Unique dual sportsman Ken has passed away
KEN Finn, a unique dual sportsmen, who won a FAI Cup medal with Dundalk, played World Cup soccer with America, and gaelic football with New York, has died at the age of 81.
He was one of the few players of his era to play in both Dalymount Park and Croke Park, a rare achievement in the era of the ‘ ban’.
He died in New York where he was born in 1937, and will be fondly remembered by many in Dundalk as one of the most talented footballers of his era.
When he won his FAI Cup medal with Dundalk in 1958, his friend and neighbour from St.Malachy’s Villas, Joe Ralph played alongside him. The pair occupied the full-back positions, Joe on the right and Ken on the left, and formed a solid defensive unit that did not concede a goal in their five game winning Cup run, beating a much fancied Shamrock Rovers team that contained Irish international stars, Liam Tuohy, Gerry Mackey, Paddy Ambrose and Ronnie Nolan 1-0 in the final.
He made his debut for Dundalk as a raw 17-year-old in 1954, but soon made the left-back position his own, going on to play 129 times for the clubs over four seasons until he returned to New York in November 1958, captaining the side in a Shield game against Limerick. .
Many felt that because of strength, physique and talent he would move on to the English game and indeed after his outstanding display in the 1957 Cup final a move to Wolverhampton Wanderers was on the cards, but the clubs could not agree terms.
Ken was only a toddler when he came to Dundalk with his parents from the USA. A big strapping youngster, he was just 10 years old when he lined out in the local Under-14s League, and collected League and Cup Trophies with local Schoolboy teams St Josephs and Arsenal.
He made his Dundalk debut, aged 17, in an early September 1954 Shield trip to Limerick.
But after a dreadful season start—a single win from the first 14 games—changes were demanded and Ken soon found himself as an ever-present at full-back beside Joe Ralph.
At the end of the season he captained the Irish Youths, in a team that also included his teammate John Geoghegan and townsman Willie Coleman (Drumcondra), in home and away fixtures against Liverpool Youths.
For the remainder of his Dundalk career he became an automatic selection—although not always at fullback. During the 1956-57 season he was assigned the centre-forward role and knocked in 6 League goals.
When he returned to New York, over the following 20 years he added to his sports laurels at two games—both GAA and soccer.
For 16 years he played in the New York Soccer League and in 1960 he was capped with the American team in the World Cup Qualifiers against Mexico for the Chile World Cup and again the following year in a friendly against Colombia played in Bogota.
In this game his Gaelic background proved useful when he replaced the injured US keeper at half-time, keeping a clean sheet in the second period.
He was also a member of the 1960 German-American League All-Stars squad that participated in a 5-match tour against German League clubs. A natural centre-half back at Gaelic football, he was also comfortable anywhere in the full-back line.
He was an ever-present on the New York GAA team from 1959 to 1975, twice winning National League titles, in 1964 against Dublin and again in 1967 when Irish champions County Galway were overcome in a two-leg final.
His brothers Dermot and Rory were also members of the 1967 winning panel. His club honours in the States included a Senior B New York Championship medal with the Louth team. When his playing days were over he took to refereeing and coaching.
A mechanic with TWA until retirement, Ken has been a frequent visitor to Dundalk over the years, the most recent being for the 2014 League Championship decider at Oriel Park against Cork.