Galway Advertiser 1974/1974_09_26/GA_26091974_E1_014.pdf 

Extracted text

Thoughts

G a y M i t c h e l l , a gallant c a p t a i n , o n e of w h o s e saves was q u i t e brilliant.

on the

Final

Willie Joyce, Galway's m o s t consistent p l a y e r t h i s year.

J o h n n y H u g h e s , whose d o - o r - d i e spirit all t h r o u g h was a revelation.

M i c h a e l R o o n e y , whose display was a revelation.

F o r t h e t w o weeks before t h e final w e asked J a c k M a h o n to write about the A l l - I r e l a n d scene. L a s t week h e was very confident t h a t Galway were going to bring t h e ' S a m M a g u i r e ' across t h e S h a n n o n . T h i s week Jack

winds u p his " A l l - I r e l a n d Scene" series with his t h o u g h t s o n t h e g a m e a n d as o n e w o u l d expect from a m a n w h o devotes so m u c h t i m e t o t h e G . A . A . Jack m a k e s s o m e rather interesting observa tions.

I t ' s so h a r d t o b e g i n . W o r d s c o m e so easily t o t h e v i c t o r ious. T h e easy t h i n g t o d o is to start s h a r i n g t h e b l a m e , finding o n e o r m o r e s c a p e goats. T h e m o o d is low h e r e in G a l w a y . L o s i n g for t h e t h i r d t i m e in four years is a h a r d pill t o swallow. F o r m a n y of u s , players a n d spectators it s e e m e d t h e e n d of the world. N o one in Galway thought Dublin had a c h a n c e . B u t every c l o u d h a s its silver lining. In many ways we were ' p s y c h e d ' o u t of this g a m e . O u r fear of violence o n t h e terraces h a n d e d over Hill 16 a n d t h e C a n a l E n d to " t h e D u b s . " T h e Galway s u p p o r t e r s were almost aftraid t o sport their m a r o o n and w h i t e colours. S o m e of t h e m , it s e e m e d , w e r e afraid to cheer. M a n y factors helped D u b l i n to w i n last S u n d a y . T h e i r team was fit and eager a n d lasted t h e pace b e t t e r t h a n Galway. T h e y were g r e e d y for t h e ball at t h e e n d . I n Kevin HctTernan t h e y had a master tactician w h o h a s moulded this team from nothingness into g r e a t n e s s . His relationship w i t h his team and s u p p o r t e r s is u n i q u e in Irish sport. W e m u s t l e a r n from Hcffcrnan's e x a m p l e . I ' m very loath t o b l a m e a referee. H e d i d n ' t beat G a l way. But h e certainly u p s e t t h e m . Patsy D e v l i n imposes himself too m u c h o n t h e scene. H e is the central figure, gesticulating, l e c t u r i n g , a n d always, it s e e m s , letting e v e r y b o d y k n o w w h o is b o s s . S o m e of his decisions w e r e quite baffling. H e openly pulled G a l w a y players aside and lectured t h e m like school b o y s . F o r similar offences, D u b l i n players received only a passing caution. T h e n t h e m a n n e r in which he scurried from t h e field w i t h o u t t h e ball at t h e final whistle left u s all w o n d e r i n g . As I said, h e d i d n ' t beat G a l w a y b u t his display grated o n m e from start to finish. But over a n d a b o v e all t h e c o n t r i b u t i n g factors was t h e influence o n the game generated by D u b l i n ' s t h o u s a n d s of b l u e a n d w h i t e clad s u p p o r t e r s on Hill 16 a n d at t h e C a n a l E n d . T h e b a r r a c k i n g of t h e m o b as t h e y m a y well b e called, t h e q u i t e u n u s u a l spectacle of G a r d a i in h u n d r e d s h o l d i n g this s a m e m o b back as t h e y ( t h e G a r d a i ) w e r e subjected t o a b a r r a g e of b o t t l e s a n d cans h a d its influence o n Galway. It more than any t h i n g else w o n this g a m e for Dublin. Future All-Irelands w h e r e D u b l i n a r e involved m u s t b e all-ticket affairs. W e h a v e e n o u g h of p a r t i t i o n s in I r c i a n d w i t h o u t having o t h e r s i m p o s e d o n u s in o u r n a t i o n a l stadium. I t ' s h a r d to cat h u m b l e p i c a n d t h e m o r e used o n e gets t o h a v i n g t o d o so m a k e s it e v e n h a r d e r still. F o r a c o u n t y whose team had been beaten in o u r last t w o A l l - I r e l a n d s w e should have l e a r n e d n o t t o shoot o u r m o u t h s off too m u c h w h i c h we all d i d (myself included) these past few weeks. I t was h a r d getting d o w n off t h e H o g a n S t a n d at t h e e n d of t h e g a m e last S u n d a y to meet M i c k D u n n e for a radio interview and find w o r d s to explain w h a t went w r o n g . W h e n asked h o w 1

ball at t h e final whistle leit u s all w o n d e r i n g . As I said, h e d i d n ' t beat G a l w a y b u t his display g r a t e d o n m e from start t o finish. B u t over a n d a b o v e all t h e c o n t r i b u t i n g factors was t h e influence o n the game generated by D u b lin's t h o u s a n d s of b l u e a n d w h i t e clad s u p p o r t e r s on H i l l 16 and at t h e C a n a l E n d . T h e b a r r a c k i n g of t h e m o b as t h e y m a y well b e called, t h e q u i t e u n u s u a l spectacle of G a r d a i in h u n d r e d s h o l d i n g t h i s s a m e m o b back as t h e y (the G a r d a i ) w e r e subjected t o a barrage of bottles a n d cans h a d its influence o n Galway. It more than any t h i n g else w o n this g a m e for Dublin. Future All-Irelands w h e r e D u b l i n are involved m u s t b e all-ticket affairs. W e h a v e e n o u g h of partitions i n Irciand without having others i m p o s e d o n us in o u r n a t i o n a l stadium. I t ' s h a r d t o cat h u m b l e p i e a n d t h e m o r e used o n e gets t o h a v i n g to d o so m a k e s it e v e n h a r d e r still. F o r a c o u n t y w h o s e team h a d b e e n b e a t e n in o u r last t w o A l l - I r e l a n d s w e should have learned n o t t o shoot o u r m o u t h s off t o o m u c h w h i c h w e all d i d (myself i n c l u d e d ) t h e s e p a s t few weeks. I t was h a r d getting d o w n off t h e H o g a n S t a n d at t h e e n d of t h e g a m e last S u n d a y to m e e t M i c k D u n n e for a r a d i o interview a n d find w o r d s t o explain w h a t w e n t w r o n g . W h e n asked h o w I felt I s a i d : " D e f l a t e d , d e jected, d o w n b u t s t i l l p r o u d " T h e s e are m y sentiments still. D o w n yes, b u t never o u t . M a y o ' s losing of t h e m i n o r A l l - I r e l a n d w a s n ' t a good o m e n . W e had expected t h e m t o give u s t h e smell of success as t h e y did in 1966 b u t C o r k d e s e r v e d to win. H o w c o n sistently good t h e s e C o r k m i n o r s have b e c o m e and h o w

good t h e y a r e at w i n n i n g . I h a d hardly reached Croke P a r k w h e n I h e a r d t h e sad news that Tom Langan, M a y o ' s g r e a t full-forward of t h e fifties, h a d died. I t was a jolt. H i s d e a t h was n o t u n e x p e c t e d as h e h a d b e e n ailing for s o m e t i m e . Still w h e n I h e a r d t h e n e w s I t h o u g h t of t h e d a y h e ravaged G a l w a y in 1951 (I h a d just m a d e t h e p a n e l for t h e first t i m e ) , of t h e d a y h e scored t h e late d r a w i n g goal against K e r r y w h e n all seemed u p for M a y o in 1951, his great laying-off of t h e ball to t h e fleet-footed M i c k e e n F l a n a g a n , a n o t h e r of t h a t great M a y o t e a m g o n e t o h i s eternal r e w a r d . " L a n g a n is d e a d " t h e M a y o m a n said t o m e a n d it s e e m e d so final. T h e g r e a t e s t full-forward I h a v e ever seen h a d passed a w a y . T h e r e are n o T o m Lsngans around to-day. G o ndcanaidh Dia trocaire ar a a n a m uasal. As u s u a l I w e n t i n t o E y r e Square to meet the team and was p r o u d t h a t G a l w a y t u r n e d o u t in style t o acclaim t h e losers. It is so easy t o greet t h e w i n n e r s b u t m e a n s so m u c h m o r e w h e n t h e failte is c x t c n e d t o t h e losers. I k n o w it is only a g a m e b u t I really felt for t h e t e a m last M o n d a y night. H e r e they were return i n g w i t h o u t t h e C u p for t h e t h i r d successive t i m e . Y o u could almost read their m i n d s . W h a t is w r o n g w i t h u s ? W e seem to get so far and t h e n fall at t h e last fence. A n d yet, wouldn't any county other t h a n D u b l i n like t o b e in o u r p a s i t i o n ? T h e s e lads arc a credit t o o u r c o u n t y a n d well d.'served t h e civic r e c e p t i o n afforded t h e m last M o n d a y . T h e y p l a y t h e g a m e and t h i s is w h a t m a t t e r s m o s t . M o d e s t in victory a n d s p o r t i n g in defeat, t h e y took their b e a t i n g well, t u r n e d o n t h e

s m i l e a n d said " W e ' l l k e e p o n t r y i n g . " A n A l l - I r e l a n d for D u b l i n is great for t h e g a m e a n d w e d o n ' t b e g r u d g e it t o t h e m . But we will k e e p c o m i n g back, w o n ' t we ?

P . S a n d s of G a l w a y failed w i t h this shot t o b e a t D u b l i n k e e p e r P a d d y C u l l e n (left) for t h e ball w e n t across t h e face of t h e goal a n d w i d e . O n r i g h t is G a y O ' D r i s c o l l of Dublin.

J. W a l d r o n of in a clearance efforts of A n t o n block d o w n the

Galway gets despite the O'Toole to kick.

Gay Mitchell (captain), Aid. Fintan Coogan, M a y o r of G a l w a y , a n d players Willie J o y c e , T . J. G i l m o r e , Jack C o s g r o v e a n d J. Hughes during their "Welcome H o m e " r e c e p t i o n at E y r e S q u a r e on M o n d a y .

Despite defeat Galway supporters turned out hand somely last M o n d a y n i g h t t o w e l c o m e h o m e o u r football t e a m w h o lost t h e A l l - I r e l a n d to Dublin by 5 points. T h e t e a m , in an o p e n lorry w e r e m e t at M o n e e n a g e i s h a C r o s s b y t h e St. P a t r i c k ' s Bays B a n d a n d t h e St. P a t r i c k ' s Brass B a n d a n d w e r e a c c o m p a n i e d into t h e city b y c h e e r i n g c r o w d s a n d several bnnfires. T h e M a y o r of G a l way w e l c o m e d t h e t e a m h o m e at E y r e S q u a r e a n d r e a d a formal scroll of w e l c o m e . T h e t e a m w e r e afterwards g u e s t s of the M a y o r at d i n n e r i n t h e Sacre C o e u r H o t e l .