Remembering De La Salle's Ulster breakthrough in 1972

This Saturday, February 26 marks 50 years to the day when De La Salle, Ballyshannon won their first ever senior colleges Ulster title when they won the D'Alton Cup, defeating Monaghan CBS in the final at Lisnaskea.

It was a first ever success for the school in Ulster at all levels and was won in thrilling fashion with a late goal from Michael Melly, the description of which in the report in the Donegal Democrat would lead you to believe that he was the Michael Murphy of that time!

Main photo caption: Back row, l to r, Brother Fintan, DLS Principal; Brendan McAvinue, Paddy Kelly, Joe Fox, John McNulty, Lawrence Sweeney, John Kane, Seamus P McGowan (RIP), Joe Drummond, Harry McGroary, PJ Daly, Paul McLoone, Michael McGowan (team manager), Gerry McCabe (RIP).
Front row, l to r, Pauric Daly, Michael Melly, Rossa McCosker, Sean Drummond, PJ McGuinness (RIP), Pauric Rooney, Pat Kelly, Sean McGinley, Martin Doyle.

Melly, a publican in Ballyshannon, has little memory of the day, more about getting the Monday off school and being feted in the Millstone Hotel for their win.

Asked about the win this week, Melly had some memories of the players, but not much about the game or the famous goal.
"Pauric Rooney, the captain. He was a mountain of a man from up around Glenade. He worked in the Forestry Department. We used to put him out the door of the dressing room first because there was hair coming up out of his jersey and he was only 17 years of age. He was a great footballer.

"Seamus P McGowan, God rest him from Kinlough and Harry McGroary were midfield. Harry was a great footballer, very cool man. Gerry McCabe from Pettigo was a goal poacher. We went to school on the Monday and we left school straight away and went to the Millstone Hotel with Brother Sylvester. I was young at the time, Paul McLoone and Laurence Sweeney and them were in Leaving Cert. I was only in Inter Cert. I was coming up on 16. We enjoyed the day off.

"Michael McGowan, of course, was the main man, as team manager. Brendan Hayden was there. I have very little recollection of the game," says Michael, when asked to describe the match-winning goal.

Anton Carroll - one of Donegal's first ever Ulster champions - slams 'inept' showing against Kerry

The Gaoth Dobhair clubman played when Donegal won their first ever Donegal SFC title in 1972 and this week penned a letter to depict his dissatisfaction with the team's performance in Kerry last Sunday

"The Monday was the biggest memory, going to school and being told we were going to have the day off. Going through the players again, Seamus P McGowan, with glasses tied on to his head with cord, that I recall. He was a super intelligent footballer, never wasted a ball; no catch and kick with him, he found a man every time. Harry McGroary, the same. The main force of the whole team was those two top class midfielders," said Melly.

It was a special win for De La Salle and there was a familiar name among the Monaghan CBS team who they defeated - one Kieran 'Jap' Finlay, who would play for Monaghan against Donegal in an Ulster final seven years later in 1979. His son, Paul, would also play for Monaghan and won a Sigerson Cup with Sligo IT alongside some Donegal players.

How the Donegal Democrat recorded the win
De La Salle, Ballyshannon, after sixty years striving, made history at the Gaelic Grounds, Lisnaskea on Saturday afternoon, when they won their first Ulster senior Gaelic football title, for the Cardinal D'Alton Cup, with a thrilling 5-2 to 2-9 win over CBS, Monaghan, the team that had thwarted them at the same stage last year.

This, in every respect, was a game to be remembered for the De La Salle College and their hundreds of supporters. It had every ingredient that made it great, from the disappointment of going into an unmerited deficit to that final thrill-packed ten minutes, with the last vital score - a goal of the most brilliant order - coming to the side in the 58th minute of play.

What a scene follows that shot, as Michael Melly, son of famous Ulster, Co Donegal and Ballyshannon player, Mick Melly, literally "scraped the sky" to pull down a high ball and proceed in a never-to-be-forgotten solo towards the Monaghan goal. Backs seemed to recede from his path as he dodged, side-stepped but kept going relentlessly on. Then, from about ten yards, he unleashed a shot that numbed Monaghan hearts and put De La Salle supporters, himself and his team mates into ecstasy.

So stunned were the Monaghan defenders by the brilliance of that goal that they found it difficult to place the ball for the kick-out. Eventually, the ball came out again and Monaghan made a brave, but unavailing attempt to mount a counter-offensive. Again, it was De La Salle on the rampage and then came the final whistle to herald a most historic occasion indeed for the De La Salle team.

Mark McGlynn of Aodh Ruadh and Gaoth Dobhair's Cian McBride pick up Freshers' medals with UUJ

Ballyshannon man McGlynn was named man of the match in the final with McBride also part of the panel

Crowds stun British army
The scene that followed almost beggars description. The two buses, mini-buses and fleets of private cars that made the journey across Co Fermanagh from the Donega border to Lisnaskea seemed to stun British army patrols into inactivity when the initial searches were over.

Now, with the final whistle gone and the cup won, priest, brother, men, women, boys and girls, mothers and fathers presented one of the most remarkable pictures of enthusiasm that I have ever had the privilege of joining in at any level. This was the moment of fulfilment for everyone connected in any way with the De La Salle side. This was a proud moment indeed for a school that has down the years from the early years of the present century, given such wonderful leadership in the promotion and development of our national games.

For one person in particular, a man who had graduated to the highest pinnacle of the teaching profession from the De La Salle school - brilliant maths teacher, Michael McGowan, the team trainer - it was indeed a moment of fulfilment. Earlier in the year he had led the school under-14 team to the quarter-final of the Ulster championship.

Now, his dedicated work in training the senior boys had borne fruit in a big way, and to the observer, it was easy to see that Michael, to them, means much more than a brilliant teacher of higher maths and other allied subjects. For everyone, this indeed, was an evening to remember.

The closeness of thegame was evident in the scores at the interval when Monaghan led by 2-3 to 2-1. For a time in the second half, it seemed that De La Salle would prevail, but the Monaghan boys began to get the upper hand at midfield and by the end of the third quarter they led by five points, 2-8 to 3-2. Early in this half De La Salle lost one of their best forwards, Pauric Daly, who had sustained a nasty shin injury.

The player who had replaced him, Laurence Sweeney, at this stage sustained, by co-incidence or otherwise, an even nastier leg injury from the same opponent, and back into the game came Pauric Daly. He gained possession, made inroads, dodged past two defenders and placed brilliant Pettigo boy, Gerry McCabe, who blasted the ball to the Monaghan net to leave only two points in it.

Earlier, Seamus McGowan, the brilliant North Leitrim boy, had pointed direct from a free when Laurence Sweeney was injured. Monaghan fought back for a point and then came the final De La Salle thrust and the decisive goal by Michael Melly.

From able 'keeper Brendan McAvinue, Ballyshannon, out, this was a great De La Salle side. Sean Drummond and PJ McGuinness (both Ballyshannon), played with rare zeal and enthusiasm in the full-back area, while team captain Pauric Rooney, another North Leitrim boy, flanked by Ballyshannon's Paddy Kelly and Martin Doyle, formed a powerful half-back line.
The brilliance of Ballyshannon's Harry McGroary and Seamus P McGowan (Kinlough) at midfield was one of the great stimulating factors that gave De La Salle the will to win.

Centre half forward, PJ Daly, Belleek, flanked by Ballyshannon boys Michael Melly and Pauric Daly, were a devastating half-forward line. Pettigo's Gerry McCabe and Ballyshannon's Paul McLoone were powerful full-forwards. While in the game, Ballyshannon's Laurence Sweeney played with rare dash and enthusiasm, as did Ballyshannon's Sean McGinley, who came in for the injured Martin Doyle in the closing stages.

Ready for action on the sideline if called on were four more Ballyshannon boys - Rossa McCosker, Joe Drummond, John Kane and John McNulty.

Gerry McCabe scored three of the De La Salle goals; Harry McGroary's powerful free brought the fourth and Michael Melly the fifth. Pauric Daly, from play, and Seamus P McGowan (free) had the points.

Monaghan CBS scores came per Ken Traynor and J Lynch (1-0 each); K Finlay (0-4,off frees); D Sterrett (0-2) and P McCormack (0-1).

It was some time after the game was over that the team emerged in full attire from the dressing rooms at Lisnaskea to do one victory lap of the grounds. They were addressed following the game by their trainer-teacher, Micheál McGowan, by the Donegal county secretary GAA, Hugh Daly, and by Rev John Gilsenan, CC, Ballyshannon, presient of the local Aodh Rua club.

The teams were:
DE LA SALLE: Brendan McAvinue; Sean Drummond, PJ McGuinness; Martin Doyle, Pauric Rooney (capt.), Paddy Kelly; Seamus P McGowan and Harry McGroary; Michael Melly, PJ Daly, Pauric Daly; Gerry McCabe, Paul McLoone. Subs: Laurence Sweeney and Sean McGinley.
MONAGHAN CBS: Vincent Turley; C Connolly, J Coyle; F Kiernan, L Lyndon, Paddy Creehon; Ken Traynor and P Higgins; J Lynch, K Finlay, D Sterrett; E Keenan, P McCormack. Subs: P McClarin for J Coyle.
REFEREE: Tommy Johnston, Lisnaskea.

The welcome home
The team got a tremendous welcome home at Ballyshannon on Saturday night where they were entertained in O'Neill's Cafe. In a victory tour of the town they were feted in each street and on Saturday night the Rock Hall was packed to capacity for the victory "hop".

On Monday the team were guests of one of their teachers, Mr Herman McNelis in the family hotel, The Royal Millstone, Ballyshannon. Special celebrations were held in both the secondary and primary De La Salle schools with a special holiday to mark the occasion.