Draperstown Celtic F.C.

Draperstown Celtic is a football club from the village of Draperstown, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The club, founded in 1968, plays its home matches at Cahore Playing Fields. Club colours are green and white.

Contents

• Junior Honours
• Intermediate honours
• Current squad
• References

It would be perhaps inaccurate to begin any history of Draperstown Celtic Football club by simply beginning in 1968. Despite the fact that we are celebrating the 40th anniversary of the club in its present form, there was certainly a history of football in Draperstown long before the “current” Celtic club was established. The early 1900s would appear to be the actual beginning point to the formation of organised football in the area with archives showing Draperstown Football Club competing in the South Derry and District League. Indeed that league was won by the club in both 1908 and 1909. While the club continued to develop with varying degrees of success, the formation of St. Colm’s Gaelic Club in 1933 was to prove a very attractive alternative.

However, in 1936 Draperstown, playing in green and white hoops with a home pitch where the Moykeeran Housing estate now stands, had their most successful season, winning every competition in which they entered. That team, captained by John McGuigan, contained other players such as Denis McNamee, Alec Barclay, Michael Kelly, Bobby and Matt Taylor, and Mick and Matt Regan who went on to play for Belfast Celtic. However the sporting momentum switched to Gaelic and as a result the soccer club finally no longer existed.

It was almost 30 years later when the next version of organised soccer in Draperstown came into existence. While football was being played on the Fairhill by large numbers it was not in any way organised but there was a desire for an organised team to be re-established. 1967 saw John Joe Bradley, Jody McGuigan and John Burke amongst others attempt to form such a team and as a result Draperstown Reds or Draperstown Utd was formed wearing red shirts. New clubs don’t always run smoothly and this was also the case for the newly formed Draperstown Utd. And in the next year 1968, following a well attended meeting in the AOH hall, Draperstown Celtic F.C. came into being, once again wearing the green and white hoops.

The first competitive season for Celtic was tough. With no home pitch all games were played away, and unsurprisingly they finished bottom of the league. Difficulties continued both in and off the field of play with the added difficulty of attempting to secure a home pitch. This was to change in September 1971 when Celtic would establish their home pitch in a field owned by Billy Cassidy on the Tobermore Rd. beside Burns’ shirt factory. Only a matter of weeks before that came the first of Celtic’s cup successes when a John Andrews hat-trick powered the side to a win over Tobermore Utd. in the Tobermore cup final played at Maghera High School. That team included such players as Mickey Joe Gallagher, Mick McKee, Gerry McKenna, Lenny Kelly, and Mickey “Red” Kelly Draperstown were now a team to be reckoned with and this was further established with the team being promoted from Division 2 of the N.W.league and winning the Division 1 title the following year Some would argue that this was the finest team Draperstown had with the likes of Seamus McKee, Paddy McDaid, Eamon Mc guigan, Jimmy and Mickey McGlone and Charlie Phillips to name but a few. That team was managed by Colm McGuigan who was to achieve a unique sporting double that year when he also managed St.Colm’s to win the Derry Senior Championship with many of the Celtic players in the Ballinascreen side.

1979 saw the greatest haul of trophies when led by Jody McGuigan the side won the 5 competitions they entered. Raymond Beattie, Mickey Moran, Gerry O’Loughlin, Brian Devlin and Rory O’Connor were now familiar faces in the starting line up.

The 80’s saw a rebuilding of the team. Paddy McDaid, Jinx Devlin and Eamon McGuigan remained and were joined by a new group of players including Eugene Murphy, Jim Bradley, Brendan McPeake, Chris Mc Govern, Packie Farrell, Laurence O Kane,Damian Mc Grogan, Joe Convery, Matt Bradley, and Seamie Donnelly. This was further supplemented by the O’Kane brothers, Seamie, Marty and Deckie, from Swatragh. This particular team finished second in the North West Division 1 twice in three years, being pipped to league honours by an emerging Park side.

Laurence O’Kane took over the reins from Jody and brought in a few new faces which included Peter O Neill (the quiet goalie), Don Kelly, Franny Farrell, Ronan Bradley, Barry O Kane and a very young Eamon Burns who made his debut aged 14. This team was beaten in the Boxing Day City Cup final of 1987 by Drummond but gained revenge in the league play off in 1988 when Packie Farrell scored a memorable winning goal, one of the 36 he scored that season which still remains a club record to this day. Further success came two years later in 1990, when That Celtic side captured the prestigious North West Junior Cup beating Ballykelly in the final, a competition which had attracted an initial entry of 256 teams. In the same season they also reached the quarter final or round 6 of the Irish Junior Cup before losing 1-0 to Ballinamallard. Matches From 1980 through to 1996 were played in Regan’s field close to the town which meant home games were well supported and banter was the order of the day and sometimes songs were even heard. “Return to Sender” and “Postman Pat” were given an airing during a 1990 never to be forgotten cup tie against Trojans.

In 1991 John Mc Kee returned to Draperstown Celtic from Ballymena Utd. to manage the team and when players like Ian Connor, Austin Mc Killian, Kevin O’Neill and Rory Scullion were added to the initial core, a third North West league trophy was added in 1992. However, this team also lost in a City Cup final, this time against Claudy Rovers, leaving this trophy as the only one Draperstown Celtic never won during their time in North West football. 1994/95 brought the fourth and last North West league title under the guidance of Paul Davison, the key additional personnel being Fergal Mc Guigan, Peter Young, Franny Quinn, John Tohill and Paul Donnelly.

Always wanting to challenge and prove themselves, Celtic applied for and were admitted to the Northern Ireland Intermediate league for the following season, with the first game at this level being played at Regan’s field against Donegal Celtic. The team performed with a great deal of credibility that season finishing fourth in the league, higher than Institute who now ply their trade in the Irish Premier league.

Two trophies have been won at this level. The Intermediate League Cup was won 2004 in the New Year’s Eve final against Strabane with goals from Peter Young and Stevie McKee in a team that included Seany Young, Brendan Muldoon, and John Andrews (jnr) and Eamon Murray, while the ultimate prize was secured last year with the Northern Ireland Intermediate League Title fittingly secured in the club’s 40th season. This very local young team came from a core of players brought through our youth teams and the history book will say the panel was (name last years panel) under the management team of Austin Mc Killian and John Mc Kee, the latter having returned once again to manage a championship winning side.

Throughout the 40 years, Reserve teams have existed with differing success but always adding to the club’s growing reputation as a club with strength in depth. From the early teams under Patsy Groogan to the 80s team under Mickey McAllister to the 90s under Damien Mc Grogan and Paul Davison up to the modern era under Austin McKillion and most recently Marty Mc Guigan They have regularly developed players and played a massive role in all the club's success and ethos. There have also been some very successful under age teams from the under 13s which included J.P.McGuigan, Stevie Mc Kee and Marty McGuigan to name but a few to the under 17s of Darren Mc Killion, John Higgins, Davin Mc Sorley and Gary Conway all of whom played such a vital role in last year’s league title.

The importance of development of youth football is key to our future success. Under the guidance of Paul Mc Callion, we have just completed our second season of mini soccer which has seen upwards of 40 primary school learning and enjoying the game every Saturday morning, with the club being approved last year by the I.F.A. as a Mini Soccer Centre. Six club members are now accredited Mini Soccer Coaches while a further seven have attained their level 1 coaching certificates. This aspect of the club will be further developed next year. This season has also seen a new under 14 team established and entered into the North West and Coleraine league. Next season the club hopes to also have an U-16 side competing in the same league.

As to the future? Any club needs hard work, commitment and support if it is to prosper and be successful. Those are the very foundations which were laid down in 1968 and which have allowed the club to continue and grow during the past 40 years. The current committee have continued on the work began all those years ago to ensure that Draperstown Celtic Football Club will grow and prosper and that in the years to come we have even more reason to gather together and celebrate.

As of 2016/2017 season Draperstown Celtic now have teams playing at under 10, under 12 (managed by Paul McCallion, Anthony English, Ryan Lagan, Joe Mallon and Peter Price), under 14 (managed by Stephen Caulfield and Colin Lindsay) and under 16 (managed by Stevie McKee and Marcus McGuigan). Along with a reserve team that was reformed last season. Under the guidance of Fergal McGuigan the first team secured back to back promotions from Division 2 to the Premier Division by winning the league.