O’Dwyer’s finest hour marks start of Kerry glory

THE beginning of one of the most extraordinary chapters in the history of Gaelic football was marked in Clonmel 30 years ago when Kerry played Tipperary in the Munster semi-final.

It was a game which also launched the phenomenal managerial career of Mick O’Dwyer. Nobody present that day could have anticipated that the Kingdom would virtually monopolise the championship over the next 12 years. They would win a remarkable eight All-Ireland titles and - interrupted by a sole defeat at the hands of Cork - 11 Munster titles. It was the start of ‘the Golden Years.’

The background to O’Dwyer’s appointment as manager (pushed by then County Board chairman Gerald McKenna) is interesting because Cork had won three of the previous four Munster titles and had celebrated an overdue All-Ireland success in 1973.