History of Cootehill Celtic GAA Club

Famous Wins - Intermediate Championship Final 1971

19^th September 1971

Cootehill Back in Senior Ranks

Cootehill Celtic   2–08                   Virginia Blues    1–03        

Cootehill Celtic, who dropped back to the Junior Grade from Senior in 1968 because of youth and inexperience of the then panel of players, made up for their failure to Killygarry in last year's Intermediate Football Championship final when they were successful in winning the elusive title on Sunday beating Virginia in an entertaining final at Breffni Park before a small attendance (gate receipts: £121) by 2-8 to 1-3. Cootehill are now qualified to play in all senior competitions and will be a great asset to the senior grade with their highly enjoyable brand of open football.

The first-half produced some of the best brand of football seen so far in the Intermediate grade this year and would in fact put some of the more experienced senior teams to shame. Led by former Ulster and Cavan player, Charlie Gallagher, Cootehill used the wide open spaces to great effect, and were not unduly upset by the hard tackling of Virginia, whose hopes of completely unsettling the lighter Cootehill team was a complete failure. In the opening exchanges, the tackling was hard and there was stalemate for a long period but once Cootehill became immune to the heavy tackling, Virginia's chances abated.

First Breakthrough

Virginia made the first breakthrough in the game as early as the 4th minute when right-corner forward, Gerry Morgan sent a low shot past goalkeeper Stephen McDonagh to give the Blues a great start. Cootehill were badly rattled at this stage and the defence in particular seemed very unsettled. Virginia shot two further points and by the 13th minute were leading 1-2 to 0-1.

Then disaster struck them when Cootehill's right-half forward, Jim Bradley went through and shot to the net.

Charlie Gallagher with a great point from fully 55 yards brought Cootehill to level terms and six minutes from half time the same player put the Celts into the lead.

Virginia were still in with a great chance of creating an upset and they drew level two minutes into the second half with a Gerry Geraghty point but then the game took a sudden turn in Cootehill's favour and when Kevin Argue sent to the net just dead on the final quarter the issue was settled. Gaining great confidence from this score, Cootehill proceeded to dominate the game. The Blues' morale was low at this stage and the goal was a real body blow from which they never recovered. Even the switch of left-half back, Barney Mulvey to the attack towards the end failed to engender the dying spirit of his teammates.

Cootehill, while worthy winners in the end, were given a hard game by forceful opponents and they can thank Argue's goal which killed off the enthusiasm of Virginia. The form of the team especially in the first-half was unimpressive but in the second-half the change in form was as unexpected as it was welcomed, and the power-packed exhibition of free flowing football, interspersed with some well taken scores was just the tonic they needed to upset the trend of the game which up to then had been steadily moving against them.

Cootehill's defence took the bulk of the honours where they had to stand up to a lot of pressure from the Virginia defence. None played better than Hugh Sherlock in the right-back berth and he had a great hour being unbeatable in almost every situation. Dermot Coyle, while pitted against the wily Tommy Galligan was pretty sound in the full-back berth and behind him Steve McDonagh in goals, was also reliable. Paddy Cochrane in the left-back berth, who was making a rare appearance in the team, had a competent outing. In the half-back line, Seán O'Donnell, centre-half, along with wing-halves, Michael Lynch and Tony McCabe impressed especially in the second-half.

Experience Invaluable

The return of former Monaghan star and Latton club player, Mickey Duffy strengthened the midfield sector and he got good support from Dermot Fitzpatrick. The forwards were slow to get into their stride and even when they did manage to have the beating of the Virginia defence their accuracy left a lot to be desired. Charlie Gallagher's years of experience were invaluable, while Kevin Argue, Jim Bradley and Brendan McCabe were the chief dangermen. Good support came from Brian Sherlock and Eamon McCabe. The fitness of the side was due in no small measure to the great work of their trainer, Seán Foy.

In the Virginia lineout, goalkeeper Felix Lynch got little to do in the early stages because of tremendous covering of defenders like Tommy Mulvey, Seán Farrelly, Martin Morgan and Dessie Soden. But the defence fell away under the second-half pressure exerted by the Cootehillmen. Noel Kellett and Gerry Geraghty tried hard to turn the tide at midfield and Geraghty in particular had a fine game. The attack lost a lot of its punch in the second-half but Gerry Hopkins had an outstanding game at right-half forward and best support came from Paul Hopkins, Seán Holmes and Gerry Morgan.

The Highlights

Virginia attacked strongly in the early stages and they had a fine opening when in the 4th minute a low shot from Gerry Morgan went past the out-stretched hands of goalkeeper, Steve McDonagh.

Cootehill got into their stride after this setback and Charlie Gallagher shot a well-taken point in the 6th minute. Tony McCabe was wide with an effort just after the kickout but Virginia were back on the offensive and Gerry Hopkins converted a free in the 9th minute. The Cootehill forwards shot three quick wides before Virginia in a quick breakaway were rewarded when Gerry Geraghty sent over a point to increase the Blues lead to four points.

In a Cootehill attack, Jim Bradley with a great chance was right in behind the Virginia defence and although shooting with his wrong foot he sent to the net in the 14th minute to put Cootehill just one point behind.

The Celtics got on level terms two minutes later when Gallagher shot a great point from fully fifty yards out on the left wing. Virginia faded a little at this stage but Cootehill failed to put the pressure into scores and it was only six minutes from half-time that they managed to take the lead with a point from Eamon McCabe. Both forwards-lines had two wides apiece before half-time. Interval score: Cootehill Celtic 1-3; Virginia Blues 1-2.

Second Half

Cootehill started the second-half with a quick attack down the centre but only a wide resulted. The sides were level just two minutes after the restart when Gerry Geraghty pointed a free. Virginia now began to force the pace and a shot from Noel Kellett was deflected over the end line for a '50 but the free ended up wide. Geraghty had his name taken two minutes later for a heavy tackle but Cootehill came on the attack again to force a '50. At the other end a free was conceded and McDonagh brought off a great save.

Turnabout

Charlie Gallagher gave Cootehill the lead once again in the 41st minute from a free and the game took a sudden turn in favour of Cootehill four minute later when a centre from Eamon McCabe was finished to the net by Kevin Argue.

With Virginia trailing by four points, Gallagher increased his sides lead with a pointed free. Two more points, one from Gallagher, left Cootehill ahead by seven points. The Blues were unable to counter this spate of scoring and Gallagher was on the mark again to shoot another point from a free a minute later. To bolters the flagging Virginia attack, Seán Holmes was replaced by Breffni O'Reilly and Barney Mulvey was drafted into the attack but this met with little success and despite Virginia's numerous shots at goal up to the closing minutes, the issue was cut and dried.

Cootehill Celtic: Stephen McDonagh; Hugh Sherlock, Dermot Coyle, Paddy Cochrane; Michael Lynch, Seán O'Donnell, Tony McCabe; Dermot Fitzpatrick, Mickey Duffy; Jim Bradley, Eamon McCabe, Kevin Argue; Brendan McCabe, Charlie Gallagher, Brian Sherlock.

Virginia Blues: F. Lynch; S. Farrelly, L. Mulvey, P. Mulvey; M. Morgan, S. Soden, B. Mulvey; N. Kellet, G. Geraghty; G. Hopkins, S. Brennan, P. Hopkins; G. Morgan, T. Galligan, S. Holmes.
Subs: B. Reilly for Homes.

Referee: J. McCabe, Stradone

Report taken with kind permission from The Anglo Celt