Former Down manager mourned

Former Down manager mourned

19 February 2020

THE family that is the GAA has been mourning the passing of Sean Smith. 

Sean was part of the management team at three different Down clubs — Bryansford, Clonduff and Loughinisland — and helped them to Down Senior Football Championship titles.

He also had managerial spells with the Down county team from 1972 to 1974 and from 1984 to 1986,  guiding them to Ulster Senior finals in 1974, 1975 and 1986. 

A native of the Orchard county, he played his club football with Maghery. It was as a member of the St Patrick’s College, Armagh, side that won the MacRory Cup and then the Hogan Cup in the late 1940s that Sean had his first taste of success. He went on to win an All-Ireland Minor medal with Armagh in 1949.

His teaching career took him to Ardglass and he played for Dunsford, the club that represented that Ardglass area. 

The club subsequently became Ardglass and Sean helped to train the side before moving as principal to St Patrick’s, Burrenreagh, in Bryansford. With a nod to his teaching background, he was revered as The Master. 

It was with his beloved Bryansford that he achieved three successive Down Club Championships between 1969-1971 and two Ulster Club Championships in 1969, 1970 with Bryansford being the first team from county to win an Ulster Club Championship. 

They achieved this as a Division 3 club — a truly remarkable feat. Bryansford went on to compete in the All-Ireland Club Championship final in 1971.

Following Sean’s passing, Bryansford GAC said of him: “A true gentleman, club legend and a fantastic manager.”

He espoused the 3 Ds — determination, dedication and discipline — as being essential to success, both on and off the field. 

His teaching career then took him to Antrim town and in 1972 he led the local St Comgall’s GAC to its first JFC title.

Sean’s coaching then took him to Ulster University Jordanstown. Three years after the foundation of the Gaelic club there, Ulster University captured its first Fresher All-Ireland in 1976. Sean led the UUJ freshers into 10 finals within a 15 year spell and they won the lot. He joined the management team of the Loughinisland GAC senior team in July 1989 at the end of the school year, when he moved to live in Ardglass. 

In October of that year, Loughinisland won the Down Senior League and Senior Football Championship. They went on to beat Kingscourt (Cavan) in the Ulster Championship quarter-final, but were narrowly beaten by Scotstown (Monaghan) in the Ulster semi-final.

He took over as manager of the club in 1990 and was also retained the following year. While they failed to win the league or championship again in those years they were one of the top teams in Down in that period and the club remember his tenure with fondness.

“Sean was a highly-respected manager and coach and his innovative methods had Loughinisland at the forefront of football in Down,” said club secretary, Gerry Morgan.

“He definitely was ahead of the times and his record speaks for itself. Truly a gentleman, ahead of his time.”