Shannon Gaels GAA


Shannon Gaels is the GAA club of Kilmurry McMahon/Labasheeda, County Clare. The name Shannon Gaels first appeared in 1940 but Gaelic Football has been played in the parish since 1887 under different names.

History

Before Shannon Gaels

The first club was formed in May 1887 under the name Labasheeda. Their first ever game was played against Kilmacduane on the 21st of that month. The game ended with a victory to Kilmacduane on a scoreline of 0-1 to 0-0. The club continued for another 13 years without any success, until 1900 when a parish team under the name St. Patricks captured the county title from Kilmihil by a winning margin of six points. It wasn't until 1930 that the whole parish united as one club.

1940s

The name Shannon Gaels did not appear until 1940, however once again there was a split in the parish. The Shannon Gaels club won the Junior A championship in 1941 defeating Clohanes in a game played at Kilmurry McMahon. The following year, Shannon Gaels completed in the intermediate division and reached the final before being defeated by Kilmihil. With the split continuing, players from the parish captured the Cusack Cup in 1944 playing for Coolmeen. For a period of three years there was no club in the parish until 1949 when the parish once again united, this time under the name of Shannon Gaels. And it has remained so to this day.

1950s

The fifties brought success which was based on a good youth policy under the stewardship of Vincent McGarry. A minor title was won in 1957 with a juvenile title being won the following year and numerous other finals were reached throughout the decade. In 1959 the club annexed its first Junior championship beating Kilfenora by a solitary goal. The club was in Senior ranks for the first time now since 1945.

1960s

In 1963, Shannon Gaels contested its first county Senior final since 1907, however the team met its match on the day losing to a more experienced Kilmurry Ibrickane team despite outplaying them for over fifty minutes. Underage success continued notably two under 21 titles in 67 and 69. Shannon Gaels appeared in another county final in 1969 and were defeated by Doonbeg.

1970s

The following year success arrived, when the parish had its first Senior county championship success since 1900. On 16 August 1970, Arthur Ford lifted the Jack Daly Cup in the Square in Miltown Malbay after a hard fought victory over Kilrush Shamrocks. Shannon Gaels won the Senior Championship again in 1971 defeating Doonbeg. P.J. Murphy was on hand to accept the Jack Daly trophy on behalf of the club.
This should have been the beginning of something of a famine for the other teams in the county but, sadly, the following years did not bring the success the tremendous talent which existed in the parish deserved. 1973 saw another final defeat at the hands of Doonbeg. The Cusack Cup was won in '75 and '76 but this was scant consolation for what should have been numerous additions to the Roll of Honour list for the Senior title.

1980s

Barren years followed and the only major success of the eighties was the Banner cup victory in 1986. On 15 May 1984 the club were proud to open Shannon Gaels Park. It was the brainchild of Tommy Lorigan who died before it was completed.
The facilities provided were some of the most modern in the county. The clubhouse had four changing rooms complete with shower facilities, a spacious meeting room and a referees changing room. It remains a mystery as regards why anyone ever felt that a meeting room, and a spacious one at that, was a necessary piece of infrastructure.

1990s

In the nineties, where the club enjoyed still more under age success. One u- 12 title, four u-16 titles, and three u-21 titles were won, while in 1999 Noel Kennedy captained a talented Intermediate team to glory. However, despite the best efforts of the club, they failed miserably on a number of occasions to secure a Minor A championship despite being the clear favorites to do so.

2000s

However this success was not properly built on and the excitement of the first senior championship campaign in ten years seemed to have a negative effect on the team as they lost the championship opener to Lissycasey.
The year 2001 brought about a new structure for the senior championship. Groups of four were to play off in a round robin series with the top two teams going forward to the Quarter-finals. A victory in the round robin stage was followed by defeats to Eire Og and Miltown Malbay and this saw the Gaels competing in the Senior B championship. Defeats by Liscannor, St. Breckans and, finally, Corofin resulted in relegation back to Intermediate level.
The Intermediate Championship was annexed in 2002 after victories over Kildysart, Kilfenora, Coolmeen and Michael Cusacks. So the Gaels were back in Senior ranks once again. In the 2003 Senior Championship the Gaels exceeded the expectations of many by qualifying from their group and reaching the quarter final. Led by a management team of Anthony Daly, Mickey Cahill and Mick O'Shea, the Gaels fought an amazing battle with St. Senan's Kilkee in the quarter final and were unlucky not to proceed to the semi-final as they drew their first match with Kilkee. The Gaels were defeated by Kilkee in the replay and Kilkee went on to win the county title.
The following year, Fergie Tuohy replaced Anthony Daly in the management set up and the team went one step further by reaching the semi-final where they faced eventual champions Kilmurry Ibrickane. After a bright start, the Gaels challenge faltered and were eventually well beaten.
In 2005, a new management team of Josie O'Shea, Mike Ryan, Eamon Keane and JT McMahon were put in place. Promotion to Division 1 of the league followed. However, the senior team were unable to reach the quarter finals for the first time in three years. The Senior B championship beckoned and after good wins over Kilrush and Kildysart, the Gaels defeated O'Curry's to win the Scales Cup for the first time.
In 2006, Aidan Moloney was appointed manager and after a first round defeat at the hands of St. Senan's Kilkee the pressure was on. However, Liscannor were defeated soon after to set up a quarter final tie with Lissycasey. The Gaels led by three points with time running out before an opportunist goal for Lissycasey resulted in a replay. The Gaels again led in the replay before the game was tied at the end of normal time before Lissycasey ran out winners in extra time.
The Gaels' 2007 season was not very successful with relegation from Cusack Cup and also a failure to reach the quarter finals after a heart breaking defeat to Doonbeg in the last round robin match.
In 2008, Shannon Gaels reached the quarter final where they were beaten by St. Senan's Kilkee. The club regained their Cusack Cup status despite losing the Garry Cup final to Cooraclare.
2009 was a very poor year for the Gaels. Relegation battles resulted in both the Cusack Cup and the Senior championship and the club survived at both levels.

2010

Peter O'Connell, Michael Crehan and Michael Madigan were appointed as senior management team but the senior team started off on a bad note with a defeat in the first round of the Cusack Cup at the hands of Clondegad. However, subsequent victories over St. Joseph's Miltown Malbay, Liscannor, Cooraclare, Eire Og Inis & St. Senan's Kilkee saw Shannon Gaels qualify for the semi-finals of the Cusack Cup with two games to spare. The last two games of the round series saw heavy defeats at the hands of Doonbeg and Kilmurry Ibrickane.
In the first round of the senior championship, Shannon Gaels overcame a seven-point deficit with ten minutes to go win by a point against Kilmihil on a scoreline of 2-10 to 2-9.
In the semi-final of the Cusack Cup Shannon Gaels played Kilmurry Ibrickane. The teams were level at half time but second half goals from Ruairi Norrby and JP O Neill saw the Gaels emerge victorious on a scoreline of 2-9 to 0-10. Shannon Gaels met St. Joseph's Miltown Malbay in the final in Kilmihil on 26 July and led by 0-4 to 0-3 at half time. However, St. Joseph's scored the game's only goal halfway through the second half, and this score proved decisive as the game finished 1-7 to 0-7 in favour of St. Joseph's.
The second round of the senior championship saw the Gaels defeated Wolfe Tones na Sionna on a scoreline of 1-10 to 0-7 which resulted in qualification for the quarter final of the senior football championship with a game to spare. In the final round robin game against Eire Og, the Gaels ran up a strong seven-point lead early in the second half only to lose by three points. In the quarter final the Gaels suffered disappointment losing by a point to Doonbeg on a scoreline of 0-7 to 0-6.

Current Senior Players

Goalkeepers

Grade in brackets