Laune Rangers – 1903
Mike Joy played on the Kerry team in the Munster Semi-final win over Clare but seemed to have lost his place for the Munster and All-Ireland victories. The All-Ireland Final replay did not take place until October 1905.
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Co. Senior Football Championship
Eighteen teams entered for the Co. Senior Football Championship, Laune Rangers, Firies, Tralee (Mitchels), Duagh, Craughdarrig, Killarney (Dr. Crokes), Castleisland, Listowel, Ballylongford, Kilcummin, Glenflesk, Irremore, Tarbert, Milltown, Cahersiveen, Ballinskelligs, Castlegregory and Dingle Wreckers.
Rd. 1 on Sun. 31st May at Milltown: Laune Rangers beat Firies.
The GAA notes in the Killarney Echo on Sat. 13th June carried this report, “The Rangers had a narrow shave in Milltown. Things looked very much in favour of Firies for the first twenty minutes, and they certainly should have won the match. In the back division or in midfield play, they were far ahead of their opponents. But in the forward line, they were perfectly hopeless. Several easy scores were missed for the want of a little speed and combination. Even one man placed right in front of the Killorglin goal would without doubt have secured a different result.
Buckley and McCarthy for Firies played a grand game. They were the admiration of the whole field. The Rangers are not what they used to be. They seem to have fallen on degenerate days. Their game on Sunday was very disappointing. There was no attempt at that combination, which distinguished them in the past. It was a veritable case of every man for himself and in football, at any rate, that is a very bad principle. They should have been beaten. For nowhere else in Kerry is there to be found finer material for a first-class team. They appear to lack energy and enthusiasm and, for the lack of both of these, any team deserves to get flogged. Whatever they themselves may think, defeat on Sunday was only averted by the fine separated defence of (Danny O) Lyons and (Mike) Joy. Those two certainly saved the day for Puck.”
Ref: J.A. Hanafin (Milltown).
Rd. 2 – Laune Rangers were drawn against Tralee (Mitchels). No report of the game appeared in the local papers, but it has to be presumed that Tralee won, as they played Killarney in the following round.
Due to objections and the hated train guarantees, required by the GS & W Railways, games had to be postponed. As a result, the championship was not completed until Sun. 28th May 1905 at Killarney, when Tralee Mitchels, captained by Thady O Gorman, received a walkover from Kilcummin in the final. Though that was Tralee Mitchels’ fourth title, they had yet to win one on the field of play.
Senior Football Challenge Game
Sun. 6th Sept. at Tralee Sports Field: Killorglin (Laune Rangers) 0-5; Abbeyfeale 0-2.
Killorglin (Laune Rangers): Mike Joy (capt.), Ned Sheehan, Flor Doherty, Paddy Joy, J. Hayes, James O Regan, Jeremiah O Donoghue, John Phil Murphy, John Guerin, Tom O Connor, Mick Sheehy, P. Healy, T. Horan, T. O Connor, John O Connor, J. Cullinane, Danny O Lyons.
Munster/All-Ireland Senior Football Championship (1903)
The 1903 Munster Senior Football Championship did not commence until 1904.
Rd. 1 on Sun. 12th June 1904 at Cork: Kerry beat Waterford.
The team, which was selected by the Tralee Mitchels and Killarney Crokes, was as follows: Thady O Gorman (capt.), James O Gorman, Dinny Curran, Maurice McCarthy, Jimmy O Connell, Edward Hannifin, Con Ryan, Charlie Duggan, Austin Stack (all Tralee), Eugene O Sullivan, Dinny Kissane, Tom O Sullivan, Paddy Dillon, Dan McCarthy (all Killarney), Rody Kirwan (Castleisland), Mike Joy (Killorglin), Paul F. Hayes (Tarbert). Subs: John Buckley (Tralee), Mike Pendy (Tralee), Jack Walsh (Ballylongford), Larry Buckley (Killarney), Paddy Joy (Killorglin).
Semi-final on Sun. 7th Aug. 1904 at Limerick: Kerry (Tralee) 2-7; Clare 2-0.
Kerry: Thady O Gorman (capt.), Paddy Dillon (goal), Con Ryan, Rody Kirwan, Jimmy O Connell, Denny Breen (Castleisland), Mike Joy, Tom O Sullivan, Dinny Curran, Maurice McCarthy, Austin Stack, Edward Hannifin, Dan McCarthy, Dinny Kissane, Dick Fitzgerald, James O Gorman, Charlie Duggan. Subs: John Buckley, Tom Looney, Con Healy (Tralee) and Larry Buckley.
Final on Sun. 30th Oct. 1904 at Limerick: Kerry (Tralee) 1-7; Cork (Nils) 0-3.
Kerry: Thady O Gorman (capt.), James O Gorman, Maurice McCarthy, Austin Stack, John Buckley, Con Healy, Con Ryan, Charlie Duggan (Tralee), Dick Fitzgerald, Tom O Sullivan, Paddy Dillon, Dinny Kissane, Billy Lynch, Dan McCarthy (Killarney), Rody Kirwan, Denny Breen and T. Sugrue (Castleisland). Having played in the first round and semi-final, and having been a regular on the county team since 1901, Mike Joy (Laune Rangers) was dropped off the panel for the final!
1903 All-Ireland Football Home Final on Sun. 23rd July 1905 at Tipperary: Kerry 1-4; Kildare 1-3.
Kildare objected to the awarding of the goal to Kerry and the game was refixed by Central Council.
1903 All-Ireland Football Home Final replay on Sun. 27th Aug. at Cork: Kerry 0-7; Kildare 0-7.
1903 All-Ireland Home Final 2nd replay on Sun. 15th Oct. at Cork: Kerry 0-8; Kildare 0-2.
Kerry: Thady O Gorman (capt.), James O Gorman (0-2), Maurice McCarthy, Dinny Curran, John Buckley (0-1), Con Healy, John T. Fitzgerald (0-1), Austin Stack (all Tralee), Dick Fitzgerald (0-2, frees), Paddy Dillon (goals), Billy Lynch (0-2), Jack Myers, Dinny Kissane, Dan McCarthy (all Killarney), Rody Kirwan (Waterford), Denny Breen (Castleisland), Ned O Neill (Cahersiveen). Subs: Florrie O Sullivan (Killarney) for N. O Neill (inj.), P. J. Cahill (Tralee), Tom Costello (do.).
That was Kerry’s first All-Ireland Senior Football Championship title.
Kerry beat London Irish in the final in Jones’ Road on Sun. 12th Nov. by 0-11 to 0-3. London Irish were captained by Sam Maguire.
Administration/Miscellany
James Nolan, Cill Coinnigh, was Uachtarán CLG.
The Munster Council Convention was held in Thurles on 11th April. The following officers were elected: Chairman – Thomas F. O Sullivan (Ciarraí), Secretary – Tom Dooley (Corcaigh) and Treasurer – Dan Fraher (Port Láirge).
The Annual Convention of the Kerry Co. Board took place on Sat. 5th April in the Gaelic League Rooms, The Mall, Tralee, commencing at 1.30pm. 14 clubs were represented. Laune Rangers did not have any representation. The following officers were elected: President – Eugene O Sullivan (Killarney), Vice-President – Thomas O Flaherty (Tralee), Secretary – Thomas F. O Sullivan (Listowel), Treasurer – Thomas Slattery (Rock Street, Tralee).
The following letter from the Co. Secretary, Thomas F. O Sullivan, to the Editor of the Kerry Sentinel, appeared in that newspaper on Wed. 6th May: “Kindly allow me space in your columns to draw attention to the present position of the GAA in the county in the hope that Gaels in the various centres will at once bestir themselves with a view of reviving or establishing clubs in their respective districts.
Emigration has, unfortunately, in many parts of Kerry rendered the existence of Gaelic Clubs an extremely difficult problem, but as a means of preventing a further exodus of our young men, who are stagnating in the deadly dull atmosphere of rural life, every man having the interests of his country at heart in a National, and not merely in a political sense, should give us his hearty co-operation in promoting the development of our distinctive pastimes both for their own sake and as a check to the heart-rending depopulation, which is daily taking place.
Up to the present a large number of districts, which in the past figured prominently in the ranks of the GAA, have for one reason or another failed to renew their allegiance, so far, to the Association, in the working of which every single affiliated Club has now a voice, and is therefore in a position to weed out vices, irregularities and abuses of all kinds, and place the organisation on a healthy basis.
Amongst the clubs which have not up to the present become affiliated to the County Board outside South-Kerry (where a separate body is attending to Gaelic interests with a remarkable degree of success) are the following – Killorglin, Castleisland, Firies, Causeway, Abbeydorney, Keel, Milltown, Lixnaw, Ballymacelligott, Ballyduff, Brosna, Currans, Tarbert, Newtowndillon, Kilmoyley, Corday and a few others, which I cannot now recall.
Surely, there is no excuse for so much apathy? In most of these districts healthy clubs used to exist and exist at present in a more or less disorganised state, and in every single one of them earnest Gaels are still to be found full of enthusiasm for the old pastimes. Why do not these men now exert themselves and see that their districts at once fall into line?
It is in the hope of helping to stimulate that exertion I have trespassed so much on your space.”
Challenge on Sun. 18th Oct. in Killarney: Kerry 0-6; Cork (Nils) 0-6.
That game was played in an effort to raise funds for the Killarney Athletic Club. Paddy Joy scored a point near the end of the game.
Kerry: Austin Stack (capt.), John Fitzgerald, Dick Fitzgerald, Dan McCarthy, Danny O Lyons, Mike Joy, Charlie Duggan, F. Buckley, Larry Buckley, Tom Looney, Paddy Dillon, Dinny Curran, Rody Kirwan, Mike Pendy, Tom O Sullivan, Paddy Joy, Dinny Kissane.
Ref: Ned Sheehan (Laune Rangers).
J.P. O Sullivan acted as handicapper at the following Sports Meetings:
Sat. 11th July – Castleisland; Sat. 15th Aug. at Milltown.