Football's heady summer of '73

This week's Cavanman's Diary

In the build-up to the recent county finals, it was commonly noted that Crosserlough were hoping to end a 48-year wait to return to the throne as high kings of club football in Cavan.

Their previous success came in 1972 when they completed a historic seven-in-a-row. The following year, the season in which they were deposed, produced one of the most remarkable Senior Championships in the 120 runnings of the competition.

A browse through the The Anglo-Celt archives from that summer paints a vivid picture of an entirely different country. The pages were crammed with ads for carnivals in places like Stradone and Drumlish and dances in funky-sounding venues such as the Granada Ballrooms in Granard and Kingscourt, the Maple Ballroom in Rockcorry and Eldorado in Oldcastle.

Alongside the court cases and football match reports were the ads for exotically-named bands such as Ray Lynam and the Hillbillies, Big Ivan and the Lightning Express and, our favourite, Chicken in the Rough.

The Senior Championship started in June and had 21 entries, with almost every club represented, including amalgamations such as O’Rahilly Gaels (Kingscourt-Shercock), St Matthew’s (Denn-Ballinagh), Sheelin Gaels (Mountnugent-Ballymachugh), Parnells (Killeshandra-Kildallan), St Mogue’s (Templeport-Corlough), Erne Gaels (Butlersbridge-Drumlane) and Annagh (Redhills-Belturbet).

But Crosserlough towered over everyone. “When one speaks of this competition, the first team to spring to mind is Crosserlough, the current champions, who will be bidding for their eighth successive crown,” noted the championship preview on these pages.

On Sunday, June 10, Crosserlough opened their new pitch in Kilnaleck. They beat Cavan Gaels while Cavan and Galway drew after extra time; Brendan Donohoe and Andy McCabe played both games.

While, the following day, they lost heavily to UCD in the Killinkere Gold Watch tournament, there were no signs that the champs were going to lose their grip on the crown.

In the opening round, Cavan Gaels defeated Lacken and a last-minute free via the upright from Martin Fitzpatrick saw Erne Gaels beat Castlerahan

In round two on June 17, Cornafean beat St Mogue’s, Sheelin Gaels beat Parnells, Ballyhaise - with four members of the county team - beat O’Rahilly Gaels and Cuchulainns beat Killygarry.

Laragh, who had reached the final the year before as St Brigid’s, drew 0-5 apiece with Bailieborough and Ramor beat St Matthew’s.

The following week, Cavan lost to Down in the first round of the championship in Newry, the first time they had made a first-round exit since 1966.

Gene Cusack and Hugh Sheridan were “specially flown home from New York for the game” as Crosserlough opened the defence of their title with a 4-10 to 0-6 win over Drumalee, Cusack bagging two goals, at the start of July.

Bailieborough shocked Laragh and Cootehill beat Arva as the championship began to heat up and, on July 22, came the shock to end all shocks as Cootehill toppled the Lough by 1-10 to 1-7.

“Although the result was totally unexpected, Cootehill, displaying great verve and determination, ran the champions ragged and created a piece of history,” read the report.

“The champions have faltered at last but they go into the history books with a record, which may never be broken and this fact will be some consolation to the players and officials in their hour of disappointment.

“The champions’ dismissal from the competition came as a complete surprise...”

It was a weekend of upsets. Ramor United made the semi-finals for the first time when a goal from Martin Mulvaney helped them beat Ballyhaise. Cuchulainns made their second semi-final in a row when they beat Bailieborough (2-8 to 2-6) and an unheralded Annagh side saw off Cavan Gaels by six points.

“Cootehill are considered favourites but Annagh (Belturbet-Redhills) will have a big say in the destination of the honours,” noted The Celt before their quarter-final against a resurgent Cornafean.

“Annagh seem to have all the attributes to get to the semi-final, the only drawback being perhaps over-confidence.”

The amalgamation’s confidence was well justified as they saw off the Reds by 1-17 to 1-6.

Both semi-finals were played as a double-header at the same time as Galway and Offaly met in the All-Ireland SFC final and both – Annagh v Cuchulainns and Ramor United (Virginia-Maghera) v Cootehill Celtic – ended in draws, with 37-year-old Charlie Gallagher scoring 0-10 for Cootehill.

This paper reckoned it was the first time this had happened in the long history of the competition.

In the replays, Gallagher scored another 0-11 but Ramor won by 3-10 to 0-17 after extra time, with sub Pat Tobin landing 1-3; while Annagh won by 2-12 to 1-6, Michael Reilly landing 2-5 of their total.

“This final is unique in that the contestants will not include Crosserlough, champions for the past seven years and who were ousted before the final stages in 1965. Also of interest is the fact that the finalists are group teams, united to contest the championship competition only. It is a tremendous boost to these amalgamated teams who are struggling to get prominence and success over the more stronger senior teams in the county.

“Both were involved in semi-final replays on the same day, which is another record.

“Anybody who would have forecast at the start of the campaign that either of these sides would win through to the final would have made a handsome profit if he was a betting man.”

The novelty factor produced a huge buzz around the county; 7,000 paying punters turned up and the gate receipts of £1,607 were a new record.

On the field, Annagh were nine points down early on but came back to win by 4-11 to 3-8. Eleven of the starting team were from Redhills; a week later, when Redhills won the Intermediate Championship, the report noted that losing finalists Killeshandra could not be faulted because “they were virtually playing the Cavan senior club champions”.

One the same page as that match report was an advertisement for rural electrification. It was, truly, another world. And, all these years later, Crosserlough are finally on top of it again.