Blast from the Past. Cork Soccer Honours 2003

Blast from the Past. Cork Soccer Honours 2003

Cork Soccer Legend

Don Donovan

The Cork AUL was founded in 1947 and one of that seasons competitions was simply titled the Miniatures Cup.  It was won convincingly by a dazzling Maymount side who the following year brought off a great treble – AUL League, City Challenge Cup and Munster Junior Cup.  There were many outstanding players on that team several of whom went on to play League of Ireland but one blonde youngster was destined for a bigger stage.  He was Don Donovan and it was a lucky day for Everton Manager Cliff Britton that his First Division side were playing an end of season friendly in Cork and that he paid a chance visit to Turner’s Cross to watch a local junior match.  Cliff was greatly impressed by Don and the lad was whisked away to Goodison Park. 

Britton rated Don as one of his best signings ever and his faith in the Cork man was repaid when Don was an inspirational figure on the Everton side which gained promotion back to Division One in 1954.  Don made his International debut in the 2-1 victory over Norway in 1954.  He played an excellent game in the win over Holland at the end of that season.  Don helped Ireland to three consecutive victories when they defeated Norway in Oslo and gained his fourth and last cap on the side beaten 2-1 by Germany in Hamburg in May 1955.  The northsider was always a man for the big occasion and enjoyed great success against opposing stars such as Tom Finney, Stanley Matthews, Billy Bingham and Jackie Berry. 

In August ‘58 after six seasons and 179 games with Everton Don transferred to Grimsby for a fee of £10,000.  He was soon appointed captain at Blundell Park and experienced the agony and the ecstasy. He couldn’t prevent the Mariners from dropping into the Third Division in 1959 but led them back again to Division Two a couple of years later.  After accumulating 238 appearances with Grimsby he left to become Player Manager of Boston Utd in 1965 and was still playing with them at the age of 41 in 1970.

Don’s son Terry who was an English Schools International followed in dad’s footsteps and won two caps with Ireland against Russia and West Germany “B” in 1979. Terry was then with Aston Villa having commenced with Grimsby and later played with Burnley and Rotherham. 

It will not come as any great surprise to Cork soccer followers to hear that Don is the latest personality to enter the Cork Soccer Legend roll of honour where he joins the illustrious company of Noel Cantwell, Frank O’Farrell, Charlie Hurley and others.

Hall of Fame

Ray Cowhie

The Cork AUL Hall of Fame award is now one of the most coveted in Cork soccer.  It was inaugurated in 1994 and the very first recipient was the late Denis Galvin who was succeeded in the following years by a host of celebrated Cork stars including Donie Wallace, Jackie Morley, John Coughlan, Patsy Dorgan and Charlie O’Mahony.  High standards have been set and joining that elite group in this the 10^th year of the awards is a player who was the reserve on the Irish International team, which played mighty England at Dalymount Park in1964.  He didn’t get to play against Gordon Banks, Jimmy Armfield, Bobby Moore, Jimmy Greaves, Ray Wilson and Co on that occasion while Johnny Giles, Noel Cantwell, Tony Dunne and Andy McEvoy were some of those that did. However, to be involved on such a momentous occasion was the thrill of a lifetime for the Cork Celtic League of Ireland player Ray Cowhie who tonight joins his former colleagues in the AUL Hall of Fame.

When John Cooke and the pioneers of Cork Schoolboy soccer founded the Cork Schoolboy’s League in 1947 Tower Rovers were one of the first entrants and Ray Cowhie was an enthusiastic beginner on the Billy Whitnell coached teams.  Ray won most of the awards as he progressed through the age groups and on leaving AUL minor football signed for Evergreen Utd  - the bridesmaids of Irish soccer.  Tommy Moroney then managed Evergreen and their side was a mixture of raw youth and vast experience.  Youngsters like Donie Leahy, Austin Noonan, Donie O’Leary, Paul O’Donovan and Mick O’Keeffe learned their trade alongside the great Big Seanie Mac, Bonty Lynch, Seamus Madden and Derry Barrett.  Ray enjoyed many Top-Four trophy successes with Evergreen / Cork Celtic but when it came to the majors they seemed to carry the perennial tag of ‘unlucky losers’, never more typified than the 1964 FAI cup final, when beaten by League Champions Shamrock Rovers after an enthralling replay.  Ray, a classic wing-half, was switched to centre half for that memorable replay replacing the injured John Coughlan.  Celtic had the consolation of qualifying for the European Cup winners Cup and a draw in Sofia against Slavia gave them the distinction of being the first League of Ireland side to get a result in an away European tie.  Another heart-breaking occasion was their defeat by Shels in 1961 in a play-off for the League Championship.  

So synonymous has Ray been with Cork Celtic that we tend to overlook his spell with Cork Hibs during which he helped them to a Shield success in 1970 and in the process qualification for Europe.  After 17 years at the top Ray announced his retirement in 1972 but was tempted back to soccer by AUL side Greenmount Rangers, FAI Area winners, who he helped reach the FAI Junior Cup quarter final in 1974.  Ray was in demand again a few years later and in 1975-76 along with Carl Davenport agreed to assist East-Cork rookies Killeagh in the AUL League.  This was his final curtain call although he continued for many years to play with the Ex Professionals in their charity matches around the county.     

Distinguished Service Award Winner

Denis Cambridge

When the time for the Annual Awards comes about we often overlook the unsung heroes. To remind us all, and particularly those responsible for selections, maybe these backroom trojans should be categorized.  Denis Cambridge is a sportsman who fits comfortably into this category and who, after his arrival in Little Island in 1984, became totally immersed in the local Leeside Club.  Within a few months he was entrusted with the role of Treasurer a position he filled for fifteen years and for five years during that period also doubled as Hon Secretary.  If that wasn’t enough he was persuaded to act on the selection committee, and when Leeside went mod and appointed a Manager Denis acted as assistant and enjoyed several successful seasons in that capacity.  

He managed the Leeside youths in the 1994-95 season when they were promoted as champions.  Denis returned to the juniors in 1996 as Assistant Manager to Richie Keating and they won the Premier ‘A’ title and promotion to the highest grade.  Leeside have in the past decade established themselves as one of the top teams in Munster with victories in most of the major trophies to their credit.  Denis has on several occasions declined the offer of stepping up to the hot seat preferring to assist in his regular capacity as assistant - that was until this season when the Manager resigned and he accepted the offer to step up.  

In what seems like a long time ago in 1990 Denis was appointed as a director of the Wallingstown Amenities and Recreation Company and he took this opportunity to promote the cause of the Club. It was from his involvement on this Board that Leeside was eventually to take a lease on the property which now constitutes Leeside Park and all of its amenities. The club was for the first time on a sound footing and had established itself in the community that is Little Island. This did not come about easily and some risks had to be taken. These risks were always calculated and weighed up against the objective to establish the Club.

Denis’s CV is not flashy but is simply a true reflection on the great work, mostly behind the scenes, done on behalf of his beloved Leeside and I‘m sure sportsmen everywhere will acknowledge that the least we can do in return is to enroll him along with other notable sportsmen in Cork Soccer’s Distinguished Service Category.

Distinguished Service Award Winner

John “Langton” Fitzgerald

Top English clubs were regular visitors to Cork in the early fifties and it was as a curtain raiser to such a glamour fixture in 1952 that Ringmahon Rangers made their debut in schoolboy football.  Early birds got a glimpse of some exceptional youngsters as Ringmahon played Western at the Mardyke and the one that especially caught the eye was a boy who stood six inches taller than any other on view. He was John “Langton” Fitzgerald and his physique made him the ideal choice as pivot.  Very soon Ringmahon went on to challenge Glasheen and Tower for supremacy and “Langton” proved to be much more than an ordinary stopper. He was the proverbial Gentle Giant, blessed with great positional sense and was an excellent distributor of the ball; attributes which stood the test of time at every grade played.  

In 1956 Ringmahon created a record which couldn’t possibly be beaten in winning the U16 League trophy by gaining maximum points and without conceding a goal.  They dominated AUL football in the late fifties and early sixties, winning the Munster Junior Cup (1959), AOH Cup (’59 & ’60), League, Shield, Presidents and O’Keeffe Cups.  John, or Langton as he was better known, played an outstanding role in every Ringmahon triumph and continued to do so for a further decade as Ringmahon rewrote the Munster Senior League record books. But for being pipped by a solitary point on two occasions and beaten in a play-off by Wembley they would have made it ten titles in a row.  

That Langton nick name confused most sports followers as the majority thought his name was actually John Langton and the sports journalists reporting on a Connaught v Munster Inter-Pro wrote “The Connaught attacks were repeatedly broken up by the towering Munster centre half John Langton”.  Of course opposition defenders feared nothing more than having to deal with Langton as he took up far-post positions for corner kicks.  When retirement beckoned it heralded in another ministry as John devoted all his spare time to Ringmahon filling every position on the management committee structure.  It’s nice, especially in these club-hopping days, to be able to review the career of a One-Club-Man and indeed to pay tribute to him and to reward him for 51 years loyal service to Ringmahon Rangers. 

Distinguished Service Award Winner

Henry Murphy

Henry Murphy’s first involvement in soccer was as a player with Togher Rovers. At that time he lived on the Hangdog Road, now known as Tramore Road. He moved from the confines of the city to Blarney in 1972 and became involved with the local side Blarney United who fielded a Junior and Youth team at the time.

Henry has been involved with club since those early days except for the time he ventured to foreign fields for a short while. During his involvement with the club he has held various positions on the committee which included Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary a position he continues to hold at the present time. He has also managed teams in the various grades from schoolboy’s to Youth and Junior.

He has been heavily involved since the early days in the organization of the clubs annual seven-a-side tournament which is held every year in the village green Blarney. He has always taken great pride in the fact that many famous Cork players from the local Junior teams to the various National League teams have participated in this tournament and enjoyed their games during the summer nights at the picturesque venue. For many years this tournament was sponsored by Murphy’s Brewery and during this time Henry built up a close friendship with the late Jack Sheedy R.I.P. who was also a great friend of the Cork AUL.

Henry has seen Blarney United grow from having one Youth team and one Junior team to its present position where it is considered to be one of the top clubs in Cork fielding five schoolboy’s teams, a Youth team, three Junior teams and a ladies team.  

The development of the clubs facilities at O’Shea Park, Riverview which includes two pitches and a clubhouse is the clubs greatest achievement to date, and Henry Murphy has worked tirelessly day and night with the assistance of many club members to see their dream become a reality. He is at present working on the clubs recently acquired ground to provide the players of Blarney United with excellent floodlit training facilities.

Over his many years of involvement with the club, colleagues have come to recognize Henry as outstandingly reliable and dependable, and I am sure all will agree that his inclusion among the list of those honored for distinguished service to Cork soccer is long overdue.

Distinguished Service Award Winner

Sean O’Leary

1956 is remembered by Cork sports followers as the year of the Champagne Cup final when Jimmy Delaney’s dream of winning an FAI winners medal turned into a nightmare, it was also the year that Wexford deprived Christy Ring of his ninth All-Ireland. But in upper Cathedral Road it will be remembered as the red-letter year in which one of Cork’s top clubs Castleview was founded.  We are privileged to have with us here tonight one of the founders Seanie O’Leary who, since his retirement about twenty years ago, has done more than enough for his beloved club to be enrolled amongst the elite group who have in previous years received the AUL Distinguished Service awards.  However, his immense contribution to Castleview and Cork junior soccer during a magnificent career spanning 25 years is in itself worthy of that award.  

With Castleview Seanie has won every available trophy in the province including Munster Junior Cup, AOH Cups, AUL Leagues, President, Saxone, Top-Four and O’Keeffe Cups.  The only one to escape was the elusive FAI Junior Cup and Seanie suffered the heart break of captaining the Castleview side who in 1962 were beaten by Swilly Rovers in the final.  Seanie who was outstanding in that particular game had earlier attracted the attention of the International selectors who picked him for a match against Birmingham Counties.  National honour came his way four years later when he starred on the Cork AUL team which won the Oscar Traynor Trophy for the first and only time.

After his retirement Seanie became involved in coaching Castleview under-age teams and in later years, in times of need, has filled every conceivable role.  To day his love affair with soccer and Castleview continues and he can be found roaming the sidelines quietly instructing the current wearers of the red and white shirt of his beloved View. 

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Previous Winners

YEAR		SOCCER LEGEND		HALL OF FAME		DISTINGUISHED SERVICE
1994		Sean McCarthy		Denis Galvin		Derry Barrett	Christy Lynch	Christy McGrath
1995		Frank McCarthy		Johnny Driscoll		Willie Cotter	Pats Noonan	Denis "Dinny Pop" O'Neill	Tim Rohan
1996		John McGowan		Donie Wallace		Christy Ahern	Peter Browne	John Murphy	Owen McCarthy
1997		Noel Cantwell		John Coughlan		Tom O'Callaghan	Eddie O'Donovan	George O'Sullivan	Dave Williamson
1998		Donie Leahy		Patsy Dorgan		John Barnes	Mick Canty	Frank Casey	Denis McSweeney
1999		Frank O'Farrell		Jack Morley		Michael "Baba" Geaney	Mick Kirby	Jimmy Murphy	Sam Spillane
2000		Austin Noonan		Charlie O'Mahony		Dave Duffy	Liam Foley	Leonard Gould	John Healy
2001		Charlie Hurley		John Herrick		Jerry Geaney	Joe Kennedy	Pat "Pa" Mulcahy	Rory O'Connor
2002		Noel O'Mahony		Paddy Shortt		C.J. Harrington	Mick Mooney	Terry O'Donovan	Ger Spillane