Downpatrick Rec comrades in arms

Downpatrick Rec comrades in arms

3 January 2018

FORMER members of Downpatrick Rec are celebrating the 40th anniversary of their never-to-be-forgotten victory in the Steel and Sons Cup final at Seaview.

Jim Prior’s all-conquering outfit beat a strong Ballyclare Comrades 3-1 in a replay on January 4, 1978, after the Boxing Day final — Christmas Day fell on a Sunday that year — ended in a 1-1 draw.

Things didn’t start well in the replay on that fateful day in front of a near capacity crowd of almost 9,000 spectators.

Player/manager Prior’s attempted back pass to ‘keeper Tony Curran didn’t have the legs and Ballyclare took full advantage to seize the lead after only 50 seconds through George Falloon.

The Rec were made of stern stuff and over the next 44 minutes they tore their vaunted opponents apart.

The Downpatrick side were led magnificently by skipper Peter Mulhall and his two goals in the 30th and 35th minutes had the Rec faithful in raptures.

The Rec put the game to bed midway through the second half when Shane Breen made it 3-1 after Ballyclare failed to deal with a Sean Polly free kick.

The rest was history as the junior minnows lifted the coveted intermediate prize against all the odds.

Over 17,000 spectators watched the two games at Seaview and record takings were lifted as Downpatrick Rec seized the headlines.

Sadly, players Shane Breen, Paddy ‘Geordie’ Galbraith, Marty Ross and Joe Lyttle jnr are no longer with us, as are club officials Joe Lyttle snr, Austy Keating and Kevin O’Hare, but they will never be forgotten.

“I think often about all the guys no longer with us,” former boss Prior reflected this week.

“They were all good lads and are sorely missed, but we will never ever forget the part they played in our success,” Prior said.

Jim can recall those halcyon days with great clarity and remembers every tackle made and ball kicked as if it were yesterday.

“We knew we had something special going after we beat Glentoran seconds, Linfield Swifts and Balmoral Rec to reach the quarter-finals.

“The big games just kept coming and a sensational win over Carrick Rangers at Dickson Park in front of almost 2,000 spectators was brilliant.

“Although it took us two games to get the better of Ballyclare Comrades in the final, I believe our 1-0 victory over a star-studded Chimney Corner side in the semi-final was our hardest game.

“We played our best ever football in that game at Solitude and thoroughly deserved the win after Donal Bell scored the only goal of the game. That performance really stands out for me.”

Prior said the writing on the wall was evident months earlier as Rec swept all before them.

“Confidence and expectations were high at the start of the season and we carried an unbeaten 30-match run into the final against Ballyclare.

“The build-up to the final was tremendous and Seaview was packed to the rafters. We were given a tremendous reception at the end of the game by our fans and an even bigger one when we arrived back in Downpatrick. Those really were great times.”   

The victory came only six years after Brownsea Jaye, Jack McEvoy and Charlie Oakes had gambled on seeking new horizons when they took a newly-named Downpatrick Rec, including skipper Prior, into the Amateur League.

The club won Division 2A at the first attempt in 1970-71 and were promoted into Division 1B. They finished runners-up in 1B the following season and were promoted into the top flight. 

The Clarence Cup was lifted in 1975 and was followed two years later by the Border Cup and the 1A title — a foretaste of what was to come. 

Despite reaching another Border, two Intermediate Cup finals and picking up another 1A title and Clarence Cup, the side started to break up with quite a few players joining Irish League clubs.

Prior continued on as manager and was slowly starting to rebuild the side, but the lack of player commitment and a permanent home was to prove fatal and the club folded in the 1985-86 season.

Even so, their famous exploits will never be forgotten.