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| Abbey CBS, Newry | 0-5 | St. Patrick's, Cavan | 1-3 | Athletic Grounds, Armagh |
| Abbey CBS, Newry | 0-11 | St. Patrick's, Cavan | 1-5 | Pearse Park, Ballybay |
It is hard to believe it is 46 years ago since that glorious year in 1954 when Abbey CBS won thier first MacRory Cup under the guidance of Br. Rehill (R.I.P.), a staunch Cavan man and that great tactician Gerry Brown (R.I.P), who brought the modern game to the fore in the Fifties and went on to manage the Tyrone team in the Sixties and also that great Down team in 1968. I remember well that team meeting in mid September 1953 when our training schedule of three days a week, hail, rain or snow was set up; also the luxury of the cold water tap outside to wash down, not hot showers in those days. Challenge games were arranged and the only defeat we suffered all year was by the student priests in Drumantine College who had players to call on from nearly ever County in Ireland.
Our first game in the MacRory Cup, was a home game agains a big physical St. Malachy College team from Belfast and in the torrid encounter in the Abbey (no neutral venues in those days) the CBS came out on top by a few points. Our next fixture also at home was against that framed nursery of football St. Pats, Armagh, with such stalwarts as Jimmy Wilson, Fr. Bertie Watson, Seamus O'Hanlon and Noel Rice, this game ebbed and flowed with football of the highest quality, with the Abbey victorious again by a narrow margin. This set up the final with another famous school St. Pats, Cavan, on Sunday 7th March with the Athletic Grounds, Armagh as a venue. in an epic struggle in terrible conditions and with Cavan in the lead 1-3 to 0-5 with fifteen minutes to go tragedy struck when the referee Paddy Gallagher from Omagh collapsed and died. The reply was refixed a few weeks later on Wednesday at Ballybay. This time with a huge following from the Frontier Town, the Abbey were victorious winning their first MacRory title 0-11 to 1-5.
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The Thomas Pipe Band met the team at the Dublin Road and paraded them through the town to the steps of the Old Masters House in Castle Street where they were introduced to their rapturous supporters. In the Final that year there was quality on both sides. For Cavan - Charlie Gallagher (R.I.P), Seamus Conaty, Phil Masterson and their half back line of Bill Dolan, Shay McGowan and Aidan Chesney, while the Abbey had James Cunningham, a future Down player, Raymond Hollywood, a prolific wing half back from Mitchels with finbar Conlon from Glenn, the best centre half back I've ever seen.
In midfield we had a beutifully balanced Mayobridge man Gerry Butterfield who would have graced that great Down team of the Sixties for years but unfortunately he emigrated to the USA while up front we had Kevin O'Neill a future All Ireland winner for Down and that colossus from Laurencetown Gerry Geoghan. In those days teams were only 13 a side and we had those two diminutive full forwards, Mickey Brady from Shamrocks and Brendan Doyle from Clonduff with Seamus Mallon (the Deputy Minister of the Northern Ireland Assembly) also lending his valuable experience to the team. In 1954 however, there was no Hogan Competition instead there were Interprovincial Competitions and that particular Abbey team had Gerry Butterfield, Finbar Conlan and Gerry Geoghan selected, who is to say that the Abbey could not have went on and won the Hogan, although I believe St. Jarlaths had a certain Sean Purcell and Frankie Stockwell (The Terrible Twins) in their ranks, oh, what a mouthwatering match that would have been. However, on closing, I would like to say that the members of that particular panel were very fortunate to be in the right place at the right time and under two great mentors in Bro. Rehill and Gerry Brown (R.I.P)
Perhaps in the near future we will hear again that historic match call of Bro. Ger O'Doherty "On your toes Abbey" as the Red, Black and Amber seek to recapture MacRory Cup glory.
Anthony McKay - Goalkeeper
Abbey CBS, Newry
MacRory Champions 1954
| The 1954 Abbey Team. |
A. McKay, J. Cunningham, M. Heatley, R. Hollywood, F. Conlon, P. O'Hagan, G. Butterfield, S. Mallon, K. O'Neill, G. Geoghan, J. Keegan, M. Brady, B. Doyle, J. Campbell, B. McSherry, P. Hennity, J.O'Donnell.
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