Presented by Fr. Hugh C. Browne who served in the St Eugene’s Cathedral parish for 23 years, first as curate from 1936-1941 and then as Adm. from 1941 to 1959, the Fr. Browne Shield was one of the city’s most keenly contested football competitions.

The tournament for under 15s, ran for a decade from 1946 to 1955, and Shield winners over the years included well know clubs such as Fairview FC, Hotspurs FC, Glen Stars FC, Rosemount BC, Don Boscos FC and Park Rangers. Some of the players who shone in the Fr. Browne Shield went on to play for top English, Scottish and Irish league clubs while others, like former SDLP leader, John Hume, who captained Shield winners, Glen Stars FC in 1951, went on to a glittering career in politics.

Top Fr. Brown Shield team were Hotspurs who scored a hat-trick of wins in 1948, 1949 and 1950 while Don Boscos had two wins in 1953 and 1954 and Glen Stars, Rosemount BC, Fairview and Park Rangers all won the Shield once.

The Shield, which was first played for in the 1946-47 season is now more than 60 years old and in the possession of local man Eddie Davis. Eddie, a former professional footballer, who played for top English clubs, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Southend United in the 1930s, has got local joinery firm, O’Neill Brothers to restore it to its former glory with all the medals intact.

Eddie has also been able to provide the following team sheets for the teams which won the Fr. Browne Shield which are sure to take the city’s older football fans on a trip down memory lane.

Fairview F.C. Winners 1946-47: Eddie Nelis (capt.), R. O'Donnell, J. Doherty, P. Loughrey, C. Nicell, S. Simpson, P. Begley, J. Doherty, J. O'Donnell, S. Mullan, D. Coyle, D. McCallion.

Hotspurs F.C. Winners 1948: T. Hipsley (capt.), L. O'Connell, D. Canning, E. Doherty, L. Murphy, R. O'Doherty, V. Courtney, D. Sharkey, M. Doherty, W. Gillen, H. Logue.

Hotspurs F.C. Winners 1949: E. Doherty (cap.), Desmond Sharkey, Roger O'Doherty, Michael McGuinness, Chas. Doherty, Robert Coyle, Eamonn McDowell, Patrick Durkin, Denis Cassidy, Lawrence Murphy, Henry Coyle.

Hotspurs F.C. Winners 1950: J. Campbell (capt.), L. O'Connell, S. McCaul, C. McMonagle, S. Courtney, R. Campbell, D. Houston, W. Quinn, S. Villa, J. Logue, S. Doherty.

Glen Stars F.C. Winners 1951: J. Hume (capt.), L. McBride, H. McDermott, R. Laird, B. Duffy, P. McDowell, G. Wade, W. Donaghey, H. McColgan, S. Duffy, P. Sheerin, F. Sweeney, H. Hume.

Rosemount B.C. F.C. 1952: G. Hughes (capt.), M. McDermott, Wm. Lynch, H. McIntyre, N. McColgan, P. McCallion, N. Hamill, M. Herron, M. Coyle, P. Norris, P. Clifford, B. McDaid, J. Ferry.

Don Boscos F. C. Winners 1953: A. Stewart (capt.), D. Crerand, J. Dunne, B. McLaughlin, J. Toland, N. McCaul, B. Wright, S. McCaul, J. McLaughlin, J. Murphy, T. Harkin.

Don Boscos F.C. Winners 1954: J. Dunne (capt.), B. McMonagle, C. McCarron, J. McLaughlin, M. Doherty, B. Wright, T. McCarron, T. Toland, D. McGeady, N. McCarron, T.