At last. Latton are Masters of Monaghan
December 30, 2005
What a year it has been for the Latton O'Rahilly's club from mid-Monaghan - their first Monaghan Senior Football Championship title in exactly three-quarters of a century and a place in the Ulster Club Championship series for the first time in the club's history. The celebrations haven't even ended as yet, and are not likely to finish for some considerable time to come. By Seamus McCluskey.
When Latton won their first and previously only Senior Championship away back in 1930 they had the assistance of a number of leading county players from Ballybay, notably Charlie McCarthy, Peter Duffy and Tommy Bradley, but this time they had all Latton men togged out in the white-and-blue and, although it was a Ballybay man who had the honour of wearing the manager's jersey, it was still an all-Latton squad that was fielded the football conflict.
In 1930 Latton had come into the Senior Championship as Junior champions for the previous year, 1929, when they took the title (on the field) with this team: - Johnnie Lennon, John McNally, Owen Coyle, Pat Keenan, Jemmie Carragher, Johnnie Conlon, Hughie Lennon, Henry McCabe, Jemmy Coyle, Charlie McCarthy, Peter Coyle, Tommy Conlon, Patsy Conlon, Packie McEntee, Peter Murnaghan, Terry Clerkin and Ned Lennon.
Amazingly, they lost that title to Lough Eglish on an objection, but they had won it on the field of play, where it counted most, and it was practically the same outfit that then overcame Monaghan Harps, Killeevan, Clara and Kilmore in the 1930 SFC to face Inniskeen in the final at Carrickmacross, where they won again.
Strangely enough, not one of those five clubs would be in senior football in 2005 - two of them in fact would not even be in existence. Little of that, however, was on the minds of the current Latton squad as they trooped out to meet Castleblayney in the opening round of this past year's championship at Clontibret on Saturday 14th May. 'The Mighty Faughs' had ever been perennial hot favourites for the championship in Monaghan football and 2005 would be no different.
It turned out to be a close one, and it was only an injury time point from substitute Eoin Duffy that finally put paid to the Blayney men's chances and sent Latton into the next round. Even at that stage of the series the O'Rahillys were looking like real championship contenders as they played the more cohesive football throughout. The game was three-quarters way through when Latton were looking safe as they led by double scores, twelve points to six, but then seemed to lose concentration for a few vital minutes during which the opposition scored 1-3 without reply, but Latton survived the scare and the winning point came to a minute into injury time, Latton winning by 0-13 to Castleblayney's 1-9.
Scorers for Latton in this opening championship game were: Hugh McElroy 0-5, Noel Coyle 0-2, Aidan Farmer 0-2, Bernard O'Brien 0-2, Finbar Fitzpatrick 0-1 and Eoin Duffy 0-1.
Monaghan's fine performances in the inter-county championships then put something of a hold on the advancement of the club championship and Latton had to wait until February 12th August before their next outing, which was against Clontibret in Castleblayney. The first game had been close but this one was even closer and the sides ended all-square on a final scoreline of Latton 0-11, Clontibret 1-8. It was significant, however, that Latton had more scores than their opponents.
It turned out to be a thrilling contest and Latton really had their backs to the wall when they had to play the final twenty minutes a man short, but that only seemed to rouse them to even greater heights of endeavour. In fact, Clontibret had gone a point ahead with only five minutes remaining and it was Eoin Duffy who came to the rescue again with a superb score that levelled the game for the sixth time in the hour, and the final whistle sounded shortly afterwards.
Latton lined out - Martin Duffy, Hughie Lennon 0-1, Ruairi Ward, Edmond Lennon, Stephen Fitzpatrick, John O'Brien, Noel Coyle, Eoin Lennon, Aidan Farmer, Dermot O'Brien 0-2, Finbar Fitzpatrick, David Lennon, Bernard O'Brien, Hugh McElroy 0-4 and Kevin Hughes 0-2. Subs used: Eoin Duffy 0-2 and D Lennon
The replay was at Aughnamullen on Saturday 20th August but this time the contest fell far short of the drawn game. However, it was still close - so close, in fact, that it had to to to extra time to separate the sides. Latton were far the superior side in the opening thirty minutes, leading by 1-5 to 0-1 after only fifteen minutes and still ahead 1-6 to 0-2 at the interval, but then seemed to go into a bit of a sleep during the second moiety, allowing their opponents to come back into the game. Clontibret, in fact, led by two points with five minutes remaining but Latton struck back to level at 1-12, against Clontibret's 2-9. Amazingly, Clontibret failed to sccore during extra time and the four points recorded by Latton in this period was enough to send them into the semi-finals on a final scoreline of 1-16 to 2-9.
The victorious squad this time was: Sean Farmer, Hughie Lennon, Ruairi Ward, Edmond Lennon, Stephen Fitzpatrick, John O'Brien, Noel Coyle, Eoin Lennon, Dermot O'Brien, Aidan Farmer, Finbar Fitzpatrick, Eoin Duffy, Bernard O'Brien, Hugh McElroy, Kevin Hughes. Subs used: Francis Coyle, Martin O'Brien, Patrick Shannon
Latton's quarter-final opponents would, coincidentally, be then very same team that they would meet in the final. This quarter-final clash took place at St. Mary's Park, Castleblayney on Sunday 27th August and Latton were in doubt about the ability of their opponents in this one, as they had won their first ever Senior Championship only the previous year and were coming into the contest hell-bent on winning back -to-back titles.
Again there was little between the sides and it was only an injury time goal that clinched the issue for the Latton men, on a final scoreline of Latton 1-14, Magheracloone 1-10. Under referee Gerry McCarron from Emyvale, Latton were fast off the mark and were two points up after only two minutes. The champions fought back however and were on level terms after 20 minutes, 1-3 to 0-6. Then it was Latton's turn to advance and they went to the dressing rooms 0-9 to 1-4 in front. It was very much tit-for-tat stuff in the second period with the lead changing hands several times. Latton were the minimum margin in front with time running out, but an injury time goal from Finbar Fitzpatrick clinched the issue to give them a four points victory over the reigning county champions.
Latton were very much an unchanged team going into this one and lined out as follows: Sean Farmer, Hughie Lennon, Ruairi Ward, Edmond Lennon, Stephen Fitzpatrick, John O'Brien, Noel Coyle, Eoin Lennon 0-2, Dermot O'Brien, Aidan Farmer, Finbar Fitzpatrick 1-0, Eoin Duffy 0-3, Bernard O'Brien 0-3, Hugh McElroy 0-6, Kevin Hughes. Subs used: Francis Coyle and Patrick Shannon
The semi-final pitted Latton against Clontibret, for the third time in the 2005 championship. The sides had got well known to each other by this stage and they became even more acquainted when they crossed swords at Clones on Saturday 24th September in what turned out to be a real classic encounter. Brilliant football from both sides from the word go, and the weather held good into the bargain for this, the first of a double header programme at the spacious St. Tiernach's Park.
In the opening stages it looked as if Latton would run away with the game as they led by six points midway through the first half, and were still 1-4 to 0-4 ahead at the break. Well into the second penalty they again went ahead, this time by eight points but Clontibret would not go down without a fight and they rallied tremendously to narrow the gap. Latton survived, however, and when the final whistle sounded they were three points to the good - 2-8 to 1-8.
The semi-final victors on this occasion were: Sean Farmer, Hugh Lennon, Ruairi Ward 0-1, Edmond Lennon, Stephen Fitzpatrick, Francis Coyle, Dermot O'Brien, Eoin Lennon, Aidan Farmer, Eoin Duffy 0-2, Finbar Fitzpatrick 1-1, Noel Coyle, Bernard O'Brien 1-0, Hugh McElroy 0-3 and Kevin Hughes 0-1. Sub used: Patrick Shannon
And so the final, Latton's sixth game in the 2005 championship series and what would turn out to be the greatest day ever in the club's proud history. Under former Ballybay all-time great, Gerry Connolly, they prepared as no Latton team had ever prepared before and their efforts were to be rewarded. For the second time in the championship they were up against Magheracloone, who had come back into the reckoning through the 'back door' system, and who were buoyed up to reverse the result of their previous encounter and bring the title back to Magheracloone for the second time in a row.
Latton were fit as fiddles and looked the part of champions as they seemed to have a slight edge on their opponents, particularly during the second half of what turned out to be a thrilling encounter. Despite missing a number of golden chances of scores, they were still strong enough to fend off the challenge of the title-holders and ended up with a four points victory margin that really did scant justice to their tremendous second half performance, that was well and truly their best thirty minutes of the entire championship series.
Two points in arrears at the interval, 0-6 to 0-8, Latton knew they had to go all-out in the second period and following what must have been an amazing half time peptalk by their manager in the dressing rooms, they came out with all guns blazing to take complete control of the final thirty minutes that simply had the reigning champions bedazzled and bewildered. At the end the scoreline read: Latton 0-14, Magheracloone 0-10 and the title was on its way to the mid-Monaghan club for the first time in seventy-five years, truly an historic occasion in any man's language.
That magnificent team, champions of Monaghan for 2005 and second time title holders after an amazing three-quarters of a century lapse, deserves to be recorded for posterity. It read: Sean Farmer, Hughie Lennon, Ruairi Ward, Edmond Lennon, Stephen Fitzpatrick, Francis Coyle, Dermot O'Brien, Eoin Lennon, Aidan Farmer, Eoin Duffy 0-4, Finbar Fitzpatrick, Noel Coyle, Bernard O'Brien 0-7, Hugh McElroy 0-2, Kevin Hughes. Subs: used: Patrick Shannon and John O'Brien
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