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Club History
Michael Cusack’s Sydney GAA Club was founded on 30th January 1988 by founder members: Seamus Clancy, Kevin Malone, Aidan McDermott, John Petty, David Fahy, and Noel Canavan (all hailing from County Clare) and Eddie McGrath (Maloney) from Limerick. The Club was named after Clare native, Michael Cusack, who founded the GAA in Ireland, in 1884. Red and White were chosen as the club’s colours and they are still worn proudly by all club members today.
Initially the club consisted of a men’s football team, ably led by Seamus Clancy. They celebrated their first year in style by capturing the Central Coast Competition Trophy in April.
The history making Cusack’s team in April 1988 was as follows: Declan Browne (Clare), David Fahy (Clare), Kevin Malone (Clare), John Petty (Clare), Eddie McGrath (Maloney) (Limerick), Seamus Clancy (Clare), Tim McBride (Donegal), Henry O’Leary (Cork), Martin Sexton (Clare), Sean Sheehan (Cork), Richie McElligott (Kerry), Ger O’Connor (Limerick), Philip Carroll (Louth), Aidan McDermott (Clare), Jonathan Murphy (Clare), Pat Concannon (Galway), TJ Maher (Tipperary) and Greg O'Connor ( Louth).
On Seamus Clancy's return to Ireland, he helped Clare beat Kerry to secure their first Munster Senior Football Championship win in 1992. Seamus became Clare's first, and to this day only, All Star Footballer.
The next chapter – Michael Cusack’s Hurling
1989 marked a new stage in the club's development with the formation of a hurling team under the capable hands of John Coleman, Pierce Hoey and Eddie McGrath (Maloney).
Cusack’s Hurlers got off to a great start by winning the NSW championship in their first year. This was a great achievement and the game itself was a close encounter with the final score being Cusack’s 3-9 to Central Coast 0-15. Scorers for Cusack’s were Mike Sammon (1-1), Seamus Fitzgerald (0-1), Mike Corbett (2-0) and Eddie McGrath (Maloney) (0-7).
The victorious team on the day was as follows: Ger O’Connor (Limerick), Chris O’Mahony (Cork), Frank Roughan (Clare), PJ Quigley (Tipperary), James Walsh (Kilkenny), Denis Carroll (Kilkenny), Mark Sullivan (Waterford), John Quigley (Tipperary), Anthony Kirby (Limerick), Mike Sammon (Limerick), Mick Sullivan (Waterford), Seamus Fitzgerald (Limerick), Mike Corbett (Waterford), Eddie McGrath (Maloney) (Limerick), James Hogan (Kilkenny), Gerry Keogh (Clare), Pat Collins (Clare), Liam Maloney (Kilkenny), Val Walsh (Kilkenny), Diarmuid Kenneally (Cork) and Billy Jordan.
A new era – Michael Cusack’s Ladies Football
1991 witnessed the dawning of a new era for NSW GAA and Australasian GAA with the introduction of Ladies Football in Australia. Before the end of the 1991 NSW League competition, which consisted of only men’s football and hurling, it was suggested that a ladies competition should be organised for the upcoming championship.
Various attempts had been made in the past to get a competition up and running for girls in NSW but nothing much ever seemed to come of it. However, this time interest was running high and 3 Ladies teams entered the 1991 Championship - Michael Cusack’s, Central Coast and Young Irelands.
Michael Cusack’s and Young Irelands reached the final with the Cusack’s girls winning a thrilling match by 4-8 to 4-3 with scores from Therese McHugh (0-1), Martina Keogh (3-2), Eileen Whelan (1-0), Breda O’Connor (0-1), Theresa Hynes (0-1) and Yvonne Muldoon (0-3). Captain on the day was Eileen Whelan from Limerick. This was the first officially organised "Ladies Football Championship" in Australia and it was a great feat for the Cusack’s girls to be the inaugural winners. Great credit was given to Henry Phelan and Aidan McDermott (trainers), Eddie McGrath (Maloney) for his hard work, and to Therese McHugh (Galway) and Liz Quaid (Limerick) who were instrumental in setting up the ladies team.
The team on that historic day was as follows: Tayna Peita (New Zealand), Liz Quaid (Limerick), Therese McHugh (Galway), Marie Carroll (Tipperary), Celeste Kearney (Kerry), Margo O’Connor (Limerick), Bernie O’Donnell (Mayo), Monica Collins (Clare), Martina Keogh (Roscommon), Marie Behan (Kilkenny), Eileen Whelan (Limerick), Louise Scanlon (Limerick), Breda O’Connor (Kerry), Theresa Hynes (Galway), Yvonne Muldoon (Roscommon), Aileen Durkan (Down), Mary Walshe (Cork), Anne Sexton (Clare), Thrish Fleming (Killarney), Monica Browne (Clare), Elaine McDonagh (Limerick) and Karina Ryan (Waterford).
Since then Michael Cusack’s Ladies football teams has enjoyed unequalled success in all NSW competitions.
Camogie
2006 marked another new development for NSW GAA, with the inclusion of Camogie as part of the Central Coast Tournament. This was the first Camogie tournament to be held in Australia.
With many of the Cusack’s Ladies footballers interested in Camogie, Michael Cusack’s submitted a team.
Cusack’s qualified for the final against Central Coast, who were just too strong for them, as the Cusack’s girls had just played their hearts out and won the ladies football final, so it was a tired and leg weary Cusack’s Camogie team who gave a courageous display in the final. In a game played in near darkness at the end of a long day, they showed tremendous heart and never gave up. Despite this loss captain Ruth Cahalan was confident her team would be back – and so they were – winning the inaugural NSW Camogie Championship later that year.
The team was managed by Dee Stephenson and consisted of: Laura Connelly, Aine McElroy, Daveena Doyle, Deirdre Fitzpatrick, Marie Keating, Mary Shortall, Miriam Browne, Natasha Beegan, Roisin Cooper, Ruth Cahalan, Sharon Reel, Yvonne Rooney and Yvonne Taylor.
Michael Cusack’s Roll of Honour
Men’s Football
Up the Coast Competition winners in 1988, 1996, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2009
NSW League winners in 2001, 2005, 2009, 2011
NSW Shield/Summer Competition winners in 1999, 2001, 2004
NSW Championship winners in 1995, 1996, 2010 and 2011
NSW Men's Junior B Competition winners in 2010 and 2011
Tasmanian GAA Annual Competition winners in 2008
Hurling
Up the Coast Competition winners in 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2011
NSW League winners in 1993, 1999, 2002, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2011
NSW Championship winners in 1989, 1990, 1993, 1994, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2008
Ladies Football
Up the Coast Competition winners in 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005 and 2006
NSW League winners in 1992, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2004, 2006.
NSW Shield/Summer Competition winners in 1997 and 1998
NSW Championship winners in 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006
Padraig Pearse’s Melbourne 7’s Competition winners in 2009
Tasmanian GAA Annual Competition winners in 2008
Camogie
NSW Championship winners in 2006 and 2011
