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Football News
U7 Boys/Girls' Football:
The P2 and P3 boys and girls kicked off their season on Sunday 13th June in St. Mark's with games against Shamrocks. Both teams showed off some great skills throughout with some great scores taken.
For a lot of the players, it was their first time to line out for the Super Blues in a match and we were so proud of all their efforts.
Thanks to all the coaches and parents for their help and support.
U9 Boys/Girls' Football:
A total of 40 of our U9 footballers were out in full force on Sunday morning (13th June) in St. Colman’s College, Newry. Our girls and boys gave a great performance against a competitive Newry Bosco side, and it was great to see the efforts in training paying off in the matches. Well done all!
U11 Boys' Football:
Cumann Pheadair Naofa Under 11 B Team welcomed visitors Eire Óg to Moygannon for a league match on a balmy Sunday morning, 13th June.
Eire Óg, an amalgamation of Glasdrumman and Ballymartin clubs, started fast and got into an early lead. The young Point lads moved up a gear in the 2nd quarter and some of their movement and passing was a joy to behold.
Although Eire Óg kept the scoreboard ticking over, they simply had no answer to the rampant Blues who plundered 6 goals and ran out impressive winners in a fine all round team performance.
U13 Boys' Football:
On Tuesday evening (8th June) the U13 boys made the long trip to Tullylish. After a slow start the Point boys finished the first half in the lead.
The players were inconsistent in their play in the second half which allowed the home side to stay in the game. After the final water break the boys in blue were behind but kept working hard until the final whistle to earn a share of the points. The U13s welcome neighbours Rostrevor to Milltown on Tuesday, throw-in 7:30pm – all support welcome.
U15 Boys' Football:
The U15 footballers travelled to Bredagh on Thursday evening (10th June) for their 4th game in All County Division 1. The young blues worked very hard and played exceptional football throughout. They came out on top with a winning margin of 8 points in a high scoring, free flowing match which was a credit to both sides.
Final score: Cumann Pheadair Naofa 5.15 Bredagh 2.16.
The U15s have now won 3 of their first 4 games in Division 1. This has been a great start for the young Warrenpoint Gaels after taking the brave decision to ask the CCC to take the team out of Division 2 to play in Division 1 after a few games in. Next up is Clonduff U15s at Milltown 7.30pm Thursday 17th June). All support welcome.
U17 Boys' Football:
The U17 boys were on the road last Monday (7th June) with round 5 of the league seeing them drawn away to Leitrim.
On a warm and still evening, perfect for football, the minor boys were hoping to keep the momentum going from their previous week' s home win over Dundrum.
On arrival the team and mentors could not help but be impressed by Leitrim's ever improving facilities and the level of activity around the club on a Monday evening.
The game itself got off to a poor start for the 'Point boys, conceding 2 early goals. However, the heads did not go down and the boys fought back to go in at half time 3 points to the good.
The second half up to the water break was a tit for tat affair with the margin having only increased by one when the ref blew for the 1-minute pause in play.
With 10 minutes to go and the game still very much in the melting pot, both teams re-entered the fray. The Warrenpoint boys however dug deeper and pulled away with some excellent scores and improved play right across the team.
Final score: Leitrim 3.09 Cumann Pheadair Naofa 3.18
Next up is Downpatrick at home.
Hurling News
U13s come good against Bredagh
Patrick Rankins 5-8
Bredagh 1-4
Patrick Rankins played hosts to second placed Bredagh in the Div2 U13 league on Friday evening. The Newry/Warrenpoint amalgamation were narrowly beaten in last week’s evenly contested encounter with Craobh Rua so the south Belfast side would have been strongly fancied to come away from Paírc Esler with another two points in the bag, but a gritty performance and some fantastic displays of hurling from the south Down lads proved their undoing.
The skill, determination and teamwork of the Rankins side resulted in a well merited win. Well done to Warrenpoint’s Colette Lock & Newry’s Ronan Sheehan who have ensured that the boys have gotten some great games of hurling over the last month.
Next Friday the boys will be at home to Kilclief.
Team: Oliver Murdock, Eoin Campbell, Tiernan Fitzpatrick, Conor Treanor, Niall McManus, Eoin Gorman, Ciaran McMahon, Danny Doyle, Jamie Lock, Senan Rogan, Lorcan Rowntree, Conal Gallagher, James Curran, Charlie Phelan.
Camogie News
For the home opening match v Castlewellan the U13 camogs put in an amazing effort. With the U11’s stepping up to bring a full squad, the girls went head to head throughout the first half. Castlewellan had a few wides but found their stride defeating the blues. All the Warrenpoint girls never gave up and pulled together as a team. For the first match back in over a year I’d say Camogie is back in Warrenpoint with the spirit and drive of the blues for this coming season!
Our next game for U 13’s is Saturday the 19th 11:00 @ moygannon v. An Riocht Training continues for all age groups Friday evening, 6.15-7.15pm in St Mark's.
Congratulations Paddy
Congratulations to senior footballer Paddy Murdock who was part of the starting 15 who defeated Laois in the division 2 relegation playoffs.
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Justin McNulty MLA has said It was a great honour to meet Uachtarán Cumann Lúthchleas Gael, Larry McCarthy when he visited County Armagh this week. The President visited St Malachy's PS in Armagh.
Mr McNulty said “Since taking up office as Uachtarán Cumann Lúthchleas Gael this was our GAA President’s first visit to a school, his first visit to the North, and, most importantly, his first visit to County Armagh. It was a truly historic and joyous occasion and I felt privileged to be there.
“The GAA President is a Cork man and has been based in New York for many years and is associated with the Sligo club in the Big Apple. There is also a strong GAA connection in St. Malachy’s with 2 passionate advocates - Principal Paul Duggan who’s on GAA Central Council and former Armagh Goalkeeper and Pearse Og’s County Championship winning captain Ciaran McKinney.
“The warmth of the welcome for the GAA President was a joy to behold. The singing, the dancing, the GAA quiz, the sports games all helped make it a wonderful occasion. The children were all in awe of the President and I know Larry was taken aback by the school’s wonderful welcome."
The Newry and Armagh MLA added “I was truly honoured to be at St. Malachy’s Primary School in Armagh for the visit of our GAA President and I felt it important to mark the occasion by presenting the Uachtarán with a small token - a book with huge County Armagh relevance called Cúchulainn: ULster's Greatest Hero by Réamonn Ó Ciaráin and beautifulyl illustrated by Armagh Artist Dara Vallely.”
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Do they ever get decisions right?
Even in the Premier league.
Even with VAR.
Even with apparently up to seven officials whose sole purpose is to ensure fair play.
Even with a multitude of cameras covering all possible angles.
Well, they’re often wrong, that is according the the big-name pundits in the BBC, ITV or Sky studios.
Well if those professional referees don’t get it correct when surrounded by today’s high profile technology and a team of assistants, what chance has a poor referee in the Carnbane League got?
In fact why would anyone be a referee in a local league match?
At times there is no proper pitch marking.
No technology.
And no linesmen.
Well maybe that last statement is incorrect.
There are linesmen.
But generally, apart from cup finals, assistant officials running the line are usually connected to the clubs on the field.
Biased?
Someone once said a lineman from a well-known club always did his job fairly.
He flagged one way during the first half.
And the other way during the second!
Footballers take their sport seriously and want to win, often seeing the poor auld ref as someone who is out to beat them. But as the famed Bill Shankly once said. “Football is not a matter of life and death; it’s much more important that that.”
It’s a hard, thankless job to officiate at a game with proper linesmen; without them its well nigh impossible.
For instance, how does a referee, who is following a match, see where an off-the-ball man starts a run? The player might be in an offside position when he picks up the ball but may have been perfectly OK when the pass was originally played. Without linesmen refs are in a no-win situation.
And with new rules coming into operation, seemingly every week, the situation is getting increasingly bizarre.
What constitutes a penalty kick now?
No one seems to know.
Was the arm in a natural position?
Did it hit his arm above or below his shirt-sleeve?
Was the keeper an inch off his line when the spot kick was taken?
To make it even more difficult, footballers try to hide their mistakes. Some automatically blame the official every time they concede a goal. Managers often instruct their players to appeal to the ref every time a goal is scored against them. Even, as in most cases, the decision is not reversed, it puts pressure on the referee to even things out for the team allegedly wronged.
To illustrate these points, I’ll recount a game I refereed many, many years ago.
One Saturday I went out to watch my son playing for the Red Devils at Ferris Park. The ref didn’t appear and the manager of the other team, Gervaise Patterson, the Villa Rovers supremo, asked me to officiate.
He actually said to me: ‘Tony, I know you will do it fairly.’
I thought so too and was persuaded to give it a go, particularly as I had participated in a referees’ course a few months previously.
That was mistake number one.
Mistake number two came three minutes into the game when I allowed a goal that everyone in the ground thought was offside.
I was always of the opinion that referees were far too serious on the field, so I thought I would lighten things up with a joke. That was mistake number three. The player I joked with didn’t think it was remotely funny and ripped into me.
Mistake number four came when I gifted a goal to the other side. Apparently the ball had crashed onto the bar and out. From my position I thought the ball had crossed the line and I gave the score.
My fifth error was to charge off the field after a player, who I had just dismissed and who called me a mouthful of rude names.
In the melee that followed I got a thump on the mouth.
My sixth mistake was to chase my assailant down the road after the game. I never caught him, perhaps fortunately for myself.
My seventh was not reporting that player (and another I sent off) to the Carnbane league.
However, I did make two good decisions that day.
In a three-goal game I got one of the scores right … I think.
And I quit refereeing.
That game between the Red Devils and Villa was the second match in which I had officiated.
The other time happened a few years previously at Crieve’s Crown Park where I gave a free kick against one of my best friends.
After I blew him up, he put his face two inches from mine and called me a cheating f***ing bastard. I could see the hatred in his eyes. At that moment I was dirt on his shoe. The lowest of low.
Fortunately, it was a spur-of-the-moment thing and we continued to be best friends – even to this day.
But those two matches were the sum total of my refereeing career.
And most certainly it was two games too many.
Not like the well-known official Frank McDonald, a great character, who spent a lifetime as a referee, in both soccer and gaelic. Frank once told me some great stories about his time as the Man in the Middle.
One day he refereed a schools’ final between St Michaels, Enniskillen and St Pats, Maghera and after the game he was severely beaten up by the Maghera supporters.
It made headline news in the Northern Ireland media with TV showing the disgraceful scenes.
But the incident had a funny side too. The next week Frank was refereeing at Windsor Park and as he ran out onto the field a wee Linfield supporter shouted: “Hey McDonald, I don’t think much of that aul GAA but they know a bad ‘un too when they see one!”
Another time Frank was officiating at an Intermediate Cup match featuring the RUC and a Newcastle league team. The centre forward of the Newcastle side, a former Down player who shall not be named, scored an early goal and as he ran out celebrating, he threw a mighty punch at one of his rivals in full view of the referee.
A sure-fire sending off and as Frank produced his red card he asked the player: Why?
His answer: “When do you get a chance to punch a policeman and not get jailed?”
And the same player, a top marksman, but a player who had a penchant for regularly getting himself sent off, was a further subject of our conversation. Frank said of him: “Yer man has the speed of a racehorse, the strength of a carthorse and the brains of a … rocking horse!”
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Eoin McGuinness has always been a player that wears his heart on his sleeve, whether that be in the jersey of his club Newry Shamrocks or county Armagh.
The Newry GAA Club is steeped in history but recently their members have been writing a new chapter in hurling for Armagh and Down.
“That’s the thing, Newry Shamrocks has always been a club that has had members from Armagh and Down, my own family is all Armagh.
“We live in Killeavy, and we are all Armagh following people but from within the club there has been great Down men throughout the years. The late John Murphy and DJ Kane, we have legends like that at the club. There are great Armagh and Down people in the Shamrocks, and they would support you no matter what colours you have on.
“Ronan Sheehan and Sean Gallagher have run an Academy at the Shamrocks and what they have done is phenomenal. We started with maybe 12 children from under 13 and down and now we have over 60 playing hurling. It is getting bigger every year and the more the merrier and that says a lot about the good coaching we have.”
Strong, bullish and athletic, his craftwork with the hurl is something to admire too and at 34 years young McGuinness is hungry for more.
Armagh hurlers have big back-to-back games against Tyrone later this month, with and outside chance of clinching the Division 3A league title at stake for the first game, but the start of the journey to Croke Park and the Nicky Rackard Cup is on the line for the second game.
Anyone who has witnessed Eoin, or indeed his brother Artie play hurling will know they don’t believe in half measures and the Newry man is keen on getting two wins against the Red Hands rivals.
“Our ambition from the start of the season was to win league and championship. Obviously, other results would have to go our way to be in with a shout to win the league because we got beat by Sligo, which was bitterly disappointing,” said McGuinness.
“I feel it was a game we left behind and we can only beat what is in front of us. So, we need to win our remaining game and target this championship and give it everything.
“It is all or nothing, we don’t know how the other games will go, so we will have to give it the full welly. We don’t know, Sligo could slip up and that could be our chance if we beat Tyrone. It is a do or die game in the championship and we have to go hell for leather again.”
McGuinness made his debut for Armagh in 2013 against Finglas, this year the team is going through transition, with a lot of young talent coming in to replace several seasoned campaigners. But the Newry man, who has scored 1-04 so far this campaign, has no heed of hanging his stick up and he has been impressed with the spread of clubs in the Armagh team.
“I am happy enough with the way I am playing, I suppose I could always be fitter and quicker, but the Armagh County Board has provided everything for us, so I just try to not miss training and do it on the pitch. I still have a lot to play for and plenty of years left in me yet,” Eoin said.
“There is a lot of changes. A lot of boys in their early 30s retired but there is a lot of new blood coming in, with the likes of Stephen McGurney from Derrynoose and a couple of Cuchulainn’s lads, Caolan McReynolds, Tiernan O’Hare from Camlough so there is good talent coming through, the future is bright.
“When you have a player from every club then it gives hurling more exposure to everyone in the county and when we come together the tribalism disappears. You are more part of a team.”
McGuinness has won the Division 2B title and Nicky Rackard Cup in 2016 with Armagh but he has suffered heartache in more finals that he cares to remember, and he is determined to get his hands on some silverware, especially when he is playing with his brother.
“Obviously playing with Artie is an added level of pride. We both made our senior debuts when we were 13 and we are playing together for at least 25 years.
“We have two different styles of playing hurling and when you have your brother playing at the other side of the field it gives you a bit of a confidence booster. You can go in a wee bit harder because you know you have got backup,” laughed Eoin.
“Every time pull on the Armagh jersey is special to me because from my great grandparents down to me, they are Armagh to the core, and I feel great pride to represent Newry when I pull on the Shamrocks jersey.”
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The Irish Triathlete is the only book written on triathlons in Ireland. The book takes the reader through the 36-year history of the sport – right from the early eighties to the present day. I finished and published the book just over a year ago. And I’ll have to say all the comments I have received thus far have been positive ones.
The book remembers some of the giants of the sport such as Ger Hartmann, Desi McHenry, Diane Sloan and Tom Heaney etc. from days long gone and even some modern icons such as Newry’s Martin Patterson, Portadown’s Conor Murphy and Silverbridge’s Owen Martin, the latter who has qualified for the World Championship in Hawaii an amazing 11 times. There is lots of other local interest too. The book features the Newry and Setanta Clubs and there’s a special six-page feature on Bessbrook’s Mallon family.
Here’s an abbreviation of the book’s final chapter and it tells the story of my last triathlon.
It was always going to be a long day. And as it turned out, in the beautiful Dutch city of Maastricht, my final Ironman triathlon time of 15 hours 35 minutes was the longest I have ever been in competition.
They say Ironman is one of the toughest single-day events in the sporting world. And as the sun dropped in the sky and I lurched grotesquely and painfully towards Utopia in the form of the finishing gantry in the heart of Maastricht, I fervently believed this as fact.
In those final kilometres I went through the agonies of the damned.
I also went through the agonies of the damned the night before the race. My confidence was at an all-time low. I didn’t believe I could finish the event. I couldn’t see Tony Bagnall crossing the finish line. I questioned my sanity a thousand times. I didn’t sleep a wink and rose at 4am for breakfast with a stomach upset that further dented my abysmally low confidence. Luckily my stomach settled as I walked to the bike park to prepare for my Ironman swansong and I began to feel a little more relaxed.
Race day began at 7am as the sun blazed down on the River Maas and almost 1000 triathletes got ready to swim 3.8 kilometres, bike 180 kilometres and run a 42-kilometre marathon. It was a magnificent setting for the thousands of spectators who thronged every conceivable space around the swim start, including watching from 200-metre-long bridges.
The swim in the warm 21-degrees water was refreshing and, even better for the triathletes, there was no free-for-all effect as the race organisers had introduced a new rolling start.
Despite my pre-race pessimism, I enjoyed the swim and was pleased with my time of one hour 18 minutes.
The start of the bike leg too was fine as in the mild morning sunshine with little wind I was happily bowling along at 19-miles an hour. Those good times came to an end after about 40 kilometres as the course got ragged. Sharp 90-degree bends, steep hills and worse of all bad road surfaces, painted a different picture. My speed plummeted, the temperature zoomed to 27 degrees, and I still hadn’t reached The Cauberg, that notorious hill, the major feature of the famous Amstel Gold bike race, and a climb that had also been featured in the Tour de France.
I had trained for this hill by making weekly jaunts up Jockey’s Brae at Jerrettspass. The gradient there was 10 per cent but there were places on the Caulberg that reached 12 per cent or more. So I wasn’t relishing this climb … and we had to do it twice. But when I reached The Cauberg I found it wasn’t nearly as tough as Jockey’s Brae.
Anyway I finished the two-lap 112-mile bike ride in 7 hours 16 minutes, admittedly a bit slower than my anticipated time, without too much stress … but the run on a three-lap course was always going to be the race-buster.
My plan was to run a bit and walk a bit and I began ok by running the first kilometre. I walked a bit then but when I started to run again my leg muscles began cramping. I made several efforts to resume running without success but after about three-kilometres the cramps stopped and I was able to continue with my original idea.
I shuffled around the first hilly lap ok and about halfway through the second lap. But at that stage, although eating and drinking at every feed station, I was getting increasingly tired and increasingly worried that I wasn’t going to make the finish.
I had never failed to finish a race I had started in my whole triathlon career.
Was I about to end my Ironman swansong on a mighty low point?
Was I to get a DNF in my final Ironman event?
On the last lap, as the miles began to take their toll, I discovered I was walking with a crouch. Yet although I wasn’t able to run any more, I was still making progress. Yet over that last lap the pain was seeping into every bone in my body. The medical people on the course too were concerned at my grotesque posture and kept enquiring if I was all right. They also asked me questions such as - what is your race number? What day is it? Yet my brain was fine and I was always able to answer their questions.
Over the last few torturous miles, in near darkness, pictures of my three lovely grandchildren began flashing into my brain and I began muttering: “Eva, Meabh, Henry, I love you and I want you to be proud of me.”
This thought was a big incentive and carried me to the line where the crowds were absolutely brilliant, chanting, “Tony, Tony, Tony.” They knew my name as it was printed on my race number.
The commentator informed the spectators I was the oldest finisher and that brought increased cheering. Thus I finished my Ironman career on a high, something I just couldn’t have visualised 16 hours previously.
I had entered Maastricht as a means of qualifying for the World Championships in Kona, Hawaii. When I entered the race there was no one else in my 70-74 age-group. So I thought: all I have to do is finish under the 17-hours cut-off time and I will be able to book a dream trip to the Big Island.
But my dreams were dashed when two others entered in my age group – and one of this duo was a quicker biker and a much faster runner.
Yet on the night before Maastricht my mental anguish was so extreme that, regardless of the next day’s result, I decided I wasn’t going to Kona. As it transpired one of my two rivals beat me. I wasn’t disappointed at all in that outcome and indeed was thankful I didn’t have to turn down the Hawaiian slot.
My 30-year Ironman career is now over.
No more 100 plus mile bike rides.
No more 18-20-mile runs.
No more one and half hour swims.
But in that career there were some unbelievable highs. Like crossing the Ironman finish lines at Almere (twice), Klagenfurt, Zurich and Maastricht.
Like meeting some absolutely fabulous people.
Like becoming the first 70-year-old Irish person to go under 16 hours for the Ironman.
Like hearing five race commentators say: “Tony Bagnall … YOU ARE AN IRONMAN.”
The Irish Triathlete is vividly illustrated with lots of photographs, many from the early days of the sport in Ireland. If you would like a copy you can contact Tony Bagnall at 07815787874 or email him at tonybagnall@mac.com
The book originally sold at £13 but is now available at the bargain price of £8 … plus postage.
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While Armagh Ladies begin their national league campaign away to Tyrone and Down Ladies welcome Sligo on Sunday, the domestic games are still going ahead with Saturday’s Armagh LGFA game between Armagh Harps and Shane O’Neill’s taking top billing.
Manager of Shane O’Neill’s Ladies is Whitecross man Seamus McParland, who also works as a financial advisor for Reavey Financial Services based in Newry.
The Newry.ie Sports Team caught up with the young manager as he hopes to guide Shanes to championship glory, but he also wants older players to be aware that GAA’s Sports Injury scheme doesn’t cover for loss of earnings anymore.
McParland took charge of Shanes at the start of last season, they had just been promoted, but in his first year the south Armagh team won the Division One title for their first ever time, which is remarkable, and he is targeting the bigger prize this season.
“To be promoted and then not knowing what was ahead of us and the girls just took it in their stride, and it was a great help to have all the county players all year, even in training. To have players like, Aimee and Blaithin Mackin, Moya Feehan, Louise Kenny, Aoibheann Jones drive the younger players on, is invaluable. We have players at 16 and 17 who are wonderful talents, and the future is bright in Shane O’Neill’s,” McParland said.
“So, our expectations this year is to go one step further and push for the senior championship.
“We just fell short last year to the eventual winners Armagh Harps in the semi-final, but we will learn from it and push for the big one this year. We will have to work that 20 percent harder than we did last year. There is no reason why we can’t aim for it and our sights are retaining our league title.”
Of course, you don’t mention Shane O’Neill’s girls without talking about the Mackin sisters. This year’s Ladies Player of the Year Aimee and All-Star Blaithin, and McParland can say enough good things about them, but insists he is proud of his entire squad.
“The Mackin sisters are Shane O’Neill’s through and through,” said Seamus.
“In training anything you ask of Aimee and Blaithin, they will do it; they are incredible and stay after training to do their own runs, hitting frees and penalties. And people were rightly lauding Aimee’s goal against Dublin last year, but she is doing that in training week in, week out.
“When you see at first hand there is not any other man or woman in the county can do the things she can with a football. It is an absolute pleasure to manage them.
“We have players who are not in the county who are well capable such as Louise Kenny, who is back from her cruciate injury and I would class Louise as one of best defenders in Armagh and an absolute warrior. And since taking over at Shanes for me there are 34 All-Stars.”
McParland started his managerial career with his home club St Killian’s Whitecross when he coached the 2016 Intermediate championship winning team, who were then managed by Noel Marron and John Shields. He said he was surprised by how much he enjoyed coaching and then he spent two years managing Lissummon, who he says is a great club, before taking over the role at Shane O’Neill’s.
“I took the call and met up with Peter Lynch, who is now the Down manager and I just picked it up from there,” McParland recalled.
“All in all, the committee has welcomed me, and the girls have welcomed me, and we have got on with it. We have one trophy in the bag in our first year and we want to start filling up a trophy cabinet.”
Armagh Harps were the only team to beat Shane O’Neill’s last season, so Saturday’s game should be interesting, Reavey Financial Services are sponsoring the match ball, but Anthony Reavey who runs the company wanted to highlight some of the pitfalls players across the county might not be aware of.
“This year the GAA’s Sports Injury scheme doesn’t cover you anymore for loss of earnings,” said Reavey.
“They will still pay out to pay towards an operation relating to your injury, but the loss of earnings is no longer covered.
So, you look at any of the teams playing, there are the younger players and then the older ones with families, children, mortgages and more outgoings and responsibilities, so if they get injured on the pitch and they are off work for six weeks the GAA will give them nothing.
“This is where we can step in. Men and women can continue to play football, or any sport for that matter, but not have to worry that they might end up in financial difficulty.”
Most players are not aware that they are no longer covered, and of course other sports may not provide any loss of earnings cover. You can call Anthony or Seamus on 02830262626 to find out more.
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Gavin and Karl Murphy, sons of the late Down player John Murphy who sadly passed away in 2020 will be doing a charity cycle across Co. Down that will see the brothers travel to all 49 GAA clubs over three days.
A Newry Shamrocks native, John won an All-Ireland medal for Down in 1968 and was a selector on the winning teams of ’91 & ’94.
John Murphy made a habit of being the right man, at the right time.
But a boy at the straggle end of the swinging sixties, by the end of summer 1968, the likeable Newry man had not only graduated to manhood, but had etched himself into the annals alongside the very greats to ever grace Gaelic Games.
For that particular summer, the boys in red and black were back.
Seven years on from their historic back to back coronations, the legends of O’Neill, Paddy Doc and Joe Lennon returned to their Croke Park playground with a band of fresher faced merrymen, destined to make the Jones’ Road a field of dreams for another generation of daring Mournemen.
At left-half forward, a 20 year-old Murphy starred not only on All-Ireland final day, but throughout an unbeaten season that saw Gerry Brown’s side capture the National Football League title as well as the county’s third Sam Maguire. But it would be that steadfast reliability that would underscore the remainder of his life that the Shamrocks fledgling will be forever synonymous with when it comes to speaking of September 23rd.
The opening exchanges in most All Ireland finals can be tight and tepid affairs. But on that day, the swashbuckling pretenders from north of the border ambushed a much fancied Kerry side.
Murphy’s telling blow - rattling home from close range in the ninth minute after a strike from Sean O’Neill had been parried by Johnny Culloty in the Kingdom goal – proved the difference in the two sides by the final whistle. The right man. The right time. Down three for three.
Quintessential Down Man
John passed away May 21 2020, a huge blow not only to a family that adored what was a hero father, but a county who will forever be indebted to one of their greatest.
As John’s first anniversary approaches, sons Gavin and Karl were determined to mark the occasion with an act befitting of the man himself.
“He’d have a quare laugh at this craic”, laughs Karl.
“We wanted to do something between the pair of us that would shine a light upon the things that Dad stood for – the quintessential Down man, and the man that could be always relied upon to push those around him on. I dare say me and Gavin will be having a few quiet words with him throughout this challenge.”
The challenge – cycling north of 280 miles on a route that encompasses all 49 of the Mourne counties club grounds – seems the perfect salute to give to Mr Down. The boys late father cherry topped that historic ’68 performance by being an integral part of Pete McGrath’s backroom team throughout the golden 90’s period.
“We’ll be clipping in the first weekend in July – starting Thursday the 1st at Gerry Brown Park (Newry Mitchels) and all being well free wheeling down the Point Road to our own clubrooms (Newry Shamrocks) on Saturday the 3rd”, continues Gavin.
Running parallel to the final stage of the cycle that Saturday, John’s daughters Niamh and Fiona – not to be outdone- will be coordinating a Spinathon at the Shamrocks Club
“We’re hoping to involve as many people as possible on the way, because we know Dad touched the lives of so many Gaels across the county, and supporters may even get to glimpse a few special guests in some lycra over the weekend”.
Appearances from members of Down’s All-Ireland winning sides of ’91 and ’94 are to be expected at intervals throughout the weekend, as well as familiar local GAA faces Ciaran McLogan (Newry Mitchels), Conor Grant (Newry Bosco), Shane Kehoe (Newry Shamrocks) and Dr David McCaul (Drumgath) joining the men for the full endurance experience.
Fundraising
The brothers have launched a Go Fund Me page with all proceeds from their endeavours going to aid a number of local cancer charities, namely the NI Hospice, NI Children’s Hospice, the Cancer Fund for Children and the Southern Area Hospice.
“Whilst raising much needed provisions for these great charities is of paramount importance, it’ll be nice to once and for all put to bed some of the questions over our fitness levels that dogged the both of us over the course of our own playing careers”, finishes Karl.
“Speak for yourself...”, Gavin’s final pipe.
The John Murphy An Dún Charity Cycle will take place over the weekend of Thursday 1st July to Saturday 3rd of July, with proceeds split between some of the north’s amazing local cancer charities.
To donate, visit /WWW.GOFUNDME.COM
By Aaron Strain
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Football News
Senior Footballers Back In Action
A short pre-season may have led into Friday nights 1st league game vs Ballymartin but the senior men’s footballers were in flying form come throw in.
The first outing under Shane Muholland, Mark Poland and Gary Boyle’s leadership saw a refreshed and rejuvenated performance from the senior men. There was a nice blend of established and breakthrough players on show at pats road for the blues with some great scores from Donagh McAleenan, Ruairi McCormack, Ross McGarry and Sean McGivern.
While there may be no relegation in this league the performance was one looking to the future and the upcoming county league and championship, a fantastic performance and a positive start to the seniors campaign for 2021! Next up Ballyholland on Friday 21st May.
Hurling News
U13 loose out to Kilclief
The Newly formed U13 Patrick Rankins had their first match away to Kilclief on Friday evening, guided by Paddy Locke & Ronan Sheehan the boys put in a determined & honest display of skill & team work in the first 30 minutes to find themselves within a point of the home side at the break. The second half saw Kilclief put distance between their challengers as the home side shifted the tempo up a gear and the intensity & robustness of the tackles increased. Although finishing on the wrong of victory this young Rankins side learned a valuable lesson and impressed their management, leaving them encouraged for the next set of games in the league.
The young blues who contributed to the Patrick Rankins cause were Jason Duffy, Eoin Campbell, Ciaran McMahon, Oliver Murdock, Jamie Lock, Malachi Sherrington and Nikos Perdikomatis with goalkeeper Lorcan Rowntree doing great to keep the hosts at bay.
U11.5 win away to Newry
Newry Shamrocks 1-1 Cumann Pheadaír Naofa 3-6
The Cumann Pheadaír Naofa U11.5 hurlers had a great win over Newry Shamrocks in the opening game of their 2021 season on Saturday May 15th.
Just a few weeks after commencing training, the lads had their first competitive outing in Newry where they hurled to a very high level.
The lads showed some great attacking touches, registering three goals through the game.
Blues Captain for the day Conor Rice along with Charlie Downey and Tristan kept a tidy square! Whilst midfielders Niko and Ruadhan got through a trojan amount of work in midfield. The lively forwards of Eddie, Darragh, Lorcan and Theo gave their hosts plenty of headaches in attack, contributing to the win.
The U11.5 age group like others has been split into three groups, to allow for games to be played in a smaller geographical area, and to prevent some longer travel, within that section are Ballela and Craobh Rua Camlocha (Armagh), competing at this age group in Down for the first time.
We send our best wishes to Lorcán Rowntree who suffered a hand injury, we hope to see him back on the field in a few weeks.
Team: Tristan Dooley, Theo Gambold, Conor Rice, Eddie Ng, Darragh Murney, Charlie Downey, Lorcán Rowntree, Niko Perdikomatis, Ruadhan Williams
Our next game is on Sat. 5th June vs Craobh Rua Camlocha at 11.30am in Milltown Playing Fields.
Ladies Football
Senior Ladies
Cumann Pheadair Naofa senior ladies travelled to St.Michael's of Magheralin on Saturday evening for their second match of the league campaign. Having been victorious in their opening encounter against East Belfast, at home, the Blues were aiming to add to this with a win on the road. St.Michael's got their noses in front first & that's how it stayed, in what proved to be a closely contested encounter. Ultimately Warrenpoint just couldn't quite catch up with their opponents on the scoring front & eventually lost out by 0-11 to 0-7.
U15 Ladies
The U15 ladies in blue began their league campaign with a long trip away to Teconnaught. The Blues started strongly, getting three points within the opening ten minutes, the home team not getting on the score sheet until just before the first water break, with a goal. A number of changes were made at the first water break, with those just introduced having to get up to the speed of the game quickly. The teams traded scores for the rest of the first half, the home team going into the break with a one-point advantage.
For the second half, more changes were made, mixing up the personnel again. The home team started to take an element of control in the match & restricted the Blues to just a couple of scores, whilst converting a number of their own chances. This led to Teconnaught taking a 13-point lead into the second water break. More team changes ensued heading into the final quarter of the game. For the final 15 minutes, Warrenpoint really upped the pressure, with most of the game being played in the home team’s half of the pitch. The girls worked hard & kept the shots raining in towards the Teconnaught posts, but just couldn’t convert enough to scores to pull the game back, falling just short by four points.
Great effort by all the girls & fantastic to see a panel of 27, turning out & representing their club.
Final score: Teconnaught 7-4 Cumann Pheadair Naofa 4-9
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Was Paddy Doherty the most naturally gifted gaelic footballer ever to wear the red and black of Down?
Or was Paddy Mo even the greatest player in that famed first All-Ireland-winning half-forward line of Sean O’Neill, James McCartan and himself?
Was he a more important footballer to the Mourne county than Mickey Linden, Colm McAlarney, Tom O’Hare or Greg Blaney?
Who can say.
Football is all about opinions.
And everyone will have their own.
The Making of Paddy Mo, a book I recently wrote for former Meath All-Ireland-winning captain Liam Hayes and his series of publications Hero Books, makes no claims on settling arguments on who was the best.
But it does tell the story of Paddy Doherty’s rise from playing football as a child at Ballykinlar to becoming a triple All-Ireland winner with Down.
The book is laced with comments and stories from other famous Down footballers, such as Sean and Kevin O’Neill, Colm McAlarney, Tom O’Hare, Mickey Cole, Tony Hadden, Larry Powell, Peter Rooney, Val Kane and Kevin Mussen etc.
And indeed Doherty’s views on them.
While I was writing the book I travelled many times to Paddy’s home in Castlewellan, where I was made so welcome by Paddy and his charming wife Angela, to hear the great man’s stories.
They were insightful, memorable and at times amusing.
What did come through to me, and hopefully it comes through in the Paddy Mo story, was that he was a superb character, a strong-willed individual and one who was proud to wear that red and black shirt.
Paddy was always confident of his great natural ability and although not boastful, he knew how important he was to Down and especially his personal contribution to winning that first All-Ireland title - in 1960. And two more after that in the sixties.
In 1961 Paddy was the Down captain when they defeated Offaly in the All-Ireland Final. His acceptance speech was typical of the man … just two words. Thanks Offaly.
Anyway here are just a few excerpts, a few tasters from ‘The Making of Paddy Mo.’
Paddy Doherty said his greatest day in sport was playing in and winning his first All-Ireland Final with Down as they defeated Kerry at Croke Park in 1960.
The great man recalled: “Nobody gave us a chance. Before then Sam Maguire had never crossed the border. Antrim, Armagh and Derry had tried to bring it to the six counties but we were the first to do it.”
“Kerry thought we had no chance against them. But we outplayed the Kingdom. I think in that first All-Ireland Final I had one of my best ever games. I scored a goal and five points points.”
Was he nervous: “Not a bit,” said Paddy. “We got a penalty that day. Sean O’Neill crossed the ball from the right and I was pulled down. I got up, took it and scored. There was silence as I ran up to take it and when the ball hit the back of the net all hell broke loose.”
Paddy was always a joker and funny man and tells the story: “When time was nearly up Kerry’s Mick O’Dwyer asked me how long there was to go. I quipped: ‘365 days!’
“I took a week off work after the All-Ireland victory. I went back the following week but I didn’t queue up to get paid for the previous week, as I hadn’t been there. But the foreman Seamus Fitzpatrick said: ‘Get into that queue. You did enough last week. So I got a week’s wages for playing football and celebrating.
“In one of the Railway Cup finals (with Ulster) I brought a radio with me. Arkle was racing in the Gold Cup and Tom O’Hare and myself were in the dressing room listening to the race.
Referee Mick Higgins came in shouting. ‘For f**** sake boys, come out. The match has started.’ “We were still listening to the race.”
“I was at a concert that Joe Brolly attended and I went up to ask him for his autograph. He gave it to me but followed me down to my seat and quipped: ‘My father said I wouldn’t be fit to lace Paddy Doherty’s boots. He started to lace my shoe, as he did so he quipped: ‘He was wrong; I did it.’
In the book many famous people told their Paddy Doherty stories.
International soccer player and Republic of Ireland manager Martin O’Neill was a big fan, saying ‘Paddy Mo Doherty was a man who made scoring look ridiculously easy. He was a magical player, a genius on the ball who was capable of hitting the target from all angles and distances. Paddy was a player who rarely missed the target.’
Mayobridge legend Tom O’Hare humorously said of him: ‘Paddy Doherty was an absolute madman. But he was also an absolute genius on and off the field. A great character.
When I started with the Down senior team after playing for the Minors, Paddy was always at some auld carry-on. Devilment of every kind. But a great man.
Sean O’Neill and Paddy were both fantastic players and I couldn’t divide the two. It was like Messi and Ronaldo. Two different types of footballers.
Paddy Doherty was the best scoring forward I have ever seen – including the present day footballers who play on billiard tables. When he was taking a free he didn’t set the ball up in a clump of grass, but he just threw it onto the ground where an hour earlier there might have been sheep or cows grazing.’
And he was still able to send that ball rocketing over the bar.’
The 1968 All-Ireland Final Man of the Match Colm McAlarney recalled: ‘Paddy was a deceptive player with that scampering, loping run. But so was deceptive. He covered the ground quickly.
He was instinctively brilliant. A natural genius. His left foot should have had a health warning. It was a lethal weapon. He hit the ball so hard and stingingly’
The legendary Kerry high-flying midfielder Mick O’Connell, a superstar of the skies, shook his head in wonder after crossing over late at night on the ferry to his Valentia Island home after the 1960 All Ireland semi-final. He ruefully remarked to a friend: ‘That Paddy Doherty must be the greatest footballer of all time.’
Warrenpoint’s Larry Powell, a team mate in the 1968 Down All-Ireland-winning side said: ‘Paddy Doherty was one of my all-time heroes. We had an affiliation because we were both left-footed. But Paddy’s was a real left foot.
‘He was a joker-in-the-pack. A great personality. On the way to the 1968 All-Ireland Final in the bus he told jokes the whole way to Dublin, jokes that relaxed the whole team. He then started a sing-song going into Croke Park. What about that for preparation?
‘For me Paddy was one of the greatest gaelic players of all time and will never be forgotten in Down circles. I was privileged to play with him many, many times. He was an inspiration to a younger player like me. A true inspiration.
Down superstar Sean O’Neill said: ‘I was sitting quietly watching what was going on and feeling nervous about my first game in a Down jersey when Paddy came across the dressing room, shook my hand and wished me all the best in my first game. He told me not to worry, and that he and the other senior players would give me all the help and support I needed.
‘He assured me that I was in the team on merit and to go out and show what I could do in a Down jersey. I will always remember Paddy for the welcome he gave me as a young Down footballer starting his career.
Peter Rooney, an All-Ireland winner in 1968, opined: ‘When they made Paddy Doherty, they threw away the mould.’
‘He was my boyhood hero, as were Sean O’Neill and James McCartan. We will never see the likes of them again.
‘They were iconic figures. Paddy and Sean were like soccer’s Messi and Renaldo.’
‘It was quite an honour to share the same dressing room as those two great men and in truth they didn’t treat us as inexperienced teenagers - but as equals.
‘The Making of Paddy Mo’ book is selling extremely well on Amazon.
It’s an ideal present for Down fans and in fact anyone with an interest in gaelic football.
Unfortunately, I don’t have copies of the book for sale.
And in fact I’m not sure if it can be bought in shops around the Newry area.
But it is available on Amazon. WWW.AMAZON.CO.UK
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