Founded: 1887 Colours: Red and White Hurling: 0 | County: Kildare Grounds: Geraldine Park, Athy | |
Athy GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) club in Athy, County Kildare, Ireland, winner of six county senior football championships.
Contents
History
RIC records from 1890 show that Athy had 70 members, with Revd J Caroll, Martin Doyle, Daniel Foley and B King listed as officers. EJ O'Reilly, Brian Supple and P Lawler attended the 1889 convention. In 1905 Athy rented a field for the Kildare Agricultural Society. The ground staged the replay of the 1908 All Ireland hurling final. Ronan Fenlon is player of the year 5 times in a row. He is from Ballyadams.
Gaelic Football
Under the guidance of Seamus Malone the club's Gaelic football team was regraded senior in 1921. The team went to the 1923 County final under the guidance of Edward Sapper O'Neill. There they became the last team to end the county scoreless when they lost 2–5 to nil against Naas. With the emergence of Paul Mattews and Tom Mulhall they beat Rathangan to win the 1933 championship in a trial of youth v experience. Paul Mathews got a late goal to equalise the 1934 final and Athy won the replay under the captaincy of John Joe Murphy. Athy came back and won a disappointing 1937 county final against Sarsfields, having been eliminated on a walk-over by Raheens and reinstated. In 1942 Athy won another replayed final against Carbury, having trailed at half-time in the drawn match 0–4 to nil and having seemingly blown their chance when Pat Mulhall missed a 14-yard free. An early Athy goal in the replay set them on course for victory. Athy's last county final for thirty years was that of 1946 when the weather, and then the "save the harvest" campaign caused the county final to be postponed twice. In between they lost two semi-finals against Ellistown, and were shocked by near neighbours Rheban in 1945. In the 1950s DannyFlood held the full back position on the Kildare team for ten years. Athy stepped down to intermediate in 1967. Their seven years in the grade saw them lose successive finals in 1969 and 1970, the second to local rivals Rheban and even enter an area team, St. Michael's, in the championship. The return of Mick Carolan, and the emergence of Brian O'Doherty and Pat Shaughnessy all helped bring about a 1974 intermediate championship triumph. But the most exciting prospects for the club seemed to lie in the 1973 Athy CBS and Kildare minor All Ireland teams, back-boned by five Athy players.
Although shocked by St. Laurences in the 1974 minor final, Athy had won the under-21 championship in 1975. A defeat to Monasterevin in their senior championship debut did not deter them. In 1976 Athy went to the county semi-final where they were beaten by four points by Raheens. Heavily beaten by Carbury in 1977, they took the lead against Raheens in the 1978 final, with goals from Ger Clancy and a fabulously executed move finished by Donie Lambe sent them into a 2–3 to 0–5 lead against Raheens, but a penalty given against them and two players sent off meant they lost 3–14 to 2–6. Athy won the Kildare County Championship in 1987 when they defeated Johnstownbridge in the final at St. Conleths Park in Newbridge by 2–09 to 0–9. Bobby Miller lined out at centre forward that day and was also the teams manager.
Athy had to wait 24 years before reaching the summit of Kildare Senior Football once again. On 9 October 2011 in St Conleths Park Newbridge Michael Foley captained a young Athy side to victory against Carbury with a final score of 2.11 to 2.07. Athy scored 2–5 in the opening 15 minutes and two points in the closing four minutes but managed just four points in between, a period during which Carbury accumulated 2–4. Indeed, when Daryl O'Brien rasped home Carbury's second goal in the 57th minute to cut the deficit to two points, it looked as if they might have timed their run to perfection. The next score was crucial and it went Athy's way as Man of the Match Cian Reynolds held his nerve and calmly pointed a free.
"It was a crucial score because Carbury were going very well at that stage," said Athy manager Mark Brophy.
Reynolds added another point in stoppage time, sending the red-clad hordes in the 6,000 crowd into ecstasy as they began the celebrations after a job well done by a well-balanced squad.
Hurling
Daniel Whelan of Fontstown placed an order for hurleys for Athy GAA club in 1887. Athy lost to Monasterevin in the 1887 hurling championship. Hurling was revived in 1928 and 1932.
In 1998 Eddie lawler was elected as chairman after being involved as Secretary and PRO since 1972 and continues as chairman to this day. He's also in his third year as chairman of the Kildare Hurling Board.
Titles
Senior 1928, 1936, 1959
Intermediate 1937, 1943, 1950, 1958, 1989
Junior 1982, 1998, 2007
Camogie
Athy advertised for a reunion of players in 1909. Clan Bridge and St Patrick's clubs from Athy affiliated separately in 1935. Athy beat Ballitore in the 1940 junior final. Ballyroe St Anne's was formed in 1959. Coached by Jimmy Hickey, they won the 1961 senior league, Brigid Moran scored seven goals as they won the 1961 county final and they went on to win four county titles in a row before disbanding suddenly in 1964. Ballyroe won the Senior League in 1960, 1961, 1963 and 1964.