Dundalk G.N.R. made their debut in the Free State League, the top tier of Irish football, in 1926–27. They had played the previous four seasons in the Leinster Senior League. The team was managed by Joe McCleery, previously of Belfast Celtic F.C., who used his connections to Northern Irish football to ensure a supply of players for the season ahead. Home matches were played at the Dundalk Athletic Grounds (a facility near the town centre shared by several sporting codes), but on weekends when the Athletic Grounds were unavailable, matches would usually move to the Carroll's Recreation Ground.
| 1926–27 season | ||
|---|---|---|
| Manager | Joe McCleery | |
| League of Ireland | 8th | |
| FAI Cup | First round | |
| League of Ireland Shield | 7th | |
| Leinster Senior Cup | First round | |
| Top goalscorer | Matthew Armstrong, George Silcock (5) | |
|
| ||
Season summary
editOn 15 June 1926 Dundalk G.N.R. were elected to the Free State League to replace Pioneers, as the nascent League looked to spread to the provinces.[1][2][3] As it was entering its sixth season, nine clubs had already dropped out of the Free State League, so the challenge facing the new club was great. The cost of travel was one of the biggest issues facing provincial clubs in the League, and the club had sought support from its parent company, the Great Northern Railway (Ireland), with regard to travel expenses, but were refused.[4] Three players were retained from the Leinster Senior League squad - Joey Quinn, Paddy McMahon and Hugh Craig.[5]
The season opened with the 18-match League schedule, and on 21 August 1926 the team travelled to Cork to face fellow works-team Fordsons in the opening match of the season. The 30-strong group of players, officials and supporters who travelled were treated to a tour of the Ford factory before the game. The result was a 2–1 defeat for the new boys in a match the Cork Examiner described as being "one of the best ever seen in Ballinlough",[6] Joey Quinn with Dundalk's first ever Free State League goal. Their first win would come at home to Jacobs on 19 September.[7] They only managed two points away from home, including one in the first ever league match in Glenmalure Park,[8] and finished their first league season in eighth position.[9]
The nine-match League of Ireland Shield schedule commenced after Christmas, again with a visit to Cork to play Fordsons. The team managed two home wins and a draw, finishing seventh.[10] Old Leinster Senior League rivals, Drumcondra, defeated them in a replay in the first round of the Leinster Senior Cup;[11] while a heavy defeat to Bohemians saw them exit the FAI Cup in the first round,[12] with the result that a number of players were released, including Quinn. A total of 47 players lined out for the team during the season, 11 of whom appeared only once, as manager McCleery tapped into his Northern Irish connections in his attempts to build a competitive side. Only two players would be retained for the following season - Gordon McDiarmuid (who had joined early in the Shield campaign) and Fred Norwood.[13]
First-Team Squad (1926–27)
editSource:[13]
Note: Only players making a minimum of five appearances included
| No. | Name | Years | League | FAI Cup | League of Ireland Shield | Leinster Senior Cup | Total | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Con Drum
|
1926–1927 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| 2 |  Gordon McDiarmuid
|
1926–1933 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 0 |
| 3 |  Davy Nelson
|
1926–1927 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 12 | 0 |
| 4 | Fred Norwood
|
1926–1928 | 18 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 29 | 0 |
| 5 | Billy Pollock
|
1926–1927 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 9 | 1 |
| 6 | Bob Thompson
|
1926–1927 | 12 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 23 | 5 |
| 7 | Edward Swindle
|
1926–1927 | 15 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 24 | 3 |
| 8 | George Silcock
|
1926–1927 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 5 |
| 9 | Matthew Armstrong
|
1926–1927 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 5 |
| 10 | Fred Bell
|
1926–1927 | 15 | 1 | 9 | 2 | 27 | 5 |
| 11 | Frank Rushe
|
1926–1927 | 15 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 21 | 4 |
| 12 | Joey Quinn
|
1919–1927 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 3 |
| 13 | Paddy McMahon
|
1920–1927 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 1 |
| 14 | Jimmy Wilson
|
1926–1927 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 13 | 0 |
| 15 | Arthur Farrelly
|
1926–1927 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 1 |
| 16 | William Smith
|
1926–1927 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 10 | 0 |
| 17 | Hugh Reid
|
1926–1927 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| 18 | Harry Bowden
|
1926–1927 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| 19 | Jack McKinney
|
1926–1927 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 2 |
| 20 | Jimmy Carroll
|
1926–1927 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 4 |
| 21 | Jimmy Doyle
|
1926–1927 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 3 |
Competitions
editLeague
editSource:[14]
| 21 August 1926 Round 1 | Fordsons | 2–1 | Dundalk |
| 28 August 1926 Round 2 | Athlone Town | 3–1 | Dundalk |
| 4 September 1926 Round 3 | Dundalk | 1–1 | Bohemians |
| 11 September 1926 Round 4 | Shamrock Rovers | 3–3 | Dundalk |
| 19 September 1926 Round 5 | Dundalk | 3–0 | Jacobs |
| 25 September 1926 Round 6 | Bray Unknowns | 2–1 | Dundalk |
| 2 October 1926 Round 7 | Dundalk | 1–1 | Brideville |
| 9 October 1926 Round 8 | Shelbourne | 3–0 | Dundalk |
| 16 October 1926 Round 9 | Dundalk | 1–1 | St James's Gate |
| 23 October 1926 Round 10 | Dundalk | 4–2 | Fordsons |
| 30 October 1926 Round 11 | Dundalk | 2–3 | Athlone Town |
| 6 November 1926 Round 12 | Bohemians | 4–2 | Dundalk |
| 13 November 1926 Round 13 | Dundalk | 0–5 | Shamrock Rovers |
| 27 November 1926 Round 14 | Dundalk | 4–1 | Bray Unknowns |
| 4 December 1926 Round 15 | Brideville | 4–3 | Dundalk |
| 12 December 1926 Round 16 | Dundalk | 0–2 | Shelbourne |
| 18 December 1926 Round 17 | Dundalk | 2–2 | St James's Gate |
| 1 January 1927 Round 18 | Jacobs | 1–1 | Dundalk |
League table
edit| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shamrock Rovers | 18 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 60 | 20 | +40 | 32 |
| 2 | Shelbourne | 18 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 63 | 24 | +39 | 29 |
| 3 | Bohemians | 18 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 36 | 24 | +12 | 25 |
| 4 | Fordsons | 18 | 7 | 3 | 8 | 34 | 32 | +2 | 17 |
| 5 | Athlone Town | 18 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 41 | 43 | −2 | 17 |
| 6 | Bray Unknowns | 18 | 6 | 1 | 11 | 37 | 58 | −21 | 13 |
| 7 | Jacobs | 18 | 5 | 3 | 10 | 23 | 47 | −24 | 13 |
| 8 | Dundalk GNR | 18 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 30 | 40 | −10 | 12 |
| 9 | St. James's Gate | 18 | 5 | 2 | 11 | 30 | 49 | −19 | 12 |
| 10 | Brideville | 18 | 2 | 6 | 10 | 22 | 39 | −17 | 10 |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal average
Shield
editSource:[14]
| 27 December 1926 Round 1 | Fordsons | 0–1 | Dundalk |
| 15 January 1927 Round 2 | Dundalk | 3–6 | Shelbourne |
| 29 January 1927 Round 3 | Bohemians | 2–1 | Dundalk |
| 6 February 1927 Round 4 | Dundalk | 3–2 | Athlone Town |
| 6 March 1927 Round 5 | Dundalk | 5–1 | Jacobs |
| 12 March 1927 Round 6 | St James's Gate | 0–0 | Dundalk |
| 19 March 1927 Round 7 | Dundalk | 3–4 | Bray Unknowns |
| 26 March 1927 Round 8 | Brideville | 4–0 | Dundalk |
| 10 April 1927 Round 9 | Dundalk | 1–3 | Shamrock Rovers |
Shield table
edit| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shamrock Rovers | 9 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 25 | 11 | +14 | 17 |
| 2 | Shelbourne | 9 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 42 | 12 | +30 | 16 |
| 3 | Bohemians | 9 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 24 | 16 | +8 | 14 |
| 4 | Fordsons | 9 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 27 | 21 | +6 | 10 |
| 5 | St. James's Gate | 9 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 21 | 27 | −6 | 10 |
| 6 | Brideville | 9 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 13 | 16 | −3 | 6 |
| 7 | Dundalk GNR | 9 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 16 | 23 | −7 | 5 |
| 8 | Bray Unknowns | 9 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 21 | 35 | −14 | 5 |
| 9 | Athlone Town | 9 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 20 | 30 | −10 | 4 |
| 10 | Jacobs | 9 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 11 | 32 | −21 | 3 |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal average
FAI Cup
editSource:[14]
- First Round
| 8 January 1927 | Bohemians | 6–1 | Dundalk | Dublin |
| Stadium: Dalymount Park |
Leinster Senior Cup
editSource:[14]
- First Round
| 27 February 1927 | Drumcondra | 1–1 | Dundalk | Dublin |
| Stadium: Tolka Park |
- First Round Replay
| 3 March 1927 | Dundalk | 0–1 | Drumcondra | Dundalk |
| Stadium: Athletic Grounds |
References
edit- Bibliography
- Murphy, Jim (2003). The History of Dundalk F.C.: The First 100 Years. Dundalgan Press. ASIN B0042SO3R2.
- Graham, Alex. Football in the Republic of Ireland a Statistical Record 1921–2005. Soccer Books Limited. ISBN 1-86223-135-4.
- MacSweeney, Niall (1985). A Record of League of Ireland Football 1921/2 - 1984/5. Association of Football Statisticians. ASIN B008H2CBJQ.
- Ryan, Sean; Dunne, Noel (24 October 1975). The Bass Book of Irish Soccer. Mercier Press. ISBN 9780853424505.
- Citations
- ^ "Reforms and Rumors". Evening Herald. 2 June 1926. Retrieved 22 April 2019 – via Irish Newspaper Archives.
- ^ "Dundalk Get in on Ballot (headline)". Irish Independent. 16 June 1926. Retrieved 22 April 2019 – via Irish Newspaper Archives.
- ^ "Dundalk Get in on Ballot (body)". Irish Independent. 16 June 1926. Retrieved 24 September 2019 – via Irish Newspaper Archives.
- ^ Murphy, Jim (2003). History of Dundalk FC – the First 100 Years. Dundalk: Jim Murphy. p. 42.
- ^ Murphy, Jim (2003). History of Dundalk FC – the First 100 Years. Dundalk: Jim Murphy. p. 44.
- ^ "Fordson v. Dundalk". Cork Examiner. 23 August 1926. Retrieved 22 April 2019 – via Irish Newspaper Archives.
- ^ "Dundalk's First Brace". Irish Independent. 20 September 1926. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
- ^ "Shamrock Rovers, 3; Dundalk, 3". Irish Independent. 12 September 1926. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
- ^ "(Republic of) Ireland League Tables". The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
- ^ a b 'Nat.' (9 May 1927). "Closing Soccer Games". Evening Herald. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
- ^ "Exciting Cup Tie in Dundalk". Irish Independent. 4 March 1927. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
- ^ "Bohs.' convincing victory". Sunday Independent. 9 January 1927. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
- ^ a b Murphy, Jim (2013). A Dundalk FC Miscellany. Ireland: Self-published. p. 183.
- ^ a b c d Murphy, Jim (2003). History of Dundalk FC - the First 100 Years. Dundalk: Jim Murphy. p. 448.