Kilcoo GAC

Kilcoo Owen Roes GAC

Eoghain Rúa Cill Chua
File:Kilcoocrest.jpg
Founded:	1906
County:	Down
Nickname:	The Magpies
Colours:	Black and White(Dubh agus Bán)
Grounds:	Owen Roe Park
Playing kits
Standard colours

Kilcoo GAC in Irish Eoghain Rúa Cill Chua (full name Kilcoo Owen Roes GAC) is a Gaelic Athletic Association club in County Down, Northern Ireland. The club's colours are black and white.

History

Kilcoo GAC was founded in 1906 although there were records of GAA being played there since the 1880s but a proper club wasn't formed until then. The club's first competitive match took place on the 13th January 1907 against local team Leitrim (who were the first club formed in the county). The match ended Kilcoo 0-0 Leitrim 0-5. Kilcoo won their first Senior County Championship in 1917 defeating Killyleagh in the final. The club have won the championship on eight other occasions: 1922, the glorious "four in a row" 1925,1926,1927,1928,1932,1933 and 1937.

The club today

Kilcoo GAC is one of the main clubs in County Down today. The club has a camogie team, a ladies football team and football teams at Under-8, Under-10, Under-12, Under-14, Under-16, Minor, Seconds, Thirds, Under-21 and Senior Level. The Senior team are in Division 1 and play in the Down Senior Football Championship. Kilcoo is regularly represented on Down GAA teams. In 2005 three Kilcoo players were on the Down Under 21 football team who reached the All-Ireland Final. In 2006 Kilcoo had a good run in the Down Senior Football Championship reaching the semi-finals. In their first round match they faced Division Two side Downpatrick in Castlewellan. In what would be a tough match Kilcoo prevailed on a scoreline of 1-10 to 1-7 with corner forward Sean Kelly scoring 0-3. Next up was Castlewellan in the quarter-final in Downpatrick. These two teams met at the same stage a year earlier with Castlewellan gaining the victory. This time Kilcoo won by seven points on a scoreline of 1-13 to 1-6. Conor Laverty came on as a substitute and scored a goal and two points. The semi-final was next and would be against Mayobridge who had won the last two championships. The Kilcoo players knew they were facing the best club team in Down and that they would be up against it. Kilcoo started brightly and scored a goal in the first ten minutes. However Mayobridge's experience more than anything else carried them through for the victory with the score 0-13 to 1-9. It was a cruel blow for Kilcoo but knew that they pushed the county champions to the limit. In the league Kilcoo finished in first place but were beaten well by Burren in the semi-finals of the Division 1 play-offs. In 2007 Kilcoo played Leitrim in the first round of the Down Senior Football Championship and defeated them after a replay. Kilcoo were beaten in the quarter finals by eventual finalists Longstone. The club reached the All County Division One League Final after defeating Burren after extra time in the semi-final. Kilcoo were defeated in the final by An Riocht on the scoreline of 3-7 to 1-10. Returning Australian Football League player Martin Clarke scored 2-1 for An Riocht in the final. The 2008 season started off against the team that beat Kilcoo in the League Final. This time Kilcoo earned an easy victory. Their next match saw them play Burren where they were defeated. Kilcoo finished second in the league table behind Mayobridge. In the Championship, Kilcoo's opponents were An Riocht again with Kilcoo running out comfortable winners on a scoreline of 3-15 to 0-3. Next up was Burren. The match was played in slippery conditions and Kilcoo were lucky to escape with a draw on a scoreline of 1-6 to 1-6. Paul Greenan grabbed the vital goal for Kilcoo. In the replay Kilcoo were well beaten. After the disappointing championship exit Kilcoo were able to focus on the league. After finishing second to Mayobridge, Kilcoo entered the play-offs. In the semi-final Kilcoo were up against Rostrevor under lights at Páirc Elser. Kilcoo gained a hard earned win with a 1-7 to 0-7 with Paul Devlin scoring 1-4. The final in Newry again was against county champions Mayobridge who defeated Castlewellan in their semi-final. Kilcoo went into this match as underdogs as "The Bridge" were looking to do the double. In an excellent display of football Kilcoo ran out easy winners in the end with the result 3-14 to 1-7. Paul Devlin was the star of the show again scoring 0-8. Captain Gerard McEvoy accepted the cup and dedicated the win to Arthur Morgan, club president who passed away the previous week.

Honours

• Down Senior Football Championship: 9
  • 1917, 1922, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1932, 1933, 1937

• Down Minor Football Championship: 1
  • 1996

• All-County Football League Division 1 winners: 3
  • 1958, 2003, 2008

• All-County Football League winners Division 3 winners: 1
  • 1984

• All-Ireland Under 14 Feile: 1
  • 2006

• Down Under 14 Feile: 2
  • 2006, 2007

See also

• Down Senior Club Football Championship
• List of Gaelic Athletic Association clubs
• Kilcoo, County Down

External links

• [1]