1992

The 1991 dinner dance to celebrate the club’s achievements took place in Burren Social Club in January 1992. Guest of honour was Ross Carr and County chairman Danny Murphy also attended. Awards were presented to:

U-12: John Morgan: U-14: Wayne Murray, U-16: Patrick Devlin, Minor player of year: Jimmy Devlin, Junior player: Leonard O’Hare and Senior:Jimmy Doherty. Clubmen of the year were Sean Fitzpatrick and Gerry Kaneand Sportsman of the year Jimmy Doherty. Club Referees: Owen McEvoy, Liam Morgan and Seamus O’Hanlon were presented with trophies. Club secretary Paddy Morgan was presented with a crystal vase in appreciation of his services to the club over 25 years.

At the A.G.M. in the same month the Club Chairman of 30 years, Danny Murray, stood down. The vice chairman Dan Morgan thanked him for his years of leadership and stated that he was confident that he would be an inspiration to his successor. Elected were:

President: Fr. Denver

Chairman: Dan Morgan

Vice Chairman: Sean Fitzpatrick

Secretary: Paddy Morgan

Treasurer: Sean Mackin

Registar: Sean Gribben

PRO: Seamus O’Hanlon

Additional Committee Members were Ray McEvoy, Danny Murray, Paddy Morgan, Jarlath O’Hare, Gerry Kane, Vincent Devlin, Sean M. Johnston, Martin Johnston, Jerome Johnston , Barney McEvoy, Owen McEvoy, Donal Rogan and Patrick McCrickard.

With the league due to start the club organized a series of challenge matches in February.

Some were very entertaining and in one, against Annaclone, Jerome Johnston netted four times in a 5-11 to 1-12 score line. The Seniors beat Carryduff by 2-11 to 1-5 and the Reserves also playing the same opposition scored three colourful goals, although they went down in the game. They also beat Drumgath and Drumaness. The Minors, while beaten in their first match against Bryansford, showed promise. Best for Kilcoo in this game were Kieran O’Hare, Patrick Devlin, Jimmy Devlin and Barry McEvoy. March saw the beginning of the Senior League against Tullylish. Kilcoo lost by 1-10 to 0-8 although they had been expected to do better. Kilcoo scorers were Terry O’Hanlon , Jimmy Devlin, Martin and Jerome Johnston and Jimmy Doherty. The Minors had a close match against Saul and lost by a single point. Scorers were Oliver McDowell, Mark Morgan and Barry McEvoy and for their next game they travelled to Bredagh. Although the first half did not go Kilcoo’s way they then showed their spirit in the second when they pulled back two goals scored by Damien McGreevy and Gene Morgan. The Senior’s next encounter was against Dundrum and they came away winners by a single point. They still continued to do well in challenge games and in the game against Annsborough the home team collapsed under great pressure from Kilcoo. The Minors found the going tough when they went to ‘The Town’ to meet the League leaders Castlewellan. Best for Kilcoo were Oliver Devlin, Kieran O’Hare and Paddy Devlin. On Sunday 22 March Kilcoo Seniors secured their first points of the season against Dromara when the team showed a lot of guts and passion in this clash and their fielding and defending were excellent. The half time score was Dromara 1-4 and Kilcoo 0-4. In the second half Kilcoo upped the pressure and Jimmy Devlin scored a penalty and put Kilcoo ahead. Although Dromara levelled Jimmy Devlin scored the winner from a 25 yard free. At the end of March the Seniors lost to Rostrevor at home. Final score: Kilcoo 0-6, Rostrevor 0-12. The Minors also had bad luck against Downpatrick. Kilcoo did not take their chances in this match with a final scoreline of 0-3 to 2-11. With no Senior football over Easter the spotlight fell on the Reserves who, after beating Tullylish in a challenge match began their 1992 League campaign with an excellent victory over Ballykinlar by 4-6 to 1-6. In the same week Liam Morgan won the underage refereeing award in East Down and the club’s promotion of Scor was rewarded when they won the East Down title.

Kilcoo Minors competed in the Feis Sevens on Easter Tuesday and although they won the first round against Ballykinlar they then lost to Downpatrick . Later the same day the U-16s had their first League match away to Downpatrick and lost by a point on a score of 0-12 to 1-8. Scorers for Kilcoo were Patrick Devlin, Mark Morgan, Kieran O’Hare, Sean Michael Devlin and Paddy Murray. On a brighter note Kilcoo’s U-12s had a massive victory over Loughinisland and the club looked upon this match with pleasure as many of the young boys had donned the hoop jersey for the first time. Unfortunately the U-14 team was unlucky to lose narrowly to Kilclief. The Reserves had their third win in a row and defeated Dromara away. Scorers for Kilcoo were James Morgan, Paddy McCrickard. Sean Michael Johnston, Danny Maginn, Peter O’Higgins. Liam McEvoy and Brendan O’Hare. Final score: Kilcoo 4-11 Dromara 0-11. The Seniors played host to An Riocht in the same week and lost by six points.

At the beginning of May the Seniors took on Bosco in a water-logged Jennings Park. There were many goal mouth scrambles in this match which ended in a draw when Jimmy Doherty levelled the scores from a 45 metre kick. The Reserves suffered their first defeat against Castlewellan at home.

Although they led at half time by 1-3 to 0-3 they let this slip in the second half and Castlewellan won by 1-8 to 1-6. The U-12s continued their winning ways with a good victory over Drumaness. After the first round of Senior league games it was tournament time kicking off with the Down Sponsored Tournament on 25 May which was an enjoyable team building experience. The Reserves were defeated in the first round of the Reserve Championship by Carryduff.

The Seniors won their next game in early June with a victory by 2-8 to 1-4 over Annsborough away and lost at home to Tullylish. In the Senior Championship they went out in the first round to Loughinisland. At the end of the month Kilcoo travelled to Dundrum in a quest for much needed points and although they led at half time by 1-7 to 0-6 Dundrum put on a lot of pressure and scored six points to Kilcoo’s three and emerged victors. The Down Tournament continued with a resounding victory over Drumgath and a draw with Bosco.

In July the U-12s took part in both the Gary Murray and Mayobridge tournaments. In Hilltown they lost the final by a single point to Liatroim. This was disappointing for the young Kilcoo boys as they had won two precious encounters with this team. They also reached the final in Mayobridge.

After the summer break Kilcoo’s form slipped and they had two defeats against Rostrevor and Ballymartin. They badly needed to win their next game against Shamrocks and win it they did. They challenged hard and fought for every ball and came away with a single point victory. Kilcoo, through Sean Devlin, opened the scoring from forty yards but although Shamrocks cancelled this out from a free Kilcoo continued to press and both Barney McEvoy and Sean Devlin scored. In the remaining minutes of the first half it was all Kilcoo as Martin and Sean Michael Johnston, along with Devlin, Murray and McEvoy added points. Young Barry McEvoy scored a point and, then, in the twenty second minute Seamus Murray lobbed a ball towards him and he flicked it to the net to give a half time score of Kilcoo 1-10 to Shamrock’s 0-6. Shamrocks seemed to realise that they needed to work hard after the re-start and scored two quick points but Sean Devlin replied with a point. Although Shamrocks were now going for broke Kilcoo were not going to lie down as they had done so often in this year and Dan Morgan brilliantly saved a point blank goal effort. Shamrocks did put the ball in the net a couple of minutes later and the going was tough and this was no place for the faint hearted, but in the best traditions of gaelic football it was fair. Both sides scored two more points each to leave the home side winners by the narrowest of margins with a final score of Kilcoo 1-14, Shamrocks 1-13.

The U-12s were runners-up to Bryansford in the East Down Championship on 29 August. This was a tremendous occasion for the young boys as they had played so well all year and it was a historic occasion for Kilcoo Club as it was forty four years since they had been in the final of a Football Championship. Although Kilcoo were beaten they proved that they were there on merit and they were a credit to their mentors Jerome Johnston and Paddy Morgan. This team suffered the same fate in the final of the League to the same opposition. In the same week Kilcoo Seniors defended their position as holder of the Sam Toman Cup in Drumaness. In the first round they met Dromara and were victorious by 1-7 to 1-2. In the second round they met Ballykinlar and were victorious again. In the final they met old rivals Liatroim. Sean Devlin scored first. Seamus Murray and Marty Johnston added further scores and they ran out winners retaining the cup and leaving their supporters in a jubilant mood. The Senior League tapered off with more defeats than victories. All Kilcoo games in September were played away from home due to drainage work on the home pitch and Kilcoo Seniors were relegated to Division 3 when they were beaten by Liatroim in Hilltown.

Peter McCormack

The year ended on a very tragic note for the Kilcoo community with the untimely and unnecessary death of Peter McCormack, a local teacher. On 19 November Peter, along with other regulars, had called at the Theirafurth Inn for a quiet drink and a chat when their peace and tranquillity was shattered by the sound of gunfire. A number of people were injured, in what was believed to be a loyalist attack but, sadly, Peter was found to be dead at the scene. No-one was ever brought to justice for his murder. Aged just forty two, Peter was a well liked and respected member of the community, who had played on the 1975 Senior team which won the ‘B’ League. Go ndeanaidh De Trocaire ar a anam.