From The Avondhu 06th May 2021
In our last notes we looked at how a young Upper Glanmire team competed very well, but without ultimate success, in the 1980 school shield (Sciath na Scoil) competition. Many of those players were involved with the St Colmcilles (White’s Cross/Carraig Na Bhfear) at that time and they would form the backbone of the most successful St Colmcille’s team in that era; the only team that would win a championship. That was the 1982 East Cork under 12 C Football championship.
They say though you that you must lose one to win one and this is how it transpired. In the 1980 under 12 football championship (played on a league basis) we were in the group with Castlelyons, Lisgoold, Cloyne, Russell Rovers and Fr O’Neills. Three victories over Castleyons, Rusell Rovers and Cloyne and walkover from Lisgoold saw the team qualify for the final ahead of the last round-robin game against an unbeaten Fr O’Neills side. Despite being level at half-time it would be Fr O’Neills that would remain the unbeaten side ahead of the final between the same two side winning on a scoreline of 7-04 to 2-05. Unfortunately, revenge would not come in the final for St. Colmcilles. Despite strong performances from Padraig Bracken, Sean O’Reilly, Michael Ahern and Brian Murphy, the Ladysbridge side won convincingly. The team in the final was JJ Ahern, John V O’Callaghan, Tony Allen, Sean Burke, Michael Ahern, Brian Murphy, Sean O’Reilly, Billy Kelleher, Derry O’Brien, Brian Walsh, Thomas Connolly, Robert O’Donovan, Dominic Roche, Padraig Bracken, Barry O’Brien.
With most of the starting 15 eligible again in 1981, there would have been a level of expectancy that this cohort would be the first Colmcille’s team to win a championship. Though a good many of the team were part of the squad that won an under 14 league that year, unfortunately a championship victory proved to be elusive yet again. Three of the 1980 starting team though were under age for the 1982 competition; namely JJ Ahern, Robert O’Donovan and Barry O’Brien. Adding in several members of the school team from 1980 such as Michael Walsh, Richard and Anthony Kelleher, Timmy Allen Larry Burke and Colm Cronin there was a strong squad in place for another crack off the title.
The side had a convincing opening round victory over Castlelyons; a game, controversially, best remembered for an incident involving one of the veterans of the 1980 campaign -JJ Ahern – and a Castlelyons supporter after the final whistle. Thankfully the referee chose not to pursue the matter further. Perhaps this incident encapsulated a new steeliness in the Colmcille’s attitude following previous defeats. Erin’s Own were blown away in the semi-final in their home pitch. Clyda Rovers were defeated in a challenge game ahead of the final. The side even managed two hurling victories in Liam O’Riain hurling tournament which were interspersed in the football campaign. They were certainly on a good run of form going into the biggest game of the year. This match was played in Castlelyons on 14th May 1982. The opposition were Fr O’Neills; conquerors from the final two years earlier. This was a cracking game that saw both sides get seven scores each. As the old adage goes, it is goals that win matches and Colmcilles ability to get four of them saw them deservedly win on a score of 4-03 to 0-07 thus recording the first ever championship victory. Indeed up until last year’s under 14 hurling championship victory, it was considered the last (and only) victory of it’s kind.
Naturally celebrations were wild after the game. It is understandable then that on the very next evening when playing Aghada in the Liam O’Riain tournament, they went under by a few points. Derry O’Brien and Pat McCarthy (NT) were the men charged with training the team. Pat McCarthy in particular spent many decades training the school teams in Upper Glanmire whilst also giving his time to the club. Huge gratitude is owed there. Ger Brady was the club secretary at time and he gave huge amount of his time to all of the teams whether successful or not. Apart from training and ferrying players to and from matches, he was responsible in many initiatives that were well ahead of their time from a White’s Cross perspective. He helped organise street leagues, coaching courses and even set up a camogie club briefly. He spent many days and nights threading the then murky waters of local politics in correspondences with both adult clubs, local community councils, parish committees, county boards, city boards, insurance companies and the likes. A lot of unseen work that needs to be done but rarely appreciated. A huge thanks to Ger for all his work there for many years. A big thanks to him also for his memories for this piece.