Kerry mourns true sporting legend

John Egan was hailed as one of the ‘unsung heroes’ of Kerry football yesterday as former team-mates, GAA officials and admirers joined in paying tribute to the player credited with “terrorising defences”, for an innate ability to get “vital scores at vital times” and for perfecting the role of the corner-forward.

Kerry chairman Patrick O’Sullivan said that his memory would forever be perpetuated in the Golden Years video for the masterclass he gives.

Former star Ambrose O’Donovan, the 1984 All-Ireland captain concurred, telling Radio Kerry: “I would tell young fellows to look at the Golden Years tape and see how brilliant John was. I always felt he was a bit of an unsung hero in Kerry. We speak about Kerry greats, but John was never spoken about [like that]. But after seeing the tape, Kerry supporters realised how absolutely brilliant he was — a fantastic corner-forward.

“There are heroes and sporting legends. John Egan fitted both bills. He was a true sporting legend, a real Kerry great. Very often when Kerry had their backs to the wall, John was the man to take us out of those holes.’’

He recalled the goal Egan scored in the 1978 final against Dublin: “It put us back in the game. He’s etched in the minds of Dublin supporters because he absolutely terrorised Dublin defences,’’ he added. “The harder it got, the better he liked it. And you never saw him pull a foul stroke — he didn’t have to because of the ability he had.’’

He described him as the ideal corner-forward. “He was always showing for the ball. He was a midfielder’s dream — always out in front, never behind his man.’’ In terms of Egan’s status among the pantheon of great Kerry footballers, RTÉ commentator Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh believes he was “as good a forward as ever went into a Kerry dressing room” “He was accurate, he could kick with both feet, he could sidefoot it, kick it full-on and score points, but above all he had a football brain. He was aware of everyone around him and made the most of everybody’s situation and ability.

“He was rarely on the ground because of the ‘balance’ he had. He got hard shoulders and hard tackles but he was able to swerve and dodge and stay on his feet. They say that once ever he was put on the ground by (Dublin defender) Gay O’Driscoll, but Gay says before he could see it he was up on his feet and kicking the ball over the bar. He played some of his best games against Dublin and got crucial scores.’’

Ó Muircheartaigh doesn’t share the view that Egan didn’t get the recognition he deserved, insisting that he was seen as one of the greats. “I think he was. People have said that he was grossly underrated and I say that he was not! He was not underestimated or underrated by anyone who knew football.”

Munster Council chairman Sean Walsh said anyone who saw him play appreciated he was “an absolutely super footballer”.

“For me, what made him stand out was that on vital days, John got vital goals at vital times — starting back with the first one in 1975. In Kerry today there is a sense of great loss for football in general and particularly for Mary and the family and we send our condolences.”

Current Kerry selector Ger O’Keeffe was a contemporary, with the pair starting out together at underage in 1969 and continuing until 1984. “He was some player,’’ he commented. “He taught me how to be a good corner-back because he was such a brilliant corner-forward. There was a lot of publicity about the likes of Bomber, Ogie, Mikey, Spillane and that, but John was the unsung hero.”

Current star Declan O’Sullivan has clear memories of his ability from viewing the Golden Years video. “He was one of the great Kerry footballers and part of a very special team,’’ he commented. “He was a player I admired and looked up to his style. He was a big powerful corner-forward and a great team player in a team of stars. For all of us down in South Kerry he was a hero.”