From the earliest days of soccer in most countries, the cup competitions were the major events. Reaching the final of a senior cup competition was a cause of big celebration, winning that cup final was a major triumph.

From the mid-1950s, as European qualification became more important, league competitions began to take precedence as league placings were used for allocating entry to those competitions. So in 1948-49 the Leinster Senior Cup was still a hard-won trophy, the oldest trophy in football south of the Border, being eagerly sought after by all our senior teams.

This was the fourteenth time to win this trophy, a 5-3 victory over Shamrock Rovers. The first had come in season 1899/1900, 1-0 over Freebooters from Sandymount.

Pete Keely, father of Dermot Keely, our present manager was a strong battling wing-halfback and for many years the powerhouse around whom many of our best performances were built. With Sean Haughey behind him and Gerry Malone in front these three were the backbone of the team.

Sean, Peter and their fellow defenders provided the strength and power to provide Gerry and his attacking colleagues with many opportunities to show the skill and talent that made Shels one of the great attractions of Irish football in those years.

In goal we had Englishman Norman Tapken. Norman was seen as an eccentric foreigner. Often the star of the show with some great saves, he could then at times be the villain of a defeat. He came as a goalie, became player-manager, then manager, before returning home to join the coaching staff of Stoke City.

At full back Barry and Haughey. ‘Jamesy’ Barry had come from St Patrick’s CYMS, Ringsend, where they had won the FAI Junior Cup in 1945-46. Jamesy’s brother, Peter, also on that Ringsend team, had joined the Workman’s Club in Dun Laoghaire where they had a very good run in the FAI Senior Cup. Sean Haughey, signed from Home Farm, had earlier been a senior GAA player with his local club Parnells in Donnycarney.

Centre-halfback and captain was Paddy Kinsella. Paddy was with Shels when we won our fourth League title and the League of Ireland Shield in season 1943/ 44. A deadball specialist, Paddy scored many an important free or penalty.

Wing-halves were John Murphy and Peter Keely. At centre-forward we had Brendan Carroll. Inside forwards were Arthur Fitzsimons and Peter Desmond both of whom later transferred to Middlesboro FC in the English League.

All teams had two wingers then, until Alf Ramsey’s England team won the 1966 World Cup in Wembley without wingers. Our wingers were outside right Matt Cranley and outside-left Gerry Malone.

This Leinster Senior Cup Final took place on the day traditionally allocated for this, St Stephen’s Day 26 December 1948 in Dalymount Park when Shels met Shamrock Rovers. The headline in the ‘Irish Independent’ on Tuesday 28th December 1948 read ‘Shelbourne Brilliant in Leinster Cub Win’.

Their soccer correspondent wrote: ‘The match was glorious Christmas fare for Shelbourne followers, who saw the young Reds team play rings around Rovers and shoot their defence to ribbons with zig-zag movements by the inside forwards.’

The game between these two great rivals from the Ringsend area drew an almost full attendance. Great as this victory might have been, there was not much time to celebrate. On the next day, Shelbourne had to play a game in the League against Waterford FC in Shelbourne Park when they won 3-2.