This article is from page 65 of the 2011-06-21 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 65 JPG
FRIENDS AND former teammates will gather in the Auburn Lodge Hotel in Ennis on Saturday night to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Ennis club Turnpike Rovers.
Founded in 1981 the first meeting of Turnpike Rovers took place in a room over Murphy’s shoe shop on O’Connell Street, Ennis.
The club’s first committee was made up of Tony Gilmartin (chairman), Brian McCarthy (secretary), George Guilfoyle (treasurer) with John Pyne and Michael Frawley serving as PRO and managers.
Other committee members included Donie Pyne, Martin Guerin and Francie Roche. Over the years many people have contributed to the success of the ‘Pike, as either players, managers or committee members. Some of the well-known names to have been associated with Turnpike include James Gormley, Michael Nugent, Michael Sheridan (RIP), John Lavery, Donal Pyne, Michael Guilfoyle, Ronnie Pyne and Frank Gormley. The club initially drew the majority of players from the Turnpike area, McNamara Park and Dalcassian Park. The club’s first ever set of goalposts were made by Paddy McHugh and Peter Fitzgerald in the Walnut House
The early days showed Rovers meant business. The team finished runners up in the division two shield in 1981 before going on to take the first division shield in 1983. In 1990, Turnpike were crowned Munster Junior Clare area champions and the following season lost out to Newmarket Celtic in the final of the Haughey Cup. The next season, Rovers reclaimed the Munster Junior Clare area cup with founding member Francie Roche netting the winner in the final.
The start of the decade also heralded another period of success with Turnpike winning the first division league and FAI Clare Area cup. Further honours followed in 2007 before Turnpike claimed the first division league cup in 2009.
Turnpike also enjoyed a period of sustained success in youth soccer throughout the 1980s and 90s. Under the stewardship of manager John Pyne, the club was crowned youths shield winners in 1983. That season also saw the club lose out to eventual winners Athlone in the quarterfinals of the FAI Youths Cup. A league titled followed in 1985 before Turnpike swept the boards in 1987, winning the youths shield, FAI Clare area youths cup, Munster Clare area youths cup, youths league and youths cup.
Further youth’s cup titles were snapped up in 1990 and 1991 while in 1993 Turnpike lost to Clonmel side Oldbridge in the final of the Munster youth’s cup.
In the 1984/85 season, Turnpike Rovers had the distinction of having two players named ‘players of the year’ in Clare soccer. They were Colm Fitzgerald and Derek McGann who was named ‘youths player of the year’. Over the years Turnpike were well represented on the Clare Oscar Traynor team. In that same season, talented midfielder Brian Pyne was a starter in all of Clare’s games.
Turnpike also enjoyed a period of success in schoolboy’s soccer taking league titles at under 12 (1985), under 14 (1986), under 16 (1991) and under 11 (1996). The club were under 11 cup runners up in 1998 while there were further titles at under 11 (2001/02), under 16 (2004) and under 17 (2005/07).