In 1987 Davitt’s caused a major upset when they won the Antrim Minor Football Championship for the first time, beating Lamh Dhearg in the final at Casement Park in a game that was played before the St Gall’s v Cargin senior final. It may have been an upset for a lot of people but in truth it didn’t come totally out of the blue. As team member and current club official Eugene Gallagher explains
“We also beat Lamh Dhearg in the league play-off that year. Our team had broadly been together from U12, with a few new faces here and there over those years. At U14 and U16, Sarsfields were our main football adversaries (they had the likes of Jim Magilton, Joe Kennedy and Paul Gormley RIP) but we won the U16 football two years earlier and we knew we were in with a good chance”
This is a report that Davitt’s produced in one of their publications a few years later
Antrim Minor Football Championship Final 1987
Michael Davitt’s 1-8 Lamh Dhearg 1-2
The teams arrived on the field just before 2 O’Clock and to a large and enthusiastic following. Once referee Hugh Henry threw in the ball the stage was set for the dream to become a reality. The long hard nights’ training now a thing of the past….the next sixty minutes were all that mattered. Lamh Dhearg settled quickly and soon had Jim Davis at full stretch and with the Hannahstown men holding sway at midfield over Terry Park and Stephen Toner there was some cause for concern.
The boys from ‘Up the Hill’ were settling more quickley and after twelve minutes a pass from Michael Boyle found Michael Press in space, and with Christy Brady vainly chasing back, Press drove the ball past Gerard Thornton to the Davitt’s net. Lesser teams would have folded but Paul Donaghy and Pearse McCormick drove their team on to greater effort and slowly the tide began to turn. A long ball from Fra Gallagher into the Lamh Dhearg goalmouth was fumbled and the ever-alert pounced on the breaking ball to fire to the Lamh Dhearg net and bring the sides level. For the remainder of the opening half play flowed from end to end, but it was Davitt’s who made best use of their chances and points from Stephen Toner and Martin Mooney saw the Davitt’s go to the changing rooms at half time with a 1-2 to 1-0 lead.
In those changing rooms team managers Stephen and Sean emphasised how important it was to keep playing attractive football and to maintain their discipline on the field. History was only thirty minutes away.
Davitt’s started the second half where they left off in the first and were on the attack from the offset. Michael Topping ran at the heart of their defence time after time and it was clear that the scores would eventually come. Points form Martin Arwell and Eamon Elliott were cancelled out when Maxwell pointed for Lamh Dhearg and when McLaughlin’s effort, which seemed to all to be wide, was signalled a point by both umpires, the pressure was suddenly on, despite the Davitt’s dominance from play.
Was there to be a comeback from the Hannahstown boys? Marty Arlwell and Eugene Gallagher were determined that this was not going to happen and they led the line as Davitt’s regained control. Time and again they broke down any Lamh Dhearg attack and sent their half forwards in motion where Marty Mooney and Tony McGratten caused all sorts of problem for the Hannahstown defence. Further scores from Michael Topping and Martin Mooney put Davitt’s back in control and they held that advantage to Hugh Henry’s final whistle, which sparked scenes of great celebration.
History had been made and when county chairman Oliver Kelly presented the cup to team captain Stephen Toner the party was in full flow.
