Ballylinan
GAA Club, Co. Laois
Ballylinan village is located in County Laois on the main
Athy to Castlecomer road. Ballylinan GAA Club has been a central
part of village life since it was founded in 1926. The Club
is a senior club which provides Gaelic Football to all age
groups from under ten to adult. The Club also competes in
the Laois Junior Hurling Championship. We also work very closely
with our Ladies Football Club who provide Gaelic Football
for our girls from under 12 to adult. The Club Grounds are
located at Aughanure, Ballylinan.
From the Beginning
Ballylinan GAA Club was founded in 1926 to promote Gaelic
games in the Ballylinan area. The clubs first playing pitch
was located at Rahan, Ballylinan. In our first year in competition
we were beaten in the junior county final by The Hollow. The
team that lined out that day in Stradbally was as follows
:-
Joe Maher, Jack Hickey, James Moore, Mick McHugh, Paddy Carter,
Willie Lacey, Mick Moore, Ned Kelly, Din Carter, John Ryan,
Peter Smith, Harry Hyland, Sam McBrien, Denis Houlihan, John
Hyland. Subs: Eddie Daly, Christy Holligan, Peter Cahill,
Din Murphy, Noel Lacey.
Success was not instant for the newly formed club but loyalty
and commitment to the cause certainly paid off and in 1933
we won our first county title when we defeated Portlaoise
in the Junior Football Final on the scoreline of 3-05 to 1-02.
The team that brought that first title back to the Village
was:-
Din Murphy, Harry Hyland, Paddy Carter, Paddy Condron, Josie
Lawler, Jim Vaughan, Mick McHugh, Din Carter, Jack McHugh
(Capt), John Ryan, Mick Carter, Hugh Lawler, Mick Delaney,
Willie Fleming, John Hyland. Subs: Eddie Condron, Ned Wynne,
James Daly.
The Clubs next success was again in the Junior Grade when
in 1937 we traveled to Portlaoise and defeated Mountrath on
a score line of 2-05 to 2-02. Mountrath got the dream start
in this final and seemed to be well on their way to victory
when they led by 2-02 to 0-01 at half time. Ballylinan however
were not willing to give up on this game too easily and put
in a magnificent performance in the second half and kept Mountrath
scoreless as they stormed to victory.
Seven years later in 1944 we achieved our first success in
the Intermediate Grade when we defeated a much heralded Portarlington
side in the final which was played in Miltown (about two miles
from Ballylinan). Very few people gave the boys from the village
much hope but win they did and it was Walter Hovenden who
broke the ball down to Ned Wynne who was flying in and he
scored the decisive goal in the final few minutes to clinch
a great victory. The team that secured our Clubs first entry
into the Senior ranks that day was:-
Paddy Vaughan, Billy Farrell, Paddy Carter, Frank Moran,
Jimmy Dunne, Tim Vaughan, Chirsty Vaughan, Paddy (Casey) Dempsey,
Paddy Conlon, Bobby Nutty, Ned Wynne, Mick Carter, Jimmy Farrell,
Walter Hovenden, Ned Nolan. Subs Tommy Quinn, Pat Julian,
John Vaughan, John Brennan.
In our first outing in the Senior Championship in 1946 we
were pitted against the mighty Graiguecullen who were at the
height of their power at the time having won the 1944 and
1945 championships. Ballylinan battled hard in this game which
was played at Arles but finally went under by a single point.
Some measure of compensation was achieved by winning the prestigious
Feis Cup when we defeated Stradbally in the final in Portarlington.
Back in the Intermediated Grade again in 1948, we won our
second championship in the grade by beating Timahoe in the
final in O'Moore Park. Ballylinan led at half time by 0-05
to 0-01 and won the game 0-06 to 0-01. This final was refereed
by Bill Delaney.
Our next Championship win came in 1955 when we won our first
Minor title by defeating Annanough in the final at O'Moore
Park by 2-05 to 2-02. This great win compensated for our defeat
in the 1954 final at the hands of Portlaoise. This Minor victory
was followed by two of the most successful years in the clubs
history. In 1956 Ballylinan qualified for the Junior Championship
final in which we were opposed by St. Fintans (Colt). After
a thrilling game Ballylinan emerged victors on the scoreline
of 1-05 to 0-07. It was then on to the Intermediate Championship
of 1957 and we reached the final at our first attempt where
we came up against Barrowhouse who had been defeated by Portlaoise
in the 1956 final. The match which was played at O'Moore Park
found Ballylinan in arrears by 2-02 to 1-01 at the interval
but an excellent second half saw us run out winners on a scoreline
of 2-09 to 2-04.
The Clubs next success was back in the Intermediated Final
again in 1961 when after a great display we defeated Kilcavan
by 2-12 to 1-02. This game was a personal triumph for T. Hannon
who played at right half forward and scored all but 5 points
of Ballylinans total. This win gave us our fourth victory
in the Intermediate championship. 1961 also saw us reach the
Junior Championship final where we were defeated by Crettyard
who were winning their first ever laois Championship, the
score in the game was 2-07 to 2-03.
No further success followed in the sixties but the seventies
opened on a bright note for us with victory in the 1971 Junior
Championship after what became known as the Marathon final.
It took four games to see off the challange of Kilcavan, the
final score in the fourth game being Ballylinan 2-11, Kilcavan
1-05. This proved to the start of another very successfull
period for the club as in 1972 we again reached the minor
final but were beaten by a fine Portlaoise team by two points,
1-06 to 0-07. Even more success was to follow in 1973 when
we again qualified for the Intermediate Final in which we
went on to defeat Mountmellick by 4-09 to 0-08 at O'Moore
Park. This again promoted the club to the Senior Grade where
we have remained ever since.
1979 saw the founding of Ballylinan Ladies Football Club.
The first Chairperson was Francie Hickey, with committee members
Lesley Hovenden, Marie
Farrell and Mary Doyle. The Team consisted of Mary Byrne,
Marie Hickey, Shirley Hyland, Marie
Farrell, Mary Doyle, Bridge Farrell, Carmel Kelly, Ann Marie
Farrell, Linda Holligan, Esther Burke, Kathleen McEvoy, Catherine
Walsh, Bernie Bambrick, Mary
Condron, Eileen Donohue, Shirley Bambrick and Marie O'Sullivan.
Jimmy Farrell, James Hovenden and Pat Kelly, managed the team.
After a few enthusiastic years the club fizzled out.
The highlight of our Clubs achievements in the eighties was
reaching the County Senior Final in 1987. Having played some
great football throughout the championship we faced Portlaoise
in the final. Success was not to be our lot on the day against
a team who then went on to win the Leinster Club Championship.
The 5th May 1991 was a very significant day for our Club
when we officially opened our newly redeveloped playing field.
The redeveloped consisted of leveling and lengthening the
existing playing field as well as providing an extra playing/training
field. A lot of credit must go to the Committee of the day
for undertaking such a venture and successfully completing
it.
It was also in 1991 that the Ladies Club was revived due
to successful teams coming through from the Primary School
competitions and Community game. Mentors
in the early days included Theresa Dunne, Marie Hickey, Catherine
Walsh and MaryDoyle. The club started with underage teams
under 12's, 14's, 16's and minor. After
great interest and enthusiasm a junior team was established
in 1992 trained by Tommy Brennan and Selector Theresa Dunne.
In 1994 the junior team reached there 1st county final, playing
Courtwood. The Team was Lizzy Gleeson, Marie Hickey, Ashling
Leonard, Marie McLoughlin, Joan Loughman, Tracey Doyle, Joanne
Kidd, Bridget Morrissey, Karen Doyle, Mary Bambrick, Marie
Murphy, Louise Doyle, Catherine Walsh, Catherine Walsh, Eilis
Morrissey Subs - Roseleen Gleeson, Fiona Bambrick, and Marieann
Farrell
But it wasn't long before the club enjoyed success, winning
the final in 1995 beating Ballypikas, Team was Lizzy Gleeson,
Claire Johnson, Ashling Leonard, Joan Loughman, Orla Nolan,
Tracey Doyle, Catherine Delaney, Bridget Morrissey, Karen
Doyle, Louise Doyle Sinead McEvoy, Marie Murphy, Reginia Byrne,
Emmer Mulhall, Mary Bambrick
Subs - Joan Hovenden, Joananne Kidd, Margaret O'Sullivan,
Roseleen Gleeson and Eilis Morrissey
After a great year Ballylinan Ladies went on to win the intermediate
championship again in 1996 betting a renamed Ballyroan. The
Team was Lizzy Gleeson, Claire Johnson, Ashling Leonard, Joan
Loughman, Orla Nolan, Tracey Doyle, Mary Baldwin, Bridget
Morrissey, Karen Doyle, Louise Doyle, Sinead McEvoy, Lorraine
Dunne, Eilis Morrissey, Emmer Mulhall, Maire Murphy
Subs - Mary Kealy, Aideen O'Donovan
Since then we competed in 2 intermediate Finals under the
experience of Lar Wall and Declan Mulhare in 2001 and 2002,
but narrowly beaten by 1 point by
Sarisfields. In 2003 Paul Julian and John Kealy took the intermediate
team over. After Johns work commitments in Australia Kieran
Kelly came on Board. And in 2004 Ballylinan Ladies reached
there 3rd Intermediate Final but yet again were narrowly beaten
by 1 point by the Railyard.
Catherine Walsh and Marie Farrell took huge interest in the
under 12's and u/14's for many years, and took success in
reaching the u/12's county final in 1998 and with the same
team reaching the u/14's the following year in 1999, but where
beaten by Shanahoe in both. Players consisting of Claire Julian,
Fiona & Sinead Brennan, Kelly Farrell, Arlene McEvoy,
Deirdre O'Shea, Marie Howe, Theresa Brennan, Elaine Gibson,
Claire Dunne, Sarah & Maureen Doyle, Deirdre Murphy, Katy
Dempsey, Sharon Donnelly and Anna Moore. There is still a
huge interest in underage in the club and hopefully they will
continue to go strength to strength under new management of
Brian Dunne, Emmer Wall, Liam Hogan and Marie Farrell.
Current Mentors:
Chairperson - Marie Farrell
Vice Chairperson - Margaret O'Shea
Secretary - Louise Mulhare & Ashling Leonard
Treasurer - Marie Hickey Assistant Treasurers - Karen Doyle,
Claire Johnson and
Sinead McEvoy
PRO - Lizzy Kealy
Committee - Louise Doyle, Orla Nolan, Tracey Doyle, Mary Doyle,
Tara Farrell,
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