My top 20 games over the last 60 years
By MICK BYRNE
THIS week I look back on some of the great games over the last 60 years, games and performances that have given me great enjoyment, great moments and great memories.
1. Mayo v Dublin 2006
This game will go down in folklore as the day David Heaney and his men took over The Hill.
Pandemonium would be the best way to describe it, Mayo warming up before Hill 16 leading to a tense stand-off.
Dublin took control early on and led by seven midway through the second half, but it was Andy Moran’s goal that led the comeback and of course the famous match-winning point by Ciaran McDonald that will live long in the memory.
2. Mayo v Dublin 2016
To concede a goal in any match is heartbreaking, but to concede two in an All-Ireland final is unreal and yet to go in at half-time only one point down with no Dublin forward scoring from play in the first half showed the character of this Mayo team.
Their play in the first half showed the character of this Mayo team. Despite the two goals and 140 minutes of football, Mayo were to fall short by just one point.
3. Castlebar Mitchels v Breaffy 2015
A local derby involving two teams from the same parish in the Mayo SFC final. The pressure was on the Mitchels as this was their opportunity to win three in a row.
Not since the '50s had the club done so previously, but it was a hat trick of goals from Neil Douglas that set them on the way and they ran out comfortable winners, 4-10 to 0-9.
4. Dublin v Kerry 2019
We witnessed history being made with Dublin winning their five in a row, beating arch rivals Kerry, who missed out on their five in a row in 1982.
Eoin Murchan’s marvellous goal put the seal on this great achievement and one that will long live in the memory.
5. Mayo v Cork 1989
Our first All-Ireland final appearance in nearly 40 years. A game of great excitement and anticipation.
A game of so near and yet so far as we lost on a scoreline of 0-17 to 1-12, with Mayo’s Michael Fitzmaurice emerging as the championship’s top scorer.
6. Mayo v Galway 2001
Having failed to win a National League title for 31 years, it was important to win this one.
Despite conceding three points in the first five minutes and trailing by three with 10 minutes to go, Mayo got the last four scores and it fell to Breaffy’s Marty McNicholas in the 67th minute to produce a winner.
No Northern Ireland teams were allowed to compete in the league in 2001 due to the foot and mouth disease outbreak.
7. Galway v Mayo 1966
My first Connaught final, with 36,000 people crammed into MacHale Park, two great teams, and Galway going for three in a row. What an occasion!
Men like Ray Prendergast, John Morley, Seamus O’Connor, Joe Langan, John Gibbons, Joe Corcoran, Vincent Jordan and Mick Ruane for Mayo, while Galway had Colleran, Tierney, Donnellan, Duggan, Dunne and Sammon, to mention but a few.
Will we ever forget the sideline free by Dunne near the end as Galway won by 0-12 to 1-8 and went on to retain the All-Ireland title for the third time in a row.
8. Mayo v Down (minor) 1966
Our first minor All-Ireland title since 1953 and featuring the best minor footballer I’ve ever seen, Achill's Tom Cafferkey.
The team was captained by Ballina’s Seamus O’Dowd, the first Connaught man to win provincial medals at every level. Mayo beat Down by 1-12 to 1-8, with Castlebar’s Gay Nevin and Fr. Benny McHale on the starting 15.
9. Donegal v Galway 2003
It's seldom that MacHale Park would host an All-Ireland quarterfinal, but that was the case in 2003.
The Donegal supporters weren’t best pleased that Castlebar would host such an important game as they saw it as a home venue for Galway.
However, this turned out to be a classic played in scorching heat (the fire brigade had to be brought in that morning to water the pitch).
The Donegal crowd far outnumbered the Galway counterparts and ran out deserving winners, 0-14 to 0-11.
10. Mayo v Dublin 2012
A league game in MacHale Park with a difference. Mayo, despite a bright start with points from Cillian O’Connor and Conor Mortimer, went in at the break trailing by three points, this despite Dublin being reduced to 14 men with the dismissal of James McCarthy.
Things did not look very bright for Mayo in the second half but lo and behold, fog descended on the pitch with the match having to be abandoned. The replay was won by Mayo.
11. Clare v Kerry 1992
It was Clare’s first Munster final in 43 years and Jack O’Shea’s last game in the Green and Gold. In what was to be one of the biggest shocks in Gaelic games history, Clare defeated Kerry 2-10 to 0-12.
John Maughan was the Clare manager and it led to the famous quote by Marty Morrissey: "There wont be a cow milked in Clare tonight." Clare went on to meet Dublin in the semi-final, losing by 3-14 to 2-12.
12. Dublin v Mayo 2005
The venue was Parnell Park and a league match of the highest quality. The game had everything, including a sending-off, great scores and incredible intensity.
It was the first time I ever saw a player from the losing side getting the man of the match award, the accolade going to Ciaran McDonald. The sides were level going into injury time, with Dublin snatching it by 2-13 to 1-13.
13. Mayo v Dublin 2004
Dublin came to MacHale Park with a strong team for round two of the National League but ran into strong resistance from a Mayo team led by Jimmy Nallen, Gary Ruane, Ronan McGarrity and Austin O’Malley, to name but a few. Mayo held Dublin scoreless for the last 57 minutes, winning on a scoreline of 1-10 to 0-3.
14. Mayo v Donegal 2019
The experts had tipped Donegal to win this Super 8 game having drawn with Kerry the previous week.
However, Mayo had other ideas and before a packed MacHale Park, they emerged as deserving victors (1-14 to 1-10), booking a semi-final place against Dublin.
15. Clare v Mayo 1997
To this day this match still has me baffled. We travelled to Cusack Park in Ennis with a very strong Mayo team for this important league game. Clare, under manager John O’Keefe, took the honours on a scoreline of 2-8 to 1-5.
What amazed me was that the previous week the same two teams met in an FBD match in Kiltimagh, a game Mayo won by 17 points – a 23-point turnover in one week.
Later that year Mayo again played Clare in a relegation playoff which Mayo won by 0-7 to 0-4.
16. Mayo v Roscommon 1985
This proved to be the breakthrough year for Mayo football. A Connaught final victory against Roscommon in the Hyde on a scoreline of 2-11 to 0-8 is something to savour. Seven points from Kevin McStay and goals from Noel Durcan and Sean Lowry will live in the memory for a long time.
But it is the memory of T.J. and Willie Joe hoisting Dermot Earley on their shoulders to honour the man in his final game that stands out. This to me is what the GAA is all about – the camaraderie, the friendship, the banter when the game is over.
17. Offaly v Kerry 1980
To score 2-9 in an All-Ireland final and end up on the losing side says something. But the performance of Matt Connor, one of the greatest footballers of all time, was unreal.
Ably assisted by Gerry Carroll, who scored 2-1 on the day, they combined to score all of Offaly’s tally of 4-10, but Kerry scored 4-15 in reply.
18. Castlebar Mitchels v Crossmaglen 2016
A 55th minute point by Mitchels' Barry Moran proved to be the winning point against club kingpins Crossmaglen Rangers. It was a hard fought and exciting game throughout, with the Mitchels emerging victorious on a scoreline of 0-13 to 0-12 in what was one of their finest displays.
19. St. Jarlath’s v St. Brendan’s, All-Ireland semi-final 1973
In his match report, Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh said they would talk about this game 'til the cows come home. St. Brendan’s, led by the great Paidi Ó Sé and Pat and Mick Spillane, were up by six points at half-time.
However, a spirited comeback by the Tuam college saw them bounce back and win by 2-13 to 2-10. On board that great team were men like Brian Talty, Frank Morris, Cyril Moran, Eamon Dooley from Roscommon, and in my opinion the greatest colleges footballer of all time, Morgan Hughes.
20. St. Jarlath’s v Franciscan College, Gormanston 1974
To win a colleges All-Ireland is special, and this was a repeat of the 1973 final when Gormanstown, led by Dennis 'Ogie' Moran and Belmullet man John Gallagher, came out best.
So revenge was sweet as the Tuam college, who were beaten by Gormanston in the final the previous year, emerged victorious in a cracking game, winning by 4-11 to 2-11.
Among the Mayo men who contributed to that great victory were Stephen Sweeney, Paraig Jordan, Cyril Moran, John Brennan, Henry Gavin (captain), Gerry Hennigan and the legend himself, Michael Gielty, the man from the island.
(Mick Byrne, Main Street, Castlebar, is one of Mayo's best known and most loyal GAA supporters).