MAGNIFICENT ‘57 MEN
SIXTY years ago this week - on 22nd September 1957 - Louth won the All-Ireland football final beating Cork on a scoreline of 1-9 to 1-7.
Wearing the green of Leinster to avoid a clash of colours this was our third All-Ireland success but our first since 1912.
To all Louth supporters of that era this was a day that had been on the horizon for many years.
Leinster Championship wins in 1943, 1948, 1950 and 1953 had us regularly on the big stage but the bounce of the ball never went our way.
I heard accounts of a late controversial Mayo goal in the 1950 decider which denied us victory and the semi-final defeat to Kerry in 1953. Seemingly there was no great expectancy among players or supporters when Louth embarked on their 1957 campaign in early May with a first round clash with Carlow in Navan.
A 3-6 to 0-4 defeat of the Barrowsiders was followed up with victories over Wexford and Kildare to take us to a Leinster final against Dublin.
On his recall to the county colours Jimmy McDonnell bagged 3-3 against Kildare and the full forward didn’t dis- appoint against Dublin either scoring 2-2 to help Louth to victory.
Ulster champions Tyrone were accounted for in the semi-final and it was then onto the final with a David versus Goliath clash with Cork.
The smallest county in Ireland taking on the largest – I can only imagine the excitement that took place in the build-up.
72,000 packed into Croke Park on that overcast cloudy afternoon to witness the battle.
As a 15-year-old my father has vivid memories of the size of the crowd and the squeeze they experienced on the terraces. He recalls fondly Kevin Beahan’s floated sideline ball from under the Hogan Stand into the Canal End goal and Sean Cunningham rising highest to finish it to the Cork net.
He also remembers the heroic defensive displays in the closing minutes as the Louth rearguard thwarted waves of Cork attacks. But it was to be our day and captain Dermot O Brien climbed the steps to proudly accept the Sam Maguire on behalf of his teammates.
The euphoria and celebrations in the aftermath must have been amazing. The homecoming through the county’s towns and villages offered all supporters the chance to welcome home their heroes. Over the following twelve months I think the trophy made its way into every household in the county such are tales and stories that have been passed down through the years.
Unfortunately we haven’t been able to return to dine at the top table since then, the closest we got was the Leinster final debacle of 2010.
But perhaps one day our time will come again. In the meantime we salute that magnificent bunch of men from 1957 who carved their names in Louth football history. Some have gone to their eternal reward but many are still with us: Sean Og Flood, Olly Reilly, Tom Conlon, Jim Meehan, Patsy Coleman, Peadar Smith, Stephen White, Dan O’Neill, Kevin Beahan, Seamus O’Donnell, Dermot O’Brien, Frank Lynch, Sean Cunningham, Jimmy McDonnell, Jim Roe, Jim McArdle, Barney McCoy, Alf Monk, Jim Judge, Mickey Flood, Jackie Reynolds, Aiden McGuiness, Tom Carroll, Paddy Cheshire, Noel Loughran, Paddy Butterly, Bertie Dullaghan, Cormac Breslin and Jim Quigley.