Success Down the Years

The following year 1920, they again won the League and the County Championship, beating O’Connell’s in the graveyard field at Loughgiel for their first title.

In 1921 they won the North Antrim League but owing to the death of the mother of three players, the team did not travel to play the North Antrim Final against Mullaghsandal, who were later beaten in the County Final by O’Donovan Rossa.

On St Patrick’s Day 1922, they met and defeated the same Mullaghsandal team (strengthened), by 28 points to 7 at Cushendall, for medals presented by the North Antrim Committee.

Players at that time were: John Campbell, Ned Campbell, Alex Campbell, Eddie Connolly, Hugh Connolly, Jim Connolly (Tour), Pat Connolly, Johnny Connolly (Mickey’s), and Pat Connolly (John’s), Jim McKee, Paddy McGarry, Denis McCormick, Paddy McCormick, Charles McCormick, Dan Joe Loughridge, Jim McCormick and Harry McKee.

During 1922 and 1923 the team suffered the loss of some of its players for a time. The others joined Carey, as some of their players were also away.

In 1924 Shamrocks came again and won all honours of the County, defeating O’Donovan Rossa at St Malachy’s ground, Belfast. The score that day was Loughgiel 33 points, Rossa 14, and the happiest man in the Park was Father John Healy, who had taken a very deep interest in the Club’s activities since his arrival in Loughgiel.

Again in 1925 they won all honours and gained the distinction of never having lost a match in the past two years.

The players for these two years were John Campbell (Goals); Jim Connolly, Jim McKee, and Denis McCormick (Backs); Paddy McGarry, Alex Campbell and Charlie McCormick (Half-Backs); Jim McAleese, J P McAllister and Peter Henry (Half-Forwards); Gerald Connolly, Eddie Connolly and Ned McToal (Full-forwards). Other players who assisted were Ned Campbell, Barney Campbell, John Gillan, James Gillan and Sam O’Neill.

In 1926 Loughgiel did not compete in the League, but they played in the Championship but failed to replay the final.

The 1928 Championship was not completed until the spring of 1929 and they lost that game to O’Connell’s at Loughgiel, but in the 1929 Championship played at the end of the same year they met O’Connell’s and time defeated them to win the Donnelly cup.

The team by this time was sadly depleted through emigration and by the fact the older players were retiring. The team was Gerard Connolly (Goals); Ned McToal, J P McAllister and Jim Connolly (Backs); Paddy McGarry, Charlie McCormick and Alex Campbell (half-backs); John McAleese and Barney Campbell (centre-field); John Gillan, Eddie Connolly and Dionysus McAllister (half-forwards).

You will have noticed there were fifteen players on the team instead of the usual thirteen.

1938 was the first year that the Championship was played on the "All County” basis.

Two Sundays afterwards they again met Glenariff at Ballycastle and defeated them in the North Antrim Championship having drawn with them prior to the County Championship.

Players that year were: Gerard Connolly (goals); Archie McKinley, Jim Connolly, Paddy McGarry, Dan McMullan, Martin McArthur, Pat McAuley, Patsy McIlhatton, Sam & Hugh Mulholland, James McGarry, John Currie, Eddie McCarry and Mick O’Connell.

From 1939 to 1943 (when Antrim went into the All-Ireland Final) they had no major success but in that year they (Loughgiel) defeated O’Connell’s at Loughgiel in Boyle’s field Ballyknock, and had the honour of having three players selected for the County team which went down before Cork.