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Munroe Finally Gets Credit
by Billy Graham

I don't know why, but for some reason I have always credited George Eastham Jnr with scoring one of the Ards goals against Linfield in the County Antrim Shield final of 1955/56.

It was only when speaking to Lima Munroe at Ards' game against Coagh last season that Liam mentioned that he thought he scored, that I went to the newspaper library in Belfast to check the match reports.

I read reports in the Newtownards Spectator, Chronicle and the Newsletter and I found Liam was right - he did score and not young Eastham, although the match reports and Liam himself had noted that Eastham was brilliant on the night.

County Antrim Shield Final - 12th May 1956, kick-off 7pm
ARDS 4-1 LINFIELD

On Saturday 12th May 1956 at The Oval, Ards took the lead in the 4th minute with a penalty from Tommy walker after Tommy 'Bun' Hamill had fouled Tony Gildea in the box. Linfield got and equaliser in the 44th minute through Tommy Dickson.

So 1-1 at half-time and for the first twenty minutes of the second half, Linfield piled on the pressure. And then an Ards attack in the 67th minute saw an Eastham jnr shot charged down as was the follow-up by Gildea, who eventually got the rebound into the net to put Ards 2-1 in front.

Ards were now buzzing and in the 71st minute went further ahead when the blond head of young Eastham out-jumped Hamill to head on a Tommy walker cross. As Gildea challenged keeper Russell in the air the ball fell nicely for the in-rushing Munroe to score number three.

It was all over for Linfield in the 81st minute when Tony Gildea out-sprinted Tommy Hamill from a Walker pass to round the goalkeeper and score the fouth.

Ards: B Smyth, J Moore, W Fulton, T Forde, R Newberry, J Wilson, L Munroe, A McQuilken, T Gildea, G Eastham (jnr), T Walker

Linfield: A Russell, D Keith, J Graham, G Nixon, T Hamill, B Truesdale, J Hill, J Parke, B Kennedy, T Dickson, F Maguire

Attendance around 9000; Receipts £780

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 10th August 2007

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