CHARLEVILLE BEATEN BUT UNBOWED

IT was an intrinsically Charleville event at Cavanaghs’ garage on the Limerick Road last Friday night, which had been transformed for the event to celebrate the local intermediate hurlers, and a prelude to their participation in the All-Ireland final last Sunday at Croke Park, in an Up for the Match special organised by James Foley of Cavanaghs and the club’s ladies committee.

Early arrivals from abroad included Tommy Ryan, formerly of Newtownbarry, Charleville and now based in Philadelphia, was there along with his son, Brendan, as was Shane Madigan, home from Miami for the game. They enjoyed the tremendous atmosphere of the occasion hosted by Cavanaghs, the Charleville Club’s major sponsor for the past 40 years.

Special guests were five of the six surviving members of the 1958 Charleville team that contested the 1958 Cork County final. These included Billy Galligan, who had travelled from Limerick, where is now domiciled, and he was accompanied by his son, Mike, the former Limerick county star. Noel Copley, Jackie Hanley Davey O’Brien and Kevin Owens were the others and unavoidably missing on the evening was Mick Mortell, who later went on to become the President of UCC.

They recalled that the team of their day had gone from rags to riches in the sense that at the start of that year they had no team, but a number of players got together and cobbled together a side that entered the championship under the radar. They surprised everybody by advancing to the final, where they were only narrowly defeated by Cork city’s famed Glen Rovers in the game played in Mallow.

The night was full of nostalgia and recollection for the capacity attendance, and anticipation of what might happen the coming Sunday, although nobody was overly optimistic about the outcome of the match with the Connaught champions Oranmore-Maree, and the enormity of the task facing Charleville was predominant in their minds, before any thoughts of victory could be entertained.

However, all agreed that win, lose or draw, the performances of the team over the past year has given immense pleasure to Charleville people everywhere.

For Dingle native, now resident in Charleville, where he is the club’s treasurer, Micheál Casey informed the attendance of the feats of his late father in winning five All-Ireland football medals with Kerry and displayed the jersey he played in at the Polo Grounds, when Kerry defeated Cavan in New York in the 1947 All-Ireland final, the only one to be played outside of Ireland.

Eileen Lambert with Sophie and Fiona Galligan were supporting Charleville at Croke Park at the All-Ireland Intermediate Club Hurling final last Sunday, and though their side was beaten, all of Charleville remained very proud of the team.

The McAuliffes, Tara, Sinead, William and Treasa with the O’Neills, Shona, Deirdre, Seamus and Leah were supporting Charleville at Croke Park.

Ruth and John Quinlan, Sinead and Donal Forde, Jackie and Eileen Hanley, Catherine Forde and Richelle Hanley Kelleher were up for Charleville at Croke Park.

The surviving members of the 1958 Charleville Intermediate hurling team that attended the up for the Match function at Cavanaghsd Garage Charleville. Included are, at back: Dave O’Brien, Noel Copley and Jackie Hanley, with Billy Galligan and Kevin Owens in front.

The Farrisseys, Marie, Philip and Geraldine were supporting Charleville all the way at Croke Park.

Sean Healy, Fergus Daly and Claude Keane were at the Up for the Match function at Cavanaghs Garage Charleville.

Charleville supporters, the Ryans, Brendan, Tommy and Jimmy pictured at Croke Park Hotel on Sunday.

All for Charleville, Tralee based Mike Smith and Mike Lynch with John Dineen (centre) at Croke Park on Sunday.

Aoife Murray and Ita Fitzgibbon were at the Up for the Match function at Cavanaghs Garage.

Ian and Aoife Doyle weresupporting Charleville at Croke Park on Sunday.