On 11th April 1886, Tullyallen men played the very first match under rules in Louth against the Dundalk Young Irelanders. Mrs Pentony from Drybridge made a full set of 21 jerseys and matching caps. Played in Tuite's field, up the Chapel Lane, Michael Cusack, a founder of the GAA, is said to have refereed the game. The Tullyallen Team, captained by Joseph Carter, included Thomas Brannigan, John Leonard, Thomas Halligan, T. Morgan (goalkeeper), P. McGuinness, S. Pentony, John Devine, Matthew Berrills, Thomas Doggett, Peter Leonard, Patrick Bellew, John McGuinness, John Pentony, William Moonan, Patrick Tuite, William Farrell, N. Colgan, Owen Russell, Patrick Taaffe and Peter Berrill. The Final Score was nil all.
Michael Cusack, a founder of the GAA, after who Cusack Park is named.
The first high came in 1911 when Tullyallen won the Louth Junior League with the following team: Paddy Dowd (Captain), N. McGuinness, John Carolan (Lynch's Cross), P. Mullen (Drogheda), John Carolan (Rocks), J. Fagan (Drogheda), J. Leonard (Drogheda), Jack Healy (Halfway House), Andy Moonan (Hill of Rath), J. Hughes (Monleek), T. Halligan (Begrath), T. McDonnell (Mellifont), T. Clarke (Mellifont), T. Hanratty (Hurcle), James Briscoe (Lynch's Cross), Davy Smith (Mell). Due to low population this team found it impossible to continue and joined forces with The Larks during that clubs successful years in the 20's.
Tullyallen eventually got it's own team at the end of the 1940's when Fr. McNally formed the Sarsfields. They had the reputation of a formidable side, but never won any major trophy. They wore black and white stripes.
In 1954, the U14s won the county rural School League (pictured below)
Back Row (L-R): Fr. C. O'Neill PP, Fr. C. McKeown CC
Middle Row (L-R): John Leonard, Gerry Saurin, Joe Coyle, Des Russell, John Saurin, Paul Carry, Peter Meehan, Pascal Floyd.
Front Row (L-R): Paddy Hilliard, John Coogan, Patsy Carton, Patsy Floody, Jim McDonnell, Noel Coogan, Patsy Dowd, Ben Moonan.
A team known as Glen Rovers won a Minor tournament in 1956 (Pictured Below). They played in Littlegrange and later in Drybridge.
Back Row (L-R): J Meade, Matt Murphy, Jim Mooney, P. Hanratty, J. Saurin, J. Coyle, Paul Carry, J. Leonard,
Front Row (L-R): L. Campbell, A. Finnegan, P. Dowd, L. Geraghty, N. Coogan, D. Matthews, R. Bellew, B. Moonan.
In 1956 the Sarsfields disbanded and the players either retired or went to other clubs, notably Monasterboice and Collon. In 1958, Larry McGrane, who was one of the organisers of the Glen Rovers, founded a second division club called Glen Emmets. The new team moved to a field at the top of the Watery Lane, and then in the early 60s used Ollie Murphy's field on the Townley Hall Road. In 1961, players returned from Monasterboice and the Glen Emmets were a force to be reckoned with, strengthened further with the return of Ted Russell & Noel Coogan. They looked to 1965 with some optimism. This was one of the most successful years in the clubs history, having played 22 games and just been beaten once.
In 1976, they won the Rannafest Cup, against the O'Connells, who that year beat the Emmets in the semi final of the Championship after a replay and went on to win the title.
Back Row (L-R): Anthony Russell, John Little, Liam Gibney, Jim Mooney, John Murphy, Ted Russell, John Ryan, Gene Murphy, Dermot Saurin.
Front Row (L-R): Frank Taaffe, John Hughes, Larry McGrane, John Andrews, Leo Ryan, Seamus Mullen, Fintan McGuinness, Paddy Ryan.
Glen Emmets moved to Cusack Park and the original clubrooms were opened
(L-R): Nicky Pentony, Dick Cheevers, Fr. Laurence Caraher, Ted Russell, Jack Boothman, Pat Toner, Joe Grennan, Patsy O'Brien, Margaret O'Connor at the opening of the original clubrooms
Work began on altering the playing pitches in 2002 and in 2005 work began on the our new clubhouse.
Our floodlight project commenced in 2020. This project was funded in part by a Sports Capital Grant and part funded by our Oskars fundraiser in 2019. We turned on the lights in October 2020.
