The Early Eighties

The 1980 season was not a successful one for Kilcoo Seniors, however, the underage footballers had many successes. The U-12s were runners-up to Clonduff in the Gary Murray Trophy competition, St. Malachy’s High School, including Colm Devlin, Sean Michael Johnston and Mark Kelly from Kilcoo, won the Post Primary Sevens and St. Malachy’s, also, won the U-16 County Championship with Kilcoo members Kevin Kane and Sean Devlin giving fine performances.

The first four games of the ‘81 season yielded four victories and a draw for Kilcoo Seniors and confidence was building. In the following games Kilcoo had some impressive score lines, however, in the second round of the Championship Mitchels beat them by one point. During the Spring and early Summer they had two wins against Attical and Glassdrumman in the League and, although they lost in a game against Mayobridge promotion hopes were high. Down was involved in both the Minor and Senior Ulster Championships and this resulted in a break in fixtures and when the Leagues resumed three defeats in a row severely affected promotion hopes and a victory over St. John’s was not enough to avoid another year in Junior football.

Kilcoo held their annual presentation dinner dance in the Marine Tavern in Warrenpoint in early December 1981. Mr. Danny Murray, club chairman, welcomed club president, Father Denvir, Miss Helen Lambe, Vice Chairperson of Down Camogie Board and guests.

The following players received awards:

U-12 player: Michael McClean;

U-14 player: Colm Devlin.

U-16 player: Peter Doherty.

Minor player: Declan Mussen.

Junior player: Ned Morgan.

Senior player: Owen McEvoy.

Sportsman of the year: Paul Kane.

Joint Clubman Award went to Sean Mackin and Mickey O’Hare.

The two County players who received awards were Sean Devlin and Sean Fitzpatrick, as did referees Hugh Maginn, Patrick Morgan and Dan Morgan.

Danny Murray called on Miss Helen Lambe to make the presentations to the members of the Intermediate Camogie League and Championship and to the junior team, runners up in the Championship.

The Camogie Personality of the Year award went to Lil Kane,

Intermediate Player of the Year: Bridie Johnston.

Junior Player of the Year: Caroline Greenan.

The Intermediate team was as follows: Madeline Johnston (captain) Caroline Greenan, Paula Fettis, Mary Brannigan, Bridie Johnston, Hilary Johnston, Lil Cunningham, Brenda Brannigan, Chris Kane, Joan Brannigan, Marie Brannigan, Angela O’Hare, Kate Bloomfield and Rosemary Brannigan.

The following junior players received awards: Mary Brannigan {captain}; Caroline Greenan, Leona Greenan, Rosemary Brannigan, Paula Fettis, Marie Brannigan, Rosie Morgan, Dolores Greenan, Kate Bloomfield, Joan Brannigan, Chris Kane, Angela O’Hare, Anne Marie Fettis, Emer Hamill, Loretta Devlin, Fiona Ward, Pauline Morgan.

In 1982 Kilcoo Seniors were playing in Division Three and they began the season with two very good wins over Tullylish and Liatroim. The first round of the Junior Championship was set for 2 May against Attical in Castlewellan but, although, Kilcoo appeared to be winning easily the match was abandoned because of a hailstorm, but, in the replay, Kilcoo came out on top and went on to meet Bright, from Division 4. In this second round tie Bright surprised Kilcoo and came away winners by 2-10 to 0-12 and so ended Kilcoo’s Championship hopes for another year.

The League campaign was going better and after beating Mitchels on 30 June they went on to account for Liatroim and Ben Dearg in early August. On Sunday 22 August they travelled to Newry for the return fixture with Mitchels, who were victorious this time. This defeat had a demoralising effect on the Owen Roes. They did win some more games but never really recovered their winning formula and they finished third behind Mitchels and St. John’s.

At the beginning of this year a new League set-up had been discussed at County Convention and Kilcoo understood that they would be playing in an eight team Division 3 set up. This had been rejected and consequently Mitchels and St. John’s were promoted and third placed Kilcoo remained in a ten team Division 3 and would take part in the Junior Championship.

Kilcoo G.F.C. held their annual dinner dance in the Marine Tavern in Warrenpoint in December 1982. Danny Murray, club chairman, welcomed all present, including Father Denvir, club president, and Mr. Dan McCartan, County Chairman. Danny Murray spoke of the great achievement of the club on purchasing a new playing field, which was very much needed in the parish, and he also outlined the successes of various football teams. Father Denvir expressed his appreciation to all the club members who had worked so hard to attain this much needed facility, comments which were re-iterated by County Chairman Dan McCartan.

The following awards were then presented;

U-12: Barry Fitzpatrick.

U-14: Terence O’Hanlon.

U-16: Mark Kelly.

Minor: Sean Devlin.

Junior: Gerry Kane.

Senior: P.J. Morgan.

Sportsman of the Year: John Devlin.

Clubman of the Year: Seamus Devlin

and a special award for services to the club was presented to Tommy Rooney.

In 1983 the League competition started on Sunday 20 February with a trip to Ben Dearg. Kilcoo gave a great display of football and came out on top with a 0-10 to 0-8 victory.

The team this season were Sean Fitzpatrick, John McEvoy, Barney McEvoy, Edward Morgan, Mickey Devlin, Hugh Mussen, Noel Doherty, Sean Devlin, P. J. Morgan, Colm Morgan, James Morgan, Kevin Kane, Owen McEvoy, Paul Kane, Dan Morgan and sub. John Devlin.

Kilcoo had another good victory over Tullylish two weeks later and on 27 March, with some positional changes Kilcoo overcame Bright. Their good fortunes continued with a win against Glassdrumman three weeks later and on 21 May it was Liatroim next at Fontenoy Park.

The Owen Roes dominated the first half but failed to get the rub of the green in the second period and went down by 1-7 to 1-4. Despite this set back Kilcoo were confident going into the first round of the Championship fifteen days later against, bottom of the table, Tullylish. The game turned out to be a disaster when, in a shock result, Tullylish came out with a 1-5 to 0-4 win. The League continued and Annaclone beat Kilcoo on Sunday 5 June but two weeks later Kilcoo had a one point victory over Ballymartin. This win inspired Kilcoo and they had five successive victories over Ben Dearg, Attical, Tullylish, Bright and Glassdrumman.

The game on 3 October was a crucial one when Liatroim came to Stephen’s Green. The Owen Roes dominated the first half but this was not reflected in the score line and Liatroim sealed victory with a last minute goal. Again it was back to the League and victories over Bosco, Drumaness, St. Michaels and Annaclone meant Kilcoo were hunting for League honours so the game on Sunday 30 November against Drumaness with both teams on thirty points behind Liatroim and Ballymartin was very important. The game was going well for Kilcoo when an incident occurred involving the referee and a Drumaness substitute and the game was abandoned. Kilcoo were awarded the points. With a golden opportunity to lift the League Kilcoo went to Ballymartin but their performance was below standard and the home team ran out easy winners and became League winners by 2-9 to 0-2.

Kilcoo had to get through two further games to reach a play-off for second place and promotion. St. Michaels failed to field in their match and Atticall were brushed aside to force the decider, against Liatroim, which took place on New Years Day 1984. The Kilcoo supporters were hoping that third time around they would be lucky.

For the match in Castlewellan the line out for Kilcoo was Sean Fitzpatrick, Mickey Devlin, Barney McEvoy, Edward Morgan, Noel Doherty, Mark Kelly, Seamus McClean, P. J. Morgan, Declan Mussen, Colm Morgan, Sean Devlin, Kevin Kane, John McEvoy, James Morgan, John Devlin.

Three members of the team, Hugh Mussen, Michael O’Hare and Dan Morgan, who should have lined out, were carrying injuries but the game was only a few minutes old when Mark Kelly received an injury and the unfit Dan Morgan had to come on. Liatroim were aided by a strong wind in the first half and raced immediately into a three point lead. They finished the first half 1-4 to 0-2 in the lead but Kilcoo felt that with the aid of the strong wind this was not an impossible task to overcome but after ten minutes of the second half the Liatroim half back soloed down the field and blasted the ball into the net. Although Kilcoo did make some positional changes and got some useful possession their scoring was limited to three points and Liatroim ran out winners by 2-6 to 0-7 so Kilcoo were left to spend at least one more year in Junior football.

Although Tommy was not a born and bred Kilcoo man, having originated from Liatroim, he was a staunch Kilcoo supporter in every other way. After working near Cabra for a period of time in his younger days, he came to work for, and live with, Murnins, in Kilcoo. After Tommy got married he lived for a time in Moyadd, before moving to Ballymoney.

In his younger days he played for Kilcoo, his position, generally, in goals. He also played for ‘The Square’ team. When he hung up his boots he continued to work diligently for the Kilcoo club, willing to do any job that needed to be done. Most people will remember that he was ‘in his element’ carrying the water bottles for the players. He was always a jovial character and he will be well remembered as an enthusiastic club man with a wide grin on his face, cheering on ‘The Magpies’.

In the early sixties Tommy moved to Burrenbridge, but he continued to support Kilcoo, travelling all over the County to matches. He would be very proud today of the achievements of the Kilcoo club, particularly Eoghan Rua Park, the planning of which was very much in its infancy when he died on 19 December 1982 aged 74.

May the sod of Kilcoo lie lightly on him.