fonaCAB Central Darts League

 CHAIRMAN

PAT MAGAHAN

SECRETARY

EUGENE BRANNIGAN

TREASURER

CIARAN(CHOPPER) MC KAY

THE CENTRAL LEAGUE WAS FORMED IN 1953 AND HAD AS ITS PRESIDENT JOHN CASEY FROM THE HIBS CLUB.THE 5 A-SIDES COMPETITION IN THE LEAGUE IS NAMED AFTER HIM.

THE FIRST CHAIRMAN WAS JIMMY McHENRY WHO WAS FOLLOWED BY FRANK McCRUDDEN FROM HIBS B,THEN HUGH (BAP)MCGREEVY FROM THE STANLEY BAR,LATER WITH THE DWYERS.SEAN LYONS TOOK OVER THE MANTLE FOR A TIME BEFORE LEAVING THE LEAGUE TO BECOME CHAIRMAN OF THE DOCK LEAGUE,SEAN LEFT THE CENTRAL LEAGUE WHEN THEY DECIDED TO PULL OUT OF THE FEDERATION OF LEAGUES AND JOIN WITH N.I.D.O.RAY MAGAHEY FROM FELONS B TOOK OVER AND LED THE LEAGUE IN ITS MOST SUCCESSFUL PERIOD,ABLY ASSISTED IT MUST BE SAID BY JIM TAGGART THE SECRETARY AND HUGHIE PYPER THE TREASURER.THEY BUILT THE LEAGUE UP TO 26 TEAMS PLAYING IN 2 DIVISIONS.THE FELONS WON THE N.I.D.O.CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS TROPHY,BEATING THE BEST THAT N.IRELAND HAD AT THE TIME FROM 7 OTHER AREAS.THEN THE CENTRAL LEAGUE WON THE N.I.D.O.CHAMPION LEAGUE TROPHY TO CONFIRM THE CENTRAL LEAGUE AS THE TOP LEAGUE IN N.IRELAND.JIM JOHNSTON FROM THE FELONS PLAYED IN THE N.IRELAND TEAM IN THE NATIONS CUP IN CORK,AND REMAINS THE ONLY PLAYER FROM THE LEAGUE TO REPRESENT HIS COUNTRY.THE BATTLES BETWEEN 2 GREAT RIVALS, THE FELONS AND THE EXCISE TEAM, WERE CONSTANT OVER A NUMBER OF YEARS WITH BOTH CLUBS AT ONE TIME AND ANOTHER CLAIMING THE HONOUR TO BE THE TOP TEAM. 

AT THE HEIGHT OF THE "TROUBLES"THE LEAGUE CARRIED ON THROUGH ALL THE WORST OF IT,BUT SAW ITS NUMBERS DWINDLE TO 6 TEAMS.THE CHAIRMAN THEN WAS JOHN PATTERSON FROM SHELBOURNE DART TEAM AND LATER THE WEE BANK AND FULL CREDIT MUST GO TO HIM AND HIS COMMITTEE FOR CARRYING ON UNDER DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES.JOE EARLY FROM DONEGAL CELTIC TOOK OVER FROM JOHN WITH JOHN TAKING OVER AS SECRETARY FOR A WHILE THEN TREASURER.AS YOU CAN SEE HE PUT A LOT OF WORK IN TO RUNNING THE LEAGUE.

TONY CORR FROM HIBS TOOK OVER AS CHAIRMAN IN 2003 AND IT WAS THEN THAT TEAMS FROM THE DOCK LEAGUE AND NORTH BELFAST LEAGUE JOINED THE CENTRAL.THE LEAGUE HAD 13 TEAMS AT THIS TIME AND THE HOPE WAS,AND STILL REMAINS,TO BUILD UP TO AT LEAST 16 TEAMS.THE NEXT LEAGUE CHAIRMAN WAS PAT McGAHAN FROM ST.MATTHEWS AND UNDER HIS STEWARTSHIP THE LEAGUE CONTINUED TO FUNCTION SUCCESSFULLY. THE PRESENT CHAIRMAN IS HENRY MC TASNEY SNR FROM SHAMROCK UNITED AND TOGETHER WITH HIS DEDICATED COMMITTEE AND SUB-COMMITTEE CONTINUE TO PUSH THE LEAGUE FORWARD SUCCESSIVELY. 

 The Saints,,,The Fort,,,Lamh Deargh,,,Clonard Hibs