Saturday 31 October 2009

Jimmy McEvoy

Born: Dundalk
Position: Right-Back

Representative Honours: Irish League: 1 Cap (1954).
Club Honours: (with Distillery) Irish Cup Winner 1955/56 (did not play in deciding match); Gold Cup Runner-Up 1953/54; Ulster Cup Winner 1957/58; Co. Antrim Shield Winner 1953/54, Runner-Up 1952/53, 1956/57.

Club Career:
Teams.................. --Seasons-- Signed Domestic
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Dundalk
Distillery ............ 51/52-57/58 Oct-51 .186/ 9

Biography:
"Slasher" McEvoy had spells at Wolves and home-town club Dundalk before joining Distillery in 1951. As the nickname might suggest he was a "fearless tackler" but also a "surefooted defender".

During his time with Distillery, McEvoy also played several goals at centre-forward, including a game in which he score a hattrick against Derry City in April 1954. He also led the attack in the 1956 Irish Cup final, scoring in a 2-2 draw with Glentoran. He was injured in the replay 1-1 draw and so missed the second replay in which his teammates claimed a 1-0 win.

McEvoy played his final match for Distillery in February 1958 and at the end of that season he was honoured with a benefit match.

Irish League Representative Appearances:
20-10-1954 Football League A L 2-4

Walter Durkan

Born: c.1933
Position: Goalkeeper

Representative Honours: Irish League: 2 Caps (1954-1955); League of Ireland: 1 Cap (1952).
Club Honours: (with Dundalk) FAI Cup Winner 1951/52; Leinster Cup Winner 1950/51; President's Cup Winner 1951/52; (with Glenavon) Irish Cup Runner-Up 1954/55; City Cup Winner; Gold Cup Winner; Ulster Cup Winner.

Club Career:
Dundalk
Glenavon

Biography:
Walter Durkan represented the Irish League at just 21 years of age, standing in for Bangor's Ted Hinton for the visit to face the Football League at Anfield in October 1954. Regarded as having "great promise" he played his only other match for the Irish League against the League of Ireland on St Patrick's Day 1955 at Dalymount Park. He was between the sticks on the day Glenavon lost in the Irish Cup final to lowly Dundela in 1955.

Durkan came through the ranks with Dundalk as a teenager, representing the League of Ireland againts the USA in 1952, the same season as he claimed an FAI Cup winner's medal following a 3-0 replay win over Cork Athletic. He moved to Glenavon during the 1952/53 season, taking the place of another ex-Dundalk man, George Brennan, who had suffered a broken leg. Durkan himself lost his place to Roy Rea in the late-1950s.

In the 1960s durkan emigrated to the United States where he became a professional referee.

Dundalk Legends

Irish League Representative Appearances:
20-10-1954 Football League.. A L 2-4
17-03-1955 League of Ireland A L 1-2

League of Ireland Representative Appearances:
05-05-1952 U.S.A. .......... H W 4-0