Cavan '59 Minors mark golden jubilee

Plans are at an early stage to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Cavan minor football team who won the Ulster title in 1959 and went on to reach the All-Ireland final in September before losing narrowly to Dublin by 0-11 to 1-4. The celebrations will include a reception in the Slieve Russell, Ballyconnell on Friday, September 18, the eve of the All-Ireland senior and football minor finals. Guests will include Mick Higgins, one of Cavan's outstanding players of the 1940s and '50s and holder of three All-Ireland senior medals. He was trainer to the '59 minor team and went on to successfully coach the Cavan senior team to four Ulster senior titles in 1962, 1964, 1967 and 1969. Also attending is author and playwright Shane Connaughton, a native of Kingscourt, and a keen Cavan GAA supporter and Dublin 1959 minor team captain Mick Kissane. This is the second occasion that this minor team has been honoured in the past decade. In July 1999, the 40th anniversary celebrations of their appearance in the All-Ireland final were in the Slieve Russell Hotel on Saturday, July 31. Tyrone Cavan's opening game in the 1959 Ulster championship campaign was against Tyrone in Dungannon on Sunday, June 25, which Cavan won 4-5 to 2-3. Only a paragraph each was published of the preview and the subsequent report in The Anglo-Celt. The Cavan scorers were Brian Sherlock (2-1), Kevin McCormack (1-1), John McNally (1-0) and Frankie Kennedy (0-1). The team chosen for the game were: John Boyle; Hugo Cafferty, Fintan McKiernan, Tony Morris; Hugh Donoghue, Paddy Flood, Finbar O'Reilly; John McNally, Declan McCluskey; Kevin McCormack, Dessie Brady, Frankie Kennedy; Kevin Blessing, Brian Morris, Brian Sherlock. Their semi-final opponents were Donegal and the game in St. Mary's Park, Castleblayney in early July ended in an easy win for the Breffni side by 6-7 to 1-9. Although they played against the wind in the first half, Cavan led by 4-3 to 0-7 at half-time. The Cavan scorers were Brian Morris (2-1), Phil Murray (2-0), Brian Sherlock (1-2). Dessie Brady (1-0), Kevin McCormack (0-3) and Kevin Blessing (0-1)). Cavan: John Boyle; Hugo Cafferty, Fintan McKiernan, Finbarr O'Reilly; Hugh Donohoe; Tony Morris, P. J. (Paddy) Flood; John McNally, Declan McCluskey; Brian Sherlock, Dessie Brady, Frankie Kennedy; Kevin McCormack, Brian Morris, Kevin Blessing. Subs. Phil Murray for Frankie Kennedy, Jim Dolan for McCluskey. Preparations Cavan were due to face Antrim in the Ulster final and played a challenge game against Offaly in preparation for that game in Breffni Park, and were beaten by 4-1 to 0-9. A return game was organised for Tullamore on the following Sunday evening but the real test was in Clones. There was little to worry about for the Cavan fans as the team hit top form in the final and defeated Antrim 2-11 to 2-7, winning the title after a seven-year lapse. Cavan were helped by a flying start when Brian Morris had the ball in the net after barely 30 seconds while Lightning Murray, playing at left-corner forward, got the second goal in the 16th minute. The game was played at a cracking pace throughout and Cavan's victory was built on a sound defence with the full-back line of Fintan McKiernan, Hugo Cafferty and Finbar Reilly solid. The half-back area was equally secure through the efforts of Tony Morris, team captain Paddy Flood and Hugh Donoghue. Lightning Murray Dessie Brady and Brian Morris produced the winning scores. Cavan team: John Boyle; Hugo Cafferty, Fintan McKiernan, Finbar O'Reilly; Paddy Flood, Tony Morris, Hugh Donoghue; John McNally, Declan McCluskey; Brian Sherlock, Dessie Brady, Kevin Blessing; Kevin McCormack, Brian Morris, Phil Murray. Croke Park Cavan qualified for the All-Ireland final with a 2-3 to 0-8 win over Galway in an entertaining semi-final at Croke Park on Sunday, August 23. The team came through a tough encounter, as apart from a great start when they scored 1-1 for an early lead, the goal coming from Lightning Murray, they had to contend with a more physical Galway side who could do everything but score. Just how valuable those early scores were can be gauged by the fact that though they were backed by a not inconsiderable breeze, it took Galway all of 29 minutes to get on level terms and they enjoyed a half-time lead of 0-5 to 1-1. Cavan withstood the pressure in the second-half and confined Galway to just three points. Then to compound the Connacht champions' misery and Cavan's delight, the Breffni side, who trailed by two points with just over four minutes of the game remaining, got through for the vital second goal. Team captain Paddy Flood landed a high ball into the Galway square. Dessie Brady dispossessed the Galway full-back and Kevin Blessing raced in to shoot to the net. A point ahead with only four minutes left, Cavan sensed victory was within their grasp. Galway staged a spirited recovery and the Cavan defence had difficulty containing the forwards but a magnificent save from goalkeeper John Boyle helped secure a place in the final. Cavan team: John Boyle; Hugo Cafferty, Fintan McKiernan, Finbar O'Reilly; Paddy Flood, Tony Morris, Hugh Donohoe; John McNally, Declan McCluskey; Brian Sherlock, Dessie Brady, Kevin Blessing; Kevin McCormack, Brian Morris, Phil Murray. Among the Galway stars of the future in their team were Noel Tierney, Pat Donnellan, John Cleary and John Keenan. Final The All-Ireland final was a great occasion, for Cavan and Ulster in particular, as Down's senior team were making the breakthrough from the northern province and faced a Galway team who included the dynamic forward duo of Frankie Stockwell and Sean Purcell. The Cavan team included players who would go on to play a role at senior level in the '60s, among them, Tony and Brian Morris (Gowna) and Phil Murray (Cavan Gaels). Included in the subs was another player who would play a leading role for Cavan seniors in the '60s, Frankie Kennedy (Drumlane). The Dublin team included two players who went on to make an impact at senior level, Mick Kissane and Simon Behan. Cavan were deemed 'lambs to the slaughter' by the Dublin media and a pushover for the Dubs, who were on the verge of another minor title win. But by half-time the Cavan players were given a standing ovation as they led by 1-2 to 0-4, despite playing against a strong wind. Within nine minutes, Cavan fans were celebrating when Larry McCluskey, from well outfield, dropped in a high ball right underneath the Dublin crossbar and goalkeeper P. Talbot failed to prevent it entering the net. Despite this good start, Cavan never played with the same momentum in the second-half and it was only the stubborn resistance of the defence and the lack of real scoring power in the Dublin attack that helped keep the final score to respectable proportions, Dublin 0-11 Cavan 1-4. Cavan team: John Boyle (Kill-Drumgoon); Hugo Cafferty (Cavan Gaels), Fintan McKiernan (West Cavan Gaels), Finbar O'Reilly (Ballinagh); Paddy Flood, captain (Drumalee), Tony Morris (Gowna), Frankie Kennedy (Drumlane); Declan McCluskey (Cootehill), Brian Morris (Gowna); Brian Sherlock (Cootehill), Dessie Brady (Redhills), Kevin Blessing (Cootehill); Larry McCluskey (Cootehill), Kevin McCormack (Maghera), Phil Murray (Cavan Gaels). Subs used. Tom McKiernan (Lacken) for Declan McCluskey, Gerry O'Reilly (Cornafean) for Larry McCluskey, Larry McCluskey for Gerry O'Reilly. Other players on the panel were; Hugh Donoghue (Crosserlough), Pat Hourican (Gowna), Jim Dolan (Blacklion), Dessie and Ray Carolan (Cross), Patsy Murphy (Cavan Gaels), Hugh Smith (Farnham). John McNally (Kill-Drumgoon), Paddy Duffy (Cavan Gaels), Garrett O'Reilly (Ballyconnell) and John Kerr (Killinkere). Dublin - P. Talbot; E. Grainger, E. Doran, F, McCourt; M. Campion, Mick Kissane, F. Byrne; S. Behan, I. Levins; Paddy Delaney, Brendan McDonnell, Jim Dowling; G. McKetterick, J. McCabe, S. Coen. Subs. B. Cooney for McKetterick, P. Taylor for Behan. Three of that Cavan panel are since deceased, John Boyle (Kill-Drumgoon), Kevin McCormack (Maghera) and Hughie Smith (Cavan Gaels).