Get With The Programme

FROM THE ARCHIVES: GET WITH THE PROGRAMME

Cork Athletic v Dundalk 1950-51 The relevance: Dundalk have played numerous Cork teams over the years, so we look back on a couple of historic Cork clubs’ programmes. The facts: Your threepence gets you an austere looking eight page programme. The content: There’s great coverage of Athletics’ fixtures and stats, and three comprehensive pages of commentary. The programme includes the lyrics of a supporters’ song to be sung at the upcoming cup final! A word from our sponsors: There’s just one full page ad featuring an awkward looking airborne salmon- “I’m like a fish out of water without my Beamish”. Famous names: Athletic feature Florrie Burke, goalkeeper Ned Courtney, Jack Lennox and Paddy O’Leary. The Dundalk line-up includes Leo McDonagh, Walter Durkan, Joe Ralph, Johnny Fearon and Terry Murray. The match: Athletic ran out comfortable 5-1 winners (goals from Vaughan 2, O’Leary, Mahoney pen, and Cronin, and Ralph for Dundalk) to stay level with Sligo at the top with a game to go. They won the title by beating Waterford while Sligo dropped points at Transport, and completed the double beating Shels in the cup final. Famous names: Dundalk line up with Christy Barron, Patsy McKeown and John Murphy, and Leo McDonagh and Joe Martin survive from the Cork Athletic match above. Celtic include the formidable forward duo of Austin Noonan and Donal Leahy among their ranks. They scored no fewer than 47 league goals between them (in 22 games!). The match: Dundalk and Celtic opened their Shield campaign with a point apiece after a 0-0 draw. Celtic were pipped to the league title by Limerick and Dundalk finished fifth.

Dundalk v Cork Celtic 1959-60 Shield competition The relevance: Two Cork clubs for the price of one as Evergreen rebrand as Cork Celtic in August 1959, catching Dundalk’s printers on the hop! The facts: Threepence buys a substantial feeling 20 pages. The content: About 10 pages are dedicated to adverts, but there’s plenty of coverage of all aspects of the clubs and plenty of editorial content. A word from our sponsors: Copious ads are dominated by local shops, pubs and businesses including the many local footwear companies- Rawson, Clarks and Blackthorn.

PLAYED FOR BOTH: ANTO WHELAN

As a schoolboy with St Joseph’s Boys, Anto was well used to success, winning League titles at each level from under-14 to youth. He had also won the FAI Youths Cup and the prestigious Pepsi Cup—in addition he had International Youth caps. He spent his first Bohemians season with the reserves, winning the Reserve’s Player of the Year Award. Debuting in September 1979 with Bohemians, he had made two appearances in European competition before signing for Manchester United in August 1980 for a fee of £30,000. He made just one first team appearance at Old Traffic before returning to play with Shamrock Rovers for Jim McLaughlin’s first season at Milltown, in time to collect his first League Championship memento. He moved to Cork City for the 1985-86 season where he played 22 games and scored four goals. A six-year spell with Shelbourne, from 1988 to 1994, brought plenty of silverware—League Championship in 1991- 92 and the League-Cup Double in the following season. When Dundalk manager Dermot Keely signed centre-back Anto Whelan in the summer of 1994, there were mutterings among the fans—Whelan was 35 years of age and had almost 300 League games under his belt. But Keely knew what he was getting—pure gold— and the delivery of the League Championship provided all the justifications required. Good on both feet, he was comfortable in any of the back four or five positions. Beginning the Dundalk season with a five-man defence, Whelan teamed up with James Coll and Mick Doohan but as confidence developed and the prospects of success grew stronger, Keely reverted to a flat back four. This released Doohan for a forward role while Coll and Whelan confidently steered the ship through the treacherous run-in to the finishing line and to the momentous last day heroics against Galway at Oriel Park. He stayed for an injuryinterrupted second season and after a season as player-manager with Drogheda United, helping them to a second place Division One promotion spot, he closed his career with another promotionwinning effort, calling a halt after seeing Bray promoted in the 1997-98 year, nearly 20 years after he had made his National League debut.

OUR GAME IS ON THE BALL

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