About Portadown Men’s Hockey Club

Where Passion and Play Unite

Founded in 1951, Portadown Men’s Hockey Club has proudly represented Portadown for more than seven decades.

Portadown Men’s Hockey Club: 1951–1996

Although hockey was played in Portadown before the Second World War, very little is known about that early period. Portadown Men’s Hockey Club, as it exists today, was formally established in 1951.

The driving forces behind the formation of the club were two experienced Leinster players, Rev. D. C. Jameson of Trinity College and J. T. N. McGaffin of Pembroke Wanderers. They were joined by other enthusiastic supporters of the game, including Billy Graham and Charlie Lambe.

1951: The Club Is Founded

The inaugural meeting was held in Thom’s Café, with fourteen prospective members in attendance.

From the very beginning, the club colours were Royal Blue and White, colours which remain closely associated with Portadown Men’s Hockey Club today.

The local Council had promised the new club a pitch, but little else. Membership fees for the first year were 12 shillings and sixpence, and Billy Graham became the club’s first captain. He would later go on to serve as Club President.

Portadown’s affiliation to the Ulster Branch was proposed by Banbridge and seconded by Newry.

A bank loan helped the fledgling club pay its affiliation fees and purchase the raw materials needed to make posts, backboards and other equipment.

Even the nets had a uniquely local beginning — they were made by a local unemployed fisherman.

First Competitive Season

Portadown played its first competitive match on 27 October 1951 in the Junior League.

Although the opening match ended in defeat, the club enjoyed an impressive first season, finishing:

• Runners-up in the Junior League
• Runners-up in the Braddell Shield
• Semi-finalists in the Junior Cup

It was an encouraging start for a club that had only recently been formed.

The Rise to Senior Hockey

A major milestone arrived in 1961, when Portadown gained promotion to the Intermediate League under the captaincy of Ray McKay.

Three years later, with Jim Barriskill as captain, Portadown won Qualifying League B.

That success brought Senior hockey to Portadown.

The achievement came just one year before the club moved to Chambers Park, where a shale pitch marked a major improvement from the bumpy grass surfaces previously used at the Public Park and Lurgan Road.

Portadown were relegated from Senior hockey in 1968.

For several years afterwards, the club remained one of the leading contenders for promotion. That breakthrough finally came in 1976.

Captained by Des Gregg, Portadown won the Intermediate title following a dramatic 3–2 play-off victory over Raphoe, securing a return to Senior status.

Senior II Champions

Further success followed in 1981, when Portadown became Senior II Champions under the captaincy of Fergie Cosgrove.

Unfortunately, the club was relegated again the following season, beginning another period of rebuilding.

Success in the 1990s

That rebuilding process eventually produced another successful period.

Portadown won the Intermediate Cup in 1991.

The following season brought an even greater achievement, as the club completed a notable League and Cup double under the captaincy of John Fleming, once again securing Senior status.

Success Throughout the Club

Although the club’s Second and Third XIs spent much of this period competing in the lower Junior Leagues, both sides enjoyed their own share of success.

Over the years, Portadown teams collected a number of honours including:

• League titles
• Braddell Shield victories
• Junior Shield honours
• Minor Cup titles

These successes reflected the depth of hockey within the club beyond the First XI.

Portadown’s Influence on Ulster Hockey

Portadown also made its mark away from the pitch.

The club provided two Ulster Branch Presidents during this era:

Bill Gillespie and Sammy Jones.

Several Portadown players also enjoyed success with other leading clubs, including:

• Fergie Cosgrove – RUC and Banbridge
• John Cosgrove – RUC
• Trevor Burns – Banbridge
• John Fleming – Cookstown

John Fleming would later return to his home club.

Developing Hockey in Portadown

For much of its early history, the club faced the challenge of promoting hockey in an area traditionally dominated by rugby and football.

Hockey was not widely recognised as a school sport locally, making player recruitment and development more difficult.

This gradually began to improve through the club’s own youth development work.

A major step forward came ahead of the 1996–97 season, when a new synthetic pitch became available.

The development was achieved through significant work by both the men’s and ladies’ hockey clubs and represented a major milestone for the sport in Portadown.

The Lynas Trophy

One of the club’s annual trophies has a particularly important historical connection.

The trophy was donated by Portadown-born W. J. Lynas, who captained the victorious Ulster Senior Interprovincial side in 1922.

To commemorate that achievement, Lynas had been presented with a miniature replica of the Leinster Regiment Cup, the trophy awarded to the Interprovincial champions.

That miniature trophy later became known as the Lynas Trophy.

It is awarded to the player considered to have done the most to further the name of Portadown Hockey Club, both on and off the pitch.

A Club Built to Last

From fourteen members meeting in Thom’s Café in 1951 to Senior hockey, league and cup successes and the arrival of a modern synthetic pitch, the club’s first 45 years laid the foundations for Portadown Men’s Hockey Club as we know it today.

The story of the club has always been about more than results.

It is the story of players, volunteers, captains, presidents, coaches and supporters who gave their time and energy to ensure hockey continued to grow in Portadown.

That legacy continues today.

Source, Adapted from:

A. McCreary, Going for Goal: A Century of Ulster Hockey 1896–1996, W. & G. Baird Ltd, 1996.