1980

In 1980 Kevin Corrigan took over as player manager.

1982

1982 came in with new enthusiasm. Jimmy was still Chairman, Ollie O’Donnell returned to the club as Captain and Patsy Dolan took over as Secretary. The financial situation in the club was especially bad. Mickey McElroy stated in his report that the bank balance was £3 in debit with some bills to pay. We started to run Bazaars in Tattygar School to raise funds for the club. Ollie O’Donnell started coaching underage hurlers.

However in 1982 the senior team hit the headlines. There was a big build-up for the final with pictures of the players appearing in the Herald as a preview. A photograph of Ollie O’Donnell receiving the cup appeared under the headline of, ‘Shock Championship Win for Lisbellaw’. We beat Belleek in the final 2-5 to 0-3. It is interesting that we have only been beaten twice since with 2-in-a-row, 5-in-a-row and 14-in-a-row to the present day.

We also won the senior league and player-manager, Kevin Corrigan was thanked at the AGM for the tremendous amount of work he put into the club. According to the Herald the championship winning team of 1982 was “Dermot Cleary, Phil Rice, Kevin Corrigan, Martin Breslin, Damien Carson, Sean Trainer, Seamus Carron, Tom Prunty, Donal McShea, Gregory Cassidy, Michael McElroy, Seamus Breslin, John Shannon, Gerry Breslin, Ollie O’Donnell, Sean Duffy and Peter McGeogh.

1983

In 1983 Dermot Cleary started St Mathew’s Pobal with himself as Secretary and Michael McTeague as Chairman. They only lasted a few years but their return to the Club later strengthened the senior team and also the underage structure.

1983 was Jimmy McPhillips last year as Chairman. Kevin Corrigan was Captain as well as player-manager. The financial situation was much better with £178 in credit. We lost the league final and won the Gerry Hannigan trophy. Belleek failed to turn up for the championship final and it was awarded to Lisbellaw. We were beaten by Setanta in the Ulster Club Championship. The team according to the Herald was – “Damien Carson, Patsy Dolan, Ollie O’Donnell, Martin Breslin, Noel Duffy, Kevin Corrigan, Sean Trainor, Seamus Breslin, Seamus Carron, Pat McElroy, Sean Duffy, Gregory Cassidy, Michael McElroy, Benny Corrigan, John Shannon and Phil Rice.

As mentioned at the start Jimmy’s death was a severe blow to the club but he had put a good club structure in place in his adopted home of Lisbellaw after his own years of playing for the famous Coa O’Dwyers. They won the senior championship 3 times in 1935, 1938 and 1939 and also provided the bulk of the Fermanagh team of the 30’s.

The Coa O’Dwyer’s Team of the 1930’s: Jimmy Love Dominic Murphy Tommy Green John Campbell Pat Woods Peter McManus Johnny Woods Hugh Green Jim Green Barney McManus Paddy Love John McGirr Jimmy McPhilips Felix Green Jimmy McGirr ) Frank McCann)

They played in Mickey McManus’s field Killee and in Doyle’s field Cavantillycormick, where the team photograph was taken. They played matches against Enniskillen, Newtownbutler, Glasmullagh, Golan, Effernan, Carnhill, Shanmullagh, Tummery and Sheemuldoon.

They were carrying on a tradition in the area because there was a Coa hurling team playing between 1900 and 1910. They were termed “The Old Coa Team” and included William Cassidy and Mickey Donnelly. There was also a team in Breagho in the early 1900’s which included the Currans’, Francy McLoughlin, Michael McLoughlin and Pat Logan. This Team may have inspired our own Jimmy McPhillips as he came from Breagho.

1984

Kevin Corrigan took over as Chairman after Jimmy in 1984 and Seamus Carron was Captain.

We made an application to Fermanagh District Council for the use of the Dromad playing field. Belleek won the championship final and Donagh Sons of Erin, in their 3rd year, beat us in the league final after a replay on Centenary Day.

A draw was planned for the start of 1985 to raise funds. The Green & White of Lisbellaw appeared in 1984 replacing the Red & White set.

1985

In 1985 the meetings were held in ‘Eugene’s’. The committee was starting to take a settled look with Kevin Corrigan continuing as Chairman, Patsy Dolan as Secretary and Michael McElroy as Treasurer. This committee was to stay in place until the end of 1988.

However we had a new Captain in Sean Duffy who was co-selector along with manager Kevin Corrigan. We won the senior championship, 1st in 5-in-a-row and also the Gerry Hanigan competition. In the championship final we beat Lisnaskea 6-6 to 0-3 and after the presentation, according to the Herald, “the Lisnaskea players then sportingly lined up to applaud Lisbellaw off the field”. In Ulster club we beat Setanta but we were well beaten by a Lavey side featuring Henry Downy. The team beaten by Lavey was listed in the Herald as: “Ollie O’Donnell, Patsy Dolan, Martin Breslin, Michael McElroy, Shane McGoldrick, Noel Duffy, Seamus Carron, Donal McShea, Sean Duffy, Oliver McShea, Seamus Breslin, Gerry Breslin, Brian Johnston, Kevin Corrigan and Phil Rice”.

1986

1986 still in Smyth’s, Maguiresbridge for meetings. Committee returned unopposed. Donal McShea the new Captain. We beat Belleek in the Championship semi-final replay in Enniskillen. In the final Division 1 leaders took on Division 2 leaders St Mary’s. Lisbellaw won by a point 0-10 to 1-6 in what was a cracker of a game. The team according to the Herald was: “Seamus McCusker, Patsy Dolan, Ollie O’Donnell, Martin Breslin, Michael McElroy, Shane McGoldrick, Noel Duffy, Seamus Carron, Donal McShea, Sean Duffy, Ollie McShea, Gerry Breslin, Brian Johnston, Tom Prunty, Adrian McPhilips, Sean Magee, Kieran Murphy, Kevin Corrigan and Phil Rice. In the Ulster club however the club were “trashed” by Lavey at Maguiresbridge by a score of 7-19 to 1-4. In the league quarter-final we beat Donagh 3-7 to 0-4. In the semi the club beat Enniskillen 4-8 to 1-3. In the league final we were well beaten by Setanta 6-6 to 1-6. Bro John presented the Jimmy McPhilips Memorial Trophy to Setanta Captain Eamon Farrell. “He then congratulated Setanta in this, their first year in the Fermanagh league and he said the County Board had been pleased with the standard throughout the competition and with Setanta for fulfilling their fixtures. Bro John said he sympathised with Lisbellaw. They had given everyone a good game and they were particularly anxious to win the trophy since it had been donated to the County Board by a Lisbellaw man’s family who himself had done an awful lot for Fermanagh hurling and whose grandson Adrian, was a member of the Lisbellaw side”. Setanta Captain Eamon Farrell was obliviously pleased with their sides win and called for “3 cheers” for Lisbellaw, for the Fermanagh hurling league and the game of hurling itself.

1987

In 1987 the same committee continuing with Kevin Corrigan as Chairman, Patsy Dolan as Secretary, Michael McElroy as Treasurer but with Patsy Dolan as Captain. In his report the secretary “congratulated U14 mentors Ollie O’Donnell and Gerry Smith for the first time honours to the Club at under age level”. The U14’s won both league and championship.

The visit to Downpatrick arranged by Gabriel Trueman was good preparation for Féile and they brought home a momento – a trophy which is used to this day as U16 player of the year.

From Rory O’Donnell

“In 1987 Lisbellaw won the Féile na nGael and went to Clare. Everyone was so excited and couldn’t wait to go. The town we went to was Corofin. The hurling was played very fast, we played three games and had no luck but learned a lot. The games were played on a Friday and Saturday and on the Sunday the parade was held. All the teams were there and marched through Ennis and it was fantastic. For me being Captain I had the pleasure of meeting Dr Mick Loftus, G.A.A President, I was extremely proud. The fun of travelling away to Clare was great and being so far away from home was exciting but I had someone watching me all the time and that was my father for he was the manager. The following year Lisbellaw went to their second Féile na nGael and travelled to Offaly were their experience was of the same hospitality and hurling and above all great fun”.

We won the senior championship with a good win over Belleek 2:13 to 2:4. The team was again managed by player-manager Kevin Corrigan with the help of selector Gerry Smith. The team listed in the Herald was: “Seamus McCusker, Damien McCahery, Donal McShea, John McCusker, Shane McGoldrick, Seamus Carron, Brian Johnston, Sean Duffy, Adrian McPhilips, Tom Prunty, Ollie O’Donnell, Ollie McShea, Michael McElroy, Kevin Corrigan, Patsy Dolan”. It should be noted however that there was 21 in the team photograph taken in Brewster Park. We were beaten in the Ulster club by Woodford Gales.

It was noted in the minutes that we were given use of the playing field at Drumod from Fermanagh District Council but the gates were locked.

1988

The Committee returned unopposed with Kevin Chairman, Patsy as Secretary and Mickey as Treasurer. Sean Duffy was Captain for the second time. High point of the year was winning the McPhillips Cup at the 3rd attempt. We also won the Hannigan cup and beat Lisnaskea to win the senior championship by 4.3 to 0.7. We were dropped out of the Ulster Club Competition without a proper explanation from Ulster Council.

The U14 won league and Feile na nGael. A coaching weekend in St Paul’s Belfast preceded the Feile Trip to Kinnity, Co Offaly as Feile na nGael representatives from Fermanagh. It was noted that the Club was in the red – financially (probably as a result of winning Feile twice in a row)

Started awarding senior player of the year and U16 player of the year. At this time the players attending adjourned AGM voted for their choice.

It is interesting to note that Shane O’Donnell aged 14 years and 1 month played in the 1988 senior championship final winning side. He scored 0-1 in the final after scoring 3-0 in a challenge match against Carrickmore the previous week. The team in 1988 from a Herald photograph was: Martin Breslin, Kevin Corrigan, Phil Rice, Seamus McCusker, Donal McShea, Derrick Johnston, Damien McPhillips, Benny Smith, Rodney Timoney, Mickey McElroy, Rory O’Donnell, Damien McCahery, Shane McGolderick, Patsy Dolan, John McCusker, Sean Duffy, Brian Johnston, Shane O’Donnell, Ollie McShea, Sean Magee, Aidy McPhillips, Ollie O’Donnell and Noel Duffy.

1989

A partly rejigged Committee saw Michael McElroy in the post of Chairman, Kevin Corrigan as Secretary (pity about the writing) and Pat Magee taking over as Treasurer. Brian Johnston was the new Captain. Kevin Corrigan was still player-manager of the Senior team. In a new development it was decided to field a second team or B team in Division 2. Gerry Smith was elected as B-team Manager. We were beaten in the senior league final but won the Gerry Hannigan trophy.

We won the Senior championship for the fifth year in a row with a score 0-12 to 0-7 but were well beaten by Cuchullians in the Ulster Club 12-11 to 2-5. The Championship team according to the Herald were “Seamus McCusker, Damien McCahery, Donal McShea, Sean Trainor, Brian Johnston, Seamus Carron, Rory O’Donnell, Sean Duffy, Adrian McPhillips, Kevin McKeogh, Kevin Corrigan, Ollie McShea, Shane O’Donnell, Ollie O’Donnell, John McCusker, Sean Cox and Shane McGolderick”. There were a total of 22 players on the panel. It should be noted that Ollie O’Donnell won a championship medal at full forward. His son Rory at 16 played at wing-half back and other son Shane only 15 played at corner forward – all in a Championship final winning team.

Negotiations ongoing with Fermanagh District Council regarding a playing field. A Dance was organised at which the band ‘Index’ would play.