Oughterard GAA
All Ireland Intermediate Winners 2019/20
From Rosmuc to Croke Park
Saturday the 25th of January 2020 will go down in history as the greatest day in the 112 years existence of Oughterard GAA, not just because our Intermediate Team won the All Ireland Intermediate Club Championship Final but because it was the culmination of an incredible journey that begun in Rosmuc & ended in Croke Park.
A journey that witnessed the people of & from the Parish bind together like never before in support of their local GAA club, taking in football games of a high quality with more than a sprinkling of drama and nail biting moments.
The intermediate campaign began on May 25th 2019 with a first round game v Clifden in Rosmuc which didn’t quite go to plan but it was difficult for any neutral present to begrudge Clifden their draw on a score line of 0-09 apiece.
Round 2 took place in Moycullen on Saturday 10th August with a meeting between us and Michael Breathnach and at half time the signs and the score line were not in our favour as we trailed badly by 7 points in what has to be said were testing weather conditions.
Anecdotally and with hindsight the break in play is widely recognised to have been the turning point in our fortunes and our application to the task at hand not just in this match but in our entire season.
We ran out eventual winners on a score line of 1 – 14 to 3 – 06 (HT 0 – 07 3 – 05) and our destiny was firmly back in our own hands, all we had to do was make sure we didn’t lose the next game.
Pearse Stadium on 24th Aug hosted our 3rd round group game against the Shane Walsh led Kilkerrin – Clonberne, not an easy task but one which we felt was well within our grasp.
Little did we know that it would come down to the last kick of the game by none other than Shane Walsh, a player of immense skill who spurned the opportunity to knock Oughterard out of the Championship as his effort drifted right and wide and the parish breathed a huge sigh of relief, we were in the Quarter Final draw on the back of a 0 – 16 apiece result (HT Oughterard 0 – 9 KK/C 0 – 7)
Our lot was a quarter final versus Caltra on Sunday 8th September, a proud Club like all Galway Clubs and one very much in search of a speedy return to Senior Football. Helter skelter was the order of the day and an impressive 3 – 15 to 3 – 06 was the end result from a bruising encounter that was not for the faint hearted in Pearse Stadium, and on we went.
Semi Finals are for winning they say, and our record in semi finals wasn’t exactly earth shattering, yet against the mighty Dunmore we proved that “Champagne Football” isn’t exclusive to any Club or County. We racked up an emphatic 3 – 18 to Dunmore’s 0 – 06 and in truth the game was over at half time as a contest, just nobody told our lads.
And so the day of reckoning came, Michael Breathnach our old foes from the “Group of Death” were to be our opponents in the County Final played on Sunday 6th October.
There were 2 schools of thought about the value of a county final where both teams were already promoted to Senior regardless of who would be crowned county champions. As if to disregard the opinion of all others, both teams served up a game of quality football with nip and tuck scoring and an end score of 0 – 14 apiece with the equalising score coming from a 43m free 4 minutes into added time converted by the 19 year old rising star Matthew Tierney.
Yet again the parish breathed a sigh of relief and after a brief moment of disbelief and trepidation it was announced that the game was to go to a replay, not the dreaded “Extra Time and Penalty Shootout” as had been introduced recently to separate teams in a deadlocked GAA matches.
The real aficionados in the stand scoffed at the mere mention or thought of a County Final being decided by ET & Penalties, little did they know what was to come in 2 weeks time.
And so injury free and with fresh legs both teams took to Pearse Stadium once more on Saturday 19th Oct and the Parishes went to battle once more, no quarter asked or given lightly. Surely the Men of Inverin would come good and advance to represent Galway as County champions was the talk in the pockets of attending neutrals whose appetite was whetted by the initial encounter.
Lo and behold but a match of epic proportions ensued and nothing could separate the teams over the hour plus of “normal time”. Nothing normal about this game though, everyone in attendance knew that from the throw in, yet again Matthew Tierney came to the forefront of the scoring in bringing the game to extra time with a trademark pointed free off the ground.
Fast forward to the end of extra time and yet again Matthew obliged from 52 meters and deep in added time of extra time, his 8th point of the day.
It’s not unfair to say that this final goes into the history books as “the greatest Intermediate County Final to be played in Galway”
And so the now infamous penalty shootout was not just a dreaded thought but a reality, on a day where nails were down to the quick, one could be forgiven
for wanting another helping of this battle but the rules were written in stone and no such thoughts were entertained let alone discussed.
Penalty taking is not a foreign sport but yet we associate it with one, tensions could be felt on the pitch and in the stand, prayers were said and superstitions were observed & that was only the players.
The heroes for Oughterard were countless all day but now it was down to the chosen 5 plus Keeper Jordan Waller, never one to shirk his duties “Jordo” pulled off a top class save and who else but Matthew put Michael Breathnach to the sword with the winning penalty.
Only those with a heart of stone didn’t have sympathy for the losing team, the crowd showed their appreciation.
Once the Celebrations were done and dusted the thoughts of representing Galway in the Connacht Championship became a reality and we weren’t long in turning our sights on Tulsk Lord Edwards of Roscommon. In reality this was a game much closer than the score line suggested and a real scare was given, we eventually returned a winning tally of 2 – 16 to 1 – 09 on Saturday 9th November in Hyde Park, Roscommon
In recent years McHale Park has been a good hunting ground for Galway teams, we just hoped we’d be partaking of the successes; The Neale of Mayo had other ideas on Saturday 16th November, right from the throw in we knew we were in a battle, both teams were well up for it, first half scores were hard come by, half time score read – 0 7 each.
Thankfully and with a concerted increase in effort our lads managed to grind down a formidable opposition who eventually dropped their heads allowing us to finish on a score line 1 – 16 to 0 – 11. Crowned Connacht Champions, the dream part 2 was accomplished, what next everyone asked.
Everyone knows that Kerry people live, eat, sleep and drink Gaelic Football, none more so than the folks from Templenoe and rightly so, home of the Spillanes and currently with 4 of their players being part of a Kerry squad with Senior All Ireland Inter County Final experience.
Odds of 4/1 on Oughterard upsetting the applecart were possibly a little generous in a 2 horse race but then who would dare deny the Kerrymen as we travelled to Kilmallock on Saturday 11th January in hope rather than expectation.
A heavy pitch coupled with copious amounts of rainfall would lead one to suspect a tough and physical encounter, nothing dirty mind you, just a smattering of yellow cards more through misjudgement and the poor playing conditions, and so it was.
This game went down to the wire, finishing in a score of Oughterard 1 - 12 Templenoe 0 – 12, the goal a somewhat fortuitous effort by Paul Walsh that dipped under the crossbar and caught the unsuspecting keeper unaware.
The pitch invasion that followed the final whistle was a sight to behold, never have so many tears of joy been shed in the name of Oughterard GAA, the strong neighbouring parishes presence in the travelling support was noted, nods of approval were exchanged, Oughterard had defied all the odds, we’re going to Croke Park !!!
The victory in Kilmallock came at a cost, the injury to our centre back Ronan Molloy was assessed as a grade 2 hamstring, time was not on his side, and 2 weeks was not enough or was it?
On Saturday 25th of January 10 buses left the Parish of Oughterard, 9 with supporters, 1 with all our hopes and dreams of winning an All Ireland Intermediate Football Title on board. Countless cars and people carriers were deployed to maximise the travelling support, the Diaspora had been mobilised, and hundreds more were making their way to Croke Park from lands far and wide, USA, Europe, UK, and Australia.
Brothers and Sisters, Aunts and Uncles, Sons and Daughters, Mothers and Fathers, Grandfathers & Grandmothers, all wearing the Green and White of Oughterard descended on Croke Park, estimates say 2,000 and several thousand more unable to travel but tuned in from near and far to TG4’s YouTube Live Coverage.
And so to proceedings on the Field, our opponents Magheracloone of Monaghan were in everyone’s hearts and minds as the preferred winner, everyone that is except those that wore the green and white, nothing is given in Croke Park, Cups are hard earned.
And yes, Ronan started the All Ireland Intermediate Final, his presence hard earned if not lengthy, but still well deserved, everyone gets 15 minutes of fame.
The pace and quality of the initial 20 minutes football was fast and superb, mistakes were few and far between, the scoreboard operator daren’t take his eyes off the play.
And as if to cue, bang on the 20 minute mark Eric Lee tore open the defence and left defenders in a tizzy to score our opening goal to put a score line of 1 – 07 to 0 – 06 up in bright lights, we led at half time by 1 – 10 to 0 – 07.
Mahercloone begun the 2nd half well and clawed themselves back into the game but it was not on the cards for them to gain the upper hand try as they might and our superior fitness and ball retention saw us through on a Final Score of Oughterard 2 – 16 Magheracloone 0 – 12 with the additional goal coming from Conrad Clancy.
Jubilant scenes erupted, the 2,000 or so supporters congregated toward the steps of the Hogan Stand to watch and listen to Team Captain Eddie O’Sullivan give thanks and praise to those that made the journey possible and to those that were in our hearts and minds and of course special thanks to Tommy Finnerty the Manager & Mastermind of the entire adventure.
The journey back to Oughterard as All Ireland Intermediate Champions was made with much excitement and almost a sense of disbelief as to the reality of what we had achieved, that reality struck home at Moycullen and Killannin when the crowds turned out in appreciation of our success.
The sweetest piece of the journey was entering the Parish about midnight and seeing the bonfires and supporters that braved the rain to great their living heroes’ home, the square in Oughterard was never so jubilant; the night was young and so were we.
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| Cumann Peile Seamus O'Maille Uachtar Árd | |||||||||
| Founded: | 1908 | ||||||||
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| County: | Galway | ||||||||
| Colours: | Green and white | ||||||||
| Grounds: | Corribdale | ||||||||
| Playing kits | |||||||||
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| Senior Club Championships | |||||||||
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Oughterard GAA (Irish: Cumann Peile Seamus O'Maille Uachtar Árd) is a Gaelic Football club based in Oughterard, County Galway, Ireland. The club is a member of the Galway GAA. Oughterard had a Hurling team in the 1920s but is primarily and always has been a Gaelic Football club and teams compete from the groups of under 6 to Senior.
The club facilities are situated in Corribdale which is on the Pier Road in the town of Oughterard and it includes two pitches, a full-size walled pitch, a training pitch, a 600 capacity covered stand, a small terrace in the car park to the right of the stand, changing rooms fit for 4 teams and meeting rooms with kitchen facilities. There is also a large car park that is in use daily by people using the surrounding Corribdale Trails.
Cumann Peile Séamus O'Maille
Oughterard are in the West Board area of the Galway League and Championships at Junior & Juvenile level, and take part in all under-age and Junior competitions in the county. Their Flagship team is their Senior team which plays competitively in the All County Senior League Div 2. Oughterard also have a very successful Ladies Football Club with 150 ladies of all ages playing competitively and with a degree of success despite being only 4 years in existence.
1908 Foundation
Oughterard GAA was founded in 1908 by a group of local men with an interest in the sport. Gaelic Football was brought to the town by a man called Mahony from County Tipperary.
County Championships
Oughterard first County success was the I9I9 Junior Title, captained by John Joe D’Arcy from Maghera. The club takes its name from a member of that team, Seamus O Maille, a staunch member up to his execution in 1923.
1938 Brought the Club its first, and so far, only Senior County Title with a win over Ballinasloe captained by Pat Gibbons whose son John designed the club crest. This team was powered by the four O’Sullivan brothers, Dinny, Tom, Charlie and Edward, supported by the O’Toole Brothers and including all Ireland medalist Frank Burke (Doorus) and Henry Kenny an All Ireland medalist with Mayo.
Crest
The Cumann Peile Seamus O'Maille Uachtar Árd crest was designed by renowned local artist & former player John Thomas Gibbons. The crest consists of the Bridge over the Owenriff river with the Catholic church behind it, a portrait of Seamus O'Maille and a salmon representing the Lough Corrib. The colours Green and White are also in the crest, these are the colours of the club. The crest won the overall award at the National Féile in 2004. Crest Link : http://dt403wuago4bn.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/cms/files-2/2010_Crest-369x400.jpg
Celebrity Bainisteoir 2011
Oughterard's Intermediate team took part in RTE's Celebrity Bainisteoir in 2011. Oughterard played St Patrick's GAA (Donabate), County Dublin at home in Corribdale and won. They then played Lissan GAC, Derry GAA in the Semi-final at home and won again. In the final they took on Killeshin GAA, County Laois and at full time it was 0–12 to 0–12. Extra time was played and Killeshin came out on top with a score of 0–18 to 0–15.