O'Hanrahans County Champions.1937
- Winners of the Haughney Memorial Trophy.
Brilliant display by youthful team. County Carlow
Senior Football Final. Dr. Cullen Park, Carlow, was the mecca of all
Gaelic enthusiasts in the county on Sunday where the Senior and
Junior Football Finals were down for decision. For fully two hours
before the games crowds began to pour into the town from all parts
of the county. Motors, cycles and carts brought their quota and long
before the Senior Final was due to start a record in receipts had
been established.
The Junior game held very little interest for the
majority of the crowd and the magnificent display by Ballon, who
were easy winners, made the game uninteresting. Myshall their
opponents must however, be congratulated for reaching the final in
their first year.
After the long whistle in the Junior game the merits
and demerits of the Senior teams were being discussed. Both teams
were from the county town and keen rivalry existed between them.
On the Young Emmets side were many former
O'Hanrahans players including Walker, Geoghegan, Haughney and
others. Great things were expected of this team and it was seemingly
a foregone conclusion that they would win. Their opponents composed
chiefly on minors and juniors were the surprise team of the year.
After beating Tinryland , last year's champions,
after a drawn game in the opening stages of the championship they
went on to dispose of Leighlinbridge to reach the final stage. The
game was robust, keen tackling marring good football. At times ,
there were brilliant passages. At centrefield O' Hanrahans had
the upper hand, O'Connell and Byrne were in great form and
completely subdued Lawler and Kavanagh. Behan played a good sound
game in the half-forward line.
The full back line took the honours of the day.
Brien was outstanding , he gave Walker no scope at all and a tribute
to his play is that Walker this former goal scoring forward could
only manage to scrape a point during the whole game. He was ably
assisted by Coughlan and Murray who cleared their line time and
again when scores seemed certain. Brennan was prominent on the wing.
J. Rea was the wonder player of the day. He gave a brilliant display
in the forwards and great things are expected of this youth who is
still only in his teens.
Rea was ably assisted by Comerford. In the Young
Emmets side the liveliest forward was Geoghegan who was allowed to
go unmarked several times. He is a fast player and hard to watch.
The backs held up well. Shaw in goal played a sound game and the
only goal scored gave him no chance. The teams were played on to the
field by Graiguecullen Fife and Drum Band and the Carlow Pipers'
Band. The latter rendered "Faith of Our Fathers" before the game.
THE PLAY. The "Rockies" opened well from the
throw in and Walker looked dangerous but O'Brien cleared well to
midfield where Quinlan was fouled. The free was returned by Carroll
but Connell gathered and sent well in but a scramble in the square
resulted in a foul and brought relief to the backs. Shaw was soon
called on to save , Rea gathered the return and rounded his man but
narrowly missed a point. The football was good hereabouts, and after
Rea was fouled Hughes brought off a fine clearance from the free. An
O'Hanrahan forward was hurt and Shaw brought off a fine save from
point blank range.
The Emmets swept up the field per Geogeghan and
Haughney but Murray broke up the movement and cleared well.
O'Connell was fouled at centrefield and the free was returned by
Maye but his kick was gathered by Murray who sent up a long one to
Comeford who placed himself to register the first score after ten
minutes, a point. O'Connell returned the goal kick and Doyle was
fouled close in. Rae made no mistake with the kick and again raised
the white flag. O'Hanrahans now seemed to settle down but the Emmet
back line were clearing well. Shaw saved in goal but Byrne returned
and a "50" resulted. Byrne sent the ball right into the square but
it was boxed right out and Geoghegan gathered to raise the white
flag to leave the score 3 points to nil. A tussle at midfield saw
Behan hurt but resumed after attention. The free was centred well by
Connell and Rae gathered a ground ball shot well and true for a
point.
Young Emmets now forced the play and Geogeghan who
was always dangerous secured a nice ball and from far out shot a
nice point. They continued to force the pressure and Mulhall was
called on to save in the O'Hanrahan goal. Brennan then brought
relief to the O'Hanrahans back line by clearing well down the wing
but a foul resulted in the ball being returned again and Walker
securing possession sent wide. O'Connell gathered the kick out and
sent to Comerford, the latter sent a nice pass to Rae who shot a
good point from a difficult angle to leave the score 5 points to one
at half time. On resuming O'Hanrahans pressed per Brennan and Doyle,
but a great chance was missed by fouling. Carroll cleared his lines
and frees now became frequent owing to keen tackling. Emmets pressed
and Geoghegan was fouled but the free was strongly cleared by
Coughlan who a minute later brought the ball off the goal line when
they were hard pressed by a terrific onslaught. Whelan playing a
strong game in the backline cleared several times when the Emmets
looked like scoring.
A bout of play at midfield by Connell and Byrne saw
the latter send a long ball into the square. Shaw saved but after a
scramble on the five yards mark Behan fisted into the net leaving
the score 1-5 to 0-1. This score brought new life into the
O'Hanrahans who pressed strongly but Hughes and Co. saved well. The
O'Hanrahans back line were now called on to save and Coughlan ran
out to cover Walker when a score seemed certain. The "leather" was
now at centrefield and Byrne getting possession sent to Doyle. The
little forward rounded his man in clever fashion and settled himself
nicely to score a lovely point 1-6 to 0-1. The ball sped down the
field and McGrath was fouled . Brennan cleared a kick by Walker and
Connell sent out to Comerford. The latter sent in a beauty of a shot
to the goal mouth but again Shaw saved in goal. The ball went right
down to the other goal but Murray, Coughlan, Whelan and Brien were
sound backs and saved time and again. Byrne and Connell combined
well at midfield to send to Behan.
The latter drove a long shot out to the wing which
McKenna gathered and kicked into the square. From a scramble Rea
emerged with the ball and sent over a beauty of a point. Time was
now running out and the Emmets made a desperate attempt to pull the
game out of the fire. Repeated attacks on the goal were of no avail.
The stone like defence seemed almost impregnable. A foul near the
goal saw Geoghegan register the last score of the match a point. The
final whistle sounded leaving the O'Hanrahans worthy winners by 1
goal 7 points to 3 points.
Source From The Nationalist 1937.
Transcribed by Mary Corcoran on genealogy course, November 2009