Brackaville Owen Roes GFC
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| Founded: | 1938 | ||||||||||||||||
| County: | Tyrone | ||||||||||||||||
| Nickname: | The Roes | ||||||||||||||||
| Club Colours: | Red & White | ||||||||||||||||
| Grounds: | Pairc Phadraig O'Brien | ||||||||||||||||
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Brackaville Owen Roes GFC is a Gaelic football club in Brackaville, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It was formed in the summer of 1938 by a number of local men who decided that it was right time for the Brackaville area to provide its own football base after sharing with parish neighbours Coalisland Fianna for many years . The loss of over 20 personnel to the new team in the parish was hotly disputed but the perseverance of Matt Symington, the Owen Roes first secretary, won out against a number of appeals to the county board and the Brackaville train began to roll.
Honours followed more quickly than expected when the team won the Tyrone Junior title in 1941, but that was to provide some false hope. There then followed the first of two periods of inactivity for the Roes, when the club ceased to exist from 1943 until 1946. On their return to action, the club contested the Tyrone Minor finals of 1946 and 1947 which coincided with the all Ireland success of the Red Hand county. Brackaville were represented on those teams by Michael Bradley, Louis Campbell, and Francie McIlvenna (who coincidentally was the father-in-law of joint manager, Declan Fox).
The club had little in the way of success to boast of in the intervening years, although four members did help Na Fianna to win the Senior County title in 1946 during the Brackavile spell of exile, namely Charlie Mc Nally (father of Sean), Jim Mc Caughrey, Paddy Joe Coleman, and Paddy Early (grandfather of Martin) collecting senior medals. History was to repeat itself nine years later when the club again hit hard times and folded in 1954. A year later Na Fianna won the Tyrone Senior crown with Brackaville men Charlie Maneely, Joe Kenny, Aloysious Symington, John McShane, and Malachy Gervin on board.
Once again the club revived and in 1959 the present Owen Roes were put into action with Al Molloy who remains a loyal committee man to this day and one of the leading lights, along with people like Seamie Duffin, The Maneelys , and the famed "Cowboy" Morgan. Almost 25 years after their first county title the Brackaville colours were again flying proudly in 1965 when the Roes won the Junior league crown which elevated them to the Intermediate grade for the first time.
[edit] Senior Team
Holding their own for close on a decade in Intermediate football the Owen Roes were again relegated to Junior status when the years caught up on their 1980s representatives and this was to have a devastating effect on the club. Results were no longer measured by winning but by keeping the score down and for three long seasons the struggle to keep the club afloat was the priority of a handful of very dedicated Brackaville gaels.
From that point the club rose again stronger than ever and with hindsight each passing success was greeted with great pride given the circumstances from which the current custodians were forced to develop and shape the future. The turning point was the splendid youth structures put in place by Tom Toner which yielded so many successes for the club with the most notable being an U-14 league title in 1992, the clubs first youth title at county level which sparked a marvellous run to the end of the 1990s.
In that eight year period, Brackaville won three U-14 league titles(1992, 1998 and 1999), U-16 Championship (1994), Minor League titles in 1994 and 1998 and a first Tyrone Minor championship crown in 1999. Add to that the fact that the club contested three adult county finals since 1994, losing the 1994 Junior final before returning to claim the title in 1996 and of course winning the Intermediate crown in 1999. Most of today's senior team have featured in the majority of those successes which really puts in perspective the turnaround in fortunes of the club in a relatively short space of time in football terms.
Winning the final of the Ulster Club Championship in 2000 was probably the proudest day for Brackaville Owen Roes and their very loyal band of supporters many who have endured those bad old days and come out smiling.
[edit] Team Status
Having been relegated to division three in 2004, the team bounced back in 2005 to reclaim intermediate status. The current season hasn't been as successful as everyone had hoped, mostly due to numerous players retiring from playing. However there are many young players coming through the youth and reserve teams which will help the senior prosper in the future. The senior team were relegated to division 3 in 2006 and are hoping to complete the division 3 double in 2007.
[edit] Notable Players
Current Brackaville players on the Tyrone panel include Paul Rouse.
| Tyrone Gaelic Athletic Association | ||
|---|---|---|
| Affiliated Clubs | ||
| All-County Football League Division 1A | ||
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Aghyaran - Ardboe - Carrickmore - Coalisland- Cookstown- Donaghmore- Dromore- Errigal Ciarán - Galbally - Killeeshil - Killyclogher - Omagh |
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| All-County Football League Division 1B | ||
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Clann na nGael - Clonoe - Derrylaughan - Dungannon - Edendork - Gortin - Kildress - Loughmacrory - Moy - Pomeroy - Stewartstown - Trillick |
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| All-County Football League Division 2 | ||
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Aghaloo - Augher - Brocagh - Drumquin - Eglish - Eskra - Fintona - Greencastle - Killyman - Moortown - Strabane - Urney |
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| All-County Football League Division 3 | ||
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Beragh- Brackaville - Castlederg - Clogher - Derrytresk - Dregish - Drumragh - Errigal Ciarán Thirds - Glenelly - Newtownstewart - Owen Roes - Rock - Tattyreagh |
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| Hurling Clubs | ||
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Beragh - Clonfeacle - Camowen Gaels - Éire Óg, Carrickmore - Eoghain Rua, Dungannon - Naomh Colmcille - Naomh Eoin, Dromore - Setanta, Fintona - Shamrocks, Strabane |
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