Legend Munroe Back In Town by Adrian Monaghan

Three Ards legends, namely Liam ‘Mousey’ Munroe, Billy Humphries and Tommy Walker were guests of the club for the recent Carnegie First Division game at home to Coagh United.

Liam, now living in Canada, was recently invited by the Football Association of Ireland to their historic first ever soccer game at Croke Park against Wales and while he was in the ‘auld sod’ he decided to meet up with his long time buddy from his Ards playing days, Jamesie Meredith who lives in the Glen Estate.

Jamesie made Ards aware that ‘Mousey’ would be in town and was keen to take in an Ards match while he was here.  Ards were then left with the simple pleasure of inviting him to Clandeboye Park where he met up with former playing colleagues Tommy Walker and Billy Humphries.

I had a brief chat with Liam before the Coagh game and it was instantly noticeable that the garrulous Dubliner had many fond memories of his time at the club.

“I signed for Ards in January 1956 after George Eastham and Leo Maher landed on my doorstep in Dublin one day, totally out of the blue, and convinced me that Ards were the team to play for.  I was at Shamrock Rovers at the time but was just recovering from a bad injury so I decided, why not.”

Liam's early career blossomed at school level and he was picked to play for the Republic of Ireland schoolboy's team, in fact he was given the captain’s armband against England. It was during a representative game for Dublin Schools against Liverpool Schools in 1952 that Liam came to the attention of Shamrock Rovers.

“Ronnie Nolan, Shay Keogh and myself were the half backs during the home and away games, I was playing half back at that time, and we all signed for Shamrock Rovers at the same time.”

The highlight of Liam’s career came early in his tenure at Shamrock Rovers when in 1953 he was capped by the Republic of Ireland at senior level in a World Cup qualifying match against Luxembourg.  “I had been in good form for Rovers and gained three Inter League appearances against the English, Welsh and Scottish Leagues for the League of Ireland, then came the call for the international team.”

Things were a little different back in those days when you represented your country.  None of this meeting up with the squad three or four days before the game, or going off to some camp to prepare tactics, Liam explains: “The game was played at Dalymount Park on a Wednesday afternoon.  I worked in the railway and my dad worked in the railway and my dad retired because he was told he couldn’t go to football or anything.  That killed my dad.

“My wife Sarah’s dad took a day off to go to the game and he never ever took a day off work.  That was a big thing for him.  Anyway, the game was on a Wednesday afternoon and we had one afternoon’s training, actually it wasn’t so much training as a get together.  We then met on the day of the game then straight out to play. None of your meeting three days before the game, or half an hours warming up and half an hour warming down!  Changed times.

“Jackie Carey was the manager and we won  four nil.  At the FAI banquet after the Wales game there were only three players present from that game, goalkeeper Jimmy O’Neill, Arthur Fitzsimons and myself.  Where the rest are I do not know.”

After the international match Liam continued to show good form for Shamrock Rovers until a bad knee injury against St. Patrick’s Athletic put him out of the game for a long spell. “My knee was in bad shape and I was out for a while.  When I got better I struggled to regain my place in a very good Rovers team and that is when Ards came knocking.  They literally arrived on my doorstep unannounced and I can only assume that Dubliner Leo Maher through his contacts found out about my situation.”

After a bit of gentle persuasion from mssrs Eastham and Maher, Liam signed forms for Ards in early 1956 and made his debut on the 21st January of that year, and what a debut it was too.

“I remember my first game for Ards well.  There were three Southerners in the team, Tony Gildea, Jody Barnet and myself.  We were playing Crusaders at Castlereagh Park,  I scored three and we went on to win easily.  It was a good start and things just went on from there.

"We had a great team of characters back then.  I remember them well.  We had Billy Smith in goals, Wardy Fulton was there too.  Jimmy Moore was the other full back with Wardy.  The half back line was Tommy Forde, Jimmy Wilson and Rab Newberry.  Myself and Archie McQuilken, who also played cricket for Ireland, Tony Gildea, young Geordie [Eastham] and of course Tommy Walker who is with us today.”

Liam also has vivid memories of Ards' historic 4-1 County Antrim Shield win over Linfield at The Oval in 1956.  “That Shield win was amazing.  Linfield pounded us with everything, it was unreal.  We got a penalty which Tommy scored. Young Geordie got one as well, Tony Gildea got one and I am nearly sure I got the last one." [Sorry Liam, Gildea got two, you did not score - Billy Graham, Ards statistician]

Liam remembers coming back to Ards that night and parading around the town in a flat top truck.  “I don’t know where they got the truck but it was a big night for Ards as it was the first time that they had won the County Antrim Shield.  I still have a framed photograph of that team that won the County Antrim Shield in my house in Canada.”

Mention of Tommy Walker brought back a fascinating memory for Liam and that Antrim Shield win. “Tommy never made it into that photograph.  He was put forward as the player’s spokesman to ask the club for a few quid extra for winning the Shield and next thing he knew he was shown the door.  Never played for Ards again and wasn’t even asked to make an appearance for the official team photograph.  Dessie Hunter took his place.”

Part two