1966-1967 Winners of the O'Donoghue Cup
Front L-R: Mick Gleeson, Denny Doolan, Fr Michael O’Donoghue, Jim Gleeson, Connie Doolan, Sean O’Sullivan, Johnny Batt Cronin, Flossy McCarthy
Back L-R: Tadhg O’Sullivan (Trainer), Jack Morris, Paddy Dennehy, Brian Fenton, John Joe Foley, Mick Kissane, Tom Morris, John Kelly, Denis Fenton, Barry O’Connor, Tim Joe O’Sullivan, Donie O’Leary (selector)
Missing from photo: Donie O’Sullivan & Sean Moynihan
In 1966, in their first year as a senior team, Spa won the O’Donoghue Cup. Narrowly defeating Listry in the opening game, they recorded victory over Gneeveguilla in the second game. They overcame Rathmore in the semi-final in July 1966 to progress to the Final against a fancied Kilcummin side on August 30th 1966, in which a Paddy Dennehy second half goal proved crucial (final score Spa 1-8 Kilcummin 1-4).
In their first year in the senior ranks, Spa were crowned the 1966 O’Donoghue Cup champions. At a meeting in September 1966, East Kerry then decided to initiate a championship which is now the format for the current O’Donoghue Cup competition.
Spa went on to win the re-formatted competition, defeating Gneeveguilla in the Final on Easter Sunday 1967.
50 years later, on August 11th 2016, John Kelly organised a reunion at the Spa clubhouse. The night began with mass celebrated by Fr Michael O’Donoghue, who played on that 1966 team, and was con-celebrated by Fr Tom Looney, with Fr Paddy O’Donoghue, in whose father’s memory the Cup was first presented, also joining us on the night.
Front L-R: Fr Michael O’Donoghue, Jim Gleeson, Ger Mangan, Donie O’Sullivan, Denny Doolan, Tom Morris, Johnny Batt Cronin, Johnny Doolan, Sean O’Sullivan.
Middle L-R: Seanie Moynihan, John Michael O’Sullivan, Majella Doherty, John Kelly, Michael Gleeson, Mary O’Connor, Patricia Foley, Pat Casey, Jack Morris, Connie Doolan, Steve McCarthy, Barry O’Connor
Back L-R: Mike O’Leary, Kieran Dennehy, James Fitzgerald, Martin Kissane, Sean O’Donoghue, Sean Moynihan, Brian Fenton, Tom Riordan, Mark Fenton