Club Focus 2001
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Glenfin
G.F.C, Co. Donegal
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Erins
Own, Cargin, Co. Antrim
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Tir
Na nOg, Portadown, Co. Armagh
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Cumann
Pheadar Naofa, Rinn Mhic Giolla Rua (St. Peters, Warenpoint, Co.
Down)
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Cumann
Thomáis Uí Chléirigh Dún Geanainn (Thomas Clarkes, Dungannon,
Co. Tyrone)
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Cumann
N.Mholaoise, Na Cerna (St. Molaise, Irvinestown, Co. Fermanagh)
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St.
Treas GFC, Ballymaguigan, Co. Derry
Glenfin
G.F.C, Co. Donegal
Glenfin
have appeared in their 3rd final, having won their first title in 1983
and loosing by 1 point in 1997. They have a good mixture of
youth and experience and narrowly lost out on promotion to division one. This
has been a great year for Glenfin with both reserves and seniors winning
the Intermediate Championship and our Minors also won the county final. Club
Colours: Red/white Chairman:
Jim Quinn Runai:
Ann McKenna Treasurer:
Eddie May PRO:
Bernie McGlynn Team
Manager: Frank Ward
Erins
Own, Cargin, Co. Antrim
Runai:
Jimmy Scullion
Team
Manager: Packie McGuckin
PRO:
George McGuckin
Tir
Na nOg, Portadown, Co. Armagh
The
Gaels of Portadown as the day when the Tir Na nOg GFC was established
will remember the 6th May 1943 fondly. A forerunner to the
establishment of the club was O'Donovan Rossa who existed for about
seven years.
But
the credit for the foundation of Tir Na NOg must go to the Portadown
branch of the Gaelic League. In the early 40's the branch was very
active in promoting the Gaelic language and Ceili dancing. It was
felt that since the demise of O'Donovan Rossa's a void existed in
football terms.
The
eventual outcome was to form a Gaelic Football Club, hence Tir Na
nOg. The initial club colours were green with green and black
socks and the membership for life was 2/-.
In
January 1944 Tir Na nOg was accepted into the Lurgan and District League
with the first game played against Sarsfields on Sunday 26th
March. The efforts of 1944 bore fruit in 1945 when Tir Na nOg won
the Junior League after a play off against Wolfe Tones.
Schoolboy
football was developing at this stage also. They were catered for
through the initiation of street leagues, which soon brought reward in
the form of silverware. This was clear after the Minor side won
the Murray McAvoy cup in 1948 and retained the title in 1949. In
1948 the side also reached the County Minor Final.
Indications
of the strides made at this level by James McKee and Co. was the fact
that seven players made the 1948 County Minor panel and one, Tommy
McConville played a major role in Armagh's All Ireland conquering minor
side of 1949.
The
fifties with the winning of the North Armagh Junior League, with a win
against Barry Ogs in the final game. The end of this decade saw
the team win the All County Senior League defeating Collageland in the
final game. Victory in the North Armagh section was ensured with
a 2-00 to 1-02 win against neighbours Maghery.
At
this time Tir Na nOg were renowned for their good, clean, fast, open
football. This was complemented by the many invites to tournaments
received by the club many of which were turned into victories.
After
success in the All County League further victories followed in the
Charity Cup in 1960 and Cafolla Cup in 1963. In 1965 thought the
club acquired their greatest success to date, winning the County Junior
Championship by defeating Forkhill 1-10 to 1-05, on September 19th,
greater glory followed the next season when the Intermediate
Championship was captured for the first time, beating Killeavey 3-06 to
2-08 in the final. As underage football continued to develop, the
U-16's were defeated at the semi-final stage fo the Championship in
1969.
The
early 70's were dominated by continued underage success. In 1970
the U16's were defeated in the County final by Clann Eireann. In
the following year not to be outdone the side reversed the result by
defeating St. Patricks 7-09 to 0-07. 1973 proved another year of
participation in county finals the U-16's losing to Carrickcruppin in a
replay, while the minors lost to Oliver Plunketts at he same stage by a
goal. The senior team continued and were rewarded in 1975 with 3rd
Division success, by 1997 the side were in Division 1. Underage
success blossomed as a result in the late seventies.
Of
course 1980 saw the second success for the club at Intermediate level
beating Granemore 0-06 to 0-04 in Armagh on August 17th. The Minor team
also remained unbeaten throughout the season.
The
main events of the early 80's were some tremendous Senior Championship
tussles including a semi-final defeat against Carrickcruppin by one
point and a three game series against Harps. 1982 saw the return
to division one football, and the 'B' team lost in the County Final to
Crossmaglen. Success at underage level continued and then in 1986
the new clubrooms were opened at Ballyoran. This new facility was
to enhance the club.
Underage
football continued to thrive and over the past number of years Tir Na nOg
sides have rarely been out of the honours. The under 16's fell at
the final hurdle of the 1990 Championship and similarly six years
later. In the same year through 1996 the 'B' side became county
champions with a superb victory over Killeavey.
In
1998 the club qualified for the Intermediate Championship Final but went
down to three goal blast in five minutes against Cullaville.
Successes at underage level continued in North Armagh in 1999,but the
under 16's lost again narrowly in the county decider against Pearse Og.
Runai:
B Ui Mheallain
Team
Manager: Gary Mallon
Cumann
Pheadar Naofa, Rinn Mhic Giolla Rua
(St.
Peters, Warrenpoint, Co. Down)
The
GAA in Warrenpoint pre-dates St. Peter's by a considerable span of
years, for it was in 1888 that the original seed was sown with the name
of John Martin.
The
club maintained the name until the mid-twenties when it fell on hard
times. In 1931 it was revived but because another club in Down
registered under the name of John Martin, hence the new name of Cumann
Pheadar Naofa.
Itis
worth noting that in 1988 Warrenpoint won their first competition held
in the county. In 1932 St. Peter's found their feet and went on to
win the Junior Championship. The golden era for Warrenpoint was in
the 40's and 50's when they won three Senior titles.
In
1972 St. Peter's won the newly introduced Intermediate Championship title, also the same title in 1974. Lean years followed in Senior
football although, St. Peter's has made numerous contributions on the
National front and continues to do so.
The
year 2001 has certainly been a great year for St. Peter's, what with
being promoted to Division one football and the icing on the cake by
winning the Intermediate Championship title on Sunday 30th September in
Pairc Esler when the 'Blues' defeated Longstone. Every player gave
off his best and deserved the title.
Club
colours: Blue and white
Runai:
Bearnairdin Ui Mhordha
Team
Manager: J. McComiskey
Cumann
Thomáis Uí Chléirigh Dún Geanainn
(Thomas
Clarkes, Dungannon, Co. Tyrone)
Dungannon
Thomas Clarkes GFC (Cumann Thomáis Uí Chléirigh Dún Geanainn) was
formed in 1917 and is named after one of the executed leaders of the
1916 Easter Rising, Thomas J Clarke, who spent his formative years
living in Dungannon. The club colours are green, white and yellow.
The
club has won 10 Senior Football Championships and 3 Intermediate
Football Championships. The last time the Clarkes won an
Intermediate title was in 1972 beating Clonoe in the final by 2-05 to
0-04. this year we beat Fintona in the final 0-12 to 0-11.
The team is managed by Monaghan stalwart Gerry McCarville who has
breathed new life into the club and has achieved his aim of putting us
back into senior football next year.
We
have to go back to 1956 for our last Senior title win when we beat
Clonoe in the final by 2-06 to 1-05. The club last competed in a
Senior Championship final in 1986 when we were narrowly beaten by
Trillick in a replay.
O'Neill
Park has been the home of the Clarkes since 1947. It was the first
GAA owned pitch in Tyrone and represented at the time a growing
confidence in the GAA in its ability to develop and organise Gaelic
games. A new pavilion was opened in 1967 and was destroyed in a
bomb attack on the club in 1971. the existing clubrooms were
completed in 1981 and replace the bombed building. The spectator
stand was added to the club facilities on the site of the old clubrooms
in the late 1980's. Recent development work has made further
improvements to the ground which is still regarded by many as the best
venue in Tyrone for atmosphere at ta big game.
Club
Colours: Green, white
and yellow
Runai:
Oilibhéar MacAodha
Team
Manager: Gerry McCarville
Cumann
N.Mholaoise, Na Cerna
(St.
Molaise, Irvinestown, Co. Fermanagh)
St.
Molaise GAC was founded in 1906 but it was in 1918 that they won their
first Senior Football Championship. They had to wait until 1929 when
they won the Senior Football League. In 1947 St. Molaise Pairc was
opened and has since been the venue for many big games as it was the
main county grounds for Fermanagh. In 1952 the club won the Senior
Football Championship and Senior Football League as well as the Minor
Football Championship.
Club
Colours: Green and gold
Runai:
Liam O'Donaile
Team
Manager: John King
St.
Treas GFC, Ballymaguigan, Co. Derry
www.ulstergaa/sttreasgfc.com
Club
Colours: Green and gold
Runai:
Peter Cassidy
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