Paddy Rice downs the Wolfe Tones
September 1968
LINING out with only fourteen players, Wolfe Tones crashed 5-9 to 2-1 to a much sharper Naomh Colmcille side in a J.H.C. tie at Dunleer which didn’t get under way until fully half an hour after the scheduled time (Tones team were delayed in reaching the venue owing to the blessing of the graves in St. Mary’s parish).
The writing was on the wall for Tones from an early stage. They were 2-2 to 0-1 behind at the end of the first quarter, and trailed 3-6 to I-1 at half-time.
Any hopes of a recovery were all but quashed when Naomh Colmcille’s sharp-shooter, Paddy Rice sent a rasper of a shot to the net, with goalkeeper, Oliver Kelly, making a valiant effort at saving.
The losers were brought up to full strength in, this half by the inclusion of a player who came out in his ordinary clothes and shoes.
The Colmcille side included five of the St. Mary’s S.F.C. team, the Rice brothers (Michael, Tom and Paddy), Denis Murray, and Sean Walsh, and supporters had a shock when M. Rice (who had a fine game at centre-half ), went down injured early in the second half. Happily, however, he quickly recovered and finished the hour.
Paddy Rice, playing at corner forward, had a field day as regards scoring, finishing up with a tally of 4-3 (one of the points from a free).
Other marksmen were: S. O’Brien, 1.-1; M. Rice (“70”), E. McCoy, D. Murray, M. Reid and B. Brennan, 0-1 each.
Denis Murray, at midfield, had a splendid game, getting good support from T. Rice, while in a defence that was never over-worked, M. Rice S. Walsh and left-full, M. McCarthy, were well to the fore.
Tones, fighting a lost cause most of the way, had one of the best players afield in midfielder Jimmy Nash, with players such as T. McNally, E. McGuffin, A. Farrelly, Mel Barry (on the “40”), and ‘ Tax ‘ Meehan, about the pick of the others. Scores fell to O. Coombes, 1 -0; Roy McCormack, 1 -0. and P. Meehan, 0- I.