From the archives: Mayo defeated in controversial 1948 final
By Tom Gillespie
IN a review of 1948 The Connaught Telegraph, in its edition of January 8, 1949, recalled two outstanding items at the end of August (1948) - the Young Farmers’ Show held in Castlebar and the great victory of the Mayo senior football team over Kerry in the All-Ireland semi-final.
The newspaper reported: As regards the show, it has gone from success to success since being founded a few years ago. No club like the Castlebar YFC has progressed so well and so rapidly and this is evidenced by the wonderful entries the club received for this annual show, which was held, as usual, in the beautiful grounds of the Convent of Mercy.
The chairman of the club, Rev. G. Kearney, C.C., and the active secretary, Mr. A. Campbell, well-deserve the many congratulations heaped on them for the success of their efforts.
As regards the football semi-final, Mayo fans of Gaelic football actually went wild with delight at their team's win over Kerry.
The final score in the game was Mayo 0-13, Kerry 0-3, and the experts calculated that Mayo well deserved their win.
They were better in all the finer points of the game than their opponents and, of course, hopes were high that they would crush Cavan in the final.
These hopes were dashed, however, when the men of Breffini proved far too good a combination for the Mayomen, and so the previously optimistic fans in Mayo were crestfallen. Yet their team was not badly beaten and they went down with flying colours.
As a consequence of what happened at the All-Ireland final, when Mayo were defeated by Cavan, there followed much correspondence in the public press and innumerable protests came from all sides.
Allegations were made that the referee got mixed up a little and did not allow full time to be played.
Even the press representatives at the match contended that full time was not played according to their timepieces, and there came a demand from some sections for the erection of a timing clock in the park to facilitate the referee and the public.
As far as the Mayo team was concerned it was the hardest of hard luck, for the general belief was that had the full time been played Mayo would have clinched at least a draw if not victory.
Cavan retained the title they had won in 1947 at the Polo Grounds in Manhattan, New York City. The 1948 final was played on September 26 and the attendance on the day in Croke Park was 74,645.
In a heavy wind, Cavan led 3-2 to 0-0 at half-time, but Mayo came back to lead the game. Cavan eventually made it two-in-a-row with a Peter Donahue point. The final score was Cavan 4-5, Mayo 4-4.
The Mayo tean was: T. Byrne; P. Quinn, P. Prendergast, S. Flanagan; J. Forde, P. McAndrew, Johnny Gilvarry; E. Mongey, P. Carney; W. Kenny, T. Langan, Joe Gilvarry; T. Acton, P. Solan, S. Mulderrig.
Subs: M. Flanagan, L. Hastings, P. Gilvarry, P. McNamara, H. Dixon, J. Munnelly, P. Jordan, S. Daly.
In the county senior football final, Castlebar Mitchels were easy winners in the game played at Ballina in September, with Crossmolina going under to the better team by the score of 3-2 to 0-3.
Meanwhile, the following year Mayo won their second All-Ireland final, the first being 1936.
The 1950 All-Ireland senior football championship final was the 63rd All-Ireland final, featuring Mayo and Louth.
Mayo snatched a freak goal with five minutes remaining after Seán Flanagan charged down a Seán Boyle clearance.
The referee for the 1950 final was Simon Deignam, who played for Cavan in the 1947 and 1948 finals.
This was the first of two consecutive All-Ireland football titles won by Mayo. They have not won an All-Ireland football title since 1951.
The 1950 final was played in Croke Park on September 24 and the Mayo team was: W. Durkin; J. Forde, P. Prendergast, S. Flanagan; P. Quinn, H. Dixon, J. McAndrew; P. Carney, E. Mongey (0-2); M. Flanagan (1-0), W. Kenny, J. Gilvarry (0-1); M. Mulderrig (0-2), T. Langan, P. Solan (1-0). Subs: M. Caulfield for Kenny, S. Wynne for Durkin, and S. Mulderrig for Caulfield.