Martin’s goal made history
Askamore won county championship at first attempt
ASKAMORE’S COUNTY title success in 1969 was rendered all the more special because it was their first time ever to emerge from their own District.
Younger readers mightn’t be aware of how incredibly difficult it was to win a Junior hurling championship in those days, and the men prepared so well by Robbie Jacob were truly heading into the unknown.
They had made it to the Gorey District decider in 1964, only to lose narrowly to Liam Mellows on a 1-11 to 2-6 scoreline.
The Coolgreany side went on to capture county honours, accounting for Na Fianna from Wexford town by 1-5 to 0-5, and that removed one of the chief obstacles to Askamore’s ambitions of bringing the silverware home.
However, it wasn’t as simple as that, because they were thwarted repeatedly in the District over the following four campaigns, with St. Brendan’s (Craanford) and St. Patrick’s (Ballyoughter) proving to be their bogey teams.
Their next door neighbours in Craanford duly won the county Junior title in ’68, with Na Fianna the unfortunate victims once again. Indeed, the now defunct losers were undoubtedly the most unlucky team of the sixties in that grade, as they lost three finals in total, with Ballyhogue also beating them in ’65.
Without Liam Mellows and Craanford to contend with, Askamore entered the 1969 campaign with hope in their hearts, although they knew that it wouldn’t be an easy task by any means.
Some signs were promising all the same, with a couple of talented youngsters from the club having made an impression with the successful Wexford Minor teams of that era.
John Tobin featured at midfield when the provincial title was captured in 1966, while Martin Byrne was left corner-forward on the All-Ireland winning side of 1968.
In addition, the more experienced Michael Murphy had been full-back on the county Intermediate sides of 1967 and ’68, numbering club trainer Robbie Jacob among his team-mates.
The first Gorey District championship game of 1969 was supposed to have been against the Liam Mellows second string on June 8, but the opposition conceded a walkover.
Páirc Uí Shíocháin was the venue for the three knockout matches that brought the honours home, spread out over a two-month period.
Buffers Alley – whose Seniors had won their first county crown in 1968 – were no match for Askamore in the District quarter-final on July 13, losing by 6-15 to 2-2.
St. Patrick’s had been tough opponents in previous campaigns, so the emphatic manner of the 5-10 to 3-3 success on August 17 was a very positive sign.
It was on September 14, 1969, that the Gorey District crown was captured for the first time, and it was a gripping contest until the very last stroke as Ballyfad were pipped on a 5-7 to 5-6 scoreline.
The county semi-final brought Askamore to pastures new in Bellefield, and they lacked the experience of rivals Rathgarogue-Cushinstown who had won three New Ross District titles in the space of four years.
A place in the final had eluded them in 1966 and 1968 though, and it was a similar story on October 26 when they were ousted by 5-10 to 3-6.
Askamore were afforded ample time to prepare for the final, because they had to wait as a result of St. Fintan’s completing a Wexford District Junior double.
The Ballymore-Mayglass men had advanced to the hurling decider on the same day in Bellefield, seeing off Oylegate-Glenbrien by 4-10 to 3-4.
However, their focus then turned to football, as they pipped Starlights by a point (2-8 to 1-10) in the county semi-final in New Ross on November 2.
Four weeks later, St. Fintan’s lost that decider to St. Mary’s of Bannow by 3-5 to 0-7 in Wexford Park, and that made them all the more determined when the hurling decider finally went ahead in Bellefield on December 7.
However, they had to endure heartbreak for the second time in seven days, and it was particularly cruel on the south county side as they went down by 4-4 to 1-11 after conceding a last-minute goal to teenage star Martin Byrne.
A contemporary newspaper account said that the slim two-point margin of victory was ‘greeted with a great emotional outburst by jubilant Askamore followers, for at last a county title had come to the area’.
The teams provided an excellent contest, and they were level on four occasions, including at half-time when the score stood at 2-2 (Askamore) to 0-8.
Matt Boggan had doubled to the net from a ’70 which landed just on the square, giving his side a 1-1 to 0-2 advantage.
Eamonn O’Neill was unlucky to strike the post, but Askamore goaled again in the 24th minute after an initial shot by Martin Byrne produced a miraculous save from veteran Paddy Kelly, who had represented Wexford at Senior level in the early fifties.
The rebound fell nicely for inrushing full-forward John Kinsella, and he left the netminder with no chance.
Two late pointed frees by Pat Dooley brought St. Fintan’s back to level terms by the interval, with Kinsella seeing another goal ruled out for a square infringement.
Kinsella and captain Pat Fox gave Askamore the lead on the re-start, but the tide turned towards the Wexford District men when Eamonn Murphy goaled midway through the third quarter.
Askamore needed a quick response, and it duly arrived when Tommy Tobin’s cross in the 43rd minute was sent to the net by Eamonn O’Neill, establishing a narrow 3-4 to 1-9 advantage.
Dooley equalised from another free, and ten tension-filled but scoreless minutes followed before one of the most important goals in the history of the Askamore club was scored.
Martin Byrne wasn’t going to be fazed by the pressure, having lined out in Croke Park with the Wexford Minors on All-Ireland day one year earlier, and he became the hero of the hour.
A high centre from the tall, fair-haired midfielder John Tobin found Byrne just on the ’40 mark. Throwing caution to the wind, he wound his way through the middle and, confronting the Fintan’s netminder, let loose a right-handed rocket to the net.
Although Pat Murphy pulled back a late point for St. Fintan’s, it wasn’t enough to spoil the party as bedlam erupted on the final whistle, and the subsequent presentation of the trophy to Pat Fox by Seán Browne T.D., Chairman of the County Board.
It was a moment the parish of Askamore will cherish forever.
Askamore: Davy Donohoe; Pat Creane, Michael Murphy, Dan Kennedy; Tom Byrne, Matt Boggan (1-0), Jim Moore; Tom Kenny, John Tobin; Finbar O’Neill, Martin Byrne (1-2), Pat Fox (capt., 0-1); Tommy Tobin, John Kinsella (1-1), Eamonn O’Neill (1-0). Subs. - Barty Bolger, Myles O’Connor, Pat Donohoe, Pat Tomkins, Sam Brickley, Pat Tobin, Tom Tobin, Nicky Byrne.
St. Fintan’s: Paddy Kelly; Jimmy Finn, Bobby O’Dowd, John Keane; Nicky Newport, Pat Murphy (0-2), Billy Boggan; Pat Rossiter, Eamonn Murphy (1-0); Dessie O’Brien (0-3), Tommy Rowe, Nick Pettit; Pat Dooley (0-6), Billy O’Brien, Billy Codd. Subs. - Victor Doyle for Rowe, Rowe for Doyle.
Referee: Paddy Shiggins (Shamrocks).