This article is from page 81 of the 2008-05-06 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 81 JPG
WHEN Geoff Hurst scored the World Cup Final’s first ever hat-trick on that warm July day in 1966, roughly 300 miles west the men of Newmarket were watching. Inspired by what they saw, within two years Newmarket Celtic was born and football began to take root at McDonagh Park.
But instead of Charlton, Moore and Hunt, the names that drove the fledgling club forward were Ryans, Sheedys and Collins’ as well as Pat Coughlan, Mike O’ Malley and Frank McNamara.
It’s all the more fitting then, that 40 years on the name of O’Malley and McNamara still appears proudly on the Newmarket team sheet.
“This is unreal for the club,” said captain Mark O’Malley .
“We have been waiting 13 years for this, it’s unbelievable. This year now we really put in the effort. We had a good man over us in Paudie Cullinan
in charge of us. Packie Ryan, Seamus Cullinan, Billy Woods – they drove us on all year and it’s to them we owe Wee
“It’s a big club, everyone got right behind us. And the supporters are fantastic, you can see all the people who came out today to cheers us on – all of that matters. We have worked so hard this year, everyone.
“We had a 24 man squad and were able to play 11 versus 11 in training which really helped.”
“We started the match well and it was a good goal. But I suppose we started to get a bit complacent after that. But that happens sometimes – Burren are a very good team, very physical. They sent in a lot of high ball and caused us problems,’ he continued.
‘But once we got in a half time lev- el. We pushed on well in the second half, maybe got as bit of luck with the third goal but we did well.”
They think it’s all over, it is now.