CLANE REPRESENT THE “WHITES” IN THRILLING CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH

Clane represent the “Whites” in thrilling

championship match against Dublin at Moorefield grounds

By Liam Kenny

While the weather can no longer be relied on to mark the beginning of summer there is one incontrovertible sign that season has arrived and that is the resumption of the Sunday Game on television complete with its battalion of GAA pundits. The thrills, spills, and controversies of the hurling and football seasons will be sliced, diced and analysed with style and panache over the coming months.

Back in 1903 ago there were no video replays or snappy punditry but the GAA supporters of the day were well served by the sports reporters of the era whose flowing prose conveyed the ebb and flow of the games with such vivacity that the reader felt that he or she was part of the action.

And there was plenty of action to report given the column inches of GAA coverage in the local press. Typical of the genre is a report from the Kildare Observer of early June 1903 (110 years ago) about a dual Leinster championship tie between Kildare and Dublin in hurling and in football. The double-header took place at the Moorefield club which were described as being near the railway station and in good condition. The former attribute was welcomed by the large crowd who had travelled by special train to the support the Dubs.

The county representation in the GAA world at the time was expressed through the leading clubs of the time being asked to wear the county jersey rather than a panel selected from over the county as is modern practice. There was no difficulty for the Co Kildare representatives in wearing the right jersey as it was the Clane team which were carrying Kildare hopes and their all-white strip mirrored that of the county. They were matched against the Bray Emmets who although technically in CountyWicklow were considered metropolitan enough to represent Dublin in the GAA geography of the day.

The Clane/Co Kildare team comprised: J. Rafferty (captain), J. Dunne, W. Merriman, H. Cribbin, J Murray, M. Murray, M. Donnelly, P.O’Brien, J.Aspill, J. Fitzpatrick, J. Scott, C. Kennedy, E. Kennedy, W. Gogarty, W. Colohan, W. Bracken, and J. Delaney.

Dublin won the toss and elected to play against the wind. According to the Kildare Observer sports correspondent from the throw-in Kildare pressed hard and got into Dublin territory where they narrowly missed a score. The style of reporting was a master class in how to transfer the explosion of physical activity on the field into print without losing any of the excitement and energy inherent in a sporting clash. We are told that “some fine up-and-down play followed, both teams showing up splendidly”. Kildare got-going and brought play into the Dublin side where they were awarded a free close-in, Rafferty kicking a point.”

The report from 1903 also brings into focus the enigma of the nick-name for the Kildare team. In early reports – as in this one, Kildare are referred to as “the Whites”. In other reports well into the twentieth century the name “All-Whites” is used but never the “Lilywhites” which has become the modern terminology for the men from the short-grass. So when did the “Lilywhites” first appear for the Kildare team and what, if any, basis has it in fact? And sports writers take note – please spell the name with two Ls not three – it’s bad enough having a nickname of uncertain origin but to convert it into the English surname “Lillywhite” is a step too far away from its origins.

Back to the action of the 1903 match and  Clane’s J. Rafferty is turning in a man-of-the-match performance – a kick out was taken possession of by the  Whites who went away at a great pace, and being awarded a fifty yards, Rafferty, scored a goal, levelling the match. The Whites hit a purple patch and blocked the ensuing kick-out with a goal following scored by Kennedy and immediately after Donnelly sent up the white flag for another Kildare score. The ball was no sooner kicked out from that than Dunne sent it in again for a point. No wonder then that Kildare went into half-time with an impressive 2 goals and 2 points lead on the Emmets.

However matches change within a matter of minutes and in the second-half the green-and-white jerseys of the Dublin representatives laid siege to the Kildare half of the pitch.  Score after score came for the Emmets and in the words of our correspondent “Dublin were attacking very strongly and despite the good defence of the Clane men, Casey sent in the equaliser”.  The green-and-whites renewed their attack and were awarded a fifty which “which was entrusted to McCann who, with a grand kick, sent right between the goal-posts”. 

As the final minutes ran down the Clane advantage at half-time was upended by the persistent metropolitans. Our reporter from 1903 closes his account of a reverse for the Whites by reporting: Play was still confined to the White’s ground. A free to the Emmets close in was got rid of, and, on the final whistle-sounding the scores read – Dublin 3 goals 7 points, Kildare 3 goals 4 points.

Let’s hope this score line will be reversed when the “Whites”, or the “All Whites” or the “Lilywhites” take on the sky-blue Dubs in the latest instalment to the series of high-tempo clashes as the championship season once more keeps the nation entertained through an Irish summer.

 Leinster Leader issue of 18 June 2013. Looking Back Series no 336.