Douglas Centenary Year (1984) City Division Junior Hurling Champions. Front: John Dwyer (Sel), Paul Daly, Oliver Tobin, Brian Kelly (H & F Comm), Pat Harrington (Capt), Matt Twomey (Chair), Tom O’Mahony, John Murphy, Sean Downey (Hon Sec). Middle: Michael Carr, Ted O’Sullivan, John Horgan, Paul Lynch, Brendan Larkin (Trainer), Andy Lehane, Noel Forde, David Welsh, Jim O’Mahony, Michael O’Regan. Back: Declan Hurley, Noel Delea, Finbarr Bermingham, John Bermingham. Insets: Tommy Walsh, Neil Creedon, Pat Holland, Liam Collins (Sel), Tony Hurley, Pat Walsh, Eddie Forde, Tom O’Flaherty, Niall Barry.
The Evening Echo’s columnist in his preview of the City Division Junior Hurling Championship final of 1984 wrote: “If Douglas are not overawed by the reputation of the famed Glen Rovers, they must stand a good chance of retaining their title”.
They were underdogs the previous year when they put Na Piarsaigh to the sword — in their wisdom they declined the request of the City Division Board to switch that game from the traditional Ballinlough venue to Páirc Uí Chaoimh where it would have been a curtain raiser to the senior semi-final. The decision proved to be correct, probably motivated by the fact that Piarsaigh were able to call on hurling All Star Tony O’Sullivan who would have relished the wide open spaces of the Park.
Despite their resounding clear cut victory over Piarsaigh, Douglas were given less than a 50-50 chance of repeating the heroics against the Glen, who were able to call on several of their successful U21 Championship winning team.
Minor inter-county player John Fitzgibbon was expected to pose a huge threat to the Douglas defence and was likely to be given great support by the likes of Liam Martin, Christy McGuckan, Ritchie O’Mahony, and Maurice Lynch.
Douglas defence was rock solid and Jimmy O’Mahony, Olly Tobin, and Pat Harrington were ready for the challenge as were ace forwards Pat Walsh, Eddie Forde, and Finbarr Bermingham.
Douglas were the more impressive team in the semi-finals where they demolished Delanys, while Glen defeated neighbours Piarsaigh.
However, those who were expecting an epic final were in for a major surprise as Douglas flew out of the blocks and, despite going behind to a first-minute John Fitzgibbon point they came back to tag on five points without reply.
They never looked back and the winning margin of 11 points emphasised their complete domination of a one-sided anti climatic decider in which Tobin and O’Mahony completely snuffed out the northsiders danger men.
Man of the match Pat Walsh was on fire and he finished with 1-5, star midfielder Tony Hurley contributed 1-1 and wing back Mick O’Regan struck two long range points from frees.
John Murphy, Forde, Birmingham, and Tommy Walsh all were on the scoresheet which read 2-15 to 2-4 at the final whistle. Glen’s only scorers were Kieran O’Keeffe (1-3), Maurice Lynch (1-0) and John Fitzgibbon (0-1).
Join Éamonn Murphy, Denis Hurley and Barry O'Mahony on the new season of The Echo Sport Podcast where they'll be analysing The Cork Club Championships.
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