Cullen young guns of ’67 brought

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HOUGH enjoying a productive spell during the early years within Duhallow on claiming a pair of divisional titles in 1936/39, Cullen’s football fortunes lagged for much of the next three decades. The War Years took its toll only for Cullen to return to the big time during the mid ‘60s culminating with a long awaited divisional championship in 1967. Indeed Cullen swept all before them in a golden season for the club, winning a championship and two secondary competitions, guided by familiar names such as Denis Long, Batt O’Keeffe and Dan Morley.

Creating an impression, many said it was the classiest team to come out of Cullen with their football modelled on the great Galway side that won three in a row of All Ireland senior titles. The majority of the side had been part of a ground-breaking Cullen U-21 side from the previous season, winners of the inaugural Duhallow championship and featuring a number of players that graced Croke Park.

Interest in Gaelic football had increased thanks to the input of teacher Sean Cooney in Cullen Vocational School. The Mallow resident held the position of Runaí to the Duhallow Juvenile Board at the time and promoted GAA games at every opportunity.

That talent flourished at underage level and 1967 captain John O’Mahony recalls Cullen’s victory in the initial Duhallow U-21 Final against Kiskeam on a Monday evening when Leeside welcomed the Liam McCarthy Cup back to the Rebel County to end a barren 12 year run.

“The previous day Cork had won the (1966) All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship with Gerald McCarthy captaining the team against Kilkenny. A cause for celebration yet for Cullen and Kiskeam, it was back to business on the Monday and the matter of playing in a new championship when Cullen emerged victorious,” he said.

Cullen had the pleasant task of putting the first name on the roll of honour and it provided ample evidence of their well being after running Newmarket close in the 1965 Junior Final. The Cullen club was about to turn the corner as memories of the past surfaced.

A club originated from the formation of Duhallow Division back in 1933, Dispensary Doctor Dr. Pat O’Callaghan held the post of Club President. Just five years earlier, O’Callaghan had become the first Irish person to win an Olympic Gold Medal under the flag of the Irish Free State in Amsterdam and repeated the performance in the hammer in Los Angeles during 1932.

Those herculean feats inspired Cullen on the football fields, landing the 1936 JFC on a win over Boherbue. Though Cullen relented their title to Lyre in the final, the following season, they were back in business again on overcoming Millstreet in the 1939 decider.

During the war years 1939 to 1945, many clubs fell into decline due to the harsh economic condition and petrol rationing before Cullen enjoyed a revival, boosted by the opening of the Vocational School that apart from the academic and technical subjects placed a strong impetus on gaelic games.

Juvenile and Novice successes followed, Cullen holding the nucleus of a promising Junior side, reached the 1965 Junior Football final only to come up short by the minimum of margins to a skilful Newmarket team.

“That outcome was most disappointing for we had a late chance to win the game and failed to avail of the opportunity. We were spoken about in 1966, it wasn’t to be, Castlemagner defeated us to a game played when many of the Cullen players were involved in College exams,” said team captain O’Mahony.

“In that era, there was no back door, we were upset by the timing of the staging and a motion was put to the Duhallow Board to ensure no future championship fixtures would clash with exams,” he said.

Still plenty of encouragement for Cullen during 1966, winning the Nevin Cup and the prestigious u21 championship. No ordinary team when the likes of Long, Morley and O’Keeffe were pencilled into the starting line.

Of course, Long was to become a household name for the county and his adopted club Austin Stacks, rewarded with All Ireland senior medals for Cork(1973), Stacks (1977) and two All Star Awards.

“I remember when Denny came

The talents of a young 1967 Cullen junior football team remain spoken as a richly talented side that dominated domestic competitions to play for us in a tournament game, he was clearly unfit but there was plenty of potential to indicate that he had a bright future. What a brilliant career, he performed fantastically for Cullen as he did subsequently for Millstreet and Stacks,” said O’Mahony.

Long and club man Dan Morley were drafted into an exceptional Cork Minor football panel for 1967. A team loaded with enormous potential, Cork produced it with telling effect, Long teamed up with Donal Hunt at midfield and with Morley in attack, they blitzed Waterford with six goals and cruised to a 2-9 to 0-3 triumph over Kerry in the Munster Final.

And the young Rebels continued to set the standards for the chasing pack, easing past Tyrone in the All-Ireland semi-final, Long joined by team captain Donal Aherne from Glanworth swayed the centre in the decider against Laois to rattle off a 5-14 to 2-3 win.

“Both Cullen players contributed handsomely to the cause, Dan showing his talents on the big stage, his skill was frightening, that typified on chipping up the ball and putting the ball between the uprights,” said the team captain.

Add in the talents of Batt O’Keeffe, a past pupil of St. Brendan’s College, Killarney and captain of a Sem team to reach an All-Ireland Colleges Final in 1963 before enjoying stints on Cork U-21, junior and senior teams.

“Of course, Batt later pursued a career in politics, becoming Minister for Education. On the field, he was a serious footballer, a great leader, his driving play from centre forward motivated colleagues,” said John O’Mahony.

With the club in the limelight, a positive confidence permeated through the squad, many of the players based in Cork City colleges met at an appointed time regularly during the week at the Lee Fields adjoining the Carrigrohane Road.

“The College lads had plenty of football, those at home weren’t short of physical fitness, working on farms or involved in a trade. That resulted on get togethers on Friday evenings in Cullen with the emphasis mainly on 10 aside games,” said O’Mahony.

“We modelled our play on the Galway game of the time with

Seán Purcell and Frankie Stockwell lighting up the television screens. Their attacking football was fabulous, always attempting to find a man, away from the lofting a hopeful and heavy football into light forwards where the defender would invariably win possession,” he said.

Indeed Cullen’s attractive play caught the eye and with two players on a highly rated Cork Minor football team, that added to the interest amongst supporters. Apart from enjoying a productive run in secondary competitions such as the Examiner Cup, Cullen were a popular addition to Tournament Games run in conjunction with carnivals.

“The Rathmore Tournament stood out, coming up against a number of strong Kerry teams really sharpened any side. There was a prize of £100 to the winners, Spa defeated us in the final, just as well maybe, for given the ruling in Cork regarding monetary gain, we might well had been suspended if we had taken victory,” quipped the Cullen captain.

With key players involved with county teams, there remained the matter of a divisional championship to be resolved. A dominant display helped Cullen brush aside Kiskeam in a quarter final and from a semi, they sent reigning champions Knocknagree packing thanks to a six point triumph.

That pitted Cullen up against Boherbue in a divisional final at Newmarket where the teams were played onto the field by the Kiskeam Brass and Reed Band. It was fair to say that the subsequent