Paddy Kirwan

Profile

“Paddy” Kirwan, played his first rugby at the local St Mary’s primary school continuing his development at St Anselm’s secondary, before joining Saddleworth Rangers. He joined Oldham in 1979, when the club adopted a progressive youth policy that would produce the all-conquering Colts team. A traditional scrum half, he skippered the Oldham youngsters to success in the league and Premiership Final in 1980 and was twice selected for the Great Britain Colts team. He was also making an impact at a higher level in the “A” team, which he again captained to success in the 1980 Lancashire Shield.

For a place in the senior side he would be in competition with Ray Ashton, although on a number of occasions the two of them would form the half back pairing, with Ray at stand off and Paddy at the base of the scrum. One thing is certain, Paddy never gave less than 100 % effort in the cause of Oldham RLFC and the level of such commitment took its toll with injuries, which would restrict his senior appearances. Indeed in his 1990 benefit brochure there is listed a catalogue of damage sustained by the Kirwan body that would have much earlier curtailed the career of a lesser man.

Paddy, however, continued to bounce back and always with the same enthusiasm for the game. When Ashton was sold to Leeds early in 1987, he made the No 7 shirt his own and would soon after be the hero of one of the most dramatic Oldham victories.

I refer, of course, to his last minute match clinching try against the 1987 Wigan wonder team. Few people gave Oldham any chance on that cold February evening but the side played “out of their skin” and when Paddy sneaked in by the posts, leaving Mick Burke to do the necessary with the conversion, it was no more than the team deserved and earned for Michael Patrick Kirwan an everlasting place in Watersheddings folklore.

Career Games

Opposition Venue Date Competition
Huddersfield v Oldham Away November 4, 1979 Division 2
Rochdale Hornets v Oldham Away April 4, 1980 Division 2
Bramley v Oldham Away April 20, 1980 Division 2
Oldham v Rochdale Hornets Home August 3, 1980 Law Cup
St Helens v Oldham Away August 10, 1980 Friendly
Halifax v Oldham Away February 8, 1981 Division 1
Blackpool Borough v Oldham Away February 15, 1981 Rugby League Challenge Cup
Oldham v Workington Town Home March 1, 1981 Rugby League Challenge Cup
Oldham v Warrington Home March 8, 1981 Division 1
Oldham v St Helens Home March 15, 1981 Rugby League Challenge Cup
Oldham v Widnes Home March 17, 1981 Division 1
Oldham v Halifax Home March 22, 1981 Division 1
Leigh v Oldham Away March 29, 1981 Division 1
Oldham v Wakefield Trinity Home April 5, 1981 Division 1
Hull Kingston Rovers v Oldham Away April 8, 1981 Division 1
Oldham v St Helens Home April 17, 1981 Division 1
Oldham v Salford Home April 20, 1981 Division 1
Rochdale Hornets v Oldham Away August 2, 1981 Law Cup
Oldham v St Helens Home August 9, 1981 Friendly
Oldham v Salford Home August 14, 1981 Lancashire Cup
Oldham v Hunslet Home August 30, 1981 Division 2
Blackpool Borough v Oldham Away September 6, 1981 Division 2
Oldham v Dewsbury Home September 13, 1981 Division 2
Huddersfield v Oldham Away September 20, 1981 Division 2
Oldham v Swinton Home September 23, 1981 Division 2
Oldham v Doncaster Home September 27, 1981 Division 2
Halifax v Oldham Away October 4, 1981 Division 2
Oldham v Keighley Home October 11, 1981 Division 2
Oldham v Doncaster Home October 18, 1981 John Player Cup
Dewsbury v Oldham Away October 25, 1981 Division 2
Oldham v Huddersfield Home November 1, 1981 John Player Cup
Oldham v Carlisle Home November 8, 1981 Division 2
Oldham v Leeds Home November 15, 1981 John Player Cup
Oldham v Halifax Home November 22, 1981 Division 2
Hull FC v Oldham Neutral November 29, 1981 John Player Cup
Oldham v Huyton Home December 6, 1981 Division 2
Salford v Oldham Away January 3, 1982 Division 2
Oldham v Batley Home January 10, 1982 Division 2
Oldham v Huddersfield Home January 24, 1982 Division 2
Cardiff City Blue Dragons v Oldham Away January 31, 1982 Division 2
Oldham v Cardiff City Blue Dragons Home February 7, 1982 Division 2
Swinton v Oldham Away February 14, 1982 Rugby League Challenge Cup
Wakefield Trinity v Oldham Away February 28, 1982 Rugby League Challenge Cup
Workington Town v Oldham Away March 7, 1982 Division 2
Oldham v Bramley Home March 14, 1982 Division 2
Swinton v Oldham Away April 4, 1982 Division 2
Oldham v Rochdale Hornets Home April 9, 1982 Division 2
Oldham v Salford Home April 12, 1982 Division 2
Rochdale Hornets v Oldham Away April 15, 1982 Division 2
Huyton v Oldham Away April 18, 1982 Division 2
Carlisle v Oldham Away April 25, 1982 Division 2
Bramley v Oldham Away April 28, 1982 Division 2
Doncaster v Oldham Away May 3, 1982 Division 2
Hunslet v Oldham Away May 6, 1982 Division 2
Oldham v Workington Town Home May 9, 1982 Division 2
Oldham v Widnes Home August 22, 1982 Division 1
Oldham v Leeds Home August 25, 1982 Division 1
Blackpool Borough v Oldham Away September 5, 1982 Lancashire Cup
St Helens v Oldham Away September 12, 1982 Division 1
Oldham v Warrington Home September 15, 1982 Division 1
Warrington v Oldham Away September 19, 1982 Lancashire Cup
Oldham v French XIII Home September 22, 1982 Friendly
Halifax v Oldham Away September 26, 1982 Division 1
Leigh v Oldham Away December 5, 1982 John Player Cup
Oldham v Workington Town Home December 12, 1982 Division 1
Oldham v St Helens Home August 14, 1983 Friendly
Oldham v Workington Town Home September 4, 1983 Lancashire Cup
Featherstone Rovers v Oldham Away September 11, 1983 Division 1
Swinton v Oldham Away September 14, 1983 Lancashire Cup
Oldham v Leigh Home January 8, 1984 Division 1
Oldham v Huyton Home February 12, 1984 Rugby League Challenge Cup
Whitehaven v Oldham Away February 19, 1984 Division 1
Wigan v Oldham Away February 26, 1984 Rugby League Challenge Cup
Oldham v Bradford Northern Home March 4, 1984 Division 1
Oldham v Leigh Home March 11, 1984 Division 1
Wigan v Oldham Away March 14, 1984 Division 1
Oldham v Warrington Home March 18, 1984 Division 1
Leigh v Oldham Away March 21, 1984 Division 1
Oldham v Whitehaven Home March 25, 1984 Division 1
St Helens v Oldham Away April 1, 1984 Division 1
Widnes v Oldham Away April 8, 1984 Division 1
Oldham v Castleford Home April 11, 1984 Division 1
Oldham v Wakefield Trinity Home April 15, 1984 Division 1
Salford v Oldham Away April 20, 1984 Division 1
St Helens v Oldham Away August 26, 1984 Friendly
Oldham v Hunslet Home September 2, 1984 Division 1
Workington Town v Oldham Away September 9, 1984 Division 1
Oldham v Widnes Home September 12, 1984 Division 1
Oldham v Blackpool Borough Home September 16, 1984 Lancashire Cup
Leeds v Oldham Away September 23, 1984 Division 1
Oldham v Leigh Home September 30, 1984 Division 1
Barrow v Oldham Away October 7, 1984 Division 1
Oldham v Warrington Home October 14, 1984 Division 1
St Helens v Oldham Away October 21, 1984 Division 1
Oldham v Featherstone Rovers Home October 28, 1984 Division 1
Bradford Northern v Oldham Away November 4, 1984 Division 1
Oldham v Hull Kingston Rovers Home November 11, 1984 Division 1
York v Oldham Away November 18, 1984 John Player Cup
Warrington v Oldham Away November 25, 1984 Division 1
Hull FC v Oldham Away December 2, 1984 John Player Cup
Oldham v Barrow Home December 9, 1984 Division 1
Hull Kingston Rovers v Oldham Away December 16, 1984 Division 1
Widnes v Oldham Away December 26, 1984 Division 1
Hull FC v Oldham Away March 17, 1985 Division 1
Leigh v Oldham Away March 20, 1985 Division 1
Hunslet v Oldham Away March 24, 1985 Division 1
Wigan v Oldham Away March 26, 1985 Division 1
Oldham v Workington Town Home March 31, 1985 Division 1
Halifax v Oldham Away April 5, 1985 Division 1
Oldham v Wigan Home April 8, 1985 Division 1
Castleford v Oldham Away April 12, 1985 Division 1
Leeds v Oldham Away April 28, 1985 Premiership
Oldham v Great Britain Home August 21, 1985 Benefit Match
Oldham v St Helens Home August 25, 1985 Friendly
Halifax v Oldham Away September 1, 1985 Division 1
Oldham v Swinton Home September 4, 1985 Division 1
Oldham v Leeds Home September 8, 1985 Division 1
Leigh v Oldham Away September 15, 1985 Lancashire Cup
Hull FC v Oldham Away September 22, 1985 Division 1
Oldham v Warrington Home September 29, 1985 Division 1
Featherstone Rovers v Oldham Away October 6, 1985 Division 1
Oldham v Castleford Home October 20, 1985 Division 1
Widnes v Oldham Away October 27, 1985 Division 1
Bradford Northern v Oldham Away November 3, 1985 Division 1
York v Oldham Away November 10, 1985 Division 1
Dewsbury v Oldham Away November 17, 1985 Division 1
Hull Kingston Rovers v Oldham Away December 1, 1985 John Player Cup
Oldham v Salford Home December 8, 1985 Division 1
Oldham v Dewsbury Home December 15, 1985 Division 1
Oldham v Widnes Home December 26, 1985 Division 1
Leeds v Oldham Away January 1, 1986 Division 1
Oldham v York Home January 12, 1986 Division 1
Castleford v Oldham Away January 19, 1986 Division 1
Warrington v Oldham Away February 2, 1986 Division 1
Oldham v Carlisle Home February 9, 1986 Rugby League Challenge Cup
Oldham v Halifax Home February 16, 1986 Division 1
Swinton v Oldham Away March 28, 1986 Division 1
Wigan v Oldham Away March 31, 1986 Division 1
Oldham v St Helens Home April 2, 1986 Division 1
Oldham v Bradford Northern Home April 6, 1986 Division 1
Oldham v Featherstone Rovers Home April 9, 1986 Division 1
Oldham v Hull FC Home April 16, 1986 Division 1
Hull Kingston Rovers v Oldham Away April 18, 1986 Division 1
St Helens v Oldham Away April 20, 1986 Division 1
Oldham v Wigan Home April 22, 1986 Division 1
Oldham v Oldham Amateur Select Home August 24, 1986 Benefit Match
Oldham v Leeds Home August 31, 1986 Division 1
Halifax v Oldham Away September 3, 1986 Division 1
Warrington v Oldham Away September 7, 1986 Division 1
Oldham v Widnes Home October 1, 1986 Lancashire Cup
Oldham v Widnes Home October 5, 1986 Division 1
Wigan v Oldham Neutral October 19, 1986 Lancashire Cup
Hull FC v Oldham Away January 4, 1987 Division 1
Oldham v Featherstone Rovers Home January 18, 1987 Division 1
Widnes v Oldham Away January 21, 1987 Division 1
Oldham v Wigan Home February 4, 1987 Rugby League Challenge Cup
Oldham v St Helens Home February 14, 1987 Rugby League Challenge Cup
Oldham v Hull FC Home February 22, 1987 Division 1
Castleford v Oldham Away March 1, 1987 Division 1
Featherstone Rovers v Oldham Away March 8, 1987 Division 1
Oldham v Warrington Home March 11, 1987 Division 1
Oldham v Bradford Northern Home March 15, 1987 Division 1
Oldham v Castleford Home March 29, 1987 Division 1
Barrow v Oldham Away April 5, 1987 Division 1
Wigan v Oldham Away April 8, 1987 Division 1
Oldham v Leigh Home April 12, 1987 Division 1
Whitehaven v Oldham Away August 30, 1987 Division 2
Oldham v Keighley Home September 2, 1987 Division 2
Oldham v Bramley Home September 6, 1987 Division 2
Warrington v Oldham Away September 13, 1987 Lancashire Cup
Huddersfield v Oldham Away October 4, 1987 Division 2
Oldham v Sheffield Eagles Home October 11, 1987 Division 2
Oldham v Barrow Home October 25, 1987 Division 2
Keighley v Oldham Away November 1, 1987 Division 2
Oldham v Fulham Home November 8, 1987 John Player Cup
Oldham v Bradford Northern Home August 12, 1990 Benefit Match