The year Balto dethroned the Magpies
Flashback to the SFC of 1976
From Peter Keogh’s archives
FLASHBACK to 1976 when Baltinglass dethroned Newtown - Both Baltinglass and Newtown are in action again this weekend in the Senior football championship with Baltinglass playing Annacurra Thursday night at 7.45pm while Newtown face Blessington on Saturday at 5pm.
Both games are in Joule Park. Baltinglass hit form last weekend and put up a big score on Newtown, but back in 1976 things were a lot closer.
Newtown were the reigning Senior champions after a final win over St Earnans, Rathnew, in 1975 and they put their crown on the line against the Baltinglass men in the semi-final on September 19. The headline in the Wicklow People the following Friday read ‘Baltinglass Dethrone The Champs’ after a 0-12 to 2-5 win.
Peter Keogh wrote of a great tussle that seen 54 frees awarded over the hour evenly shared amongst both teams. It was the six points from frees from varying angles and distances scored by Peter Burke that eventually made the difference. Noel McLouglin had the opening two points for the west men before John Lynch opened Newtown’s account. Tommy Murphy pointed Baltinglass in to a 0-4 to 0-3 interval lead after Leonard Doyle from a Newtown free had levelled moments earlier.
The heavy rain that had fell and the two games already played on the Aughrim pitch left the pitch very heavy in places. Burke was to point four frees in the next ten minutes with Newtown’s only reply a John Lynch point. One of Burke’s frees was brought forward 13 metres by the referee after some dissent and Peter wondered were these the 13 metres that cost Newtown their crown?
Newtown were offered a lifeline in the 11th minute when Ray Barry (later to captain Greystones to a Junior championship) scored their first goal and it was 1-4 to 0-8 now. A Leonard Doyle free dropped short and Seamus Kelly the Baltinglass corner back fielded it close to goal before being bundled over the line. After some debate the goal was given and Newtown led for the only time in the game, 2-4 to 0-8.
Burke shot another Baltinglass free before substitute Billy Timmons levelled things in the 47th minute. Lar Norton restored the Baltinglass lead with an opportunist score. A John Lynch free levelled it before Brendan Dooley shot what was to be the winning score in the 56th minute. John Dooley at centre back got a special mention from Peter for keeping tabs on the dangerous Frankie Murphy. Newtown didn’t really fire on the day and their eleven wides cost them dear.
Baltinglass went on to beat Hollywood in the final 0-5 to 0-4 with Burke again the main man kicking all their scores that day.
Jim Whelan; Seamus Kelly, Tom Scott, John Farrell; Nicky Curry, John Dooley, John Byrne; Peter Burke (0-6) and
Baltinglass:
Tommy Murphy (0-1); Matt Owens, Brendan Dooley (0-1), Noel McLoughlin (0-2); John Cullen, Tony Norton, Lar Norton (0-1). Subs: Billy Timmons (0-1) for Owens, Owens for Cullen.
John Healy; Gerry Synnott, Peter Heffernan, Don McKenna; Noel Doyle, Billy Alexander, Martin Hamilton; Richard Odlum and Pat Byrne; Jock Healy, Frankie Murphy, Ray Barry (1-0), John Lynch (0-3), Paddy Byrne (0-1), Leonard Doyle (1-1). Subs: Liam Odlum for Barry.
Michael Brauders
Newtown: Referee:
(Arklow)