During the Second World War Ards Football Club played in the Intermediate League and in the 1941/42 season the won the McElroy Cup (this final had been held over from the previous season 1940/41) and then they won the 1941/42 Clements Lyttle Cup; a photograph of this team has appeared in the Chronicle in the past few months.

But what I would like to know is does a photograph exist of the Ards FC team that retained the Clements Lyttle Cup in the following season 1942/43. Until about a year ago, I did not know that Ards had won the Clements Lyttle Cup twice as it does not appear in any history of Ards FC articles.

A lot of thanks goes to Ards fan Mr Ivor Edgar of Dungannon who eventually found the match report dated 22nd May 1943 in an old Chronicle, which is reproduced here. Only WJ Beattie played in both finals with no reason given for Jimmy Todd being missing from the second final.

At Grosvenor Park, Belfast on 19th May 1943 Ards beat Larne 5-1 to retain the Clements Lyttle Cup. The scorers were Paddy Carroll (3) and Walsh (2) for Ards and McIlroy for Larne.

In that 1942/43 season centre-forward Paddy Carroll scored 48 goals in 39 matches (a club record) and he missed only one game. Jimmy Todd scored 26 in 32 matches.

I haven't gone away, you know,

Billy Graham

Billy Graham is Ards' resident historian and statistician. If you have a query relating to a time in Ards' past or to a former player, then get in touch via this e-mail and we'll pass the questions on to Billy.

first published 24th September 2005