1964
FROM THE ARCHIVES
This weeks extract relates to the Minor Football County Final of 1964.
"Stradbally's Title
Stradbally 2-
The County minor football championship final, played at Walsh Park last Sunday, resulted in a narrow victory for Stradbally over Cnoc Sion. That is the result but it does not tell the story of one of the best minor finals seen in the County for years.a game packed with excitement and credit to all connected with it.
It was a thriller all the way, fast, keen, hard, but featured all the way by the highest standards of sportsmanship. This was a great day for Stradbally : it was a good day for Waterford football as well.
The game over, Stradbally followers went wild with joy and excitement. Players and officials were chaired from the field and the cheering went on and on. This hard-
Conditions for the game were far from ideal. Rain had fallen heavily and the pitch was greasy and the ball heavy. In the circumstances we were treated to a remarkable display of fast, clever foot all.
The Play.
Stradbally, the wind behind them, were slow to settle down but Clancy gave the first blood with a point. Jack Byrne levelled for Sion, but Kiely put the champions in front with another point. Dan Mahon squared accounts for the city team and when Galvin(point) gave Mount Sion an interval lead of a single point, it looked ominous for Stradbally.
But the Stradbally boys rose to the occasion in grand style. Rallying their forces and storming the attack, they went through for a goal(Kiely) that set them on the high road. Jack Byrne replied with a point, but, immediately, Whelan replied in kind for Stradbally. Another point to Whelan and Stradbally were a goal in front.
Then Sion struck back and it was level pegging when Fardy crashed to the net. In a flash, Stradbally were back for O'Rourke to finish a great movement to the net. O'Rourke pointed what seemed a clincher, but now it was Sion's turn to fight back.
Stradbally pointed again, but Mahon tore through the defence to notch a Monastery goal. From that to the end, the excitement was almost unbearable, but Stradbally held out to score a great victory over gallant opponents.
It might be invidious to single out Stradbally boys for special mention, for this was essentially a team effort, in which every lad played his part. And the team was right well handled from the sideline. But justice would not be done were tribute not paid to J. Kiely, P. Clancy and N O'Rourke.
For Cnoc Sion, Danny Mahon, S. Hayes, T. Galvin and B. Frisby were best in a Big-
Stradbally T. Power, T. Power, J. Power, T. O'Rourke, M. Barry, J. Curran, N. Power, M. Reilly, J. Kiely, T. Hearne, P. Clancy, D. Whelan, T. Flynn, N. O'Rourke.
Cnoc Sion T. Flynn, B. White, J. Byrne, D. Wyse, T. Cullian, P. Kelly, S. Hayes, B. Frisby, J. Power, J. Byrne, N. Kelly, T. Galvin, P. O'Grady, D. Mahon, M. Fardy.
Referee: S. Murphy (Rathgormack)"
