Championship 2020
The revised
format for both senior championships were ratified by the Co Board last Monday
evening. In contrast to recent years we are going to see a short, sharp burst
of action with both competitions being run over 4 weeks. There will be 4 groups of 3 with the top 2 in
each group advancing. The hurlers are first into action on Wednesday 5th
August versus Ballysaggart followed by De La Salle the following weekend.
It is envisaged
the hurling championship will be completed by the end of August allowing the
football to commence the first weekend of September where our group opponents
will be Clashmore and Ardmore.
Covid 19
All club
teams will return to full training from next week. Prior to each teams return respective
managers will inform players and parents of their responsibilities as we strive
to make things as safe as possible for everyone.
Reeling In The Years
This week
we have the 2nd part of Joe Powers recollections of the SF championship victory
in 1978. We hope you enjoy it.
On April
29th that year, we played Kill in Stradbally, and had a good victory over a
Kill team that were on the way down from great Kill teams of the 60s.
2nd June
was our next championship match in Fraher Field against old rivals Stradbally,
when we rose to the occasion and won by 2-12 to 1-6. Three weeks later at the
Leamybrien venue we played Dunhill, who before the start of the championship
were bookies favourites with Stradbally and Mitchells to win the county, we
beat Dunhill that day by 1-9 to 1-6.
We were
now in the semi-final, and we were being reminded of all the times we came
close to victories in the senior championships. Like 1972, S-F semi-final in
Cappoquin v Stradbally, a draw the first day and beaten by two points in the
replay a week later, or 1969 when in S-F semi-final we drew with Tramore in
Walsh park, and three weeks later lost the replay by two points, they went on
to win the county that year. In between those two very important games, we lost
the S-H final county final to Mount Sion at Walsh Park also, not many teams
scored 2-13 and lost the final. In that 1969-year Abbeyside/Ballinacourty were
awarded club of the yea. Great for the club, but poor consolation for players
and managers that came so close to winning the big ones
After
those three good championship victories under our belt, and the semi-final
fixed for the 27th August, with four teams left, we awaited the draw. As luck
would have it, we drew the remaining favourite John Mitchels, we played a few
high-profile challenges before the semi-final.
A big
crowd gathered at the Fraher field for the meeting of the John Mitchels team
that had won three county championships in the 70s, and a Ballinacourty team seeking
a win that would put them into the S-F final for the first time in the club’s
history. After a hard fought game, we came out on top, on a score of 0-12 to
0-7.
The stage
was now set for the clubs first ever appearance in a county S-F final. There
was great excitement around the parish to the extent that large numbers of
supporters turned up to watch training, at Cliffe’s field in the Burgery, eager
to see how preparations were going for the final. We played a couple of
challenge matches, one being away to Ardfinnan, which we won, 12pts to 9pts and
gave us a good boost. With flags and buntings decorating all areas of the
parish, and newspapers, and some supporters thinking we couldn’t be beaten, it
was hard for all involved with the team to keep our feet on the ground, as for
the first time in this championship we had been made hot favourites to win for
the club, our first ever S-F title.
Sunday
1st October 1978 was the day we had been striving for all year. That morning I
found it hard to concentrate on anything, after mass, walking around, couldn’t
sit and read the paper, I knew it was nervous tension building, and when we all
met up in the dressing room it eased off a bit. While togging off you could
hear a pin drop. Then with the rousing speech from Tony, and a big roar from
the panel, we burst out the door, and galloped to the show grounds. (This is at
the back of stand now, there was no stand there then) The well organised 20-minute
drill session had us all fired up and rearing to go.
With the
big attendance at the Fraher field looking towards the dressing rooms, for the
teams to enter the pitch, Clashmore arrived, to loud cheers from their
supporters. With patrons still looking in that direction, we arrived through
the small gate at the other end of the pitch, a well hatched plan by the
selectors. We were the only team ever to come onto the pitch through that
entrance.
During
the pre-match parade behind the Dungarvan Brass & Reed band, and Dungarvan
Pipe band, the nerves had settled, all the focus now was on win this game and
collect the Conway cup and make history for ourselves and for the club.
We had
won most of our games that year from the underdog position, now how would we
handle the position of hot favourites?
From the
time referee John Regan, from Kill, threw in the ball we got straight into the
job at hand. “Fight tooth and nail, contest every ball as if your life depended
on it” were the instructions given in the dressing room, and I am happy that
every man bought into the instructions. We never expected it to be easy, and so
it proved, at half time Clashmore led by 2-1 to 0-4. With the chance to
regroup, and some tough talking by the management team, who made a few
positional switches, we didn’t panic, and about half way through the second
half we were a point ahead. With about ten minutes to play we were two points up
and fought doggedly all over the pitch to defend our lead, which we did. At the
final whistle we had made history, on the score 0-13 Clashmore 2-4.
As the
whistle blew it was pure relief, excitement, and satisfaction for the years’
work well done. We were all delighted of course for the supporters and all in
the club that had been with us through thick and thin over the years, this
victory was for them as well as us. The time in the dressing room after the
match was special, to share with the whole panel, selectors and club officials.
The
Dungarvan pipe band, fair play to them, had waited for some time for us to
emerge from the dressing room, and we, with lots of our supporters walked
behind the band to our favourite watering hole, Alice O’Connor’s in the village.
We celebrated here for a few hours, before John McGrath’s 40ft lorry with flat
trailer arrived. Along with lots of supporters, we scrambled on board with as
many as could fit to make our way to Elstead’s pub in Ballinacourty. As we were
coming towards the Barnawee bridge we could see the bonfire blazing on the pier
at Ballinacourty, the celebrations went on long into the night.
On the
following day we again gathered at Elstead’s pub and had a pleasant surprise
when Eddie O’ Halloran, and some of his Clashmore team mates arrived to join us
which was a nice gesture by them. Later that evening, again on John McGraths
lorry, the panel of players were driven around the village, to the delight of
loyal supporters along the route, some slurred speeches also took place.
On
Tuesday we brought the Conway cup to the Abbeyside and Garranbane schools in the
parish, where we got a great reception from teachers and pupils. It was a very
proud day for me to bring the cup to Garranbane school, as I went to that
school as a boy, and lived at that time just across the road. My son Seamus
welcomed us on behalf of the pupils and staff, and when someone suggested we go
across the road to my parents’ house to take a photo of the three generations
with the cup I was delighted, and still have that treasured photo of course. (I
also have the football we played the 1978 final with), in those days the county
board supplied the ball for the final, and the winning captain was allowed to
keep it, lots of supporters signed it in the week of celebrations after the
game, hard to read some of the names now, I have it a safe place, and it’s a
lovely souvenir to have of the win.
The
celebrations went on for the full week (as I had taken a week’s holiday from
work, win lose or draw) it suited me fine. On the Friday night of that week we
had a 52 seater bus, which brought players and supporters to Clashmore for a
gathering in their pubs to show them respect and appreciation of their
contribution to the final.
This was
a victory not only for those of us involved but also lots of great club players
that might not have been dual players, but were great club men, and we can’t
forget the great people, men and women, that represented the club before us,
some of them that were involved with this team, as management, club officers,
and supporters. With the passing of time we have also unfortunately seen the
passing of some great people who were involved in these special days. May they
rest in peace.
After the
winning of three S-F titles in four years, we never expected it would take 26
years to win the next senior title for the club.
