St Nauls going back in time this weekend

St Nauls are going back in time this weekend and memories of a landmark day in the club’s proud history is going to be celebrated.

In May of 1999, St Nauls won the Donegal U-21 A championship. They defeated Aodh Ruadh in the final in Tirconaill Park, Donegal town.

It was a first A underage championship competition won by the club. It is also the only A underage trophy the club had ever got their hands on.

It is little wonder then that the U-21 team of 1999 hold a special place in all the hearts of St Nauls followers far and wide.

St Nauls folk are going to get an opportunity to see the stars of 1999 flex their muscles once again this Saturday when they face a Donegal Masters selection put together by Four Masters veteran and former Dungloe stalwart Charlie Gallagher.

The game is timed to throw-in 1 pm in Gerard Gallagher Memorial Park, Mountcharles.

“Gary Kane, who is over in London with Tir Chonaill Gaels and Brian McMonagle came up with the idea and a number of the rest of us rowed in behind them,” said Brian McCabe, who was the team’s centre-half-back in ‘99.

“We felt while we are all fit and well and still alive it was a good idea to get together. The most of the lads are about, we don’t all meet up all that much and there has been no great organising to it.

“The game is at 1 o’clock and Charlie Gallagher is putting a team together to play us..There is no charge but there will be a bucket and we will take donations and all the proceeds are going to Crumlin Childrens Hospital.

“After that we haven’t much organised. There are four pubs in the club area and we plan giving them all a visit; we are on the lookout for a video of the game and if we get our hands on one we will watch the game.

“We are all looking forward to it. Gary Kane is coming home from London and Cathal McGroarty is coming home from Australia for it.”

St Nauls, thanks to six points from Andrew Gallagher, a goal and point from full-forward Seamie Cannon and two points from Paul McGroarty defeated a fancied Aodh Ruadh 1-9 to 0-7 in the final played in Tir Chonaill Park.

Midfielder Daniel Friel was the team captain.

The match report from the game stated St Nauls had a greater appetite for the contest and a greater focus on the job in hand.

Apart from the aforementioned Andrew Gallagher, Seamie Cannon and Paul McGroarty, others singled out for special mention in the report were full-back Martin Griffin, corner-back Brian McMonagle, Brian McCabe, at centre- half-back and Brendan Quinn at wing-back.

“We had a very good team that year and up to 12 of the team played senior football for the club.

“The most of the team had been beaten in the final in 1998 by a very good Cloughaneely team. Vincent Kennedy and Damian Conaghan were the only two that were missing from the team that lost to Cloughaneely. That was a very good Cloughaneely team with Joe Friel and John Paul Gallagher.”

St Nauls defeated St Eunans, Naomh Muire and Kilcar on their way to the final showdown with Aodh Ruadh.

“St Eunans were a very good side with David McGinley, Shane O’Donnell and Ronan Mulligan, all county U-21s. Naomh Muire and Kilcar were good sides too and Aodh Ruadh had a very good team with the likes of Martin Gallagher, Michael Gurn, Stephen Ward, Shane Ward and Gareth Blake.

“Gareth Blake was their dangerman and I remember Martin McHugh had a great game on him and held him scoreless.

“Andrew Gallagher was our big player. He was in the county squad at the time and he had a great game at centre-half-forward and Seamie Cannon was brilliant at full-forward.

“Gary Kane and Brian McMonagle had big games for us too.

“But we had a very good all round team. The most of the lads were 20 or 21. Gavin Maguire, Gary Kane and Martin Griffin were the young lads on the team.

“They were only minors and from what I recall the three of them were on the county minor team that year. They were very good young players and they blended in well with older lads.

“It was a big result for the club and the first and only A underage championship the club have won.”

Sean Kelly was the team manager with Patrick McGroarty and the late Willie O’Driscoll making up his management team.

The 1999 final teams and scorers:

ST NAULS: Gerard McCready; Martin McHugh, Martin Griffin, Brian McMonagle; Gavin Maguire, Brian McCabe, Brendan Quinn; Daniel Friel, Gary Kane; Mark Breslin, Andrew Gallagher (0-6,4f), Liam McGroarty; Paul McGroarty (0-2), Seamie Cannon (1-1), Kevin Kennedy. Sub: Martin McGroary for B McMonagle inj.

Rest of panel: John Leonard, Liam Friel, Bernard Kenny, Glen Campbell, Kieran McCabe, Eamon Kelly, Keith Morrow, Cathal McGroarty.

AODH RUADH: Carl O’Brien; David Hoey, Martin Gallagher, Brian McCafferey (0-1); Mark Boyle (0-1), Brendan Boyle, Philip O’Reilly; Michael Gurn, Stephen Ward; Shane Ward (0-1), Brian Merrifield, Enda McFadden (0-2); Paddy Travers, Darren McGuinness, Gareth Blake. Subs: Anthony Boyle for P Travers, Shane McShea for E McFadden.

REFEREE: Jimmy White (Killybegs)