Football in Tubber Before 1979

Granted Tubber has been going from strength to strength since 1979, but on two other separate occasions Tubber Club was affiliated to the GAA, along with fielding a team between 1926 and 1930.


The first Tubber GAA Club was formed in 1956 when an ambitious group of young men got together in a bid to forming a club, namely in the form of Tommy McManus (RIP), Kevin McCormack, Joe Stones, Frank Healy, Frank Egan, Joe Buckley (RIP), Christy King, Tom Connor (RIP), Michael Molly (RIP) and continued until 1959, before disbanding due to large volumes of emigration in the area.
Playing and training took the players to Joe Buckley's field in Tubber originally and then to Mrs Duff 's field at Kilcurley at a later stage. In 1957 all the efforts of the players were rewarded with a Juvenile Team affiliated to the County Board.
Lining out in green and white jersey's all of which were bought by the players themselves, the first match was against Clara, but being short on numbers the club were forced to bring players out of retirement!


On the day, Clara won comfortably and unfortunately that was the trend for the few years that the club was in existence, losing every game played.And it wasn't long until the inevitable came, when a huge row broke out in Fleming's Field in Clara when playing Doon. It was the beginning of the end of the club.
But it wasn't all about winning, with such memories as those of travelling to matches in Frank Egan's Massey Ferguson which was part and parcel of those first few years of the club. Indeed many a story could be told of the days of old and one that comes to mind also involved Frank Egan! Back in the day it was never a case of only fielding for one team or being illegal either and Frank turned out to be a pro! In one year alone he fielded for three different clubs - Warrenstown, Co. Meath; Rosemount, Co Westmeath and Doon/ Ballycumber, Co Offaly in three County Finals. Unluckily for Frank he was on the losing side every time!


However all was not lost in the '50's, with Tubber school crowned the U12 Cumann na mBunscol Champions on 15th August 1952 in O'Connor Park, Tullamore when they defeated Edenderry by 4 points to three. Members of the team that day were Jimmy Grennan, Pasty Guinan, Sonny Daly, Mick Naughton, Paddy Geoghegan, Benny Moran, Martin Lep, Stephen Geoghegan, Paddy McCann, Paddy Maguire, Pat Buckley, Mickey Duffy, Paddy Flynn and Paddy Grennan.


The schools U14 team also reached the Final on the same day only to be beaten by one point by St Mary's.The team on the day,Andy Lynam (RIP), Sonny Daly, Gay Claffey, John Buckley, Sean Guinan,Tommy McManus, Eamon Horan (RIP), Frank Healy, Joe Grennan, Jimmy Grennan, Jim Johnston, Patsy Guinan, John Naughton, Paddy Murray.


The club also reached a Juvenile Final in 1954, but Tullamore got the better of them on the day and unfortunately that was to be the last year for a juvenile team. From there on in Tubber played with Pullough.


Silverware in the early days was few and far between but 1964, did see some players from Tubber namely Tom Clarke, Oliver McManus, Seamus Buckley, Billy and Hubert Murray pick up county title honours with Ballycumber when they defeated Edenderry in the U16 Championship.


Down through the years Tubber have always provided the County with some amazing players both in Offaly and Westmeath. Players like Johnny Healy, Paddy Galvin, Eddie Moran and Oliver McManus played County andVocational School football with Westmeath.While the Faithful County was served by Josie Lowry, Paddy Grennan, Tommy McManus, Jimmy Grennan, Paddy McManus, Colm Doolan, Paddy McLoughlin, Billy Grennan, Davy Sheridan, Dan Kinahan and Pauric Johnston.
After a lapse of eight years, Tubber Club was revived in 1966 with the following officers elected Rev. Dr. Hugh Dunne PP (President), Rev. Fr. Bartley CC (Vice-President), Paddy Fox (Chairman), Christy King (Vice-Chairman), Peter Murray (Secretary), Hubert Murray and Paddy McLoughlin (Treasurers), Fr. Bartley and Peter Murray (Co. Board Delegates).

Committee: Tom Connor, Joe Bracken, Mick Healy, Martin Healy, Billy Reynolds, Oliver McManus and Paddy Grennan.


1966 saw the club fielding a team once more and with the championship played on a knockout basis, near neighbours Clara were our first opponents. But despite a huge crowd turning up to see the first football game in Tubber for ten years, the referee failed to show. As a result the game was postponed and eventually played on 14th August, but it was Clara who benefited more from the postponement than us.
1967 wasn't any better and much like 1966, the game was postponed until September, due to our opposition having a substitute on the Offaly Junior Football team.


1968 was once again the final year of the club, but in comparison to the two previous years it was better on the playing field. Mind you after two false starts,Tubber got over Rhode with five points to spare to line up a quarter final clash with Tullamore, but it wasn't to be our day with the highly experienced Tullamore side running out convincing winners.

1923 Team
Tubber Rovers
Tommy Egan, Martin Pole, Mick Nestor, Jim Guinan (Secretary), Dick Fleming, F. Keeffe, Tom Savage, P. McCormack, Pat Nestor, Joe McCormack, Barney Johnston, Mick Delaney, Pat McLoughlin, Brian Daly, Jack Mullin, Sonny Byrne, Paddy Buckley.

1957 Team
John Buckley (RIP), James Langan, Joe Stones, Frank Healy, Tom Connor (RIP), Kevin McCormack, Paddy McManus, Joe Doolan, John McCormack (RIP), Michael Heffernan, Mickey Murray (RIP), Pat Galvin, Christy King, Tommy McManus (RIP), Joe Buckley (RIP), Davy Sheridan, Colm Doolan.


Tubber 1957
Back Row: L to R: Joe Buckley (Club Chairman), Jimmy Langan, Joe Stone, Frank Healy, Kevin McCormack, Pat McManus, Joe Doolin, Frank Egan, John McCormack,Tom Conor (Club Treasurer). Front Row: John Buckley, Pat Galvin, Christy King, Tom McManus, Mink Murray, David Sheridan, Colm Doolin
1968 Football Selection and supporters
Back Row: L to R: Donal McLoughlin, B. Horan, S. Egan, P. Murray, D. McManus, J. Langan, P. Grennan, C. King,A. Keenaghan, B. Reynolds, P. Fox,T. Reynolds. Middle Row: J. Murray,T. Clarke, S. Reynolds, D. Mackey, P.J. Mackey.
Front Row: W. Murray, P. McLoughlin, P. Gillivan.

 


 

 



CALENDAR OF EVENTS

PLAYER PROFILE


LOCAL LOTTO

PITCH DIARY

PITCH DIARY

CLUB HOUSE BOOKING

CLUB HOUSE BOOKING