First honours
The first Johnville team to win the league and cup double – at Under 12 in season 1961-’62 – was as follows: John Cummins, Jim Power, Shamie Jackman, Tim Doheny, Robbie Finn, Tony Cunningham, Michael Heffernan, Seanie Moran, Peter Daly, Paddy Cunningham, John Stewart. Tony “Dodger” O’Brien was the manager.
The club entered Youth football (known as Minor) in those days in season 1962-’63. They were successful from day one and during the following years they reached a Munster Youth Cup final and on the 6th of June, 1969, they reached the final of the FAI Youths Cup. The team lost to the mighty Shelbourne, but nevertheless it was an incredible achievement to reach the decider of the Under 18 National Cup after only six years at that level.
The Johnville Youth team did win the Munster Junior Cup in 1986. Michael Heffernan admits that the day he played for Johnville against Shelbourne in the FAI Youth Cup decider was the highlight of his career, and when one considers that he has won everything possible with the club, that is some statement.
Johnville; Youth ‘B’ League winners 2013
The Johnville club have a magnificent record in the Munster Junior Cup. They have won the trophy on five occasions. They first won the famous provincial cup in 1974. The team which beat Hyde Rovers from Limerick in Priory Park, Limerick, was: Liam Hazel, Noel O’Connor, Willie Kelly, Dermot Coffey, Michael Heffernan, Paddy Cunningham, John Stewart, Shamie Coad, Jim Whelan, Robbie Daly, John Butler, Martin Dunphy, Seanie Moran, Mattie Evans was the manager. The final score was 2-1. Seanie Moran and John Stewart were the players who scored the goals. The club went on to win the MFA Cup on four more occasions: 1977, 1978, 1993 and 1996. One family that has been synonymous with the club for many years has been the Brown family.
Anthony has served the club as the player, manager, coach and he has also filled every possible position on the committee and quite simply he has devoted his life to the club. His wife Maria has also worked like a trojan for the club and she played a major role in getting the floodlights installed in St Martin’s Park s Park. Mark and Pat Brown will go down in history as two of the clubs most gifted and loyal players. The Brown family have Black and Amber blood running through their veins. Kevin ‘The Prince’ Power, Martin ‘Mock’ Reid and Kenny ‘Fletch’
Browne are three of the greatest ever players to play League of Ireland football for Waterford.
Kenny of course is still a vital player with the current Blues team and all three of them learned their trade with ‘The Jonnies’. The club are a credit to the Waterford Junior League and we raise a glass to them and here’s to the next 60 years.
