Olympia F.C. (Dublin)

Olympia Football Club was an Irish association football club, originally based in The Coombe, Dublin.[1] In 1917–18 Olympia won a Leinster cup double, winning both the Leinster Junior Cup and Leinster Senior Cup in the same season. In 1921–22 they were also founder members of the League of Ireland.

Olympia
Full nameOlympia Football Club
GroundBellevue Lodge
Grand Canal
Inchicore
Dublin
LeagueLeague of Ireland
Leinster Senior League

History

Leinster Double

In 1917–18, with team that included Jack McCarthy and Fran Watters, Olympia won both the Leinster Junior Cup and Leinster Senior Cup. In doing so they caused one of the biggest upsets in the history of Leinster football. After winning the Leinster Junior Cup they qualified for the Leinster Senior Cup. After receiving a bye in the first round, Olympia beat St James's Gate in the semi-final. In the final they faced Shelbourne. After Leinster Nomads, Shelbourne and Bohemians, Olympia became only the fourth team to win the Leinster Senior Cup. Up until now, Shelbourne and Bohemians had monopolised the competition between them, so it was something of surprise result when Olympia, with a goal scored by Fran Watters, defeated Shelbourne 1–0 in the final. According to Peter Byrne this also resulted in a popular giant killing chat – "Remember Olympia once beat Shels".[2][3] In 1917–18 Olympia also reached the IFA Junior Cup final but lost to Raglan.

Jacobs incident

During the 1919–20 season, played against the background of the Irish War of Independence, Olympia were involved in controversial incident with Jacobs. After a Leinster Senior Cup game, a group of Jacobs players were found guilty of invading the Olympia dressing room. Two Jacobs players received lengthy suspensions from the Leinster Football Association as did an Olympia player when it emerged that Jacobs had been taunted for "playing (British Army) soldiers" in their team.[4]

League of Ireland

In 1921–22, together with Shelbourne, Bohemians, St James's Gate, Jacobs, Frankfort, YMCA and Dublin United, Olympia became founder members of the League of Ireland. Like Olympia, the other seven founding members had spent the 1920–21 season playing in the Leinster Senior League. Olympia, however, spent just two seasons, 1921–22 and 1922–23 in the league. They finished in 4th and 11th place respectively.[5] Olympia also competed in both the 1921–22 and 1922–23 FAI Cups. On both occasions they were knocked out in the first round.[6]

Honours

Home ground

While playing in the League of Ireland, Olympia played their home games at Belluvue Lodge, near the Grand Canal at Inchicore. This had been the original home ground of St James's Gate.

League of Ireland Stats
Stat Opponent Score Competition Date
Record Win YMCA
Dublin United		 4–1
3–0		 League of Ireland Shield
1921–22 League of Ireland		 27 December 1921
19 November 1921
Record Defeat Bohemians 0–8 1922–23 League of Ireland 18 November 1922

Source:[7][8]

Notable former players

Ireland internationals

These former Olympia F.C. players represented Ireland and/or the Republic of Ireland at full international level.

References
  1. Byrne, Peter (2012). Green Is The Colour: The Story of Irish Football. Andre Deutsch.
  2. David Needham: Ireland’s First Real World Cup -The Story of the 1924 Ireland Olympic Football Team (2012, The Manuscript Publisher) ISBN 978-0-9571157-2-9
  3. Byrne, Peter (2012). Green Is The Colour: The Story of Irish Football. Andre Deutsch.
  4. Byrne, Peter (2012). Green Is The Colour: The Story of Irish Football. Andre Deutsch.
  5. League of Ireland, Rsssf
  6. FAI Cup, Rsssf
  7. McSweeney, Niall. A Record of League of Ireland Football 1921-22 to 1984-85. Association of Football Statisticians.
  8. Graham, Alex. Football in the Republic of Ireland a Statistical Record 1921-2005. Soccer Books Limited. ISBN 1-86223-135-4.
  9. Freestaters - The Republic of Ireland Soccer Team 1921-1939 (2007): Donal Cullen
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