Source: Galway GAA Annual ’94

Author: Michael Quinn

In recent times Athenry has enjoyed tremendous success at under age level; 1994 proved to be no exception, and have a lot of talented young players coming through to the Senior ranks. Having come close on a number of occasions since our first County Championship victory in 1987 winning that coveted County Cup for the second time has been the main objective of our Club. We have learned that in order to be successful a lot of dedication, discipline and sacrifice on the part of players and mentors would be required.

As the year draws to an end it is easy to see the relief and satisfaction at winning this year’s County Cup in the parish. Success does not come overnight, it certainly does not for our Senior hurlers, and the disappointments of the past six years are not easily forgotten. Playing with grit and determination against double All Ireland Club Champions Sarsfields, Athenry raised their commitment to new heights to capture the Clubs second County Senior Hurling title at Duggan Park, Ballinasloe on the 30th October.

There was unrestrained joy as Pat Higgins lifted the County Cup that this time could not elude the Athenry team that produced a superb team effort to dethrone Sarsfields who for the past two years were unbeaten in club hurling. It was another wonderful day for the Club and brought back memories of the unprecedented scenes of celebration that gripped the parish when P.J. Molloy and company won that first title in 1987. Molloy’s introduction in the closing stages was a fitting tribute to Athenry’s ‘famous son’.

With a nice blend of youth and seasoned campaigners Athenry were tipped early in the year, despite being drawn in the same group, as the biggest threat to Sarsfields prospects of a three in a row. Good wins over Loughrea, Kilconieron and Pearse’s put Athenry into the knockout stages with only the group game against Sarsfields left to play. Four points down with as many minutes to play it looked bad for the challengers but a few great points by Brendan Keogh left matters all square at the end and the pot boiling for another day.

Mullagh were our next opponents in the quarter final, this time there were not mistakes and Athenry ran out easy winners. The same could not be said about the semi final against Kinvara at Loughrea. The south Galway side got off to a flying start and were five points ahead when they were denied a goal by Mickey Cremmins who made the ‘save of the year’. Athenry eventually got going and picked off some of their best scores of the year. Joe Rabbitte’s splendid goal and John Conway’s goal and point put Athenry five points ahead with time almost up. But Kinvara were not finished and had narrowed the gap to one point at the final whistle. The experts who gave Kinvara no chance were now writing off Athenry’s chances against the All Ireland Champions who had turned on their power play to easily overcome a strong Kiltormer side in the other semi final.

The eagerly awaited final was by no means a classic but the closeness and tension of the contest made up for what might have been lacking in skill. A sensational scoring burst at the start of the second half put Athenry on their way to victory after a tense opening half which left Sarsfields leading by one point at the break. Joe Rabbitte and Brian Hanley getting two goals in the space of a minute with Declan Higgins and Cathal Moran adding two points to put their side seven points ahead. Encouraged by those scores Athenry played a more defensive game but still created a number of scoring chances which they failed to convert. Those missed chances put undue pressure on the Athenry defence but they battled on and played with great conviction Sarsfields narrowed the gap but they could not breach the winners defence for a goal. As the minutes ticked away it was no place for the faint hearted.

When John J. Corcoran blew the final whistle the score read 2-6 to 0-9 and the Cup was on its way to Athenry. There were many heroes and all fifteen did everything they could. Gerry Keane made a welcome return to the side after being out of the game for two years with injury and played a stormer at corner back. Beside him Eamonn Keogh and Gerry Dempsey never put a foot wrong. The half back line of Pascal Healy, Brian Feeney and Paul Hardiman gave their best performance of the year while at midfield John Hardiman marking Joe Cooney could not be faulted. Beside him Pat Higgins played a captain’s part from the start until the end. His brother Declan returned after an injury and winning a Junior medal last year and to score a great point early in the second half. Others to impress were newcomers Michael Cremmins, Brian Hanley and Brendan Morrissey who came back earlier in the year from the U.S. with a County medal foremost on his mind.

Team manager Brendan Lynskey and his selectors Noel Kelly and Jackie O’Shea, who were helped during the year by Pat O’Toole, had their homework done. The teams aspirations were well nurtured by their mentors who instilled character and self-belief in their own ability into the side. From the start the tactics were right, they opted to play Brendan Keogh as a third midfielder, which upset the Sarsfields game plan. The New Inn side never came to grips with the Athenry man’s roving role and he had his finest hour in the Athenry jersey.

Joe Rabbitte took his vital goal well and was in the thick of the action for most of the game while the same could be said for Cathal Moran who played very well on Padraic Kelly when moved to mark him. His brother Donal came on in the closing stages and with Tommy Morrissey, Gerry Rabbitte and the injured John Conway completed this years Senior Championship squad. All had been impressive in earlier games and were unlucky to miss playing in the final.

For many of our many faithful supporters and followers this was a long overdue success at Senior Level having come so close on a number of occasions. In our last appearance in the final in 1991 almost half the our team were under 21 and they went on to win a record five in a row that year at Under 21 level. Most of this years side have been part of the Club’s most successful period, since 1984 we have won eighteen County Championships, and at least one each year. The Higgins brothers set a unique record of captaining winning teams – Brian at Minor, Declan at Under 21, Michael at Junior and Pat at Senior. Watch out for Kevin. On our panel this year we had a large number of brothers – there were three Keoghs and Higgins, two Morrisseys, Hardimans, Rabbittes and Morans.

We are grateful to our medical team of Noreen Hanley, Dr. McGauran and Colm Flynn for their outstanding assistance and to all our team mentors who do so much behind the scenes. Let’s hope 1995  brings more success to St. Mary’s,  Athenry.