DUNBAR CELTIC 1993

DUNBAR CELTIC:


Season 1990/91 will always be remembered by loyal Dunbar Celtic

supporters and players. That was the season that the southside club

won their first ever trophy, ending a drought that had lasted since

their founding in 1967. The men responsible for bringing Dunbar into

the AUL in 1967 were Donal Cronin, Tom Holland, Pat Buckley, Francis

Higgins, and Christy "Ba" Holland.



As time progressed, great workers such as Jim Sullivan, Gary Wall,

Denis and Jim Kelly, joined the ranks and, despite the lack of

silverware, the club went from strength to strength. The South parish

men, at different stages, fielded a second junior side and a youth

team.



The Dunbar Committee decided to abandon the three man selection system

in 1985/86 and Eddie O'Connor was appointed player-manager. Still no

silver, but promotion to the Premier League soon followed. When

Eddie left to pursue his sporting career in bodybuilding, John

Kenneally, a great clubman and now their secretary, took over for a

while to be replaced by current player-manager Pat Martin.



Martin was in charge for that first trophy win but, that season, he

and all of Dunbar had first to taste the bitter fruits of defeat three

times in finals. In the Spring, they lost to College Corinthians in

the FAI area decider; next came the AOH final defeat at the hands of

Villa Utd to be quickly followed by the loss to Greenmount Rangers in

the final of the St Michael's Cup.



Three such heartbreaks piled one on top of the other would have

flattened many a team. But Martin got his men to rise for one last

try. They had been well in the hunt for the Premier League title all

season and clinched it with a last game draw against Bandon at Water

Rock Park. At last, the drought was broken and Dunbar had a cup to

fill.



Victory in the league meant promotion to the intermediate grade and

here they wasted no time at all in making their mark, beating

Castleview in the final of the 1991/92 Shield competition. The

second string also delivered the goods by winning the championship in

League 3.



Pat Martin is still in charge of the intermediate side and includes

the long serving skipper Tom O'Brien in his panel. Other loyal Dunbar

players are Francis Holland and Richie Hewitt.



Martin's hand has been reinforced this season by new signings Kevin

O'Connor, Aidan Murphy, Robert ???, and Gary Kenny. The other members

of the panel are: Brian Long, Freddie Walsh, Sean Walsh, Frank

Scannell, Dave Noonan, Jimmy Crowley, Liam Murphy, Kieran Barrett, Joe

Tully, and John Rock.



Dunbar officers are: Tony Chambers (Chairman); John Kenneally

(secretary); Pat Holland and Kieran Barrett (joint treasurers); and

Pat Owens (vice chairman). The presidency is shared between Denis

"Super" Keane and Denis Kelly.