1970

In July 1970 the club won the minor hurling championship, defeating Enniskillen. They also played parish leagues. In Aug we played St Theresa’s club in Belfast. Adrian Corrigan and Benny McManus went to Gormanstown College for a weeklong hurling coaching course. Adrian started coaching at the primary schools almost immediately but Benny was to wait another 25 years before he started coaching.

1971

Jan 1971 Herald shows Mr Cahir McKeown presenting a cup on behalf of the McKeown family to Fr P McGuiness chairman of the Fermanagh hurling board. Also in the picture from Lisbellaw are Jimmy Mc Phillips, Paddy McCaffery, Cathal Reihill and A.D. Corrigan.

It was as if this cup was destined for Lisbellaw. We were to win it in its inaugural year of 1972, its final year of 2003, and in 23 out of 31 with 13 in a row up to 2003. The old cup apparently sent to the museum in Croke Park and a new cup was presented in 2004 and was again won by Lisbellaw in its first year.

Oct ‘71 sees the start of Fermanagh County Boards’ field at Killesher. Fr McGuiness & Jimmy McPhillips were sent to look for another field for Lisbellaw because the players spent more time looking for lost sliothers rather than learning the skills from Jimmy McPhillips and so the early 70’s saw Lisbellaw Hurling Club move to James Bannon’s field at Tattymacall. Lisbellaw won the Fermanagh- Tyrone minor hurling league in 1971 with A.D. Corrigan as Captain. The team were presented with their medals at a function in St Mary’s hall Maguiresbridge in April. Appearing along with the team were Jimmy McPhillips, Trainer, Mr Malachy Mahon, Secretary Fermanagh GAA, Mr Paddy McCaffery Secretary Fermanagh Hurling Board, Mr J.J McElholm Chairman Fermanagh GAA and Rev Peter McGuiness, Chairman Fermanagh Hurling Board. The team of ’71 was Gerry Bannon, Packie Drumm, Philip Carson, Teddy Bannon, Adrian Corrigan, Gabriel McShea, Mickey McElroy, Joe McManus, Tom Duffy, Harry Trainor, Tom Reihill, John Dolan, P J McGowan, Kevin Corrigan, Sean McElroy, Benny Corrigan, Pat McElroy, Vincent Corrigan, Benny McManus, Noel Corrigan, Cathal Reihill, Larry Doran, Gerry Cleary.

In July 1971 G Dolan, J. Carey (RIP), V Collins, G. Cleary, B. McKeogh, H. Trainor, M. McCarney, P. McElroy played for Fermanagh in Portroe Co Tipperary in the first Féile na Gael.

At 1971 AGM it was noted by Fr McGuiness and in the secretary’s report “that one of the members was a bit hot headed and it was up to the team and its captain to put this person right again before the team and the Club got a bad name”. (Do you know who this was? – answer to the current Chairman please!).

1972

In 1972 Sean McElroy took over as Club Chairman for two years and with Captain Cathal Reihill, the team stepped up from minor and won its first Senior Championship for the McKeown cup. This first Senior Championship game was very badly publicised with no match report or team photograph or presentation to the team appearing in the press. A team list did appear on Aug 19th for a match against Belleek on Thur 17th at Killesher. It follows Sean, Pat and Michael McElroy, A. and B Corrigan, C., T. and P Reihill, J. Dolan, B. and A McManus, L Farry, G. Cleary, D. Bannon and V. Collins.

A further match against Belleek on Nov 5th 1972 did get a short report and it was an indication of the potential of this Belleek team- They won the Championship in ’73,’74 &’75. The report went-“ Sunday’s Tie between Lisbellaw and Belleek nearly caused a major upset when the Belleek lads more than held their own for a good part of the game. On a pitch which was ideal for ground hurling the tendency to lift the ball was overindulged in by Lisbellaw and nearly proved their undoing. They will need a lot more practice at striking the ball first time if they are to win this years two-county final against the winners of next Sundays Dungannon V Carrickmore tussle at Pomeroy. By far the neatest hurler on the field was Lisbellaw’s Benny Corrigan; His scoring of a beautiful lobbing goal from a sideline puck was only one of quite a few very well taken scores. On the Belleek side Raymond Gallagher played a real Captains part. To more than one bystander, the high standard of play came as a surprise and augers well for Fermanagh’s county hopes next year.

1973

Highlight of 1973 was when Fermanagh u-16s, hurlers reached the all-Ireland final in Croke Park. Our own Club players were ‘Brendan and Kevin Corrigan, Harry Trainor, Patsy Dolan, Brendan and Kevin McKeogh. Team Captain was Benny Corrigan and Chairman was Sean McElroy. Lisbellaw were top in Fermanagh/Tyrone league but it was unfinished. Club organised the first of many dinner dances in Mahon’s Hotel. It was well supported and pictures appeared in ‘Herald’.

The Club decided to take part in the Fermanagh Scór, Club Scór was run off in Cavanacarragh hall and they proved to be very entertaining.

In the early 1970’s Cavanacarragh was the Mecca for concerts and dances. The dances in particular were a major success probably because the team age was in the region 16-20 years.

1974

In 1974 Aidan McManus was Chairman and Benny McManus was Captain and Benny Corrigan took over as club secretary. Costs were rising and big emphasis was put on Ciste na Gael to raise money for the Club and County once again Scór competition was a great success in the area. In the final we were the only club to participate in all the acts. Our novelty act reached the Ulster final but was unsuccessful. Brona Donnelly won the Scór Na nóg final in Lisnaskea for her recitation of an old ballad in 1972. in 1976 Brid Donnelly became Ulster champion by winning instrumental music.

Belleek beat us in the championship final at Lisnaskea. We travelled to Westmeath for a match and were beaten by the club side. The Westmeath club then travelled to Fermanagh and beat us at Lisnaskea. Those matches organised by Paddy McCaffery. Club hurling was at a low ebb but county hurling was better with Fermanagh reaching Ulster semi final with a large contingent of Lisbellaw players. Fermanagh u-16 with some Lisbellaw players won an all-Ireland final in Limerick- Organised by Fr McGuiness, Paddy McCaffery and Benny Corrigan.

1975

1975 - AGM in St Mary’s Hall Maguiresbridge with Aidan McManus as Chairman, Finnian Baker as Captain and Benny Corrigan as Secretary. For county games it was virtually a Lisbellaw team, the trip to cork was organised by Sean Reihill was a marvellous weekend. We went to Aughaboolog club from Good Friday to Easter Monday, taking the Circuit of Ireland in between matches, coaching and God knows what else. Benny Corrigan prescribed in his report thus-‘the highlight of the year for all was our Easter trip to Cork, in those four days we were treated with great hospitality by all the people and the way that we performed on and off the field brought great credit to the club’.

One should mention the two trips to Tipperary now as well. They are not recorded in the minutes and must have happened in 1971. For the Club trip when we stayed with families in Thurles and later with the County team when we stayed in a Hotel. Described as our most successful year to date. We joined the North-East league (Known as Monaghan League) and it was an experience on its own. We played a match at Emyvale one evening and there were 5 garda squad cars in the car park and guards togging out from uniform while on duty- just to get a crack at these Northern lads from Lisbellaw. It was a well organised league and we had a good build up to the championship final but were well beaten in the final 5-5 to 0-4 by a strong Belleek for their 3rd-in-a-row win.

In Irvinestown at the county final a colour photograph was taken of the team and shows the team in red jerseys with white collars. Our ‘Trainer’ Jimmy McPhillips is included as always as were Michael McElroy, Kevin Corrigan, Patrick Reihill, Gerry Cleary, Tom Reihill. Benny McManus, Tom Prunty, Gerry Rice, Brendan McKeogh, Sean O’Farrell, Harry Trainor, Ollie O’Donnell, Dermot McShea, Patsy Dolan, Benny Corrigan, Aidan McManus, Pat McElroy Terry Prunty and Cathal Reihill.

1976

1976 saw Cathal Reihill as Chairman and Aidan McManus as Captain. We started playing in Maguiresbridge field and joined up with Maguiresbridge G.F.C. for our dinner dance and this continued until 2003. Jimmy McPhillips took over as County Hurling Chairman from 1976 to 1979 to be succeeded by Aidan Corrigan in 1980. A trip was being organised to Tallow but must have fell through at the last minute. 1976 saw us visit Thurles- I think as a County side and Portaferry as a Club side. This year is best remembered for a 2-11 to 2-3 win over Belleek. The team listed in the herald was; ‘Gerry McCaffery, Aidan McManus, Joe McGoldrick, Patrick Reihill, Gerry Cleary, Tom Reihill, Patsy Dolan, Adrian Corrigan, Cathal Reihill, Tom Prunty, Gerry Breslin, Benny Corrigan, Ollie O’Donnell, Finnian Baker, Pat McElroy, Brendan McKeogh, Kevin Corrigan, Michael McElroy (INJ)’.

And from Benny Corrigan’s report to A.G.M. ‘The championship match at Lisnaskea did a lot for hurling in the county and the quality of it really surprised many of the spectators. The response to training during this period was excellent and all our effort were well rewarded with victories over Ballyshannon and Dungiven in the Ulster club championship before bowing out to Cuchullions of Armagh on a winters day in Omagh’. He also noted that we had played up to 20 matches with a panel of 20 players.

1977

In 1977 Cathal Reihill was Chairman and Tom Reihill Captain and Benny Corrigan continuing on as Secretary. Brother John was County Hurling Board Secretary and his enthusiasm and commitment were influencing both county and club. We had a good run in the North-East League and finished top. The club played in the Ulster Club Championship on a Saturday and less than 24 hours later we played Belleek on Sunday at Irvinestown to retain the championship cup. The team was reported in the Herald as; ‘Gerald McCaffery, Patrick Reihill, Joe McGoldrick, Pat McElroy, Ollie O’Donnell, Tom Reihill, Kevin Corrigan, Brendan Corrigan, Cathal Reihill, Adrian Corrigan, Finnian Baker, Brendan McKeogh, Vincent Collins, Gerry Cleary, Paul Trotter Steve Maguire, Pat Mohan, Patrick Reihill and Liam Curran.

1978

1978 saw Gerry Cleary as Chairman and Patrick Reihill as Captain. We finished in the top four in the North-East League but were beaten by Keady in the semi-final. We played a number of challenge matches but there were no other teams in Fermanagh so no championship final. We were nominated to play in Ulster Club but were beaten in the first round by Robert Emmetts from Donegal. A.D. Corrigan continued to coach at underage. Spirits were at an all-time low within the club. To demonstrate this I quote from Benny Corrigan in his last report as Secretary – “finally I would like to pay a word of thanks to Brother John, his contribution to both club and county deserves a better return than what he is receiving. Only for him 1978 may have seen the end of hurling in Fermanagh and we as a club would cease. This I would not like to see as the friends which we have made through the game and the enjoyment and experiences which we have had give us many happy memories. Provided we get the support of the players we will continue but if we see that our efforts are having no success I see no purpose continuing. In my view 1979 could see the end of senior hurling in Fermanagh and if that is what happens then let it be our decision. We have nothing to be ashamed of and whatever we achieved we did ourselves.”

1979

1979, 1980 and 1981 started with Adrian Corrigan as Captain and Cathal Reihill as Chairman, elected at the 1978 AGM. But changes were to come quickly. The Club team was broken up to form 3 new clubs. This was a very unselfish move on behalf of the players who moved. Ollie O’Donnell was to captain an Enniskillen team which won the senior championship in 1979. He then moved to Lisnaskea in 1980 and won another championship, this time with Tom Reihill as Captain and other ex-Lisbellaw players such as Finnian Baker, Cathal Reihill, Liam Curran, Martin Carey and Sean Maguire.

Meanwhile the Lisbellaw club was at a low ebb but rebuilding. Younger players were coming on. Jimmy McPhilips stepped down as Treasurer. He had been our first and only Treasurer thus far. Jimmy then became Chairman for the next years. He was replaced as Treasurer with the safe and capable hands of Michael McElroy who stayed in the post until the end of 1988. Minutes were limited in these three years and I can find no trace of who was Captain in either 1980 or 1981. Matches were all played but a full compliment was not always available. In one match with Ardee in the North-East league the team started the match with only 12 players due to one car getting lost but within 10 minutes the car arrived and we went on to win. With determination to fulfil fixtures the club went to Belleek with a half team facing certain defeat.