A who’s who of Louth’s ‘61
UNFORTUNATELY, an error in last week’s Sidelines column saw the Louth team picture from the 1961 All-Ireland Junior triumph omitted. To make amends we’re including the picture this week and have gone one better, with full pen pics on the Yorkshire heroes.
Jim Clifford (St Patrick’s) - Goalkeeper. From O’Hanlon Park in Dundalk across the railway line from the Clans field, Jimmy was connected to Young Irelands in his early days. With Sean Og Flood, however, firmly established as their No 1, Clifford was persuaded by fellow railway workers Kevin English and Jemmy Sheelan to throw his lot in with the Lordship men. His saves, especially in the early rounds versus Longford and Offaly, were vital to the team’s success
Oliver Coombes (Wolfe Tones) - Right Fullback. ‘Butcher’, as he was fondly known, most definitely lived up to his nickname. Small in stature but uncompromising in the physical exchanges, when Dublin forty yards man Paddy Barrett was giving Mick Kelly a hard time in the Leinster final, Coombes took it upon himself to switch places with his centre half. Nobody saw the incident, but Barrett was stretchered off a short time later. Poor Seamus Leydon of Galway suffered a similar fate in the home final. That’s simply how football was played back then.
Jim Butterly (Mattock Rangers) – Fullback. A man mountain with enormous strength, ’Doc’ was the rock on which the Louth defence was built around. In the provincial semi-final at Croke Park, players and spectators stood in amazement as his monstrous 90-yard free kick caught the Offaly rearguard by surprise, resulting in Jemmy Sheelan nipping in to score the winning goal in a 1-5 to 0-3 victory.
Anthony Kirwan (Dreadnots) – Left Fullback. Steady as you like throughout the entire campaign, the no-nonsense defender gave little away to opposing corner forwards. Fullback on the Louth minor team who were beaten in the 1958 Leinster final, Anthony’s county career was curtailed somewhat by his involvement in the fishing industry, owning and skippering trawlers out of Clogherhead port. Former Louth player and manager Colin Kelly is now married to his daughter Pamela.
Gussie Sheelan (St Patrick’s) Right Halfback and captain. Gussie wasn’t the tallest defender but pound for pound was one of the best players ever to come out of the north Louth peninsula. Playing alongside his two cousins Jemmy Sheelan and Henry Donnelly, he was one of many representatives from the Lordship club who contributed handsomely to this All-Ireland success. Proprietor of the popular Mountbagnal shop where his ice creams and sweets have served generations of north Louth folk.
Mick Kelly (Wolfe Tones) Centre Halfback. Not your typical centre back of the time, Mick was a fantastic ball player with great skill and positional sense. He nullified the threat of many opposing forwards and was always available to lend a hand in attack. Involved with the Tones in Drogheda for many years at adult and juvenile level, his son Mickey still carries on the family tradition to this day.
Paddy Dixon (Clan na Gael) Left Halfback. Only came into the squad after the provincial championship success. The silky half back was imperious in the games against Galway and Yorkshire. A senior championship winner with the Clans two years earlier, Paddy was one of the most stylish players ever to come out of the Castletown area. A cousin of my father’s, Paddy was an unstinting club worker and mentor who put several generations of Clans juvenile players through his hands, many of whom went on to backbone the club’s senior success of the 1980s and 90s.
Frank Fagan (Newtown Blues) Centrefield. Frank was another to benefit from the amended eligibility rules after the Leinster final, his first involvement coming as a substitute in the semi-final win against Kerry at the Gaelic Grounds. It would prove a busy few weeks for the big midfielder as between the Kerry and Galway games he captained the Blues team to Joe Ward Cup success over Naomh Mhuire. Fagan was a tower of strength at centrefield for club and county.
Paddy Jordan (St Patrick’s) Centrefield. Although not the tallest for his position Paddy was rock solid in the centre of the field throughout the 1961 season, proving a more than capable partner for both Ted Russell and later Frank Fagan. His natural ball playing skills were seen to great effect, particularly in the earlier rounds. Time away with college studies and later work as a marine biologist curtailed his playing career. His brother Seamus won several Sigerson Cup medals with UCG later in the Sixties.
Jemmy Sheelan (St Patrick’s) Right Wing. Lined out at number 10 for the ‘away’ final in Leeds but played a starring role on the forty in each of the other six encounters. Scored crucial goals against Offaly and Yorkshire, Jemmy was one of the leading lights in the Louth attack. Blessed with an incredible memory, Jemmy was one of my main sources for compiling these last two columns. A most enjoyable couple of hours was spent discussing the ‘ 61 season, with some great stories regaled. Most of the good yarns, however, didn’t make it past the Editor’s desk.
Michael McKeown (O Raghallaighs) Forty Yards. ‘Muckle’ had the distinction of being a member of that season’s Minor, Junior and Senior panels. Played in the earlier rounds versus Meath, Longford and Offaly, he was injured for the Dublin game. Wasn’t considered for the Kerry game as the curtain-raiser was the county Minor Final where he starred in the defeat of Clan Mhuire College (Omeath). Introduced into the Galway game as a centre-field substitute which swung the Croke Park final in Louth’s favour. Dubs supremo Kevin Heffernan once told me he rated Muckle as the best Leinster player of his era outside Dublin. Played with the county seniors for another decade and a half.
Jim Judge (Newtown Blues) Left Wing. ‘Blackie’ was arguably the most skilful player on the team, he could do incredible things with the ball. He played in all seven games and although not a prolific scorer, his speed and contribution to general play were invaluable to the rest of his teammates. He would become a mainstay of that great Blues team of the Sixties and forms a select group along with Jimmy Mulroy, Liam Leech and Matt Murphy who collected nine senior championship medals between 1961 and 1970.
Sean Goodman (Walshestown Rovers) Right Corner. Another who played in all seven games, Sean had tremendous reserves of energy and was a tireless worker around the pitch for his colleagues. He chipped in with some important scores also, most notably in the provincial campaign. He won a junior championship in 1953 with the now defunct Walshestown club whose catchment area now resides within Naomh Fionnbarra territory.
Henry Donnelly (St Patrick’s) Full Forward. Henry, along with his full forward colleague Fra Kirk, were arguably Louth’s two best players over the course of the campaign. Played a starring role in attack, getting some vital scores. He was also used regularly out round the middle of the field where his strength and ball-winning ability were invaluable, particularly against Kerry and Galway. Went onto play with the seniors for several years, he spent much of his time fishing for lobster and crabs on Dundalk Bay.
Fra Kirk (Clan na Gael) Left Corner. The competition’s top scorer with 2-30, the Clans man was the fulcrum of the Louth attack. His point scoring ability from both play and placed balls were crucial to the All Ireland success. Most of the players I spoke to speak of the match-winning goal against Kerry where Fra’s piledriver almost lifted the roof off the top of the net. Himself and Paddy Dixon were key members of the Clans team who captured the Joe Ward Cup two years earlier in 1959.
Joe Mallon (Newtown Blues) Wholehearted corner back who came in as a sub in several games during the campaign, including the final game in Leeds. Joe was part of the Blues’ four-in-a-row winning championship team (61-64), lining out in both defence and attack.
Leslie Toal (Clan na Gael) A member of that year’s county minor team, Leslie was brought onto the panel for the Kerry game and saw his first action in the Leeds final when introduced as a late substitute for Oliver Coombes. Played club, county and interprovincial football in a glittering career that spanned over 20 years. Experienced much success also as a club and colleges manager. Another whose memories contributed handsomely to both these columns.
Ted Russell (Naomh Mhuire) Ted was a key member of the ’ 61 side and started at midfield in six of the seven games. Another great footballer, he contributed much to the success of the team and was very unlucky to lose his starting place in the ‘away’ final versus Yorkshire. Although lining out in the Naomh Mhuire colours that season, Ted was very much