Mohill GAA Club News: Words don't come easy after County Final loss
Words don’t come easy they say as our Senior team fell at the final hurdle in this years Senior championship race losing out to St. Mary’s on Sunday last by the minimum on a scoreline of 11 points to 1-7 despite having held a commanding enough five point lead at the half-time interval, but as Val Morrison says "you will have days like this" as St Mary’s ran out worthy winners to claim their first title in nine years which was also at our expense. See match report.
Congrats St. Mary’s on achieving the Minor (U17) and Senior double on the day.
Down Memory Lane: In this week's “Down Memory Lane” and for the week that’s in it we go back to 1971 and recall our famous Senior Championship success of that particular year. Firstly, let us set the scene and point out that we had not won a Senior title since 1929, and we were underdogs going into the final having to face the might of Ballinamore who in that era were the kingpins of Leitrim club football, and in 1971 prior to the final were unbeaten in League and Championship.
However, our lads had not read the script and before a then record crowd as someone around here once said “ upset the apple tart” (cart) and ran out deserving winnerson a 0-6 to 0-4 scoreline to bridge that 42 year gap. (It would have been another 35 years till our next success).
The match report in the Observer hailed the Titanic performance of Michael McGuinness and John Baxter while also stating that Mohill were well served on the day by Sean Kilrane, Anthony Canning, the three Keegan bros. Des, Frankie and Gerry, Chris Foley, and Sean Bannon.
Our lineout was as follows: Shane Moran, Brendan Gallagher, Sean Kilrane, Sean (Bula) McCrann (Captain), Anthony Canning, Frankie Keegan, Brendan McGowan, John Baxter, Des Keegan, Ciaran Kelly, Gerry Keegan, Chris Foley, Martin Moran, Michael McGuinness, Sean Bannon. Sub used Paul Greenan. Other subs were Jim Boyle, Harry McCrann, George Booth, Tom Melia, PJ Reynolds, Sylvester Kivlehan, Joe Beirne, John Dunleavy, Liam Guckian, Paddy Byrne.
Brian Gordon missed the final due to a broken ankle. Matt Gaffey was team trainer, while Gabriel Moran, Johnny Rowley and Michael Gallagher were selectors. For the record, the late Eamonn Duignan Senior was Club Chairman back then. Marksmen on the day were M. McGuinness 0-3, D. Keegan 0-2, C. Foley 0-1.
There were certainly joyous and emotional scenes after the final whistle as our “Captain Fantastic” Sean (Bula) McCrann lifted the cup on behalf of his team.
Sadly, as you may have noted a number of those involved in that triumph 51 years on have since passed away, namely Michael McGuinness, Brendan Gallagher, Michael Gallagher, Gerry Keegan, Paul Greenan, John Dunleavy, Liam Guckian, Johnny Rowley, Eamonn Duignan (Snr.) Paddy Byrne.
Lotto: This week’s winning numbers were 4, 18, 20, 21. Jackpot was €3300. No jackpot winner. Congrats. to the following Lucky Dip winners: €40 Joe McGarry Rosdoaun, Lee Cassells and John Reynolds Mohill; €20 Padraig Murphy. Treanmore, & Aine Flood Drumshanbo. Thank you to everyone who played this week. Your support goes a long way to helping our club.
Condolences: Our condolences go to the family and friends of the late Jim McIntyre, formally of Adoon, Gorvagh who was laid to rest in Luton, Bedfordshire UK on Friday morning last. Jim was a brother of the late Brian McIntyre rip formally Knocklongford, Mohill.