KEOGH’S CORNER WITH PETER KEOGH
Go Dutch In Ballinaskill
Where are they now?
SUNDAY is D-Day for Harry and his team but you can put your own interpretation on what the D stands for in this case. What the followers want is a display right out of the top drawer with every single player right on top of their game.
That great comeback and victory over Tipperary was just what the doctor ordered. That great victory may have come too late too save our promotions hopes but as far as preparing for the championship is concerned the timing could not have been better.
As always what we need on Sunday is a big and very vocal following to lift the team and let them know their are at home. Home venue is only as good as the supporters make it.
The Aughrim roar has worked wonders in the past and can do so again. So give it a lash lads and ladies.
Casey O'Brien must travel to Armagh to take on the home team in what is a make or break match. Another display to equal Newbridge or Arklow would be enough to do the trick but that is a big enough ask from any team.
It should help that Casey and his selectors will be picking from a full pack for the first time this year. Eamonn Kearns is back and will be improving with every match while the bench is now looking much stronger.
Over confidence could be our undoing but if the heads are right then we have the hurling ability.
If you have nothing better to do on Wednesday next, the 21st, why not drop into the new Centre of Excellence at Ballinakill where Harry will be pitting his Seniors against a new look Junior team - and all in front of a Dutch television crew.
As a bonus you may hear the National Anthem sung as you have never heard before. Tom Walsh will be in charge and we may even have a band.
A little holiday organised by the family has thrown this part of the Corner a little out of sync. So it is now 'catch up' time. First we must go back to Tom Kehoe's picture of the Leinster Railway Cup team of 1955 and some unanswered questions. As always Dave Harrington came to the rescue and gave us all the details in the following email -
'Nice one Peter! I believe this to be the Leinster Railway Cup Team of 1955. This team would have been back-boned with players from Meath, Louth, Dublin, and Wicklow men, Joe Fitzpatrick and Jim Rogers.(I think Gerry O'Reilly was a sub).
The following is my ID list: Patsy McGearty, Micheal O'Brien, Paddy O'Brien, Kevin McConnell, Andy Murphy,J oe Fitzpatrick, Stephen White, Jim Rogers, Paddy Casey, Jim McDonnell, Ollie Freaney, Cathal O'Ieary, Matty McDonnell, Tom Moriarty, Kevin Heffernan.
This was a period of Leinster domination in the Railway Cup and how gratifying it is to see that Wicklow got a significantsliceoftheaction.Rogers,whowas a very classy midfielder was a regular choice for Leinster for a number of years.
Likewise, Ger O'Reilly commanded a regular place at wing back. It would be fair to say that O'Reilly's style of tearaway, robust defending was in stark contrast to the silken skills of Rogers.
Joe Fitzpatrick was playing for the most successful St. Pat's team of our time. Joe was the central part of a brilliantSt.Pat'shalf-backlinewithJoeCarroll and Shay Dunne.
There were a few more players on St. Pat's who were very close to provincial recognition around that time. Before the arrivaloftheAllStarteams,selectionfor one'sprovincewasahighaccoladeand particularly for county players who had not tasted All-Ireland success.
Players from less successful counties like Wicklow were able to play with and against the very best players in the country.
Dublin reached the All-Ireland final in 1955 but only had three players on this team.Theywerehotfavouritesbutcame up short against a stubborn and well organised Kerry.
TheO'BriensofMeathwereAll-Ireland winners. Paddy O'Brien, full-back and captain ran the PO on Moibhi Road, Glasnevin in later years and it was my great pleasure to enter his shop during the 70s and take a close-up look at this legend who was picked on the Team of the Century.
I was surprised by his lack of height. He must have had a great spring in his step or/and a wonderful fetch to command the 'square' with such authority over a significant period of time.
In fact, Paddy O'Brien started his career at midfield with Skyrne and later transferred to Sean McDermotts when he moved to Dublin.
Meath had won the All-Ireland in 1954 by beating Kerry. Louth won the All-Ireland in 1957, captained by Dermot O'Brien.StephenWhitewasalegendon this Louth team.
By the way, who remembers Eddie Boyle, another great Leinster and Louth playerdeliveringbreadaroundtheWicklow Town area. Bolands I presume!
Ger O'Reilly was one of those players whoalwaysseemedtobeabletoturnit on when playing for his province.
We will never forget the way O'Reilly obliterated none other than the great TadhgieLynefromKerryinCrokePark.’
A nice summing up of the team and the times by Dave. One thing readers may have noted was the crowd in Croke Park that day - packed like sardines in a tin under the old Cusack stand
Incidentally, Gerry O'Reilly was listed on the programme that day but cried off injured; The great Kevin Heffernan came on with Stephen White dropping back to fill O'Reilly's place at wing back.
Last Weeks Picture
Everyone, it would appear remembers the occasion and the year, and why not. A group of players, mentors and supporters celebrating a great victory - sure we had nothing else in underage games that year.
Most callers said it was the All-Ireland winning Vocational Schools team but opinion differed on whether it was the Leinster final or the All-Ireland final victory they were celebrating.
Pat Mitchell says it was neither; both finals, he says, were played in Croke Park and the trees in the back ground rules that out.
Hugh O'Brien, the forms CEO in Wicklow and at that time the Secretary Leinster VS Council is the standout figure.
'Mitch' the match could have been the day we beat Mayo in Athlone and you know he could be right. That would account for the fact that Hugh is the only one in the picture not smiling.
The others people that Mitch named was Laragh player Tom Miley (surprise, surprise) and mentor Sean Walsh. The long haired lad in the front is James Mooney but there are still a couple not yet named.
Just to bring back great memories of a great year and a first All-Ireland title in the grade we will give you that team.
The Dunlavin VS (Now St. Kevin's) was riding the crest of a wave at the time and teacher Frank Campbell was the manager/trainer of the county VS team and as you will see a big number of the players were also from the school.
The team that beat Tyrone - 2-7 to 1-7 in the All-Ireland final was Mick Hall (Carnew VS). Pat Kelly and James Mooney (Dunlavin), Tom Miley (Wicklow); Paddy (Giggler) Doyle (Carnew), Michael (Snowie) Flynn, Jack Lynch, Pat Ryan (Capt), Pat O'Toole, Ronnie Mackey, Eamonn Dunne, John 0'Brien, Joe English (all Dunlavin) Joe Tompkins (Blessington) and Seamus McDaoald (Wicklow). Sub: John Byrne (Baltinglass).
Other subs were Seamus Fogarty (Wicklow), Pat Lannigan (Carnew), Joe Delaney, Michael Gorman (both Dunlavin) and David Cooper (Wicklow)
The mentors were - Frank Campbell, Dunlavin; Billy Hendrick, Blessington; Dave Hallahan, Baltinglass; Kevin Lee, Carnew;, Jim Murphy, Wicklow; Gerry O'Donoghue, Arklow; Hugh O'Brien and Sean Walshe (Rathdrum)
Wicklow 1966
The picture in the corner on April 30 was the Wicklow team that played Wexford in the Leinster Championship in Gorey in 1966. We got following email from Michael D Lawlor, read it and see if you can fill in the blanks. 'Dear Peter, My nephew showed me the picture of the team in question this afternoon. I do not know where it was taken. It was in 1965, 1966 or 1967. It is more likely to have been 1966.
'I don't know all those in the photograph but here goes: Back row (l-r): Shay Duffy (?)(Kilbride), Mick Lawlor (Kilmacanogue), Tom Magee (St. Patrick's),notknown,WillieCuffe(R.I.P.) (St.Patrick's),KenBrowne(Baltinglass), Larry Kelly (Forestry College), Noel Scott (Baltinglass), Sean Doyle (Carnew),MauriceMcNamee(Kilcoole), Brian Carthy (Ashford).
Front row (l-R): Tommy Clarke (Kilbride), Br. Francis (St. Patricks), not known, Tom Humphries (Stratford), Tom Scott (Baltinglass), Tony Norton (Baltinglass), Andy Phillips (St. Patrick's), Peter Clarke (Kilbride), not known.’
Most of the regulars like Pat Mitchell, Jackie Napier, Ned Foley and the likes got the right answer but no one gave the names in the exact formation.
All of them spotted a very young looking Ken Browne in the back row and a more seasoned Andy Phillips in the front.
Sean Doyle, Maurice McNamee, the Clarle brothers, the Scott brothers, Jim Coates, Michael Lawlor and Tony Norton.
The exact line out was - Andy Phillips; Mick Lawlor, Ken Browne, Tommy Clarke; Sean Doyle, Tom Scott, Tony Norton; Tom McGee, Willie Cuffe; Bro Francis, Peter Clarke, Noel Scott; Tom Humphries, Larry Kelly and Maurice McNamee. Jim Coates came on a sub.
Anyone name the four missing players?
More on Paddy O'Reardon
We succeeded in flushing out Rathvilly man Tom McCall and he sent us this email - 'Peter, I spoke to Billy Leonard about Paddy Riordan'sfather.Hetellsmethathewas station master in Rathvilly for a number of years.
'BeforethathewasinGrangeconRailway Station and finished up as station master in Tullow.
'He had three sons - Joe, Paddy and Stan, and two daughters. Billy says Joe was a porter at the station in Rathvilly and that he played in the Rathvilly Pipe Band who travelled to Donoon in Scotland in 1927 for the Highland Gathering (the world pipe band championships).
'The Rathvilly Pipe Band finished seventh out of 79 and the drummers finished second, beaten by only one mark for first place.
'Paddy,ofcourse,themaninthephotograph was a teacher and Stan was a chemistinDublin.BillysaidStanusedto call to him on his way to Tullow to visit his mother, who lived well into her 90s.
'Maybe Johnny Kenny's relations might have further information. 'Regards, Tom McCall'. Since then Haddie Doyle from Rathdangan was in touch to tell us that Paddy O'Reardon was her first cousin and he lived in Bray for most of his life.
She said that the O'Reardons did live in Rathvilly for a time before moving to Tullow. Paddy's father Died suddenly going into mass in Tullow and after that his son Joe took over as station master in the Co. Carlow town.
So Jackie Napier was right after all. Jackie was one of the many Bray boys taught by Paddy and always claimed the teacher had Rathvilly connections.
Before we let Tom McCall off the hook we had a call from a Dave McCall from Brittas Bay, a great promoter of hurling around the Barndarrig area. He claims relationship to the McCalls of Clonmore. Was it P.J. McCall, the well known poet and writer that came from that area? Anyway, he would like to get in touch with Tom.
From tracings the background of former team managers to the state of football today - or as some may see it. - This is an email from a dedicated follower of the game, formerly from Arklow, Gerald Tallon. 'Dear Peter, The question was posed on RTE 2 tonight as to whether any team in the countrycouldlivewiththefitnesslevelof this present Dublin team.
'Itwaspointedoutthat(comparedwith the Cork game) the intensity was maintained from the beginning of the game to the end. I would like to make some observationsandposesomequestions, if I may.
There should be some yardstick for the measure of football fitness: I would suggestthataprofessionalteam=100. Ifso,thisDublinteammaywellbeoperating at 90+.
Is this factor, in evidence in a number ofcountiesforthepastdecadeorso,to be the prime determinant of success for football for the future?
Is this demand on our players consistentwiththecultureoftheGAA?Personally, I don't think so; but I would welcome a variety of views. At the same time, let none of us underestimate the culture of our Association. A comment I heard today reinforces this view.
This morning, at the cannonisation of the two Popes, Fr Richard John Newhouse,(USA),madethisstartlingobservation:
“……culture is stronger than politics, stronger than military factors and stronger than economic factors”.
Certainly the record of St. John Paul 2 bearswitnesstothevalidityofthisstatement.
I may well be wrong, but I sense that economic factors may be pressurising ourAssociationintoachangeofculture. I hope I am wrong.
Mise le meas - Gerald.’