21st Anniversary
With thanks to Billy Lyons and his Club Story blog.
BALLINCOLLIG’S 21st:
Ballincollig’s formation in 1974 came that bit too late for entry to the AUL Shield but they made up for the late start with an unbeaten rush to the top of the third division section and, then in a memorable game at Turner’s Cross, beat Lee Rangers in the title play-off.
The Mid Cork side were quickly into the habit of winning trophies, a knack they haven’t lost. And are unlikely to lose anytime soon. Just last season, their youths team pulled off a great treble.
They were mainly a young side in 75 but they did have one old dog to show them the tricks of the road and that was none other than John Coughlan, the ex League of Ireland star and manager of the AUL Oscar Traynor Cup winning team in 1966.
Other members of the team in that championship play-off against Lee Rangers were: Michael McNulty, Sean Fitton, Brian Gaffney, Pat Healy, Alan Collins, Ricky Galvin, Jerry Sheehan, Martin Hogan, Norman Collins, Pat Young, and Jack O’Keeffe.
The first officers at Ballincollig were chairman, Michael McNulty (senior); Vice chairman, Timmy Cotter; Treasurer, Frank O’Riordan. Their counterparts today are Paddy Byrne, Martin O’Neill, and Pat Kavanagh.
There was just one team that first year but now they field no less than nine schoolboy sides, one youths, one ladies, one over 35s, three junior, and one intermediate.
The others involved in running this massive undertaking are: John Hogan (President), John Coughlan, Vincent Drum, and Michael Healy (all vice Presidents), Gerardene McNamara (secretary), Anthony McCarthy (Assistant secretary), Denis McCarthy (assistant treasurer), Ber Daly (PRO), Denis Campion (Youths manager and General manager Schoolboys), Finbarr Hogan (1st team manager), Martin O’Neill (2nd team manager), Danny Garrett (3rd team
manager), Anthony McCarthy (4th team manager), and Tom O’Connell (Ladies Manager).
Perhaps the highlight of the 21 years was the success in the Cork Examiner Munster Junior Cup in 1989 when Terry Coomey notched the winner against homesters Killarney Celtic, the first Kerry side to reach the provincial decider.
Ballincollig had to fight all the way before they could rest assured of victory against the Kingdom’s dark horses in an action packed final at Fossa. Ballincollig were highly motivated: in the Munster final of three years earlier at Turner’s Cross they were pipped by Clonmel Town who scored the winner with seconds left in extra time.
Honours List:
Third division: 1974/75.
Second division: 1975/76; 1981/82; 1991/92.
First Division: 1993/94, an unusual double, Ballincollig champs in AUL 1, Ballincollig Athletic in AUL 1B.
Intermediate League: 1990/91.
Mid-West Cork Cup: 1987/88; 1989/90;
County Cup: 1975/76; 1976/77; 1979/80.
St Michael’s Cup: 1981/82; 1985/86; 1988/89.
AOH: 1985/86.
Munster Junior: 1988/89.
FAI area winners: 1978/79; 1984/84.
Corinthians Cup: 1989/90; 1990/91; 1991/92.
The youths, before last season’s haul in Murphy Cup, 2nd Division Cup, and AUL 2, won the Coca Cola Cup in 1981.
There are many stories behind the statistics and if you want to find out more you could do worse then fork out three quid for the 21st anniversary souvenir publication Ballincollig AFC, 21 Years of Football History. The picture packed book, great value, is available locally and from club members. It was edited by Gordon Murphy with help from Martin O’Neill, Michael Collins, Denis McCarthy, Gerardine McNamara, and Ber Daly. Well done to all concerned.
