Throwback Thursday: Cork Celtic’s only title when 'tears flowed as freely as champagne'
Cork Celtic Keith Edwards, with the League trophy, besieged by delirious supporters after their win over St Pat's in 1974.
HOT on the heels of Cork Hibernians’ breakthrough championship success of 1970/71, derby rivals Cork Celtic lifted the Holy Grail themselves for the first and only time 50 years ago.
Celtic started out as Evergreen United in 1951/52 and following a name change in 1959/60 were agonisingly pipped to the title by Shelbourne in a play-off in 1961/62. Further heartbreak was endured in the FAI Cup Finals of 1964 and 1969 when holders Shamrock Rovers triumphed after replays. After a series of mid-table finishes in the first four seasons of the '70s as their neighbours from Ballintemple tagged on consecutive cup wins in 1972 and 1973, Celtic turned to former star Paul O’Donovan to rekindle the heights.
With Hibernians winning the inaugural League Cup competition of 1973/74, Celtic started their league campaign with 1-1 draw with Finn Harps at Turner’s Cross on Sunday, October 7. A week later the Leesiders' first visit to the capital to face Bohemians ended in a 7-0 mauling, six of the goals were scored in the second half.
O’Donovan introduced Paddy Shortt, who started out with Celtic before moving on to Limerick and Waterford, for McCarthy for the visit of Home Farm on October 21. The hosts led through a Notley header after seven minutes with Shortt going on to cross for Frank O’Neill to spectacularly scissor-kick a second 11 minutes from time.
And so it proved, the Londoner proved an inspiration, setting up O’Neill for the lead after seven minutes, scoring the second himself ten minutes later and crossing for Notley to notch number six in the 75th minute.
In between, O’Neill helped himself to two with Notley grabbing number four in the 56th minute.
A 1-0 home win over Dundalk and a 1-1 draw with Shamrock Rovers, O’Neill scoring in both, put Celtic within two points of Hibs before the first derby encounter at the Cross on November 18. Despite Notley putting the hosts one up in the 28th minute, Hibernians replied with three second-half goals from Niblock, Sweeney and Coyne to keep the winners four clear of their opponents and a point ahead of Bohemians at the top.
With Tambling injured, O’Donovan signed former Shelbourne playmaker Ben Hannigan who opened the scoring against Sligo at the Showgrounds, the victory being sealed with further goals from Ludzic (penalty) and O’Neill. Four wins in December over Athlone (1-0), Shels (3-1), Limerick (2-1), in which Jerry Myers scored a brilliant winner four minutes from time, and St Pat’s (2-1) catapulted Celtic into joint second, three points behind Hibs with everything to play for.
In the first week of January a 2-1 win over Finn Harps, Edwards and O’Neill among the goals, was enough to take Celtic to joint top after Hibs were held by Drogheda. With Hibs not playing the following week, a scoreless draw with Bohemians put Celtic a point clear only for the tables to be turned again as Celtic went down 2-0 to Shamrock Rovers while Hibernians trounced Home Farm 6-0.
Celtic got back to winning ways by overcoming Home Farm 1-0 with the month ending with both teams locked on 25 points from 16 matches. A late Gerry Myers goal secured all three points at Oriel Park against Dundalk on February 3 and a 4-0 win over Shamrock Rovers, new signing Alfie Hale scoring the third, set up the match of the season against Hibernians at a packed Flower Lodge.
Goals from John ‘Blondie’ Carroll and Paddy Shortt sealed Celtic’s first derby win since 1968 by the odd goal in three to put the Turner’s Cross outfit on top again, a position they would not relinquish for the remainder of the season. The title was secured following a 3-0 win over St Pat’s on Sunday, April 3.
Dick Brazil’s headline in Monday’s Echo following the win over Pat’s said it all: 'Tears flowed as freely as champagne on an historic day for Celtic'.
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