As leagues that may or may not have finals conclude, the GAA's obscure history of shared titles

To give an indication of how disruptive this pandemic has been, the last time two successive Division 1 football finals weren’t played came in the last two years of World War II

Thu, 10 Jun, 2021 - 20:01

John Fogarty

To give an indication of how disruptive this pandemic has been, the last time two successive Division 1 football finals weren’t played came in the last two years of World War II. Yet that is a strong possibility should either Donegal or Kerry win their respective semi-finals Saturday.

Before Kerry were crowned champions on the basis of their superior points tally after seven rounds last year, the last occasion when a league final wasn’t played in peace time came in 1936 when Mayo were deemed champions having topped the table after eight rounds.

This weekend, at least two and possibly all four divisional finals will be shared, which would seem like an unusual phenomenon in Gaelic games at least at adult level. After all, this is the organisation that pitted Dublin and Meath together four times 30 years ago so that they could be separated.

But dig a little deeper and there is an obscure history of joint winners almost going back to the establishment of the GAA:

1888 — Annacurra and Clara were both awarded the Wicklow senior football championship because the final did not take place in time. As Annacurra were expected to win the game, it was agreed they would represent Wicklow in the Leinster Senior Football Championship.

1896 — Cahersiveen, prior to the establishment of St Mary’s, and Tralee Mitchels were crowned joint-winners of the Kerry Senior Football Championship. The South Kerry men had beaten Mitchels in the first game but following an objection a replay was organised and the board eventually chose to split the title between the pair.

1950 — The Dr Joseph Kerlin Cup is an annual knock-out senior football competition contested by North Derry clubs. There were two winners for the only time in its history when Dungiven and Faughanvale couldn’t be separated the first time around and a replay never took place.

1966 — Because of a venue dispute, the Donegal SFC final between Seán MacCumhaills and the now defunct St Joseph’s never took place. A team drawing from Ballyshannon and Bundoran, St Joseph’s wouldn’t travel to Letterkenny but would play MacCumhaills in their own backyard of Ballybofey, However, MacCumhaills wouldn’t play there either or travel to Ballyshannon for where the game was eventually fixed. St Joseph’s went on to represent Donegal in an unofficial Ulster SFC which they won but it’s been often said locally the spoils were shared.

1996 — English universities Cambridge and Oxford, more commonly known for competing in rowing and rugby, played out a historic first game of Gaelic football close to Oxford in June of this year. Oxford’s team comprised mostly rugby players and the game was level at the end of normal time. Due to the excessive heat on the day, it was agreed there would be no extra-time and honours were declared even.

2008 — The O’Byrne Shield was devised to give those Leinster counties beaten in the early stages of the O’Byrne Cup at least one more pre-season game prior to the start of the National League. Laois and Kildare won through to the final of the “B” competition in this year which they drew. As there was no replay or winner on the day criteria, the trophy was shared.

2016 — Should Donegal see off Dublin in Cavan on Saturday or Mayo beat Clare in Ennis the following afternoon, it won’t be the first time several players on both teams have had the honour of sharing a title as they were part of the counties’ U21 teams who couldn’t be split in the North-West U21 Cup five years ago. After extra-time, it was agreed they would share the trophy. Donegal’s U21 manager that year was current senior boss Declan Bonner.

2020 — Many post-primary competitions were hit hard by the pandemic last year and in Ulster it was decided that St Patrick’s, Maghera would share the famed MacRory Cup with St Colman’s Newry. It was also agreed that the same would apply in the MacLarnon Cup, which was won by finalists St Pius X, Magherafelt and Our Lady’s and St Patrick’s Knock. Nineteen years earlier, St Michael’s College, Enniskillen and Omagh CBS were both awarded the title after the Foot and Mouth outbreak denied them a replay.

2021 National Leagues: Will there be a final?

Division 1

If Donegal and/or Kerry win their respective semi-final, there will be no final as they are in early Championship action against Down and Clare respectively at the end of the month. A Dublin v Tyrone final would take place the weekend after next, likely at a neutral venue.

Division 2

There will be no Division 2 final as Clare and Mayo, who face off in a promotion semi-final in Ennis on Sunday, are both playing in the Championship on June 26.

Division 3

Providing Derry and Fermanagh beat Limerick and Offaly, there will be a final. However, a win for either of the Division 3 South teams means that there will be no decider. The eight teams confirmed in Division 3 next season can avoid the Tailteann Cup if they gain promotion next year, win their province this season or get to their provincial final in 2022.

Division 4

As Carlow, Louth and Waterford begin their provincial campaigns on June 27, there can be no final. The confirmed eight Division 4 teams for the 2022 season will enter the Tailteann Cup following their provincial championship exit, unless they win the province this year or reach the provincial final next year.