Dowdallshill G.F. & A.C.

A club with a long and proud tradition, it was back in 1886 that DowdalIshill joined the G.A.A., ironically
playing their first match on what is now St Patrick's Cemetery against Young Irelands where
it was 21-a-side.
But the club has been anything but "dead" since, and while they may not be among the higher echelons of clubs in the county, DowdalIshill continue to foster and maintain the traditions and spirit of the G.A.A.
It didn't take Dowdallshill long to make their mark for in 1887 they reached the final of the Louth Senior Football Championship, only to be beaten by Young Irelands in a replay, the first match having ended in a scoreless draw.Both games were played in Haggardstown, and Young Irelands went on to
lose to Limerick Commercials in the All-Ireland final.
After a lull, DowdalIshill were back in the county finals in 1902 and 1903, but again success eluded them, and a number of the team left to join other clubs.
The in 1908, so bereft of players were DowdalIshill that the club disbanded, and it wasn't until 1927 that it was revived, with such as Patsy Hearty, Con Colbert, Paddy McCourt and Willie O'Hanlon instrumental in getting it going.
Success didn't come quickly, but in 1934 Dowdallshill won their first major honours by taking the 2nd Division Championship and Macardle Cup.
It was all systems go now, and the following year they beat St.Magdalenes from Drogheda after a replay to take the Junior Championship. The first game was in Haggardstown, and the `Hill won the replay, which was a thriller, in Drogheda by two points.
The panel was: Johnny Grant, Jim Mckeown, Jim Gaskin, Paddy Tiernan, Larry Waller, Ben Marmion, Dan Bennett, Tommy Duffy, John Murphy, Vincie Duffy, Kevin Cluskey, Jim Tiernan, Anthony ("Hitcher") Lawless, Charlie Berrill, Mick and Nick O'Hare, Kevin McConnell, Jack Woods, Tom Reynolds and Jim Toal.
Chairman then-was Jimmy McMahon, whose son Pat was to wear the club and county jersey with distinction. Secretary was Josie Toal, while Owenie Lambe and Tommy Duffy came from Castle Emmets around that time and trained the teams.
There was a fall from grace until 1939 when Dowdallshill again won the 2nd Division Championship, with minor players such as 0. J. Murphy, Larry and Paddy Murphy, Owen Rogers, Sean Hearty, John Arthur, Seamus Berrill, coming through.
Appearances in two junior semi-finals followed, with such notable players as Tom "Diamond" Murphy, "Bunny" McGee, Jim Coburn, Owen king and Sean McGarrity in the `Hill colours. Although the latter three left to join a reorganised Clans in 1946, with Pat Mulligan coming from Young Irelands to join the "Hill, and was a great asset for the remainder of his playing career.
It was in 1946 that athletics was introduced as the `Hill was having a lean time on the pitch, and for many years there was great success in the sport.
Prominent names such as Pat Mclnerney from Co. Clare, "Pa" kerley, Johnny Murphy, Tommy Hanratty, Peter and Kevin Lynch, Billy Curtis, Peter McArdle (of world cross-country fame), Gerry McShane (Irish sprint champion with 7 All-Ireland medals in 100, 220 and 440 yards), Frank Byrne (Louth 440 yards
champion), Denis Leahy (Louth half-mile champion for seven years), Ronnie Roche and Pat
Mckenna, with Tom Fitzpatrick a leading and enthusiastic figure in the club. The `Hill relay team won the prestigious Ballinasloe relay title in 4 x 200 yards. On the team were Gerry McShane, Ronnie Roche, John Comyn and Paddy Whyte.
The demise of Sean O'Mahony's in 1950 saw the `Hill get such players as Tommy "Sailor' Fitzgerald, Paddy "Dusty McCourt and his brother Clement, Wille Davis and Tommy Carroll. Young players such as Jack Lynch, Willie Kinney, J. Mulroy, Pat Boyle, John Lennon, Peter Lennon and Stephen Loughran were  gelled-in with the 1943 "veterans" Frank Kinney, Arthur Boyle, Sean Hearty, Owen Rogers, Pat Mulligan and John Joe Hinnelly as Dowdallshill lost in the finals of the Championship and the Macardle Cup.
But success was just around the corner, for in 1951 the `Hill won the Junior Championship, beating Oliver Plunketts after a replay. 
Back in the senior ranks, they came close to winning the "big one" when they got to the championship final, only to lose by two points to the Gaels. Stalwarts who donned the club jersey during their twelve years in senior football included John Mallon, Andy Larrissey, Eugene Garvey, Jim Duffy, Joe Toal Jnr., Frank
Reilly, J.McGee, Ted McMahon, Jim and Brendan Rice, and Jimmy Campbell.
During this time there was the opening of the clubroom on the Racecourse Road in October 1953, a great step forward. There had previously been two structures on the site, affectionately referred to as "Shack 1" and "Shack 2" and the new clubhouse, was a tremendous step forward.
The `Hill had, for many years at the time, played their games at "Curlew Park" opposite the Racecourse, but because of the low-lying nature of the land, it wasn't very suitable.
The search for a site for a new grounds had gone on for a number of years, but it proved difficult to get an alternative site in the area until towards the end of 1957, the land on-which St. Brigid's Park now stands, became available.
The ground was officially opened in 1959 with Louth playing Cavan in a challenge, and with the closure of the Athletic Grounds, it was really the only suitable venue in North Louth for a "big game", with the other town clubs using it as well at the time.
It was financed at the time through the `Hill's "sixpenny" draw, which again got the support of the other clubs, and to their credit, no matter what the fortunes of the Dowdallshil club have ever been through the years, they have always continued to develop the grounds, which has one of the finest playing surfaces in the
country.
If the 1950's was the "golden era" of the club, then the bubble was to burst in 1963 with a return to junior ranks.
But the minors raised hopes of an early return when they got to the 1966
final of the under-age championship, only to be beaten by Ardee St Marys. Stars of that side
included Tom McArdle, Joe and Peadar Toal, Richie Barry, Jack Curran, Gerry Lennon, Owen
Grigger, Fintan McQuaid, Frank and Harry Reilly.
That side was to provide the club with another of its finest hours when they formed the backbone of the team that beat hot favourites St. Patrick's in the final of the Junior Championship in 1970. Unfortunately, the strength in depth wasn't there, and the club dropped down to the junior ranks again, after about five years.
Again, there was a lean spell in the club's history, but they were back to winning ways in 1989 when capturing the Macardle Cup and Avonmore Shield.
Unfortunately, the only means of promotion was through the championship and that year they
lost out to eventual winners, St. Kevin's.
There was no more silverware at St. Brigid's Park until 1998 when the Donagh Cup
was annexed thanks to a memorable win over St. Bride's. The Knockbridge men comprised the backbone of the team that went on to contest the Senior Championship final four years later.
The Donagh Cup was successfully defended 12 months later with victory over St.Nicholas.
In 2002, Dowdallshill reached their first Junior Championship final in 32 years, but they were denied by neighbours, Na Piarsaigh, by two points at Clan na Gael Park.
Nonetheless, that final appearance provided the team with great hope, and they returned for the following season with renewed determination and the team went on to enjoy the most successful year in the club's long and proud history, completing the Junior 'treble'..

Their C'ship success, the club's first since 1970, earned them a crack at Intermediate football in 2004, however their stay was short-lived after they failed to stave-off relegation in the Div 2B League.

A return to the Junior grade followed, but the players showed great character to come back from the disappointment of relegation, when in 2005, they won the Christy Bellew Cup for the 2nd time in 3 years, Noel Finnegan's late free ensuring a narrow one-point win over St Kevins in the decider.

It was back to Intermediate in 2006, but the restructuring of the C'ships and Leagues within the county, meant it was always going to be a huge struggle to stay-up, and so it proved..

Along with alot of other Inter clubs, D'hill found themselves back-down in Junior, in order to form the expanded new-look 12-team Junior grade, from where they're operating, in the current 2007 season.

By Eunan Whyte

Over the past number of years, Dowdallshill GF & AC has hit the headlines for their exploits on the field of play. However, the 2006 season will be remembered for a major event off the field of play.

The Dowdallers have enjoyed an unprecedented spell of success on the field of play by collecting two Junior Championship titles in three seasons, but the main cause of celebration in 2006 was undoubtedly the opening of the new clubrooms at St Brigid’s Park. Although yet to be officially opened the grounds were back in use for club championship matches.
According to secretary, Donal Sheridan, it was a momentous achievement for all those involved in the club and a very proud day when the dressing rooms were available for use. There was also the added bonus of having the big championship games and inter-county matches returning to Dowdallshill.

The last major game to be staged at St Brigid’s Park was the 2003 Senior Final between St Patrick’s and St Mary’s, and the ongoing development meant that two full seasons passed without the club hosting another championship clash.
As a result when the championship fare retuned at the beginning of July it was a cause for celebration.
A double bill featuring Naomh Malachi and Stabannon Parnells in the Intermediate Championship and a thrilling encounter between St Patrick’s and Oliver Plunketts provided a fitting programme for the return football.

“It was absolutely brilliant to see the big championship matches back in Dowdallshill after a break of two years. The pitch has always been one of the best playing surfaces in the county and the clubrooms complement that perfectly as there is no doubt that the development is among the best in Louth and beyond,” said the club secretary.
He explained that the work involved knocking down the old dressingrooms which dated back to the 1950s, to be replaced by the stunning new facilities. Also gone is the bank that was behind the road goals which has been replaced by extended car parking facilities.

The men from the press were also catered for in the new development with a refurbished press box, while the electronic scoreboard, kindly sponsored by Park Inn Hotel, was another welcome addition to the facilities.
For Donal the icing on the cake was the return of Louth to St Brigid’s Park and he is proud that the club played a role in the Wee County’s Tommy Murphy Cup success.
“It was great to see Louth back playing in St. Brigid’s Park and after the two impressive displays they put in it would be great to see them return here for some National League fixtures in 2007.”
“It was a proud day for the club when Louth hosted Monaghan in the quarter-final of the Tommy Murphy Cup, and the following week we had Antrim in the semi-final.”
The club’s vice-chairman, Liam O’Hagan, was also thrilled with the success of the development, especially the first championship night.

“Everyone praised it from a height so we were delighted. I’ve been involved with the club for a long time and I never thought I would see anything like it.
“The grants we got from the Lotto were a big help but nothing would have happened but for the great effort that everyone in the club and the surrounding area put in”, he added.
Although the club has put in a lot of effort over the past couple of years, the secretary reveals that they are planning more work to make the facilities even better over the coming years.
“A lot has been done over the past couple of years but more is needed, but like everything else it all comes down to finances. We are hoping to carry out work on the stand as it needs to be upgraded, and we may look at putting in some terracing on either side.

“It all depends on resources but it if we could manage to do that then it would be hard to compete with Dowdallshill as a venue for the big games at club and county level,” added Donal.
“What we have achieved so far is a great credit to our small but dedicated members, and I would like to thank them all for their efforts.
“The development plan was initially started by current Chairman Michael Kerley and the likes of Liam O’Hagan and Billy O’Callaghan have been brilliant in driving it forward. Also a great deal of credit must also go to Plunkie Maguire, Fra Agnew and Pat Rogers who continue to put in a great effort in the upkeep of the grounds and buildings.”

Events on the football field were less memorable according to Donal as the team failed to retain its hard-won Intermediate status.
It was the club’s second season in the middle grade and despite a much improved display this time around, the introduction of the new structures made it very difficult to stay up.
“Like many other clubs, we were facing an uphill struggle from the outset as the new league format for 2007 meant we had to win the league or championship to avoid the drop.
“We were also hampered by the loss of a number of prominent players who were vital to our Junior Championship success. Last year’s captain and our player of the year, Vincent McKevitt, was one of two key defenders unavailable after he moved abroad, while we also lost a couple of handy forwards in Declan Roe (retired) and Stephen Martin (working abroad). I suppose we will always wonder what might have been if we had kept everyone together.

“However, on the positive side we did get a some new faces in and they proved to be a big addition to the team and we’d hope to build on this for next year and come straight back up again”, explained Donal.
In any other the league form would have been good enough to stay up, but unfortunately Dowdallshill’s position means they will be back in the junior ranks for 2007.
The championship saw the club turn in some impressive displays but in a tough group they were just unable to make the breakthrough.

“Leslie Toal, Dixie Quinn and John Brady put in a big effort in managing the team, but again the draw wasn’t too kind to us. We came up against Naomh Malachi who reached the Intermediate Final, and Dundalk Gaels who made the last four. We were close to them for much of the game, but in the end they just got away from us. We were unlucky not to beat Naomh Fionnbarra but salvaged something with a draw against Stabannon in the final outing.”

Donal is optimistic that the club has a good future with a number of young players coming through the ranks.
“Tom Molloy is over the Junior II team and they have had a very good season and are in contention for honours. A major factor has been the introduction of some of the young players so that looks good for the future.

“Although we have a small area to pick from, the underage set up is progressing and great credit for this goes to Paul O’Hanlon, Elaine Duffy, Nora Kerr and Thomas O’Connor.
“It has been great for everyone to see the talent emerging at U-16 level and Gerry McShane and Fra Agnew have put in a lot of work so hopefully we will reap the benefits in the near future,” explained Donal.

The ladies side of the club is also making progress and the secretary expects this trend to continue.
“Noel Loughran took over the ladies team and they have won a number of games. We also appeared in the Junior Championship Final but unfortunately were no match for a strong Roche side. Also the U-14 girls are progressing well in both league and championship so this bodes well for the ladies future”.

JFC glory 2005 (Hogan Stand)

Dowdallshill paid the most fitting tribute possible to late Brendan Leggett by dedicating their junior championship success to the player who died tragically just four weeks before the final. By Eunan Whyte

Following the St Brigid’s Park side’s victory over St Kevins in the decider, captain Vincent McKevitt revealed that the players had set out to claim the Christy Bellew Cup in honour of their colleague.
Benny had played in goal in the previous two group games against Wolfe Tones and Annaghminnon Rovers but the 21-year-old’s life was tragically cut short after a hit-and-run.

Vincent McKevitt said: "I was delighted to be able to dedicate our win to Brendan, he’s a good friend of mine and he was a really nice chap.
"Brendan was in goal during the Championship and he’d really been enjoying his football this season."
The Dowdallshill men never doubted themselves even when they trailed by two points in the final ten minutes of the game.

"We played like there 16 men out there and even when we were up against it I never thought we were going to lose," the captain said.
Dowdallshill may not have played their best football in the final but when the pressure was on in the closing minutes, they responded to the challenge.

One man in particular who stood up when it counted was Noel Finnegan who pointed from two late frees. For the 20-year-old corner forward it was particularly pleasing as he didn’t get the opportunity to play in the 2003 final victory.
What was most disappointing for Noel was that he had played a part in every other game in that memorable treble-winning season, and as a result he went in to this year’s decider determined to set the record straight.

"From a personal point of view I was absolutely thrilled to play on a winning championship team. When we beat the Westerns in the final two years ago there was really mixed feelings for me.
"On the one hand I was delighted that we won but on the other hand I was gutted that I didn’t get to play that day.

"It was the only game I didn’t play a part in that year and it was really disappointing to miss out on the final. Luckily I had a chance to make up for.”
Adding to Noel’s determination was the fact that he was aiming for a family double as his father, Ernie, was a selector, while the desire to win the Christy Bellew Cup for Benny Leggett was also a big factor.
"It was very sad what happened to Benny and we were all thinking about him on before the game.”

Finnegan showed that determination in admirable fashion as he kept a cool head to pop over the vital frees that earned his side victory and also saw him pick up the Man of the Match award.
Speaking afterwards Noel was naturally delighted with the victory.
“It was just brilliant to play on a winning team after missing out two years ago. Although it was great to be part of the squad against the Westerns I always felt I has some unfinished business so I was really determined to make an impact this time around.

“It wouldn’t really bother me who was named Man of the Match, but it really was the icing on the cake for me and this is a day I will never forget.”
As regards the two late points Finnegan felt more pressure on the equaliser even though it was closer in.
“I have to admit that I was more nervous with the first one because at that stage we were behind and I thought if I don’t get this, we are beaten. For the second one I was a bit more relaxed because we would still have had something to hold on to if I missed, but I was delighted to see it sail over.”

That kick allowed Vincent McKevitt to take the Christy Bellew Cup back to St Brigid’s Park for the second time in three seasons and he was in no doubt that experience and self-belief were the crucial factors in the success.
The rock solid fullback paid tribute to his team-mates’ resolve as the came out with a win in a tight and physical battle with St Kevin’s.

"We kept plugging away and we came through, at one stage we were two points behind with about ten minutes to go, but we never felt we were going to lose it.
"It was a team effort, we had the experience of losing a final and we just didn’t panic and came back.
"It was very tight and physical, which we’d expected and we took the scores when they came our way," he said.

The captain said the performances of forwards Noel Finnegan and Gerry McShane were major influences in the win, while he highlighted Damien Fanning’s defensive display.
“It was a long wait since we played Annaghminnon in the championship six weeks earlier and as a result it took us a bit of time to get up to championship pace again.
“However, when the pressure was on the lads really stuck at it and in the end we got our reward.
“It great for the club to achieve success and hopefully we can build on this and ensure that Dowdallshill is a team to be reckoned with in the years to come.”

The Dundalk outfit began the championship campaign with a 0-12 to 2-4 victory over St Kevins at the Point Road in the group stages, before going on to defeat Wolfe Tones by 3-15 to 1-6 at Stabannon. The Hill made sure of a place in the final when they scored a 3-11 to 3-2 win over Annaghaminnon Rovers in their final group outing at Louth Village.

The decider at Castlebellingham saw Dowdallshill get off to a fine start with a Declan Roe goal helping them to lead by four points at the midway stage despite the fact that they were playing into a strong breeze. However, St Kevin’s, led by Liam Boylan, fought back to lead by 0-7 to 1-3 at the interval.
Despite having the elements in their favour, Dowdallshill struggled for much of the second half and trailed by two points entering the closing stages. However, they came good when it mattered most and a Gerry McShane point followed by a double from Finnegan was enough to see them snatch victory.

In the final them men who hit the target for Dowdallshill in the 1-8 to 0-10 victory on that memorable day at The Grove were, Noel Finnegan (0-4, 3f), Gerry Mc Shane (0-3, 1f), Declan Roe (1-0), Donal Sheridan (0-1).
Team: Fra Agnew, Eunan Whyte, Vincent McKevitt, Eamon Duffy, David Agnew, Damien Fanning, Donal O’Callaghan, Noel Mohan, Ciaran O’Callaghan, Niall O’Hagan, Donal Sheridan, Kevin McParland, Gerry McShane, Declan Roe, Noel Finnegan. Subs; Stephen Martin for Noel Mohan 54 mins. Not used: Sean Nolan, Cathal McShane, Peter Tiernan, Dominic King, Mick Rochford, Enda Hughes, Paul Gallagher, John Kerr, Brendan O’Toole, Andrew Agnew.

Dowdallshill will have another reason to remember the 2005 season as they began work on their magnificent new club complex which is scheduled to be open for the 2006 campaign.

2004 season Review (Hogan Stand)

Two-thousand-and-four was a landmark year for Dowdallshill GFC, who had the distinction of playing intermediate football for the first time in their 108-year history. Though things may not have gone quite according to plan, it was certainly a taste of something new. Attacking talisman Gerry McShane is hopeful that it was a glimpse of things to come for the Red & Green…

It was a breath of fresh air for the ’Hill. Sick of the sight of junior football, they had escaped the bottom grade in resounding fashion the previous year by capturing an unprecedented treble of JFC, Division Three league and Kevin Mullen Shield. Thus, in 2004, Dowdallshill made history by finally taking their place at intermediate level for the first time ever.

Prior to 2003, Dowdallshill hadn’t landed the junior crown since 1970. Indeed, they had only appeared in one county final in the interim – the ’02 decider against Na Piarsaigh. Bridging the 33-year gap was a magnificent accomplishment; to do so with a clean sweep was the stuff of dreams. To complete the haul, Dowdallshill’s deadly forward Gerry McShane picked up the inaugural Supporters Club Junior Footballer of the Year award.

Thus, the Dundalk club advanced to intermediate ranks with impeccable credentials. They had every reason to go into the new season with confidence and anticipation. Not only were they marching bravely into uncharted waters, they also had a reasonable chance of consolidating their newfound status.

Unfortunately, the inherent promise of the new season did not take injuries, suspensions and the general unavailability of players into consideration. The combined result of the above-mentioned was that the St Brigid’s Park outfit never fielded their best XV at any time during the 2004 season, which meant they were unable to do themselves justice.

Still and all, it was a historic year and playing at the higher level was a welcome change from the perennial slog of junior football. It was a beneficial experience for the players and one that should stand them in good stead as they bid for an immediate return to intermediate fare in 2005.
The bottom line is that despite the obvious disappointment of relegation, Dowdallshill can draw a lot of positives from their 2004 experience.

Gerry McShane has been on the first team for ten seasons: “It was a big step-up after more than 30 years of junior football,” the 25-year-old forward concedes. “We were used to just playing the same teams over and over every year and all of a sudden we were coming up against a better calibre of team. It was great for the club.

“There was great hype in the club at the start of the year and we were relishing the challenge. Westerns beat us by a point in our first game – that was a big one for both clubs as it was a repeat of the 2003 junior final. A few bad results followed and we just found it very difficult to get our first points on the board.”

While Dowdallshill remained adrift at the foot of the Division 2B table, their championship form was more impressive. Pitted in Group B of the IFC, they opened their account with a stunning 0-10 to 0-9 defeat of neighbours Sean O’Mahonys at the Ramparts on May 15 – a fantastic result in their first ever intermediate championship outing.

From here on, however, a series of frustrating defeats put paid to the Hill’s IFC hopes. Na Piarsaigh proved too strong (1-11 to 0-5) at Haggardstown on June 5 and Hunterstown got the decision by 2-8 to 0-11 four weeks later. In the final group game, at Castlebellingham on July 17, Sean McDermotts eclipsed the intermediate newcomers by 1-10 to 0-6.

It’s a pity Dowdallshill never got their full-strength team out in 2004. It would have been interesting to see how they’d have fared.
Gerry notes: “Training went well at the start of the year. We’re only a small club anyway, but we had plenty of numbers out, maybe 20 or 25 most nights, which is quite good for us. But some lads went away for the year, some fellas were injured and we had a couple of retirements as well. We were already under strength and then our midfielder Enda Hughes [who had been called into the senior county panel] got injured halfway through, so for a team with such a small pick to start with, we were badly caught.

“We needed to shuffle things around a lot and play lads in different positions for different games, which didn’t suit us. In fairness, though, we still weren’t that far off any of the teams and didn’t get any real hammerings, even in the championship. In some games our lack of experience showed when we went for goals too early. It would’ve been interesting to see what would’ve happened if we’d taken our points instead.
“While it was a pity we never got our full team out, it was still a good year for Dowdallshill and a great experience for everybody to get to play intermediate football. For players like myself, who had been playing nothing but junior football for maybe ten years or more, it was a great year.”

Was it a more difficult season than the players had expected? “I suppose it was. After winning the treble, we probably thought it would be a little easier. However, at no stage during the year did we have the same fifteen that started the junior final. I’d say the most we had for any game was eleven, and for most games we had about nine. But the lads who came in this year did well. They made a big effort and got plenty of experience, which is another major plus for Dowdallshill.”

Looking back on the year in general, Gerry accepts that it was a fantastic voyage for Dowdallshill: “We’ve had a good time,” he admits. “After 31 years of Dowdallshill playing junior football, it was an honour to go out and represent the club at intermediate level. The last time we got promoted, we went straight up to senior as the intermediate grade didn’t exist at the time, so this was the first time Dowdallshill have ever played intermediate football. I like the championship format, because we got four championship games and that can only serve us well in the future.”

Once again, Hugh McParland (manager/trainer) and Jim Sheridan (selector) handled team affairs in 2004. What advise/instructions did they issue at the start of the year? “They told us that 2003 was gone and that this was a new season. They reminded us that we had to go out and do it all over again. The aim was to stay up. We knew it was going to be tough, but we gave it out best shot.”

And what a start to Dowdallshill’s involvement in the IFC! Gerry enthuses: “Our first intermediate championship game went great, especially as we had played minor with many of the O’Mahonys lads. We weren’t going particularly well in the league at the time and went in as underdogs, which usually suits us. We had already played them twice and we knew their players well anyway from playing underage together. Things just happened for us on the day and we never lost the lead.”

Suddenly, a place in the knock-out stage of the competition appeared within reach. “The way results in the group went early on, all we needed were two more points and we’d have had a play-off. We just needed to win one more game. We were very close to a quarter-final place. But we let it slip against Hunterstown and were then beaten by a fitter and stronger Sean McDermotts team. I missed a penalty in that game and the boys won’t let me forget it!”

Such an error (not that having a penalty saved is an ’error’) is out of character for the man who was voted best junior footballer in the Wee County in 2003. How did he feel about picking up that accolade? “It was a shock. The award had only been introduced and I wasn’t expecting to win it. It was nice to get it after all the effort that’s been put in over the years. I think it reflected well on the club too – we had a wonderful year and are the only club to have done the junior treble.”

What does the future hold for Dowdallshill? “We don’t have a lot of young footballers but we have a good enough squad now and our aim is to bounce back. There’s plenty of development in the area and we’re hoping to attract some new players from that. Our underage teams are also starting to take off under Peter Hughes and Paul O’Hanlon and we’ve also started a ladies team. We’ve got a grant to develop new club grounds as well, so things are looking good.

“It’s a pity we didn’t survive in 2004, but the experience will stand us in good stead when we go back to junior football and we’re hoping to come straight back out. But junior football is dog-eat-dog. For years we could beat the best junior teams but had a habit of slipping up against the weaker sides. Hopefully, we’ll be stronger now, especially when we get a few lads back.”

Gerry McShane is joined on the Dowdallshill team by brother Cathal at corner back. Their father Charlie (BC Electrics) is main sponsor of the team and is also a former Dowdallshill footballer. Their uncle, Hughie McShane, starred on the team that won the JFC in 1970. Somehow, it seems highly unlikely that the ’Hill will have to wait another 30+ years before annexing their next county title.

Dowdallshill emphatically put the heartache of losing the previous year’s junior decider behind them by capturing the 2003 Louth junior football championship. And boy did they do it in style! The St Brigids Park outfit then went on to complete a clean sweep of junior trophies by adding the Division Three league and Kevin Mullen Shield titles to round off a truly remarkable year.

The Wee County’s JFC always provides plenty of thrills and spills and this was the case again in 2003. An intriguing contest delivered a fairytale ending for Dowdallshill, who emerged from the ashes of ’02 to clinch a famous win.

The ’03 county junior final between Dowdallshill and Westerns was one of the best games played in Louth all year, producing more twists and turns than an Alfred Hitchcock thriller. In the end, it was only the result that mattered and the ’Hill prevailed by a solitary point, 3-5 to 3-4.

This was the sweetest of victories for Dowdallshill: they had been pipped by Na Piarsaigh in the 2002 final ... the sort of defeat that would trigger the demise of a lesser team. But the St Brigid’s Park outfit kept plugging away and let their football do the talking.
Now they’ve earned the reward that so cruelly eluded them twelve months earlier: a place in intermediate football.

The final was played in Louth village on Sunday September 7th. Dowdallshill hadn’t won the JFC in 33 years and went into the ’03 decider as clear underdogs.
Westerns have never won a junior title but were red hot favourites on account of their impressive charge to the final, dishing out real hammerings to Wolfe Tones, Young Irelands and Glen Emmets. Furthermore, prior to the county final, the sides had met three times in 2003, with the Westerns coming out on top on all three occasions.

By contrast, the ’Hill were slightly less convincing en route to the decider, drawing two of their three group games before outclassing John Mitchells at the semi-final stage.
Crucially, however, the Dundalk club had played in the 2002 final, and that experience would stand them in good stead.

The timing of this outstanding junior treble success could hardly be better. With major plans in place for new clubrooms and a community centre, the Green & Reds are riding the crest of a wave.
The 2003 JFC decider was an epic encounter. The sides registered 1-3 apiece in the first half before the game erupted to life with a veritable goalfest upon the resumption. Amazingly, the first four scores of the second period were all goals!

Two of these three-pointers were netted within a minute by Dowdallshill corner forward and Man of the Match Donal Sheridan, scores which were ultimately the difference between winning and losing.
Westerns never gave up, though, and the sides were level with two minutes remaining. Up stepped Enda Hughes to fire over the last score of the match but there would be a late scare before the celebrations could begin in earnest: a late Reaghstown raid saw David Martin’s goal effort come back off the post via inspirational goalkeeper John Kerr. It was a lucky escape for Dowdallshill but they had done enough to deserve victory.
Westerns had wind advantage in the first half and started briskly with a goal and a point inside the opening eight minutes. Even though Donal Sheridan opened the winners’ account with a point from a free, they still trailed by 1-2 to 0-1 at the end of the first quarter.

The Dundalk contenders got back into the game in the 18th minute when their influential full forward Donal O’Callaghan was fouled in the danger area for a penalty, which Gerry McShane duly dispatched.
Westerns stretched their lead to a couple of points two minutes later but the ’Hill would have the last pair of scores of the half. Two more fouls on Donal O’Callaghan resulted in frees, which were stroked over confidently by Sheridan and Stephen Martin.

Martin’s point closed the first-half action and the teams went in level at the short whistle.
Dowdallshill had weathered the storm, so to speak. They would have had the backing of the elements in the second half but the wind dropped and rain began to fall. Conditions became difficult and Westerns struck with a goal in the first minute of the second half.

The Reaghstown men could have cut loose at this stage but recorded three wides in six minutes, allowing Dowdallshill off the hook. And the Dundalk outfit made the most of their good fortune.
Sheridan rammed home his first goal in the 38th minute after excellent approach play from Martin and McShane. Within sixty seconds, the competitions top scorer (who finished the campaign with 3-14 to his credit) had his second goal of the final, capitalising on an unforced error from the Westerns ’keeper.
Suddenly ahead by 3-3 to 2-3, Dowdallshill were on their way.

But the game wasn’t over yet: Westerns rallied to fire an equalising goal in the 42nd minute ... Sheridan’s 45th-minute free edged the ’Hill back in front ... again, Westerns drew level.
When the Green & Golds came in search of a lead goal, Dowdallshill goalie John Kerr was equal to Alan Dooley’s shot, deflecting it wide for a ’45’ (from which Dooley hit the post).
Midfielder Enda Hughes’ point in the 58th minute extracted a huge cheer from the Red & Green support and Kerr was called into action for the winners one more time before the long whistle. This time the heroic custodian stretched to push David Martin’s flick onto the post. The danger was cleared and Dowdallshill held out for a landmark success.

After the final whistle, Dowdallshill captain Ciaran O’Callaghan accepted the Christy Bellew Cup from county secretary and former ’Hill player Pat Toner.
With the junior championship played on an initial league basis for the first time, the ’03 competition was a somewhat protracted affair. Therein, Dowdallshill were the team that refused to die.

In Group A, they came up against John Mitchells, Glen Emmets and Annaghminnon Rovers. They kicked off with a 3-10 to 1-10 defeat of Annaghminnon at Tallanstown, before concluding their group outings with two draws: in mid-July at Castlebellingham and three weeks later at Dunleer, against Glen Emmets and John Mitchells respectively, each time on a scoreline of 1-9 apiece.

As the Mitchells and Tullyallen had also drawn with each other, this left a three-way tie at the top of the group. Originally, only two teams were scheduled to advance from Group A to the knock-out stage, but due to the three-way tie the County Board had a re-think and decided to allow all three teams through to join Group B winners Westerns in the semi-finals.

Typically Dowdallshill were drawn against John Mitchells and the semi-final took place only eight days after their drawn encounter. However, this time there was only going to be one winner. At Pairc Clan Na nGael on Saturday August 16th, Dowdallshill defeated the Ballybailie lads by 2-11 to 2-5 to book their place in the 2003 junior showcase. The rest, as they say, is history...

Not only have Dowdallshill gathered major silverware - on THREE counts! - and gained promotion, they’ve also erased the bitter memory of that 0-13 to 1-8 defeat to Na Piarsaigh in the 2002 junior final. Prior to then, they hadn’t even appeared in a junior final since defeating none other than St Patricks in the 1970 decider.
In ’02, the club only had to play a single match to reach the last two, but the restructuring of the third-tier championship left them much busier in ’03. Including the final, Dowdallshill were unbeaten in a total of five championship games, which should surely stand them in good stead for the challenge of intermediate fare.

During the group stage, Dowdallshill demonstrated remarkable character, even when their aspirations were hanging by a mere thread. When they faced John Mitchells at Dunleer on Friday August 8th, the ’Hill looked to be on their way out of the competition. After conceding four points on the trot, the would-be champions trailed from the 48th to the 58th minute before a dramatic pointed free from Donal Sheridan two minutes from time earned a draw.

The grit shown in that game typified Dowdallshill’s year and the fact that they went on from there to clinch the Christy Bellew Cup is surely a lesson to every team. There would be many hairy moments in the final too, but the Dundalk team refused to throw in the towel.
After their semi-final win over the Mitchells, some concern was expressed over the quality of Dowdallshill’s shooting but thankfully they looked sharp in the final, with Donal Sheridan in particular giving an excellent account of himself.

Westerns were fancied by many because they had played intermediate football in 2002 (almost reaching the knock-out stages of the IFC!). Also, they had played some impressive stuff since Meath legend Tommy Dowd was drafted in as team coach. In Martin Kane and Lee Smith, they held two vastly experienced and influential former senior footballers in their ranks. On the evidence of their massive tallies en route to the final, the Reaghstown men had the look of a team that was on course for junior championship honours.
Of course, mighty Dowdallshill had other ideas.

They confirmed the form by also topping Division Three and then beating Glen Emmets in the final of the Kevin Mullen Shield, leaving us all in no doubt whatsoever as to who was the best junior team in Louth in 2003.

Dowdallshill, 2003 Louth junior football champions: John Kerr; Peter Hughes, Eamonn Duffy, Peadar Toal; David Agnew, Ciaran O’Callaghan, Eunan Whyte; Noel Mohan, Enda Hughes (0-1); Declan Roe, Gerry McShane (1-0), Gerard Roe; Stephen Martin (0-1), Donal O’Callaghan, Donal Sheridan (2-3). Subs: K McParland, G Roe, E McArdle