What is likely to have been the first ever club hurling game in
County Carlow took place on Sunday, May 11, 1902. The contestants in
that historic game were Tullow Faugh-a-Ballagh and the Bagenalstown
Volunteers. Under the heading 'Hurling Contest' The Nationalist of May
17th had this to say:-
"A four figure crowd attended the hurling contest in Tullow. A very
interesting match took place between Tullow Faugh-a-Ballagh and
Bagenalstown Volunteers and considering the home that the home team have
scarcely a couple of months practicing they played with an amount of
self-possession that would do credit to veteran wielders of the game.
For some time play was kept in the centre of the field, but with a
determined effort the Tullow players broke through the visitors
combination and rushed a goal. The visitors made a plucky attempt to
equalise matters but were unsuccessful and the home forwards got the
ball well under way, and by a well directed stroke a second goal was
scored. The Volunteers however seemed not inclined to let the laurels
slip without a struggle, and before the whistle was sounded they managed
to notch off two points to their credit.
Final Score:- Tullow Faugh-a-Ballagh ........... 2-0
- Bagenalstown Volunteers ......... 0-2
"Messer's Roche, Maher, Byrne, Carroll, Dawson and Kelly did good work
for the home team while the visitors were well sustained by Messrs
McDonald, Cahill and Ward.
The greatest order prevailed during the game which was closely
watched by those present as it is the first time a match of this kind
took place in the locality".
Later that month the same two clubs met in a return hurling match at
the Bagenalstown Gaelic Tournament. The Nationalist reported:
"The return hurling match between Tullow Faugh-a-Ballagh and
Bagenalstown Volunteers created considerable interest for the
spectators, and was well contested, the Tullow men displaying very
scientific combination, and were declared victors by 7 points to 1
point. Bagenalstown, in spite of 'hard luck', played a sturdy game and
it is hoped that for the future they will succeed in placing a more
creditable score to their credit".
So, Tullow Faugh-a-Ballagh could claim to be the first, if
unofficial, Carlow hurling champions.
The above was also found in The Intermountain
Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920 newspaper.
CARLOW'S HURLING
CHAMPIONSHIP
THE EARLY YEARS
Source:
http://carlow.gaa.ie/hurling_milestones.htm
The first Carlow Hurling Championship draw on record is that for 1903
and read:
Carlow Shamrocks v. Tullow Son of the Shamrocks
Bagenalstown Volunteers v. Tullow Faugh-a-Ballagh
Unfortunately there is precious little in the archives to suggest
that the Championship actually took place except that the meeting of the
two Shamrocks teams was fixed for Tullow on May 9th. The gate receipts
from the Carlow County. Championship games of 1903 were to be donated to
a fund to erect a memorial in Tullow to Fr. John Murphy. Followers were
asked to support this worthy cause by paying the 3d admission.
In 1904 there was no hurling in the county, in 1905 Carlow Town was
the only hurling club affiliated while the following year, though both
Carlow Town and Bagenalstown had clubs, no hurling competition took
place. It would appear Carlow Town were the lone club again in 1907.
In January 1908 the draw for the Carlow Hurling Championship
resulted:
Bagenalstown v. Carlow-Graigue
Carlow v. Tullow
Carlow-Graigue beat Bagenalstown, 7-3 to 0-4 in a replay, having
objected to Bagenalstown after the original game. Tullow outscored
Carlow, 3-4 to 1-3. The final was fixed for Clonegal, in Mr. J.
O'Donoghue's field, on July 18 with Paddy Coyne to referee.
While no account of the final appears in the "Nationalist" it appears
likely that Carlow-Graigue won it, as many old records credit the
Graigue men with the Carlow hurling titles of 1906, 1907 and 1908.
However, it must be said, that research to date has unearthed that fact
that no hurling championship took place in either 1906 or 1907. A
hurling championship was begun in 1909 but the Carlow County Board
Minutes Book for that year tells us that it was decided to 'abandon' the
competition. Carlow-Graigue had qualified for the final on an objection
to Carlow while Bagenalstown and Tullow were due to meet in the other
semi-final.
From 1910 to 1913 hurling was non-existent in Carlow. 1914 saw the
arrival of St. Mullins on the Carlow hurling scene. The men from the
deep South beat Bagenalstown in a replayed semi-final but it was well
into 1915 before the '14 final was played, Tullow being the opposition.
The match, played in Old Leighlin, was of a controversial nature and "by
consent" was replayed in Ballon on August 29th. On this occasion Tullow
won on a 4-2 to 1-0 score line. Mr. James Murphy, County. Secretary,
acted as referee.
Tullow probably won the 1915 Championship, the final being played
against Bagenalstown in 1916, but this is subject to further research.
The 1916 County Final, played in the June of 1917, made the national
press, being commented upon in the famed "Freeman's Journal".
Bagenalstown beat Graigue but it was the roughness of the game which
excited commented in the "Journal". The "Nationalist", however, refuted
the allegations, stating "the game was a hard, fast one, being
stubbornly contested throughout".
During the years 1918 and 1919 three hurling clubs were affiliated or
claimed to be in existence but no hurling competition was played. In
1920 Carlow Town and Bagenalstown clashed in the final, the former
having overcome Old Leighlin (on the field or by walk-over is not
known). Little is known about the final either but some old records
credit Carlow Town with that year's championship.
Carlow Town definitely
won the Championship the following year, with Bagenalstown not fielding
a team in Tinryland for the final on October 16. No draw was made in
1922, three teams affiliated in 1923 but no record of games being played
can be found, while 1924, 1925 and 1926 were also 'hurling free' in
Carlow.
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