THE hair may have been a little thinner or greyer, the waistlines a bit bigger, but the enthusiasm was just as infectious as it was back in 1993 and 1995 when the Doheny players of those glorious years were honoured by the club.
BY TOM LYONS
THE hair may have been a little thinner or greyer, the waistlines a bit bigger, but the enthusiasm was just as infectious as it was back in 1993 and 1995 when the Doheny players of those glorious years were honoured by the club at the annual dinner in the Parkway Hotel.
They came from far and near to meet up again and to relive once more those great days when the club captured the county junior and intermediate football titles, the first in highly-controversial circumstances and the second against all the odds. They have all moved on with their lives now, but wherever they went and whatever they did, they have never forgotten those marvellous days in the famed green and white jerseys.
A photographic exhibition of the glory years greeted the players when they arrived, as well as videos of those great campaigns. On view also was the famed and now retired ‘Little Norah’ junior football cup which had been the centre of attention and controversy in 1993.
Later in the night the players were introduced by Fachtna McCarthy and presented with special certs by club president Michael Farr and chairman of the SW Board Tom Lyons. The two captains, Kieran Farr 1993 and Paudie Murray 1995, were then interviewed by Tom Lyons with a few long-held secrets being revealed.
There was a special welcome for the team trainer in those years, Fiona McCarthy, the only female trainer in the county at that time; the team managers, Charlie McCarthy and Jerry O’Mahony, and the team selectors, John Joe Murray, Brian Herlihy, Donal McCarthy and Gerard Galvin.
It was, in fact, a great night of celebration for the ladies of the Doheny club as well because it was the first official function for the new officers of the club, all women. At the recent AGM, Mary Maybury took over as chairperson, Anna Hurley as secretary and Caroline McCarthy as treasurer.
To top it off, the ladies’ junior B football team were presented with their medals for winning the West Cork championship. Also presented with their medals were the U21B hurlers, who had retained their SW title in 2018.
New chairperson, Mary Maybury, welcomed the guests to the function and following a buffet meal the various presentations took place. Máiréad Mawe, chairperson of the Ladies’ Football Club, and manager of the team. Tony White, introduced the junior ladies’ team and their medals were presented by Paudie Murray, Cork camogie manager.
Catriona Moloney, who scored an amazing 11 goals and 71 points during the season, was named as Player of the Year, while Donna Hayes was named as Most Improved Player.
Manager Cathal Kelleher introduced the U21 hurling team and the medals were presented by Tom Lyons, chairman of the SW Board.
The Player of the Year in the Doheny Club for 2018, who received the Denis Crowley Trophy, was Eoin Lavers, while Mark Farr was named as Club Person of the Year.
Special presentations were made to outgoing officers, Paul Murray, secretary, and Jerry O’Mahony, chairman, who paid a special tribute to three people who had been associated with the 1995 team and who had since died, Raymond Lyons, chairman; Ray Kelleher, trainer, and Con Tringle, club photographer. A special presentation was also made to a Sinéad O’Sullivan, the wife of Tony O’Sullivan, a great clubman who had died during 2018.
The reminiscing, the music, the chat and the dancing lasted well into the early hours of the morning as the vibrant Doheny club celebrated both the past and the present in style.
The members of the ladies’ football team who received their West Cork medals included Clare Hurley (captain), Kelly O’Sullivan, Susan Collins, Donna Hayes, Ruth Collins, Noelle O’Mahony, Martina Collins, Catriona Moloney, Lisa McSweeney, Michelle Love, Catriona O’Farrell, Annie Blewitt, Michelle Murphy, Clare O’Brien, Deirdre Crowley and Stephie McCarthy.
The members of the U21 hurling team who received their SW medals included Keith Forbes, Jerry Farrell, Adrian Cronin, Jason Daly, Eoin Murray, Darragh O’Connor, Declan Collins, Gareth Crowley, Mark Buckley, Cathal O’Donovan, Nathan O’Donovan, Fionn Herlihy, Brian Arnopp, Kieran Forbes, Kevin O’Mahony, Aidan O’Donovan, Bill Murphy, Ray Jennings, David Farrell, Ciarán Kelleher, Cullan Barry, Stephen Daly and Darragh Collins.
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