Ardfinnan GAA

History

Ardfinnan GAA club was formed in 1910. Prior to 1910 local teams had played on the green in Ardfinnan village. At that time the Ardfinnan Woollen Mills had a big influence on the club as many of the players were employed there. Then a junior club, Ardfinnan entered the Tipperary senior championship in 1912 for the first time but were beaten by Fethard. At this time Ardfinnan played in black and white jerseys, and so became known as "the magpies". The colours were then changed to green with a white band and white shamrock; that shamrock still remains on the jerseys to this very day. The club played senior in 1917 and 1918 but due to the War of Independence there was very little football played in the period between 1919 and 1922.

Ardfinnan reached their first South division final in 1927 but were beaten by a Carrick on Suir side that went on to win the County title. In 1928 Ardfinnan had two players on the Tipperary team that beat Kerry in the Munster Senior Football Championship, Ned Lonergan and John O'Leary; to date this was the last time Tipperary beat Kerry in a Munster Championship. The 1960s were Ardfinnan's golden era, in which the club won the county senior title three times and the South senior title five times, including four consecutive seasons.

In November 2005, Ardfinnan won their first county title since 1974 with a 1–5 to 1–4 win against Loughmore-Castleiney in Cashel. That title ended a 31-year famine with a late winning point by player manager Peter Lambert. Ardfinnan went on to lose to Nemo Rangers in the 2005 Munster Championship quarter-final on a 0–6 to 1–13 scoreline in Ardfinnan on 13 November.

In November 2011, the club published its official history.

On 14 October 2018, managed by former Tipperary manager John Evans, Ardfinnan reached their first county final since 2005 after an 0–9 to 0–8 win against Loughmore-Castleiney in the semi-final. In the final, Ardfinnan lost by 1–15 to 1–7 against Moyle Rovers on 28 October.

Honours

• Tipperary Senior Football Championship (8)
  • 1935, 1939, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1970, 1974, 2005
• South Tipperary Senior Football Championship (10)
  • 1935, 1939, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1968, 1973, 1974, 2018
• Tipperary Junior 'A' Football Championship (2)
  • 1934
  • (St Finnan's) 1954
• South Tipperary Junior 'A' Football Championship (2)
  • 1934
  • (St Finnan's) 1954
• Tipperary Under-21 'A' Football Championship (2)
  • 1963, 1994, 2013
• South Tipperary Under-21 'A' Football Championship (8)
  • 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2013
• Tipperary Under-21 'B' Football Championship (2)
  • 1992, 2009
• South Tipperary Under-21 'B' Football Championship (4)
  • 1987, 1992, 2009, 2015
• Tipperary Minor 'A' Football Championship (4)
  • 1961, 1962, 1971, 2009
• South Tipperary Minor 'A' Football Championship (9)
  • 1961, 1962, 1969, 1971, 1991, 1994, 1997, 1998, 2009
• Tipperary Minor 'B' Football Championship (1)
  • 2001
• South Tipperary Minor 'B' Football Championship (3)
  • 1988, 2001,2017

2005 Tipperary Senior Football Champions squad

• Eamon Ryan Tony Ryan, Alan John Lonergan, Kieran O'Brien Michael Phelan, Hugh Bannon, Cathal Hennessy Thomas Maher, Lorcan Bannon Alan O'Gorman, Terry Kearns, John R Murphy Peter Hally, Peter Lambert, Declan Walsh Subs Sean Maher for Hennessy; Michael English for O Gorman; James Hackett for Walsh Scorers for Ardfinnan – H Bannon 1–0; P Lambert, P Hally 0–2 each; T Kearns 0–1.

Notable players

• Colm O'Shaughnessy
• Willie Barrett
• Brendan Cummins
• Michael "Babs" Keating
• Peter Lambert
• John Cummins
• Michael Phelan

Facilities

In 1983, the club made the decision to purchase their own GAA grounds }6.5 acre of land on the Clonmel Road, work commenced in late 1984. In May 1988, the club's new grounds on Clonmel road were officially opened. The grounds consisted of a playing field, a covered stand, four changing rooms and a car park for up to 80 cars.

References

References

1. "Honours". Official Site.
2. "HISTORY OF ARDFINNAN GAA CLUB". Official Site.
3. (4 November 2005). "Ardfinnan's title as fourteen-man Loughmore falter". Tipperary Star.
4. (31 October 2005). "Long wait over for Ardfinnan". Irish Examiner.
5. (3 November 2005). "Ardfinnan dig deep to restore glory days". Tipperary Star.
6. (6 December 2005). "Nemo Rangers bid for 13th AIB Munster SF title". Hogan Stand.
7. (14 November 2005). "Masters and O'Brien point the way for Nemo". Irish Independent.
8. (14 November 2005). "Power Rangers hit form to make light work of an Ard task; MUNSTER SFC QF: NEMO 1–13 ARDFINNAN 0–6.". Irish Mirror.
9. "Ardfinnan GAA History". Ardfinnan.tipperary.gaa.ie.
10. (15 October 2018). "Moyle Rovers and Ardfinnan pull off shocks in Tipperary". Irish Examiner.
11. (26 October 2018). "His enthusiasm and passion just stirs something inside of you from listening to the players talking about him". The 42.
12. (25 October 2018). "Ardfinnan hoping to complete amazing journey with Tipp county final win on Sunday". The Nationalist.
13. (28 October 2018). "Moyle Rovers claim Tipperary crown". The Irish Times.
14. (28 October 2018). "Champions Moyle Rovers overcome Ardfinnan's brave challenge to capture Tipperary county title". The Nationalist.