Mullabawn Cuchulainns
Mullabawn Cuchulainns
| Founded | 1951 |
| Previous names | None |
| Colours | Green and Gold |
| Grounds | Cuchulainn Park |
| Honours | SFC 1964, 1995 IFC 1992 JFC 1942, 1960, 1986 U21FC 1989, 1990 MFC 1958, 1963, 1973, 1986 U16FC 1988, 1989 |
History
With foundations already laid the Mullabawn O'Rahilly's found it much easier to exist than their predecessors, the Geraldines, and it was the ORahillys who, first donned the famous green and gold jerseys. Seven years later a new chapter of this "little club story" was opened when the club changed it's name to St. Mary's, Mullabawn, a more highly organised group ably led by Fr. James McCooey.
In 1927 St. Mary's reached the final of the Junior Championship only to be defeated by the famous Keady Dwyers by a single point. Fr. McCooey's transfer to Carrickmore in 1927 was a severe blow to football in Mullabawn because without his guiding hand, fortunes declined and the game of football became a rare commodity around 1930, in this quaint rural setting.
Some three years later the young ORahillys, an unofficial amalgamation between some players from Crossmaglen and Mullabawn which lasted for a mere six months, made their appearance and they acted as an important spur for the setting up in 1934 of the first Cuchulainn's, one of the most successful teams which the club has witnessed.
They won the Junior League in 1938, the Feis Mor Ard Macha title in 1940, the Junior Championship in 1942 beating St. Malachy's Armagh, in the final, and in that same year they reached the Senior Championship final only to be defeated by Armagh Harps. A gradual decline in standards ensued for the next decade and indeed the first Cuchulainns expired in 1947 due mainly to the curse of emigration.
A thriving parish league in the early 1950's led to the formation of the second Cuchulainns Club which struggled in it's early years of existence. However, a youth policy saved the day. An U16 team was formed in the summer of 1956 and these youngsters of the second Cuchulainns formed the backbone in 1958 of the amalgamation which won the Armagh Minor Championship thus banishing the disappointment of 1957 when the Junior team lost heavily to Armagh Harps in the Championship decider. In 1959 the Junior team finished runners-up in the South Armagh Junior League, an important stepping stone for the golden "early sixties" success story. In 1960 the youth policy paid handsome dividends when the club won the Junior Championship and the famed MacOscair Cup returned to Mullabawn for the first time since 1942. The defeat of Derrynoose in this final was followed by a moderate success in the league in 1961 and 1962. 1963 was the Minors year when the club won the South Armagh league without a single defeat and then, as part of the amalgamation known as Oliver Plunkett's secured the County Championship.
However, these magnificent recent achievements were all to pale by comparison with what was to follow in 1964. In that historic year, the club won its one and only Senior Championship title when they defeated Wolf Tones of Derrymacash in a thrilling final and brought the magnificent McKillop Cup to Mullabawn amid scenes of pure ecstasy; the summit had been reached.
The late Sixties and early Seventies saw the club's fortunes in decline again when the looming shadow of 64 seemed to haunt our Senior teams. The B team reached the Junior Final in 1966 only to be defeated by Dromintee and the Seniors, which now had 'Intermediate status were defeated by St. Peter's Lurgan, in the 1968 decider, a defeat which was to be the first of many.
Defeats in the 1970 final by Madden and in the 1972 Final by Silverbridge were to follow before an Oliver Plunkett's minor team procured the County title in 1973, a success which led to the Senior amalgamation between Mullabawn and Forkhill the following year.
The new Oliver Plunketts Club experienced defeat again in the Intermediate Championship Final in 1974 against Armagh Harps and in 1975 against Ballyhegan after a replay, the bogey continued. The Plunkett's attained limited league success and no Championship success during their existence and the amalgamation ended in 1978.
The third Cuchulainns' were then born and in 1979 the new club reached the final of the Intermediate Championship only to suffer a narrow defeat at the hands of Dorsey's St. Patrick's. Bleak days followed as the club slipped from Division Two to Division Four with little interruption during the early Eighties. However, once again, the youth policy begun in the late Seventies was rewarded as better days began to loom again. Promotion from Division 4 was followed by success in Division 3 in the mid-Eighties and indeed, 1986 was another mile-stone because, not only did the club win the Division 3 league title but the coveted MacOscair Cup once again came to rest in this Gaelic stronghold. Mullabawn were Junior County Champions again and in that same year the club also won the County Minor Championship title.
In both 1988 and 1989 the club again reached the Intermediate Final and on both occasions fell to more determined opposition in St. Patrick's and Dromintee. However, in 1989 the club did gain promotion to Division One of the All County League, where in their first year back in the Division gave a good account of themselves finishing third. In that same year the Ul0 team won the South Championship, the Ul6's regained the County Championship for the second year running and the Under 21 team won the clubs first ever Championship at this level. In 1990 the youth teams were still maintaining their momentum with the Under 12 team winning the South League and Championship; the Under 2l's retaining their Championship title. In 1991 the Senior team surprisingly lost their First Division status returning to Division Two as the underage teams proved successful again with the U12's and the U14's winning their respective championships. The following year found Mullabawn Cuchulainns in a much more determined mood and the Senior team went the whole year in Division Two virtually undefeated, winning the league and at long last capturing the elusive Intermediate crown beating a spirited Middletown team in the final at the Athletic Grounds.
If determination was the key in 1992 then contentment seemed to rule the year of '93, the Senior team just maintained Division One status and yet in the Senior Championship, came to within one point of the eventual County Champions Clan na Gael in the Semi-final; an experience which stimulated much reflection. 1993 again seen the Ul2 team win the South League with the remainder of the youth teams all putting in promising performances.
In 1995 Mullabawn won their second Senior Championship defeating rivals Crossmaglen in the final. Following up this accomplishment Mullabawn went on to take the Ulster Club Championship trophy, the clubs highest honour to date.
| Chairman | Pete McCreesh |
| Vice Chairman | Peter McDonnell |
| Secretary | Noel Murphy |
| Assistant Secretary | Brendan McKinley |
| Treasurer | Noel McParland |
| Registrar | Colm McParland |
| Public Relations Officer | Joe McNulty |
Last Modified by John Hughes :