Galway Advertiser 1985/1985_08_29/GA_29081985_E1_019.pdf 

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A very imaginative T H E R E were few ever more stylish hurlers coaching scheme for than Joe Salmon of Eyrecourt and few hurlers U.15's here in Galway game greater service to Galway than that has been devised by the master craftsman John Killeen. Last year when the Galway Advertiser honoured Joe Salmon and John Connolly with special Centenary Year Award, Joe Salmon told me this delightful little story concerning the official opening day of Belfast's Casement Park. me.' He had the last laugh. These are the kind of memories that surface of the great days we had together.'

Joe Salmon, John Killeen & T h e First COACHING IN FOOTBALL AND HURLING E v e r Score I n Belfast's Casement FOR CITY YOUNGSTERS Park
Galway Co. Board to commemorate Interna tional Youth Year. Every dub in Galway city and its

environs is asked to have a maximum of 30 players per club ready on the following Saturday's star ting at 11 a.m. finishing at 2 p.m. Hurling -- Saturday 7th and 21st September. Football -- Saturday 14th and 28th September. Skills Improvement is the main theme of these coaching sessions and the

Co. Board will provide a coach for each club. The clubs concerned namely Mervue, Renmore, Oranmore/Maree, Castlegar, Salthill, Fr. Griffins, St. Michael's, Eire O g , Menlo Emmetts, Liam Mellows, Rahoon/Newcastle and Barna have all been notified and have been advised as to the re quirements. All these

clubs are asked to co operate as the coaches will include men of the calibre of Cyril Farrell, Joe McDonagh, Niall Mclnerney, P. J. Quaker, Sean Silke (H) and Bren dan Colleran, Liam Sammon, Tony Regan, Enda Colleran (Sunday Game) and Tony Ryan to men tion some of the coaches involved. So clubs be ready and willing.

JOE

SAMMON

'In those days we often enjoyed the tournament and challenge games more than the really serious competitive ones. On the long journeys you got to know your team mates better and if the game wasn't too serious you could engage in some light banter and fun. We played in the opening game of the official opening of Belfast's Casement Park. Just before the game began John Killeen said to me 'I'll bet a pound, I'll score the first one ever scored in Casement Park.' 'You're on, said I' and I thought no more of it. Anyhow the game began and very early on I got an easy chance to open the scoring. Just before I prepared to shoot I heard an urgent cry for a pass and almost instinctively passed to John Killeen who took an easy point. As he ran by me with a wide grin on his face he turned to me and said 'that's a pound you owe

JOHN

KILLEEN

Salmon is still a great G a l w a y m a n , though living in Cork for many years now. After the win over Cork I met him on the steps outside the Hogan Stand where one is apt to meet the real aficionados. The team were making their way to the team bus but all had time to greet the former Galway great -- Michael Connolly, P. J. Molloy, Conor Hayes . . . Salmon, who finished his club days with Glen Rovers in Cork ranks as one of the greatest of all hurling midfielders. Beautifully built, he was the superb athlete and long before it became the fashion, Joe always togged immacu lately, maroon stripe on white togs. An adornment to the game of hurling and Galway. Sam Maguire

If Y o u Don't See Me in Croke Park, You'll Hear me Cheering
STEPHEN CARTY He is getting older now but the interest in hurling and the G . A . A . generally gets no less. He won a Galway S.H.C. medal with Gort away back in the 30's -- early 30's or late 20's. Stephen was always controversial. The tales about him were legendary. I remember the late Paddy Taylor tell ing me of a famous even ing he and Stephen had together starting in Galway and finishing in Salthill. Get Stephen to recount it for you.

Always a great Galwayman
His public house in Dominick Street was always a Mecca for G . A . A . folk. Always i great Galwayman Stephen anxiously awaits next Sunday's outcome as eagerly as that most enthusiastic man from Claddagh, Mick Mackey the man who wears the flamboyant maroon and white hat on the big occa sions. Stephen left me with the remark "H you don't see me in Croke Park, Youll hear me cheering".

B R A N C H E S A T : G A L W A Y - E y r e Square, Bridge Street, Newcastle, GORT & BALLINASLOE.