1989 will forever be remembered by Antrim Gaels as the year that our senior hurlers reached the All Ireland final before losing to a Nicolas English inspired Tipperary. On Sunday past Telifis Eireann the semi-final against Offaly was feature on GAA Gold and it brought great memories of that era for Antrim games like myself.
The same year Antrim footballers won Division 3 North of the National Football league and went on to play Kerry in the All Ireland quarter-final in Croke Park while the Antrim U21 footballer won the Ulster championship in the same year. Antrim lost to Cork in the All Ireland semi-final with the Munster champions going on to defeat Galway in the final.
A few weeks ago we carried an article on the Senior footballers achievements that year and today we look back at the U21 Ulster success in 89, the last time an Ant5rim football team recorded an Ulster success
The Saffrons celebrate their 89 Ulster U21 success
Antrim U21 Ulster football Championship Winners 1989
The team was managed by Roy Mc Larnon (St Agnes), with Gerard Higgins (Con Magee’s) and Eamon Grieve (St John’s) as selectors.
The seeds for that famous win were sown the previous year, 1988, when Antrim reached the Ulster final at the Marshes/Newry only to be beaten by a Fintan Cahill inspired Cavan team.
Eight survivors from the ’88’ team backboned the ’89’ team namely, Gerard Kelly, Oran Gribben, Chris Murphy, Sean Grieve, Niall Lynch, Benny Devlin, Ciaran O’Neill, and Henry Fyfe.
The opening game of the ‘89’ championship took place at the beginning of April. It was against Armagh, who included amongst their ranks Diarmuid Marsden. In a tight game at Casement Park, Antrim came out on top 1-7 to 1-5 with Barry O’ Neill 1-1, Chris Murphy 0-2, Ciaran O’ Neill 0-2, Kieran Magee 0-1 and Paul McErlean 0-1 the scorers.
It was onto the semi-final on Saturday 15th April in Coalisland. Antrim again started as underdogs but defeated a Tyrone team that included Mattie McGleenan and one Peter Canavan by 1-8 to1-5. The Saffrons turned in another impressive performance with Ciaran O’ Neill 0-4 (al frees), Joe Kennedy 0- 4 (3 frees) and Barry O’ Neill 1-0 the men on target
In a pulsating Ulster final on Saturday 22nd April at the Athletic grounds’ Armagh, Roy McLarnon’s men faced a Down side containing future Senior All Ireland winners in their team, Conor Deegan, ‘wee’ James McCartan, and Noel Sands of hurling fame.
In a frantic finish Antrim trailed Down by 1-5 to 0-6 going into the closing stages but a long delivery into the Down danger area came off a post and Chris Murphy pounced to finish to the net leaving the final score Antrim 1-6 Down 1-5. The Antrim scorers on the day were: Chris Murphy 1-0, Paul McErlean 0-2, Joe Kennedy 0-2 (both frees), Ciaran O’ Neill 0-1 and Barry O’ Neill 0-1
As you can imagine the Antrim team and management were ecstatic when Gerard Kelly, captain on the day, received “The Irish News” cup.
A feature of that team was that there were 5 players from Erin’s Own/Cargin and 5 from St. Pauls, two major senior teams at that time.
Chris Murphy finishes to the net
The all-Ireland Semi-final on Saturday 29th April, was against Cork at O’ Moore Park, Portlaoise.
On the day Cork, captained by a colossus of a player Stephen O’Brien, proved too strong for the gallant Saffrons. The match finished on a score line of Cork 3-9 Antrim 0-8. The Antrim scorers on the day were: Joe Kennedy 0-3 (2 frees), Ciaran O’ Neill 0-2 (both frees), Sean Grieve 0-1, Chris Murphy 0-1 and Paul McErlean 0-1.
Cork proved just how good a team they were when they went on to become All Ireland champions following a 2-8 to 1-10 win over Galway.
As recently as January this year Roy, along with Paul McErlane, were trying to organise a get together to honour that team but subsequent events have shelved those plans for now.
Hopefully 31 years later, this team can be suitably honoured and celebrated in the future. Today we carry photographs from the 1988 final against Cavan as well as photographs from that successful Ulster final in 89 against Down in Armagh.
Antrim v Cavan 1988 final
