1969At Tuam Stadium the Club’s minor footballers had three goals to spare over Mountbellew in the first round of the North Board Championship winning by 3-5 to 0-5. Though they had knocked out some of the fancied teams in the championship Glenamaddy were easily defeated by Athenry in the semi-final. The first half produced the best football of the game, but the winners took control in the second half and forced Glenamaddy to concentrate on a defensive game to prevent a heavier defeat.The final score was 0-11 to 0-2. Gerry Corley made a welcome return to the Athenry side for the North Board Final against Killererin at Tuam Stadium. The Killererin side were no match for Athenry who won with a comfortable margin of fourteen points, 1-16 to 0-5. “Sixteen points, stated the Tuam Herald, shows the true worth of the Athenry attack and the game will be remembered by the small attendance for one of the best goals ever seen at the venue, a sizzling shot after a searing solo run by Athenry’s left half forward Luke Glynn” The Herald continued “Gerry Kelly played a captains part for the winners and his strength and power were altogether too much for Kevin O’Brien. Luke Glynn was in scoring form and ended with an impressive 1-8. Stephen Cloonan, Tom Burke and Gerry Corley were outstanding in the Athenry defence while Pakie Flannerey and Sean Hynes displayed great aptitude for work at midfield. P. J. Molloy, Pakie Corley and Frank Joyce were not far behind Kelly in the attack.” Ballinasloe were no match for Athenry in the County semi-final at Mountbellew. The North Board champions were in control throughout and easily qualified for the county final winning with a final score of 4-11 to 1-1 in their favour. Hopes of a historic double were shattered by Galway City side St. Michael’s in the County Final by a margin of three points. NORTH BOARD MINOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONS 1969 Front Row: (left to right) Gerry Holland, Gerry Doherty, Ossie O’Grady, Tom Burke, Kieran Barrett, P. J. Molloy, Gerry Kelly (Captain), Francis Joyce, Sean Hynes. Pakie Flannery, Back Row: (left to right) Michael Poniard, Joe Killeen, Tom Coffey, Pakie Corley, Kevin Donoghue, Eugene Glynn, Gerry Corley, Johnny Gannon, Stephen Cloonan, Pat Kilkelly, Brian Hardiman and Luke Glynn. Minor Football NORTH MINOR FINAL LINEOUT 1969 1 Pat Kilkelly, 2 Kevin Donoghue, 3 Stephen Cloonan, 4 Johnny Gannon, 5 Gerry Corley 6 Tom Burke, 7 Kieran Barrett, 8 Pakie Flannery 9 Sean Hynes, 10 P. J. Molloy, 11 Gerry Kelly (C) 12 Luke Glynn, 13 Pakie Corley, 14 Eugene Glynn 15 Frank Joyce, 16 Gerry Holland, 17 Gerry Doherty, 18 Joe Killeen, 19 Ossie O’Grady 20 Michael Poniard, 21 Tom Coffey, 22 Brian Hardiman MANAGEMENT: Anthony Donoghue, Michael Burke and Fr. Martin Gleeson. 1967-9 Gill Ruane a team mentor during the 1960’s Athenry team officials and mentors (from left) Paddy Ryan, John Crosby and Jim Ruane played key roles in Athenry’s hurling successes during the 1960’s.
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