Guth & Tuairim, Meitheamh 1980

Llnfocht mac T1omnachan muwnws <o~ 10 Anseo1 Ansiud A SALUTE TO MANUS MCCOLE by Paddy Ferry. \, henever mention is made of Keadue Rovers in Donegal football circles, the name of one man inevitably crops up - Hanus McCole . For over ten years now it has been synonymous with Keadue Rovers on football grounds around the county, where the sight of Manus shouting instructions to his team from his wheelbhair or car has become common place . The his tory of Keadue Rovers goes back to the end of the last century. It's past had been long and glorious. Yet, in 1969, i t seemed ahat all the Rovers had was a past. The future of the club was very uncertain mainly due t o a lack of players who wanted to play in the famous red and white. In the spring of that year it was decided t hat i t was just not feasible to enter a side in that season's North-West Donegal League. But in the summer of that year a North-West Donegal U.nder-16 League was introduced. Manus McCole entered a team of young lads from the area stretching from Acres to Kincasslagh. That was his initiation into the sphere of football management, and it was this experience that made him question whether he could, in fact, run a team in t he s enior league. J:anus and I often discussed the problems involved in such a venture and the chances of succeeding. I can well remember the spring evening in 1970 when we set off to form a committee which was to be the foundation stone of the new Keadue Rovers. It turned out to be the start of a decade of hard work with many set-backs and frustrations for Nanus . But it was also a period when Manus revealed a firm resolve and unyielding determination which event ual ly was to take his side on to win the Donegal League championship. So after one year ' s lapse Keadue Rovers were back in existence. The North-West Donegal League was, however, to last only two more seasons. In its final term, internal disagreement prevented the League's completion- and that in a season that had seemed destined to land ~~nus his first triumph as football manager. He had assembled an outs tanding team that won a tremendous succession of victories before the league ended inconclusively to deny tte Rover s what seemed a certain championship. The break-up of the North-West League was to coincide with the formation of the Donegal League. For the first time teams from all over the county would compete together in a single tournament. After finishing in the top six i n the first season of the new league, the loss of several key players meant that Keadue were no longer in a position t o compete with the top sides. Hanus was faced with a major set-back. As a result it was decided to r elegate the team voluntarily to the second division to give the young players coming through a chance to mature. There then followed a few mediocre seasons in the lower division and at times the whole future of Keadue Rovers eeemed in doubt . ar leanUint ar an oh! , , cbugainn. s J.1 EJ R T 5i q Qflj Manus Me Cole pictured with Packie & Dennis Bonner. 1. \oi h,, ·w'c n t he r' •.:.. Cup i n l':J 'I')? 2. ~ha t no tl ~nal ity 4 s q~ hl e te Seh~ s ti~ n Coe? J , In cri ,~ket t <" rms what are t h,, Ashes? 4. In what sjjort does Jimmy Connors parti~ip:1te? 5. .Je ff 3quire .is a rugby i.nl: -8 rna t :!.onal with whi~h coun~.ry? Ta £< le' bJJ.int.. Last mont,h' s wi.nn •' r: Sea!Tltt:.J T. o·'Fe a :-cni .~h, Lu ( nH Gre1!1e, Luiru1each . Freasra{ chuig "Gut.h 7 Tu r. iri:n", Doi re Dea ~~t. ~1111 Ins an Eorna 'Reir Ce bhf spealladh driucht na mealla, Ins an eorna 1 reir; Ce bhf ceol a' teacht 'na bhaile, Frfd an eurna I reir-: R_ealta geala a' dea~h solais, Eadmhar ins an speir; 'Siad a dheanfadh liomsa malairt, Ins an eorna 'reir. Scrfobhadh stiall de stair na hofche, Ins an eorna 'reir; Scaoileadh rUn do chluais na gaoithe, Ins an eorna 'reir: Seal da pogadh, seal da mealladh, Nuala dhubh is me fhein; Thug sf larnh dom fhad is mhairfinn, Ins an eorna '.reir. and PATRICK BOHERTY COIS CLADAIGH Threig me aoibhneas ffor m'cige, Ins an eorna 'reir; Dhoirt me In fhfon bhf blasta gleoi te, 7 "A sI DE SOCCER ENTRY FORMSAVAILABLE FROM -- -- "GUTH 7 TUAIRIM", Ins an eorna I reir: ~ Mor mo chumha n8r phleasc a'ghealach, ~ SUMMER CUP DOIRE BEAGA PHON.E BUNBEAG 265 Mer mo bhron nar scoilt a I talamh; Sul a dearn me posadh 1 ghealla dh, ~ Ins an eorna I reir. Brian 0 Broin.