The Bakery Cup - an institution in Ballyshannon GAA circles - Part 1

The Bakery Cup in Ballyshannon is one of the longest running club competitions in GAA history. It began in 1957 and continues to the present day with the 2021 final due to take place this weekend. It was initially an U-14 league for the De La Salle school but then morphed into an Aodh Ruadh U-14 league.

Thanks to some great work by Jim Kane, we hope to retrace the competition from it's beginning over the coming weeks and months. Jim has kept many of the records and, more importantly, most of the photos of the winning teams from its inaugural year.

Over the years many players and captains who have taken part have gone on to represent Donegal at all levels. To mention one would probably mean leaving someone else out. But through the pages of the Democrat over the coming weeks and months, you will see many familiar names of well-known footballers who have graced the competition.
This week we begin with the first three years of the competition.

1957
P McGarrigle's team 2-9
Tom Kearney's team 2-2
That was the score at the end of the first ever Bakery Cup held on June 14, 1957 in Ballyshannon. The competition was for teams in the De La Salle School League. Tom Kearney had obviously won the competition the previous year but the new Bakery Cup was up for the winners in 1957.

The Democrat reported: "Prior to the game, the respective teams toured the town to the accompaniment of martial music supplied by the Misses Maureen and Lily Slevin and Tom Gallagher.
In the game McGarrigle's team were well in control at half-time, leading 1-6 to 1-1 and a second goal from PJ Donagher sealed the win. Under referee Frank O'Donnell, O.S., the teams were:

PADRAIG MCGARRIGLE (capt): Eamon Gallagher; Eamon Clancy, Padraig McGarrigle (0-1), Sean Crawford; Fergus Lawlor, Alan Kane, Willie Sweeney; Gerard Merrifield (1-2), Frank Kelly (0-2); Jim Downey, Matthew McNulty (0-2), Seamus Sweeney; Ernan Britton, Eddie Donagher (0-1), PJ Donagher (1-1).
TOM KEARNEY (capt.): Francis McGowan; Michael Ferguson, Tom Kearney, Pauric Kearney; Peter Garland, Ken Hayes, JJ Gallagher; Seamus Darcy, Josie Boyle; Denis McGuinness, Fergus Gildea, Vincent Ferguson; Sean Keenaghan (1-0), Pauric McShea (1-2), Dermot O'Doherty.

After the final Rev Bro Abban presided at the presentation of the trophies, a beautiful silver cup donated by the Ballyshannon Bakery Company, and a set of silver medals presented by the ESB staffs of the Cathaleen's Fall and Cliff power stations.
Bro Abban thanked Mr M McGinty, Ballybofey, director of the Ballyshannon Bakery Company for the cup.

1958
Frank Kelly's 1-6
Seamus Darcy's 0-4
It was not until the closing seconds of what proved to be a brilliant, spectacular and exciting game that a goal from full-forward Fergus Gildea sealed the issue in favour of Frank Kelly's team according to the Democrat report, which continued:
The teams, to the accompaniment of martial music played by the Misses Maureen and Lily Slevin, passed through every street in the town, and long before the throw-in, parents and supporters were there en masse at the Fr Tierney Memorial Park. The teams lined up and faced the flag as the National Anthem was played. The Rev. Patk McCormick, CC, St Joseph's threw in the ball and what was unquestionably the greatest ever schools final played in the North-West was on.
The story of the scoring was with Darcy's team starting well with points from Darcy himself, Ken Hayes and Michael McDermott with Frank Kelly replying to leave it 0-3 to 0-1 at half-time.
Two Frank Kelly frees had his side level five minutes into the second half and he would add three more frees for an 0-6 to 0-3 lead. PJ Donagher, off a long distance free, cut the lead before the all-important goal from Fergus Gildea in the closing seconds
FRANK KELLY(capt) (0-6), Pauric McShea, Fergus Gildea (1-0), John Sweeny, Sean Keenaghan, Seamus Martin, Willie Sweeney, Dessie Coughlin, Vincent Ferguson, Jack Downey, Sean Donohue, Eamonn Travers, Patsy Sweeney, Billy Ward, Liam Daly. Sub: Michael Crawford.
SEAMUS DARCY(capt) (0-1), Paddy Joe Donagher (0-1), Eddie Donagher, Michael McDermott (0-1), Sean O'Reilly, Ken Hayes (0-1), John McGahern, Jim Downey, Cathal Gallagher, PJ Lynch, Sean Crawford, Michael Travers, Terry McIntyre, Fergus Lawlor, Christy Boyce. Sub: Rory Canning.

1959
Michael McLoone 3-7
Frank Kelly 3-5
The heading in the Democrat said: McLoone dethrones champion in thrilling game.
In a hectic finish, McLoone turned a six point deficit into a two points win to take the coveted Ballyshannon Bakery Cup. The final was the grand climax to 20 games placed over the previous few months.
As in the previous year the teams toured the town to the accompaniment of martial music with Tom Gallagher back again joining Lily Slevin and Maureen Kane.
The story of the game was that Kelly's team were 2-2 to 1-3 ahead at half-time and went six ahead thanks to a Pa Kerrigan goal in the second half.
But McLoone was not to be denied as he hit two second half goals in his overall tally of 2-5 to run out winners.
MICHAEL MCLOONE (Capt.): Dessie Coughlin; Fergus Lawlor, Alan Kane, Danny Keenaghan; Brendan Hoey, Sammy Moore, Dermot O'Doherty; Michael McLoone (2-5), Eamon Travers, Eugene Gallagher, Hugh Giblin (0-1), Paddy Rice, Jimbo Downey, Eddie Donagher (1-1), Michael Travers.
FRANK KELLY (Capt): Peter Garland; Liam P O'Brien, Raymond Duncan, Liam Daly; Dessie McGowan, Pa Kerrigan (1-0), Eamon Clancy; Frank Kelly (1-4), Dannie McGrory; Chris Griffin, Seamus Martin (0-1), Jackie Gormley; Patsy Sweeney, Cathal Gallagher, Pearse McNeela (1-0)
REF: Frank O'Donnell, O.S.