Greenlough GAC: A Brief History

Greenlough is the smallest parish in the Derry Diocese (history of Greenlough can be found on the parish website, here), situated at the South East border of County Derry, close to County Antrim. The two counties are separated by the River Bann, which runs between Derry and Antrim from Lough Neagh into the Atlantic Ocean.
Location

Greenlough GAC was formed in 1939 by Michael Henry, Patrick Rankin and Louis Madden and the club has been on the go ever since. The new park and pavillion were opened in the GAA's centenary year (1984) and are dedicated to Saint Oliver Plunkett. The same year we hosted the County final between Dungiven and Castledawson.

The grounds consist of a flood lit training pitch, main pitch (which has hosted numerous club championship matches and a number of inter-county games), car park and pavilion, consisting of: 2 spacious team changing rooms (which are easily divided into 4 very adequate rooms when required), referee changing room, a function room with 175 person capacity, bar, meeting rooms, kitchen, garage, toilets, store rooms, and large press box overlooking the main playing field.

In 2009 the club installed a new fully equipped Gym. Club Gym

Although we won no championships at that time, one of our greatest teams was probably in the forties with players like Thomas Edward McCloskey, Jimmy Cassidy and the Mc Erlean Brothers who wore the county shirt during Derry's great spell in the mid-forties. These players were members of the first Northern team to win a national title, when they claimed the 1947 National League title. In more recent times the club have made steady progress, with many U-12, U-14, and U-16 leagues and championships, as well as several South Derry Minor championships and Reserve Leagues and Championships, and have 3 All-Ireland minor winners James Lynn (1989), Ciaran McCallion & Martin Carey (both 2002). Three of our current Senior squad have represented their County at Senior level in previous years, Enda Lynn, Kevin McCann and Niall Bradley; while Christopher Lagan and Brian McCallion were part of the 2010 Derry Under 21 team.

Recent History
In the season of 2005 Greenlough Senior team won the First division league and got promoted into the elite premier section under the guidance and management of Larry Madden (Some details available here). Following 1 year in the top division Greenlough were relegated to Division 3 following the restructring of the leagues into divisions of 8 teams, having previously been 16 team divisions.

The 2007 season failed to produce promotion with only one place up for grabs, Greenlough were pipped to that one spot by Coleraine, who also knocked the senior team out of that year's Championship.

Champiosnhip Success
In 2008 Greenlough, guided by the management team of Hugh Mulholland and Jude Donnelly, finally won their first Intermediate Championship since 1976, only the second success in the competition in the club's history. The ‘08 team mirrored the '76 team by needing a replay (Final Match Report) to win the title, this time overcoming Ballymaguigan after the second game (Replay Match Report).

The win allowed Greenlough to compete in Ulster Intermediate Championship for the first time in the club's history, where we went on to reach the Ulster Final where we were defeated by Tyrone champions, Trillick by a single point (Ulster Final Match Report). The senior team also won the Dean McGlinchey Cup in 2008, the very first success in the competition for the club, while the Reserves reached their Championship final (Match Report)

At underage level success came when the U16 Team, under the guidance of Chris McGurk and Fergal Clarke, won the club's first All-County B League, when they defeated Claudy in a play-off (Play-Off Match Report).

2009 saw the Senior team almost emulate what they had achieved the previous year, but fell two points short in the IFC final (Match Report) against the same opposition they had defeated in the 2008. Also in 2009 Greenlough made it to their first ever All-Ireland final when they competed in the Ratoath All-Ireland Intermediate 7s, where they were defeated in the decider by a late goal after storming through the tournament unbeaten up until that point, with Brian McCallion claiming ‘Player of the Tournament’ (All-Ireland 7s  Report).

The Under 16s also fell at the last hurdle in 2009 after winning in 2008 when they were defeated in the All-County B Championship Final (Match Report).

However in 2010 the Unders 16s made amends for their defeat and won the All-County 15-a-side Championship, beating Desertmartin comfortably in the final. (Match Report)