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OUR LADY’S ISLAND G.A.A. CLUB

Our Lady’s Island/Tacumshane G.A.A. Club was founded in 1886 and the club took part in the first County Football Championship in that year which was played at Mayglass.  The club lost in the first round to St. Mary’s, Rosslare who were the eventual winners.    Teams consisted of 21 a side.

 

The 1886 Team:                  Edmund Pierce (Capt), James O’Neill (Goalkeeper), John Pettit, M. Purcell, Thomas Morris,

Patrick Kennedy, Patrick Cassidy, Peter Murphy, Joe Lambert, J. McGrath, J. Johnson, James White,

N. Brady, William Whelan, James Stafford, William Doyle, Patrick Boland, John Walsh, Patrick Somers, R. Dunphy, James Murphy.

 

On December 4th 1887 the same team played in an Inter-County Football Tournament at Maudlintown.  The team beat Wicklow town in the first round but did not progress any further.  Press reports of the day estimated 25,000 people were in Maudlintown on that day.  This was the first time admission fees were charged in Wexford - 3p to enter the ground and 1 shilling to the stand, which collapsed during the game.

 

The first time the Club contested a County Football Final was in 1922 against Marshalstown.  We lost by one point despite the fact that they played without Fr. Jim, Willie and Raymie Doyle due to the death of their father.

 

1922 Panel:          Jack Reville, Paddy Sinnott, Ned Dunphy, Jack Parle, Jim Kehoe (Capt), Peter Reville, Jimmy Gaul, Willie Doyle, Raymie Doyle, Fr. Jim Doyle, Paddy Kearns, Jim Purcell, Willie Pettit, Bill Carty, Paddy Wall, Dick Murphy,

Tom Delaney, Jim Dunphy, Jack Browne, Paddy Cheevers, Jim Browne, Matt Murphy, John Doyle, Tommy Furlong, Joe Murphy, Ned Redmond.

 

Later that team played an exhibition match against the Wexford Senior Team in Rosslare Strand in aid of the Church Building Fund and beat them by 2 points.  The only extra player the ‘Island’ had was the 1918 All Ireland Full-Back Nick Stewart. Nick Stewart sons Willie R.I.P. Nick R.I.P., John and Eben played a big part in he G.A.A. in Our Lady’s Island in later years.  The referee that day was the late Muck Flusk who afterwards became the Mayor of Wexford.

 

Records were poor at that time but Phil Wall Ballyfane won a Leinster Junior Football medal with Wexford in 1911 and Willie Doyle (Dentist) won a Senior Football medal in 1925.

 

In the late 20’s and 30’s hurling was played mostly in Tacumshane around Sigginstown.    Sonny and Andy Pierce, Tom and Jimmy Meyler, Watt Sinnott, Nick Murphy, Paddy Denton, Kevin Purcell and Bill O’Brien won a County Hurling Championship with St. Mary’s Rosslare in 1934.

 

Hurling and football were without any success until we won a District Football Championship in 1955 beating Kilmore in the final but lost to Coragh Ramblers in the County Semi-Final.

 

The 1955 Team:                  Andy Parle R.I.P. (goal), Ray Doyle, Jim Hayes (R.I.P.), Jimmy Newport (R.I.P.), Sean Devereux,

John Gallahue, Sean Pettit, Sean Turner, Tony Neville, Eben Stewart, Jim Meyler, Billy Devereux,

Tim Scallan, John Stewart, Leo Doyle.

 

N.B. Sean Turner, Billy Devereux and John Gallahue were selected for Wexford Junior Football Team.

 

In the ’58 District Final we met a very strong Sarsfield team and came out winners of the Wexford District.  We went on to contend the County Semi-Final beating New Ross for a place in the County Final.  We then had to wait until ’59 to play the final against St. Dymphnas who beat us in Wexford Park.  We played some great games in those years with the Sarsfields, Volunteers and Kilmore.

 

The 1958 Team:                  John Stewart (goal), John Howlin, Pat Howlin, Jimmy Newport (R.I.P.), Leo Doyle, Ray Doyle, Sean Pettit, Paddy Scallan, Billy Devereux (Capt), Jim Meyler, Sean turner, Sean Devereux, Donnie Sinnott,

Eben Stewart, Jackie O’Brien.        

 

Sean turner was selected for Leinster Railway Cup team and Raymond Doyle, Pat Howlin, Eben Stewart; Sean Devereux played Junior football for Wexford.  Billy Devereux played on the Senior County Football Team.

 

In 1961 again we won the District title but were beaten in the County Semi-final by our bogey team Ballymitty.

 

The 1961 team:                    Jimmy Newport (goal), Leo Doyle, Sean turner, Pat Gallahue, Sean Pettit, John Howlin, Gordon Walters, Bob Kearns, Terence O’Leary, Billy Devereux, Sean Devereux, Paddy Parle, Eben Stewart, Paddy Scallan, Ray Doyle

 

Suddenly in ’62 out of nowhere we made a breakthrough in hurling beating St. Fintans and St. Martins in Wexford District.  We then went onto beat Cushintown in the Co. Semi-final and Oulart in the County final to win the Free Press Cup on the score line of 4-7 to 4-3.  This was the first ever-County Championship to come to the parish.  This was a great panel and I think that after the first game they realised that if they trained hard and were fit enough they could go a lot further.  So with people like Nick Devereux and Paddy Cullen “father” figures to most of the panel nothing was left to chance.  Ned Power (St. Peter’s College Trainer) was brought in to oversee training.  We hurled in Mrs. Walsh’s field in Rathdowney and up in the Old Hall in Broadway for physical training something most of us knew nothing at all about but in the end it was all well worth it.  Mentors was this team were Nick Devereux, Paddy Cullen, Ray Doyle, Dick Busher, Shamie Sinnott, Ned Power (trainer)

 

The goalkeeper Donal Doyle won an All-Ireland Colleges medal with St. Peter’s in ’62 and all during the County championship he gave truly great exhibitions of goalkeeping.    It is fair to say that without Donal we would not have won that County Title.  With Paddy Parle and the late Gordon Walters as corner backs and Brother Ray (Capt) at full back Donal was well minded.  Half Backs a very young John Parle and Shamie Sinnott with Sean Devereux “Red Fellow” at centre back a man with a great heart.  Centre Field Terence O’Leary ‘the work horse’ of the side and Billy Devereux who always said, “He could not hurl”.  Half Forwards the late Kevin Kielty who also won a College All-Ireland.   Bob Kearns won Leinster Junior Football and Intermediate Hurling medals that year.   Donie Sinnott also won Intermediate.  Full Forwards Gary Fenlon who scored a goal in each game.  Paddy Scallan (Slim) at full forward “moved very smoothly when Paddy Cullen gave him the drink of Olive Oil” and Jimmy Gaul.  We played Intermediate hurling without success for some years.

 

Football was strong again in the 70’s when the Wexford District Leagues were in full swing.  We won three in a row a feat never accomplished before or since with Tommy Murphy & Dick Busher as mentors.  Even being a Kilmore man Tommy has always taken a great interest in the G.A.A. here in the ‘Island’.  We then went onto win a double in 80 – 81

The panel for the years

1976 – 81 were:                   Toddy Moran, Sean Moran, Paddy Parle, John Meyler (Tacumshane), Gerry Meyler, Mick Cogley,

Fintan Parle, Joe Rooney, Jimmy Newport, John Devereux, Terence O’leary, John Parle, Frankie Moran,

Michael Grffin, Eddie Maloney, Paddy Cogley, Michael Burke, Declan Murphy, Walter Furlong,

Bob Kearns, Jackie O’Brien, John Meyler, Liam Pettit, Ger Maloney, Michael Meyler, William Kinsella, Pat Reville, Richard Kinsella.

 

We won the District Hurling League in 1975 beating Blackwater in the Final 6-8 to 2-17.  Team consisted of: Donald Doyle, Mick Cogley, Michael Griffin, Pat Crosbie, Gerry Meyler, Brian Furlong, Joe Rooney, Paddy Kinsella, John Meyer, Gerry Byrne, Paddy Parle, Terence O’Leary, Frank Rooney, Sean Moran, Bob Lambert.       Donald Doyle, the brilliant goalkeepers from ‘62 had made a comeback and were still playing well.  We had Brian Furlong, Paddy Kinsella, Gerry Byrne and Bob Lambert from St. Mary’s Rosslare.  These players were granted permission to play with Our Lady’s Island because there are no hurling team in Rosslare for a couple of years.  John Meyler (Tacumshane) played Senior Hurling with Wexford and later won All Ireland Senior Hurling Championship with Cork and All Ireland Club with St. Finbars.

 

We had to wait until ’93 – 32 years infact to win another District Football Championship.  We played three games beating Barntown for the District Championship and Fethard in the County Semi-final but we lost to Rathnure in the County Final on a terrible day of rain and mud in New Ross.

 

The 1993 team:                    Niall Ellard (goalkeeper) Liam Pettit, Thomas Maloney, Stephen Kehoe, Denis O’Doherty,

Michael Meyler (Capt), Shane Byrne, Andrew Sinnott, Cieran Newport, John Meyler,

Jimmy Newport (Rabbit), Ger Maloney, Kevin Kehoe, Jimmy Newport, Paddy Cogley.

Subs:                                      Brian Meyler, John Devereux, Eddie Maloney, Willie White (Tucker), Joe Rooney, and Declan Murphy

Padraig Power, Ger Carthy, Derek Sinnott, Nicky Kehoe, Declan Walsh, Tommy Meyler

Selectors:                             Sean Devereux, Paul Kehoe, and Sean Pettit

 

We also won the 93 league final being St. Martins.

 

In 1994 we contested the League final against St. Josephs.  On the day we fielded an under strength team as we were without the three Maloney brothers also with the late arrival of Andrew and Derek Sinnott we were 7 points down at half time.  However, on resumption of play the Island knuckled down to business and made a great comeback winning 2-7 to 2-5.

94 Panel:               Niall Ellard, Joe Rooney, Liam Pettit, William White (Tucker), Richard Doyle, Michael Meyler, Shane Byrne, Kieran Newport, Donal Mullins, Paul Newport, John Meyler, Kevin Kehoe, Padraig Power, Declan Murphy,

Jimmy Newport.

Subs:                      Andrew Sinnott for Power, Derek Sinnott for Paul Newport, Paul Newport for Andrew Sinnott

 

 

1996 FIRST ADULT FOOTBALL TITLE FOR OUR LADY’S ISLAND

 

In 1996 we again won the Wexford District Championship beating St. Martins.   Then we went onto beat Gusserane in the Co. Semi-Final and Duffry Rovers in the County Final – two great football clubs.

 

The years of heartbreak were wiped away on the 19th January 1997 as Our Lady’s Island captured the first ever-adult football title in our proud history.  So after 110 years we had finally won a County Football Championship beating Duffry Rovers 1-10 to 1-3.  The determined Lady’s Island men made up for their bitter disappointment of narrowly losing the ’93 final in Rathnure with a display of hunger and no little skill, which helped them emerge as clear-cut winners.   Selectors Frank Rooney, Declan Murphy and Seamus Murphy had floodlights erected around the pitch so training could go on 2-3 nights per week in all weather.  Everyone connected with that team were so hell bent on winning nothing was going to stop them, as the disappointment of ’93 was still raw.

 

The Island dictated the pace of the game from start to finish with deadly accurate free taking from Shane Byrne pointing his first placed ball after 3 ˝ minutes.  The wingback was in superb scoring form throughout, picking off a further six points as the Island grew stature.  The Duffry were thwarted on their rare early attacks by the excellence of veteran fullback Joe Rooney, Stephen Kehoe and Shane Byrne.

 

Big midfield Kevin McCormack made it 0-2 to nil for the eventual winners after 12 minutes and a foul on Andrew Sinnott gave Byrne the opportunity to extend the lead further, early in the third quarter.  Kevin Kehoe availed of a short kick-out to pick off the fourth Island point in the 17th minute.   Attacking wingback Shane Byrne saw his point attempt come back off the post into the grateful arms of full-forward Alan Wallace who crashed the ball to the net.

 

This stretched their lead to 1-4 to nil.  The Duffry knuckled down and came back strongly into the game before the break with Michael Quigley, Noel Kearns, Paul Dreeland and Barry Dagg all figuring prominently.  However, they struggled to get on the scoreboard with young J.J. Doyle missing two relatively straight forward frees before Michael Quigley finally opened their account on the stroke of half-time (1-4 to 0-1).

 

The Duffry started the second half brightly with a Quigley pass setting up Noel Kearns for a well-taken point.    However, they played second fiddle for the remainder of the game, failing to add to their tally for 25 minutes.  In that period the fitter Island side were well on top with Shane Byrne showing unerring accuracy from frees.  Fouls on Andrew Sinnott and Ger Maloney respectively gave the opportunity to stretch the lead to seven points.  Captain Liam Pettit made it 1-7 to 0-2 in the 44th minute after receiving a pass from Sinnott.  The Island were cruising by now with Byrne adding more frees early in the last quarter as the Duffry continued to struggle.  The result was a mere formality at this stage with J.J. Doyle and Byrne (free) exchanging points as Island mentors introduced the long-serving Eddie and Thomas Maloney to the action.

 

The Duffry kept battling away and they received some small reward when advancing centre-back Barry Dagg blasted home a consolation goal after receiving a pass from Paul Dreeland in the last minute.  There were emotional scenes after the final whistle as Our Lady’s Island captain Liam Pettit received the Michael Deane Memorial Cup from Co. Asst. Secretary Alan Aherne.  Pettit availed of the occasion to pay tribute to local national schoolteacher Marjorie McDonald for her wonderful work with the young players of the area over many years.

 

1996 Panel:          Niall Ellard, Ciaran Newport, Joe Rooney, Stephen Kehoe, Ger Maloney, Michael Meyler, Shane Byrne,

Denis O’Doherty, Kevin McCormack, Andrew Sinnott, Damian O’Leary, John Meyler, Kevin Kehoe,

Alan Wallace, Liam Pettit (Capt)

Subs:                      Keith Rooney, Eddie Maloney, Sean Carthy, Thomas Maloney, Patrick Doyle, Ger Carthy, Adrian Meyler,

Paul Newport, Eamonn Devereux

Mentors:               Seamus Murphy, Declan Murphy, and Frank Rooney

For our older players like Eddie & Thomas Maloney, Michael Meyler, Kevin McCormack and Joe Rooney (one of greatest clubmen on and off the field), to win a County Medal at almost the end of their careers must have been very satisfying.   If Eddie Maloney holds out much longer he may be fielding on the same team as his son Eamonn.

 

In 1999 we won the District Tournament beating The Faythe Harriers in the final.

 

The panel consisted of:       John Burke, Francis Corish, Stephen Kehoe, William White, Padraig Power, Keith Rooney, Sean Carthy, Niall Ellard, Gary Walsh, Andrew Sinnott, John Meyler, Liam Pettit, Kevin Kehoe, Johnathon Corish, Eddie Maloney, Adrian Meyler, Michael Meyler, Eamon Devereux, Ger Maloney, Thomas Maloney,

Nicky Keane, Martin Walsh, Kieran Parrock,

 

 

Many of our players represented the county:

Michael Meyler played U21, Junior and Senior Football

Liam Pettit played minor and Junior Football

John Meyler played Junior Hurling & Football

 

Titles we have won:

1955 District football Champions

1958 District Football Champions

1958 County Football Runners-up

1961 District Football Champions

1962 County Hurling Champions

1970’s  - 3 in a Row District Football Leagues

1975 District Hurling League

1980 –81 Football League Double

1993 District Football Champions

1993 County Football Runners-up

1996 District Football Champions

1996 County Football Champions

1999 District Hurling Champions