgans, the McEvoys and the Fitzpatricks are only some of those that come to mind, but in the first match of the season, on Sunday 25 February, it was the Johnston Brothers, Jerome, Martin and Sean Michael who got the scores that gave Kilcoo Seniors a share of the points, away to An Riocht. In blustery conditions Jerome scored two fine goals in the first half to leave a half time score of 2-0 to 1-2. In the second half it was the Sean Michael who got another goal and Jerome who pointed the equaliser.

Kilcoo players were involved in the U-14 Schools Final for St. Malachy’s High School. Some who excelled were Kieran O’Hare, Paul McEvoy and Damien McGreevy. The Seconds played their first game against St. Johns, under new manager Gerry Kane, and came away with an easy win by 2-9 to 0-1. On the same day the Seniors went to Bright for a challenge game. This was a fast flowing competitive game resulting in a Kilcoo victory by 2-9 to 2-6.

The next Senior League game was with Liatroim in early March, beside ‘The Lough’. James Morgan and Jerome McCrickard exchanged early points, but Liatroim then moved ahead with a goal, but the Kilcoo reply was swift when Dan Morgan won possession from the kick out and with Sean Devlin he created the chance for Jerome Johnston to shoot an excellent goal. At half time Kilcoo led by 2-5 to 2-2 but for most of the second half Kilcoo had to play a defensive role and, although, by the end of the third quarter the game was drawn the final points were all scored by Liatroim. The local press stated that Declan Mussen had another fine game at full back, Sean Devlin at midfield and James and Dan Morgan and Jerome Johnston flew the flag high in the forward line. Kilcoo Seconds reasserted themselves with a first half blitz against Castlewellan who were poor opposition. James Devlin scored several points with ease and a side line kick found Martin Fettes, who fisted into the net. Castlewellan could only manage one point in the first half whereas Kilcoo notched up 1-11. This was mainly due to Kilcoo’s midfield supremacy. Although Castlewellan were allowed to get back into the game on the restart with a goal and two points the full back line weathered this initial onslaught and the team finished with a further goal and three points. Best for Kilcoo were Joe and Donal Rogan, Jarlath O’Hare, Liam McEvoy, Colm Morgan, James Devlin and Danny Maginn.

On Sunday 25 March the Seniors went to Dundrum and this game proved to be a classic case of ‘a game of two halves’. With a very strong wind blowing it was all Dundrum in the first half and all Kilcoo in the second. A draw turned out to be a fair result. On the same day Kilcoo Seconds played Drumaness, but ‘The Magpies’ never got to grips with the game, due mainly to the strength of the Drumaness midfield. They only managed to score three points in the first half. Kilcoo Seniors then had a good victory over Rostrevor by 1-13 to 1-6 on 5 April. On the following Sunday they followed this victory with another sound performance at Saval. They had goals from Jerome Johnston and John Morgan and a melee in the Saval goalmouth produced another. Although a Kilcoo penalty was saved the first half score was 3-2 to 0-5. They never let Saval into the game in the second half and had a further eight points to only two from Saval. On this day, too, the Seconds played host to Liatroim in a good competitive game, Danny Maginn scored a goal and a point to open the tally and James Devlin scored three to leave a half time score of 1-4 to 0-4. In the second half Liatroim fought back well and were awarded a penalty which was netted. Kilcoo regained the lead and both sides exchanged scores to give victory by a point to Kilcoo. In this same month Kilcoo club were honoured when Jerome Johnston was included in the left full forward position on the Down All-Stars in a presentation awards night in Burren. This is one of the most prestigious honours that a player can receive in the county. At the end of April Kilcoo travelled to Warrenpoint and, as expected, this was a fast flowing game. It was the first game under the New Rules, which introduced the free kick from the hand and the art of the fisted pass. Warrenpoint led by three points before Sean Michael Johnston opened the Kilcoo account and at half time Kilcoo led by 2-5 to 0-7, both goals scored by ‘The Johnstons’. Although Kilcoo lost their rhythm in the third quarter they ran out winners by 2-10 to 1-11. However their luck did not hold out for the next game against Castlewellan at the beginning of May. The visitors had a brilliant start with two goals inside a minute to leave a half time tally of 2-5 to 0-6. Although Kilcoo had the tonic they needed at the restart with a fine goal from Barney McEvoy they were never going to catch the League leaders. Even though Kilcoo created many goal chances they were not able to put them on the scoreboard and the final score was Castlewellan 4-8 to Kilcoo’s 2-9. On the same day the Seconds won by 1-7 to 1-6 in a close encounter with a previously unbeaten Carryduff. Kilcoo were under severe pressure throughout most of the game and only some attentive marking and the ability of the goalkeeper kept them in touch. In their next game the Seniors went down by a point at home to An Riocht. Sunday 20 May was the start of the Intermediate Championship and Kilcoo got off to a dream start against Ardglass. They scored eight points in the first quarter and went on to add a further goal and two points before half time. In the second half Ardglass came alive and scored 2-4 but the Kilcoo team came away with a win. In the Reserve Championship Kilcoo travelled to ‘The Town’ for their first round and seemed overawed by the occasion when Castlewellan lead by 1-4 to 0-2 at half time. From the restart, however, Kilcoo battled their way back into contention to come away with a draw.

On the weekend beginning 15 June Kilcoo Seniors engaged in two sporting encounters. In the first they travelled to Tyconnaught and came away with two well deserved points. This was only a warm-up for the Championship clash with Warrenpoint at home on Sunday evening. In a ten minute blitz in the first half Kilcoo scored two goals and two points and further points were exchanged before half time to give a score of 2-5 to 1-3 in favour of the home side. In the second half Kilcoo continued to pick off points and came away with a fine victory of 2-12 to 1-8. In June St. Malachy’s Kilcoo were the nine-a-side winners of the Down Primary School final played in Castlewellan when they beat Carnacaville by 10-6 to 3-3. On Monday 16 July 8 the U-12 teams took part in the Gary Murray Tournament in Hilltown. Kilcoo qualified from their group but were beaten by Mayobridge in the final. This side were also finalists, at Kilcoo sports, in the Gary Cunningham Tournament, where they were narrowly beaten by Castlewellan.

Back to the Senior League after the holiday break and it was away to Annaclone, where Kilcoo failed to record a double victory in the year over these opponents but did secure a draw. Kilcoo began the scoring in the game; in fact, the home side did not register until the sixteenth minute. At half time Kilcoo led by 2-3 to 0-4, with the goal scored by the Johnstons, Jerome and Sean Michael. In the third quarter Annaclone had a further 1-3 and although Kilcoo rallied well to go three points ahead the home side pulled back to even things up. In the Intermediate Championship on the last Friday of July Kilcoo thrashed Tullylish. Kilcoo were rampant throughout and had a deserved half time score of 1-9 to 0-3, having scored a fine goal from Barney McEvoy after a Jerome Johnston cross. Although the second half began with a Tullylish goal Kilcoo were always in control and Sean Michael put brother Jerome through for their second goal and scored a third himself. The winners had five-star performances from Colm Devlin, Declan Mussen, Dan Morgan, Sean Devlin, James Morgan, Kevin Kane and Barney McEvoy. The Reserve Championship Quarter final encounter was a disappointment, when Kilcoo lost to a very determined Longstone side on a score line of 1-10 to 1-7.

In a ten team Second Division table at this time Kilcoo held third position and their next game was at home against Glenn and they drew 1-11 to 2-8. The following week it was away to Rostrevor and once again the Seniors put up a composed performance with most of the forwards on target in the first half to give a score of 2-4 to 0-5 in Kilcoo’s favour. Rostrevor came back all guns blazing in the second half and scored three goals in quick succession to seal victory. The following Sunday 19 August it was at home to Saval and this turned out to be a no-contest game with the visitors never posing any great threat. Kilcoo ran away easy winners with a score of 6-7 to 0-10. This was a morale booster before Intermediate Championship time again, where the opponents were Dromara in the Semi-final in Newcastle. Dromara got off to a great start with two goals in the first half and Kilcoo were behind by three points at half time but the ‘pep talk’ appeared to fire up the boys and they began with a Barney McEvoy goal and then went into the lead with a point from James Morgan. However they didn’t keep up the momentum and Dromara went back into the driving seat and Kilcoo never recovered. The Kilcoo Championship team were Sean Fitzpatrick, Dan Morgan, Colm Devlin, Jimmy Doherty, Noel Doherty, Mark Kelly, Martin Johnston, John Morgan, Sean Devlin, Kevin Kane, Barney McEvoy, Jerome Johnston, Sean Michael Johnston, Terence O’Hanlon, James Morgan and Declan Mussen.

It was back to League action, with a home game against Warrenpoint. Kilcoo started cautiously and had to subdue a burst of pressure from the visitors, who recorded three points in as many minutes. Terence O’Hanlon opened the Kilcoo scoring and they continued to score steadily to lead at half time by a point. The second half say a regular flow of Kilcoo points to finish with a final score of 1-12 to 0-10. The Seconds also gained a second victory over Tyconnaught by 3-13 to 2-6 on the same day. The next Senior encounter was an entertaining tussle away to Glenn. Sean Michael Johnston and Seamus Murray teased the Glenn defence and helped themselves to some good scores to give a half time lead of 1-5 to 0-6. They continued to forge ahead in the second half, with points from Seamus Murray, Sean and Jimmy Devlin. Despite Glenn’s County star, Paul McCartan, causing havoc scoring 2-2 Kilcoo held out to share the points The Annual Dinner dance was held in Burren Social Club on 7 December.

Winners of awards were Clubman of the Year: Gerry Kane, Junior Player of the Year: Jarlath O’Hare, Senior Player of the Year: Jerome Johnston, Supporter of the Year: Oliver Brogan, Sportsman of the Year: Dan Morgan, Long Playing Service Award: James Morgan, U-12 Player of the Year: Michael Grant, Minor Player of the Year: Seamus Murray, U-16 Player of the Year: Sean Fitzpatrick and U-14 player of the year: Kieran O’Hare. Referees awards were presented to Owen McEvoy and Liam Morgan.