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to History of GAA in Athlone Part 1 | go
to History of GAA in Athlone Part 2(Hurling)
RESURGENCES
In
1943 Bro. Hubert was elected Chairman of the club and his tenure of
the office for the next decade and beyond marked another golden era
for the G.A.A. in Athlone. Around this time a group of enthusiastic
young players like Dom Scanlon, Peadar Mulvagh and Jimmy Greally emerged.
They impressed in the Leinster Colleges Championship and became the
backbone of the team that beat the Downs in a replay to win the Junior
Championship of 1945 (see
pic). Athlone were back again in Senior Football in 1946 and were
County Champions in 1947 beating Kinnegad in the final 2 - 9 to 2 –
4 (see
pic). In 1948 Athlone lost their title to Mental Hospital but were
back in 1949 to relieve Mental Hospital of that same title. Athlone
lost their title the following year to St. Mary’s and again in
1953 were defeated by Rosemount in the County Final.
Athlone were again beaten by St. Mary’s in the 1954 final. The
Shannonsiders however, won the junior title in 1954 and it was this
team that formed the nucleus of the teams that won the six in a row
1955 – 1960 beating Kinnegad in 1955, 1956 (see
pic); Mental Hospital in 1957 (see
pic), 1958 ; St. Mary’s in 1959 (see
pic); and Kinnegad in 1960. Athlone had now contested the county
final for eight successive years. This is a record which very few clubs
in the country can boast of and it is not likely to be equalled in Westmeath
again.
1947
team pic: J Creavin, D Scanlon. O Healion. M Naughton, M Burns,
B Scanlon, W Fox, P Mulvagh, J Greally, Bro. Francis McGovern, J Keenan,
J Colclough (Capt.) P Ryan, C Keogh, M Fitzsimmons.
1949: J Greally, J Colclough, T Moyna, B Scanlon, M Fitzsimmons, B Jackson,
J Creaven, M Phelan, M Naughton, P Woods, D Scanlon, J Byrne, T Keena,
M Mullarkey, S Malone.
The six-in-a-row teams were as follows:-
1955: Athlone V Kinnegad :K Hunt, B Scanlon, J McCann, Bro.G Cahill,
T Henson, P McCormack, H Murtagh, S Nugent, M Brooks, M Scanlon, B McMahon,
B Colclough, D McCann, P Woods, J Reynolds. Score Athlone 2 – 7
Kinnegad 2 – 2
1956
team pic : Athlone V Kinnegad : K Hunt, B Scanlon, J McCann, P McCormack,
P Killalea, Bro.G Cahill, H Murtagh, B McMahon, T Henson, M Scanlon,
S Nugent, B Colclough, S Fogarty, J Burke, J Reynolds. Score Athlone
0 –12 Kinnegad 1 – 7.
1957
team pic: Athlone V Mental Hospital: E Martin, T Henson, J McCann,
P McCormack, F Colclough, Bro. G Cahill, H Murtagh, S Nugent, M Brooks,
P McCarthy, M Scanlon B Colclough, S Fogarty, J Burke, J Reynolds. Score
Athlone 2 – 8 Mental Hospital 1 – 5.
1958: Athlone V Mental Hospital: E Martin, H Cuffe, B Brazil, P McCormack,
K Henson, Bro. G Cahill, H Murtagh, Tj Finneran, S Nugent, Fr. Hickey,
B Colclough, S Dempsey J Reynolds, M Scanlon, S Fogarty. Score Athlone
0 – 9 Mental Hospital 0 – 8.
1959
team pic: Athlone V St. Mary’s: E Martin, H Cuffe, M Duffy,
P McCormack, K Henson, Bro. G Cahill, H Murtagh, TJ Finneran, T Gunn,
Fr Hickey, M Scanlon, B Colclough,S O’Kane, Fr Ryan S Fogarty.
Score Athlone 4 – 4 St Mary’s 1 – 11.
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to History of GAA in Athlone Part 1 | go
to History of GAA in Athlone Part 2(Hurling)
