Galway Advertiser 1990/1990_05_17/GA_17051990_E1_021.pdf 

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Galway Advertiser, 17th May, 1990

Galmay Advertiser

YOUR GUIDE TO SPORTS STARTS HERE
on a truely emotive occa sion. Could you imagine any of the top county stars of today taking over such a role in the height of their careers? John Dunne's last final was on the Galway team which lost to Kerry by four points in 1941. The last time I saw him play was on a winning Ballinasloe team in a county final played in Parkmore, Tuam in the forties. Outside Galway John Dunne was one of the most respected G.A.A. men - a trustee of the Association and a prominent member of the Central Council for many years. He had a great sense of occasion at meetings always rising to address them doffing his hat. Many tributes will be paid to him now, but it is nice that he has already been honoured twice by his native Galway. The first occasion was in 1981 at a special testimonial dinner in the Sacre Coeur Hotel. It was a very special night - saddened only by the absence of his wife Rosaleen who was hospitalised at the time and died shortly after wards. More recently the County Board honoured him after retiring as Cen tral Council delegate. A man of immense good humour, he was also a hard taskmaster as a trainer of so many Galway teams. Duggan Park in Ballinasloe was his pride and joy and until recently he almost lived there - so proud he was of its natural surface. Family, religion and the G.A.A. were dear to John Dunne, but he also loved a game of cards and a flut ter on the horses. To his immediate fami ly Ann, Cyril, Jackie and Grellan. and all his relatives, the G.A.A ex tends its sympthay. When I remember Tull, I know I will remember sunny days with the maroon and white flags flying. But most of all I will remember a great friend and father figure to us all. Ar dheis lamh De go raibh a a nam.

H G E - P E S R L A E ME, cE L A E EE S LET ME GO
Paul McGee - the country's second top goal scorer in the League of Ireland this year - is already looking to several Premier Division sides to complete his playing career.
'I will be back next year scoring goals for a club which wants to win," says the latest Galway United manager to get the boot under mysterious circumstances. Already the newly formed Limerick United have approached the 35-year-old to act as p l a y e r / m a n a g e r next year. The man behind this offer is Micky Webb formerly of Limerick City. However McGee is biding his time before making any decisions con tent that some club in the premier division will need a striker of his calibre. "I feel lucky. Next year I will play football again. I am not dead yet and I am obviously a good striker.' "While I am still fit and capable I want to join a club ambitious to win 'Two years left" something before I retire. " I was under the "There is never any mistaken impression smoke without fire, " he Galway United wanted the says. "If the committee same thing." were not happy with me, it Phone Call is their prerogative to sack McGee has spent more me, but they did not give than five years for Galway me a good reason." Characteristically, United - the longest stint in his career. He had wanted Galway United have never to see out his playing days explained their decision. in Galway. But a week The ex-manager/player before United's committee believes it was the result of handed him his cards, a "few people in the com McGee knew his days mittee who don't like Paul were numbered. An McGee. "That is the only reason anonymous phone caller to his work left this message: I can come up with. I knew '"Tell McGee he will not be about these people when I the manager of Galway took the job and that I was probably not the most United next season ". preferred choice." "I know I am a bit mouthy at times and peo ple either love me or hate me. But at the end of the day personalities should not come into football." "As a footballing deci sion, my dismissal is ridiculous." However McGee is con tent he left Galway United in better shape than his predecessor. "This year I did more than I set out to do. We achieved our mid-table position, but more impor tantly I believe I got the right support from the players and a working spirit in the club." "Sure we lost in the Cup to Bray Wanderers, but I always felt this year we just did not have enough mettle in the team. With the development of some fine local players, and with two or three more players next year I believe Galway United was talking about being in the top four." McGee says any achievement this year has now been lost. "The new manager does not have a great chance. At least I had a year with reasonable success to get to know the players. Now any progress ' has been put back again."

GALWAY HONOURS GALWAY GREAT

died recently aged 78. Galway County Football Board chairman Jack Mahon looks back W I T H A P P R E C I A T I O N O N H I S contribu tion to the sport.
Ballinasloe closed its doors on Monday in honour of John Dunne - one of Gaelic football's great heroes. A guard of honour in cluded practically all the three-in-a-row team, of which son Cyril was an esteemed member. Representatives from many counties in Ireland Fermanagh, Sligo, Mayo, Roscommon, Leitrim and Kerry came to the small County Galway town to honour this great man. Josie Munnelly and Seamus O'Malley - heroes of the 1936 All Ireland game against Mayo were there. Many of my own team from more recent times like Mick Judge and Tommy Joe Gilmore at tended, and there was Jimmy Duggan and his father Joe, who played with Tull back in 1941. Bishop Kirby of Clonfert spoke briefly about the man. He described him well - faith, honesty, loyal ty, family and courtesy. John Dunne was a name often mentioned in our house growing up. My father always called him "Tull". I probably first saw him playing for Galway in the 1939 Connacht final - although I remember little. It was not long before Tull became a well known figure. You saw him

G A E L I C football great John D U N N E of Galway

Bad Publicity
"The worrying aspect is that Galway United foot ball is suffering. It is suf fering nationally because ot the publicity which is doing no good for the club, the players or the sup porters." McGee is now waiting to hear whether United will release him for free so he can join another club. "At my age I would not be worth a lot of money, so it would be crazy to hold onto me." Money is not a top priorty for McGee who will re main in Galway, where he works as a Sales Manager for Coffey Windows. "I am glad I left a hat trick of goals for the sup porters in mv last match

The late John Dunne
everywhere - playing games, refereeing, at gates, running onto the field with tilted hat in a fashion associated with him. Yes, for anyone associated with gaelic foot ball in Galway, he became the best known and most beloved of all Galway footballers. John Dunne was a great footballer with his native Ballinasloe and with Galway. growing up in an age when Ballinasloe footballers were almost una beatable. He won an All-Ireland junior medal with Galway in 1931, and was on the team which won the All Ireland V Dublin in 1934 the first time Galway ever wore the maroon and white jersey. He captained the 1938 side which won the All Ireland in a replay against Kerry. In that year, while still an active player, John Dunne became the County Football Board Secretary remaining at the nerve centre of Galway football until January 1981 when he retired from the position

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It was great to go out of United with bang." "I have enjoyed the club - for playing under Tony Mannion - one of the best managers around; for the running battles; and for scoring goals." "I am just sorry that I could not do more to see the club winning either the League or the Cup." "I have at least two good years to play football, and I now just want to go out and score goals." Linley MacKenzie

GALWAY R O W E R S TOPPLE STUDENTS
Galway Rowing Club's intermediate eight ended U.C.D.'s unbeaten run this season when they won the recent Trinity Regatta.
or Moloney. Paul Greaney, Joe Moloney, Tony ConnauKhton. Steven Curran.

covered during Sunday's

Race favourites U.C.D. had already accounted for Jesus College, Cambridge and Trinity by a comfor table two lengths in the semi-final. Galway, with a win over the Cork Boat Club, were unfortunate to draw the South Station with two un favourable bends. Mellow's Tony Donovan However the crew put everything into the first and John Keogh have three minutes in an effort their opposition well to draw level with the students on the final strait.

Cox O'Connell

draw against BallinEncouraged by the large dereen in the Senior number of supporters, Galway powered oa to Hurling Championship at open up a gap on their rivals and went on to win Athenry.
Photo Mike Shaughnessy by 1 % lengths The crew included James Breen (Bow),Con

Owen Diviney, stroke of their pre-champtonship Mantis Crowley and the preparation. 13 years, old Paul O'Con Galway's other club. nell as cox. Tribesman, recorded a In the elite fours of Tim win in the Junior A fours Breen, Declan McGrath, final against the fancied Jerry Murray , G A R Y Methodist College, while Tuchy and cox P E T E their Junior B fours lost in Flaherty were beaten B Y A the semi-finals to Presen strong Belfast A crew, who tation Cork. went on to the finals. And the club's intermediate four were finally beaten in one OT the closest finals of T H E D A Y with only two F E E T separating them A N D T H E THE NEXT GALWAY C O R K Boat C L U B A T T H E L I N E Orien L E E R I N G / T R E A S U R E Hunt T A K E S P L A C E on Sun U N D E R COACH P A D D Y L A L -

ORffiNTEERING

IV. T H E G A L W A Y ROWING C L U B E I G H T S N O W H O P E to R A C E FOR THE T H A M E S C U P IN H E N L E Y O N J U L Y 4 AS PART

D A Y M A Y 2 0 AT W O O D S T O C K W O O D (THREE MILES FROM E Y R E S Q U A R E ON THE C L I M E N R O A D ) AT 2 P M