I think John Power joined Clontarf shortly after they contested the Dublin SFC final against Ballymun in 1985, but Clontarf never kicked on after that and slipped back into the pack pretty quickly after that. Gallingly their great local rivals Scoil Ui Chonaill won the SFC in 1986 beating Thomas Davis in a classic 0-9 to 0-1.
2 Likes
You’re right Fagan, I’m mixing him up with James Fahy.
I was at that final when Scoil won - one wouldn’t have imagined Davis would go on to achieve what they subsequently did after their performance that night.
Re Clontarf, came from nowhere and quickly went back there. I was friendly enough with a couple of them at the time and was not the least bit sorry them - nice lads though they were!
In fairness to Clontarf they were the original tactical innovators the year they got to the county final. They had a fella called Johnny Pierce who was notionally a corner forward and had as good an engine as I’ve seen. They’d pull all the forwards out and play the ball into space and Johnny would do the rest. I think they beat Scoil 2-5 to 0-2 in the quarter final. They had really good players like James Ronayne and Noel McCaffrey and a top class free taker Frankie Byrne. However Ballymun figured them out in the county final and that was that.
Played against kilmore at minor level always played them in Priorswood, the pitches were called Belcamp. They had a nice pitch there. Craobh Ciarans always use to have their main pitch in saint Annes park, went to a few tasty Ciarans/Vincents matches there. They then moved to their new pitches on the n32 there across from the halting site.
I think Val Andrews was over that Ballymun team.
Johnny was one of the lads I knew 
That Franky Byrne lad was a son of some radio personality iirc - I remember never having heard of her at the time!
1 Like
Johnny used to go all around Dublin on a mountain bike in a time when no one cycled. Cool dude too.
1 Like
I that’s right. They had Tommy Carr. They were a serious outfit.
The Caffreys were Na Fianna. John Kearns I’d say you mean. Gerry Hargan, Anto McCaul and Dermot Deasy too. I think Kevin McStay played with them for a year or 2 aswell
Jesus were the Caffreys not always Na Fianna - Johnner taught me in school and never mentioned it. Would imagine it would be a contentious decision to tog for near neighbours.
1 Like
Correct apologies
Declan Sheehan and Barney too - they were very good.
2 Likes
John McCarthy too surely?
McCarthy played with Ballymun, Na Fianna and The Guards. I’m not sure which was his original club.
My oul’ fella always blamed Declan Sheehan for the Kevin Foley goal in 1991. Said he should have planted Martin O’Connell (I think) over the end line when Dublin had them pinned in up in the corner before the move started.
In fairness Dublin had plenty of other chances to stop that goal and didn’t take any of them.
Don’t recall Sheehan ever figuring for Dublin again after that. He wasn’t at the level required.
Some notables here. Elsie in the Camogie is Brian Cody’s wife. Pat Delaney on the goal for Dublin in the hurling has been struck off the roll of solicitors.
3 Likes
Never knew Joey Cassidy of Brigids played hurling never mind Dublin minor a year our of his age. He named in subs in that programme
Joe would have been first year minor then. He was tidy enough hurler but football was always his first love. Emmet Carroll would have been still u16 in that panel but was different gravy at that age.
2 Likes
Still togging out for Boden.
@Spidey @binkybarnes Is the Quarter Final Draw for the Dublin Football Championship pre determined as:
1st Group A v 2nd Group B
2nd Group A v 1st Group B
Etc.
And Semi Final then is an open draw I take it?