The footballers that
SADLY, Covid-19 has brought sport to its knees, nothing to watch or to read. Like the majority of the population, I have been in lockdown at home for the best part of the last 6 weeks.
Aside from the odd walk for exercise, I have been nowhere, but seldom have I felt more in tune with nature, thanks to my garden.
Here in glorious spring weather in a village in Oxfordshire, I can stay sane amongst the shrubs and flowers. The garden is my saviour, untouched by the troubles of humanity.
Like nature, sport has played a huge part in my life, apart from cricket, which to me is like watching paint dry. I find sport nostalgia an intoxicating mix, especially so in those bygone, innocent days, before the advent of highly paid managers and blanket television coverage.
My home club, Cliffoney, was backboned by the McHughs. This unique family’s contribution did not stop at club football, as most of them featured prominently at county level too. The eldest two, Jackie and Danny were very much part of Sligo’s successful run in the Connacht championship of ‘64 and ‘65. I was very much influenced by their exploits.
In the history of GAA activity in Sligo, there have been a number of well-defined periods of dominance of the club scene, periods when particular clubs have reigned supreme in the face of all opposition.
In this regard senior teams like Sooey, Ballisodare, Collooney Harps, and Craobh Rua dominated the scene in the early part of the sixties. Those clubs provided a nucleus of players for the county team. You may rightly ask was I good enough to make the county senior side?! The simple answer would be no! I was on the county minor team in 1965. We had some fine players, some reaching higher grade but the majority of us did not. It’s a great mystery of sport that so many promising teenagers never make the senior level.
The emergence of Down as a footballing force in 1960 was so unexpected, it was unreal. The team made a tremendous impact in a golden decade, which saw them win 3 finals. Whenever you talk about Gaelic football of the sixties, invariably the conversation swings around to the Down team. True, Galway won 3 consecutive finals in the same decade, with Dublin committing wholesale larceny by robbing them of the unprecedented four in a row. Galway had tradition behind them and in 1963, their renaissance of pure football was at hand. But is was Down, previously unheard of, perpetual “also rans”, that flashed like a meteor across the football scene.
They brought a new dimension to Gaelic football with their sophisticated style of power-packed running, short passing and cohesive movement which bewildered the opposition. The traditional Kerry style of ‘catch and kick’ was out the window.
Here’s my choice of the best footballers of the sixties.
GOALKEEPERS
Noel Mullaney, Sligo
Noel was an exceptional goalie with many outstanding qualities. He was calm, confident and alert and popular with colleagues and fans alike.
Johnny Culloty, Kerry
Longevity springs to mind when you mention Culloty, who played during the fifties to the seventies. Not the biggest of men, he stood shoulder to shoulder with the best of them.
Johnny Geraghty, Galway
He won his spurs with the Galway minor team of 1960 before graduating to the senior ranks soon afterwards. He was a goalkeeper of rare talent and superb between the sticks. Johnny wasn’t a big man and did not come thundering out of his goals, like the traditional keepers at the time.
DEFENDERS
Enda Colleran, Galway
Enda was Galway’s shining light during a brilliant career, when he won 3 Celtic crosses, 2 of them as captain in the sixties.
Paddy McCormack, Offaly Known as the ‘Iron man from Rhode,’ when football was a lot rougher, McCormack was as tough as nails. He was an excellent player and did a lot of damage with his long-range kicks.
Noel Tierney, Galway
Noel stood out like a giant oak tree in the Galway square. He was old school style fullback and would soar into the sky, oblivious to danger, to make breath-taking catches.
Leo Murphy, Down
Through the eyes of an impressionable youngster, whose image was burned into my mind, he was a jewel in a very polished, crafted Down outfit. Leo was an inspirational player and a prodigious kicker of a dead ball.
Seán Meade, Galway
Sean played in many positions for Galway, usually the pivotal one of centre half. He was inordinately strong. Opponents who tried to match him for strength invariably came out second best. He competed fiercely for every ball that came his way and was well able to jostle opponents off their stride.
Bernard Brady, Donegal
The Bundoran man is indelibly linked with the great Ulster Railway Cup side of the sixties. His medal collection was a paltry return for his ability and commitment to Gaelic football.
Brendan Barden, Longford
When Longford won the National League for the only time in 1966,
Brendan Barden was a star man. He was an attacking half back who stormed through the opposition with dash and verve.
Pat (Red) Collier, Meath
He strode through the football scene like a giant in the sixties, with his wispy hair style. A tenacious tackler, sweeping defence into attack with intelligence passes to teammates.
Dan McCartan, Down
If my memory serves me right, the McCartan clan have strong connections with Murphy’s Joey and Brian of Sligo football. Dan was no shrinking violet on the field of play. I saw him on Railway Cup duty and he was quite adept at the physical stuff, but a vital cog in the team.
Mick Carley, Westmeath
A footballer of exceptional talent, who could leap into the sky like an eagle.
A big man who distributed the ball cleverly with ease.
The Railway cup gave him a platform to exhibit his talent.
Mick O’Dwyer, Kerry
O’Dwyer was a fine player who could harness the power and artistry of the best attackers, yet when switched to the forwards produced some awesome scores.
A towering figure in Connacht football in the sixties, John played for a while with Collooney Harps in Sligo, and could play in almost any position. A good player, always fit, no frills or fancy stuff, and certainly could look after himself.
MIDFIELDERS
Des Foley, Dublin
The tall Dublin farmer was equally at home with hurling as football, and won 2 Railway Cup medals on the same day in 1962 in both codes.
A stalwart of the St Vincent football nursery in Dublin, Des was an extraordinarily gifted footballer.
Mick O’Connell, Kerry
Gaelic football’s first superstar, even to this day, his name is spoken with reverence whenever the game is mentioned. A classic ‘catch and kick’ player with a brilliant football brain.
The greatest footballer I ever saw. A most humble and articulate man.
FORWARDS
Sean O’Neill, Down
Very little to write about O’Neill that’s not already in print.
He had it all: ball control, anticipation; there was nothing he could not do.
Superb fielder and excellent passer of the ball.
Tommy Green, Offaly
Known as the ‘Daingean Dynamo’, he was of slender physique, but my goodness could he play. Against physical opponents, his deft touches and body swerve left them wondering what had passed them.
Mattie McDonagh, Galway
The only Connacht man to have won 4 All-Ireland Senior Football medals he was a former student of Summerhill College in Sligo.
A father figure to the 3 in-a-row team, strikingly handsome, the John Wayne of Gaelic football.
James McCartan, Down
A brother of centre half, Dan, James was the burly defencesplitting centre forward, who created havoc to many a defence. He was the heartbeat of the Down team.
Michéal (Mickey) Kearins, Sligo
A genius with a football in his hand, I saw him a lot during the sixties.
One of the greatest marksmen the game has ever seen.
I never saw him play a bad game; this despite being closely marked. Always cut a fine figure, very fit, no doubt conditioned by his work as a cattle dealer.
The ‘Mohammed Ali’ of Gaelic football.
Paddy Doherty, Down
One of the most naturally gifted players of all time.
Testimony to Doherty’s ability to turn his hand at any sport, he was almost lost to soccer, as professional clubs in England and Ireland were after his signature.
Charlie Gallagher, Cavan
Charlie was a cult figure, not just in Cavan, but all over Ireland in the sixties, so much so, there was as song written about him, ’Charlie from Coothill’.
A wonderful footballer, who earned a special place in the hearts of Cavan people far and wide.
Joe Corcoran, Mayo
‘Jinking Joe’ as he was called, due to his agility on the ball, was a terrific score-getter during a glittering career.
The Ardnaree clubman was a balanced player who was adapt to using either foot. The crew cut hair style made him look invincible which convinced me he was.
PT Treacy, Fermanagh
With a Cinderella county like Fermanagh, it was always difficult to get recognition as a footballer. A tall man who used his strength of mind and body when scything through defences and scoring spectacular goals and points.
A shy and unassuming man.
Jimmy Hanniffy, Longford Hanniffy established himself as a leading marksman during a purple period for Longford during the mid-sixties.
He made an immense contribution to the football scene in Longford and was one of the most accomplished performers in the game.
Michael McLoone, Donegal
The Ballyshannon native took to football like a duck to water.
Although of slight build, he covered every blade of grass with great pace and a bewildering sidestep. In the mid-sixties he worked in Sligo, and many a lift he gave me whilst thumbing.
Pat Mangan, Kildare
During his career he played in 6 Leinster finals but unfortunately fate would decree that he would retire without a medal.
He was a decent player who at the time was unlucky to come up against better teams.
So, there you have it, my take on the greatest Gaelic footballers of the 1960s.
A formidable bunch.
After agonising over my selection, you might think I’d be relieved on finishing it.
Not at all! As with all these ‘who’s the greatest’, I was left concerned that I’d inadvertently wronged the many that were close - but not quite close enough - to make the final cut.
Stay safe.
KEARINS WAS THE MOHAMMED ALI OF GAELIC FOOTBALL.