1945
Skibbereen’s first SW football title
St. Mary’s again defeated
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South-West Junior Football Draws 1945
The draw was again divided into East and West for travelling reasons.
East - Clonakilty v Bandon, Carbery Rangers v St. Mary’s.
West - Skibbereen v Drimoleague, Dohenys v Glengarriff, Bantry a bye.
SW Junior A Football Championship 1945
Round 1 - Dohenys walkover from Glengarriff April 15th in Bantry
Glengarriff could only muster ten players. In order not to disappoint the spectators, they borrowed five Bantry players and played Dohenys in a challenge game, won by Dohenys 2-2 to 1-1. Dohenys had regraded from senior.
Round 1 - Skibbereen 8-2 Drimoleague 1-2 April 22nd in the Marsh, Skibbereen
Skibbereen were by far the superior team from start to finish, leading by 3-2 to 0-1 at half time and adding five goals in the second half.
Round 1 - St. Mary’s 3-5 Carbery Rangers 1-3 April 29th in Clonakilty
St. Mary’s played against the strong wind in the first half and did well to confine Rangers to 1-3, while scoring 0-3 themselves. In the second half the long kicking of Slyne, and the combined play of the forwards resulted in 3-2 being scored, while holding Rangers scoreless. Slyne, O’Brien, Michael O’Mahony and Jerry Collins were impressive for the winners. Tadhgo Crowley, Clonakilty, was the referee. (teams)
Round 2 - Clonakilty 5-4 Bandon 0-1 May 27th in Timoleague
Bandon showed little cohesion or ability to score while Clon looked well trained and eager.
Round 2 - Skibbereen 4-2 Bantry 3-1 June 24th in Dunmanway
In a fast and lively encounter, a young, experimental Skibbereen side failed to score in the first half as Bantry led by 2-1 to nil. Skibb dominated the third quarter and led by a goal. When Bantry scored an equalising goal it looked like ending in a draw but Skibb finished strongly with a point, then a goal, to win by four points.
The referee was Liam Grainger, Dohenys.
Semi-final - St. Marys 3-6 Clonakilty 1-5 July 8th in Bandon
Semi-final - Skibbereen 4-5 Dohenys 1-4 August 5th in Drinagh
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SOUTH-WEST JUNIOR A FOOTBALL FINAL 1945
September 2nd in Clonakilty
Skibbereen 1-4 St. Mary’s 2-1
The skilled and youthful Skibbereen looked to have this entertaining SW sewn up when they led by four points with only three minutes remaining. The St. Marys’ side had registered only one score, a goal, at that stage and looked like losing their second final in a row. But while Skibb were clearly the better football side all through, they failed to match the spirit and determination of the Enniskean men.
After Skibb had opened the scoring with a point from Chris Thornhill, set up by the outstanding Philip O’Neill, St. Mary’s, driven on by the veteran Denis Slyne, struck for a goal, the ball barely trickling over the line from a Thomas Tisdall shot. Fifteen-year old Tom Ward was superb in defence for Skibb as they regained control but a hard-tackling St. Marys’ defence limited them to one other point before half time. It was St. Mary’s in front by 1-0 to 0-2 at the break.
Skibb again dominated the second half, spending much time on the offensive. Scores were slow to come because of inaccuracy but eventually John Daly pointed a free to level the scores. The western men hit the front with a great point from Frank Walley and when the best move of the game, instigated by O’Neill, resulted in a top-class goal, again by Walley, the title looked destined for Skibbereen.
The Skibb men were still dominating as time ran out but then, following a courageous break by Slyne which caught the Skibbereen defence out of position, Dr Liam Moriarty moved up from corner back to kick a goal for St. Mary’s. Straight from the kick-out the Enniskean men attacked again and Jeremiah O’Brien kicked an equalising point. They were again on the attack when the final whistle sounded.
The final score was 2-1 to 1-4 and the Skibbereen correspondent to the Southern Star was none too impressed by his team’s lack of morale and spirit in comparison to the determination and courage of the Enniskean side.
The referee was Derry O’Donovan, Clonakilty.
Skibbereen: Paddy O’Mahony, Chris Conway, Denis Twomey, Timothy Walsh, Liam Lynch, Tom Ward, Philip O’Neill, John O’Driscoll, Chris Thornhill, Seán Goggin, Frank Walley, Thomas O’Connell, Tadhg O’Driscoll, John Daly, Gerald Carey.
St. Mary’s: Michael O’Mahony, Liam Moriarty, Jeremiah Collins, Seán Crowley, Batt Buckley, Hugh O’Donovan, Peter Shorten, Denis Slyne, Donal Corcoran, Michael O’Driscoll, Jeremiah Kehily, Richard Walsh, Patrick Murray, Thomas Tisdall, Jeremiah O’Brien.
SOUTH-WEST JUNIOR A FOOTBALL FINAL REPLAY 1945
September 16th in Clonakilty
Skibbereen 4-7 St. Mary’s 3-1
Played on the Sunday before Cork beat Cavan in the All-Ireland football final, their first title in 44 long years, there was great intersest in this replay. Vastly improved Skibbereen started in a whirlwind with a strong wind and, despite courageous defending by the “Saints” they were 3-4 to 1-0 ahead at halftime. The match was marked by patches of grand football, played at a fast pace and kept the supporters on their toes, Skibbereen had a definite advantage at midfield and their fielding and kicking were superb. They also displayed much more confidence and spirit in their play than in the drawn game.
St. Mary’s were not as polished, their play more rugged but they combined well, especially with kicked passing rather than hand-passing. Well-beaten in the air, they hustled the Skibb men very well in possession. In a quick breakaway before half time the “Saints” grabbed a surprise goal and for a while it appeared the Skibb defence might collapse but they rallied to hold their own.
Enniskeane spent the third quarter on determined attack but the Skibb defence had been re-arranged and great blocking and field confined Enniskeane to 2-1, while kicking two points themselves. It was Skibbereen who finished stronger and in the last ten minutes they kicked 1-1 to secure victory. The “Saints” fought hard to the very end but they had to give way to the better Skibbereen team on the way.
Scoring – J. O’Driscoll opened the scoring with a Skibb point and the Careys combined with Gerald kicking a fine goal. Sheehan and Kehily were outstanding in the Enniskeane defence but T, O’Driscoll kickednother Skibb point. With a great side-step, Frank Walley kicked Skibb’s second goal. Lacey struck the Enniskeane crossbar from fifty yards but Tim O’Driscoll rushed in to finish to the net,
Liam Moriarty struck for a surprise goal and attacked strongly but failed to add to that score. Walley showed himself to be a forward of rare quality as he set up Tim O’Driscoll for another point and Liam Lacey had the last point of the half. Skibb led by 3-4 to 1-0 at half time.
He turnover saw the “Saints” attacking strongly. Tim O’Driscoll had moved to play at full back where he played a stormer, well supported by O’Mahony, Hegarty, Ward and Conroy. Eventually, Denis Slyne kicked a point for Enniskeane, following great play from the outstanding Seán Crowley. It was Crowley who struck for Enniskean’s second goal but the flying Walley answered with a Sibb point and then followed with another from a free.
Undaunted, Enniskean battled back and goaled from a free through a crowded goalmouth. Conroy was outstanding in the Skibb defence as Walley showed his class with another point and, inspired by this, Gerald Walsh centred a great ball for Tim Walsh to finish to the Enniskean net.
Final score: Skibbereen 4-7, St. Mary’s 3-1.
The referee was again Derry O’Donovan, Clonakilty.
This was Skibbereen’s first-ever SW junior A football title.
Skibbereen: Paddy O’Mahony, Denis Twomey, Richard Hegarty, Timothy Walsh, Phil O’Neill, Tom Ward, John O’Driscoll, Chris Thornhill, Frankie Walley, Tim O’Driscoll, Liam Lacey, Seán Goggin, Gerald Carey, Chris Conroy, John Carey.
St. Mary’s: Michael O’Mahony, Jeremiah Collins, Seán Crowley, Hugh O’Donovan, Barth. Buckley, Jeremiah Kehily, Richard Walsh, Peter Shorten, Denis Slyne, Liam Moriarty, Donal Corcoran, Tom Tisdall, Jerry O’Brien, Richard White, Timothy Sheehan.
Objection
St. Mary’s lodged an objection against Skibbereen but it was lost at the SW Board meeting. They appealed that decision to the County Board, who decided that Skiibbereen were technically right but they referred it back again to the SW Board. Skibbereen then lodged a counter-objection and both were heard by the SW Board, who ruled that both objections were upheld and both clubs were suspended for three months. That left the Division without any team for the county championship. The SW champions were due to play Bere Island in the county championship on October 28th. The situation grew more complex when Skibbereen lodged an appeal to the County Board against the SW decision but in the meantime, without consulting the clubs or the Board, Gus Keohane, the Divisional rúnaí and a member of the St. Mary’s club, , wrote to the County Board stating that the Division would not be entering any team in the county championship, despite Skibb’s upcoming appeal.
On hearing Skibbereen’s appeal, the County Board took only four minutes to decide that Skibb were, indeed, entitles to represent the South-West Division in the county championship.
County Championship
The hassle and confusion over the objections didn’t do Skibbereen any good as regards their meeting with Bere Island in the county championship in Bantry on November 11th. With both teams renowned for high fielding, in the wet, heavy conditions Bere Island gained the advantage by keeping the ball on the ground. That tactic resulted in four goals, whereas Skibbereen trying the usual high ball kicked only four points in reply. Bere Island led by 3-0 to 0-3 at half time and even though Skibb rallied well in the second hqlf, they couldn’t break down a strong Bere Island defence, led brilliantly by Batt Dennehy.
Veteran Christie Thornhill was Skibb’s top player with Hegarty, O’Neill, Lacey and young Ward also impressing.
The referee was Tim Harrington, Bantry.
Bere Island were later overwhelmed by army side, Collins Barracks, in the county semi-final in Dunmanway by 3-5 to nil.
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County Junior Football Final 1945
Collins 3-7 St. Patrick's 0-2, January 18th in Cork Athletic Grounds
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'Twas Beckett's grand goal that finished the fray
And Tubridy's pace was the talk of the day;
But our backs were like granite, where Weeshy held sway
Agus fágfaimíd siúd mar atá sé."
P.D. Mehigan - 1945 Final
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