Mike Hassett remembers the good, and not so good, times

Having been Kerry captain up until the 1997 All-Ireland semi-final, Hassett got injured before the game and saw no further action. He didn't receive a medal despite Kerry winning the final

BROTHERS IN ARMS: Kerry's captain for the day Liam Hassett (r) with his brother Mike Hassett at the end of the 1997 All-Ireland football final. Pic: Brendan Moran SPORTSFILE. 28/9/97

“There was a happy ever after,” Mike Hassett is keen to stress but at the time it felt like his world was caving in.

Captaining Kerry on the back of Laune Rangers’ county final success against West Kerry the previous October in which he scored a wonder goal from full back, 1997 had been turning into a special year when he lifted Division 1 and Munster Cups in May and July.

But the trinity was never completed. Ruled out of the All-Ireland semi-final against Cavan with a thigh complaint, he was fit for the final against Mayo but manager Páidí Ó Sé chose to keep him in reserve and so it was brother Liam who had the honour of raising the Sam Maguire Cup.

Being denied that privilege was difficult to take for then 24-year-old Mike but insult was added to injury when he did not receive a Celtic Cross – the GAA commissioned just 21 medals for those who were involved in the Cavan and Mayo matches (that limited production has thankfully stopped now but a similar situation occurred in 2004 when Bryan Sheehan had to give up his medal for the injured Darragh Ó Sé).

That snub compelled both Hassetts to sit out 1998, Liam returning to Kerry colours in ‘99 and Mike the following season when he won his Celtic Cross, lining out in both final games against Galway. “After ‘97, I hadn’t much appetite for playing anymore,” Hassett recalls. “In fairness to Liam, he was anxious to get back playing in ‘99 having stood by me the year before.

“The ‘97 final would have been a tough day for Liam. It worked out for him and it’s not too often you get a chance to captain an All-Ireland winning team but it was tough on him as it was for the family. 

"In the days and weeks that followed, the main thing was the cup was brought back and travelled around Kerry but in the winter it had died down and you were thinking about it more and what actually happened.

“Only for Liam and in fairness to Seán Walsh, who had just come in as county chairman and spoke to me twice and convinced me to give it another go, I wouldn’t have gone back in. They changed my mind. Ultimately, Kerry was the priority and the goal was an All-Ireland and I suppose there was a happy ever after in 2000. 

"Sometimes, things go against you but in 2000 they went for me. The stars aligned for me, I suppose. I came good at the right time. And to play two All-Ireland final in the one year, that was even better again.” 

Hassett had again been a replacement up until the first All-Ireland final game against Galway when he replaced Killian Burns in the line-up. 

“I was on Niall Finnegan and they had Derek Savage in the other corner. Savage had a chance at the end to win it but we went up the field then and got the equaliser. We had escaped. In the replay, Galway got that cracking (Declan Meehan) goal early on but we had time to recover and we settled down in the second half after kicking a few wides. I think it was an Aodan MacGearailt point that calmed things. It was great to be involved again.” 

Living and working in Wicklow since 1996, the intention was for Hassett to return home after teaching for a couple of years but then life happened and he met his future wife Niamh. 

“Just a young country lad who went up to The Big Smoke and got taken advantage of and led astray,” laughs the construction, technology wood and graphics teacher in St David’s Greystones.

Persuaded to join An Tochar in 2001 by Glenbeigh native Donal McGillycuddy who was training the team, he remains a member of the Roundwood club and moved to the village 12 years ago. When his old club-mate and Laune Rangers’ All-Ireland senior club winning manager John Evans rolled into Wicklow at the end of 2017, Hassett joined his backroom team working on analysis and he was later a selector to Davy Burke for two seasons.

“The preparation of Davy and Gary Jameson was incredible. You learned a huge amount off them and the atmosphere they created made it more enjoyable for the players and the results followed. That (Division 3) relegation play-off win against Cavan last year was a huge result.” 

For tomorrow’s 25th jubilee anniversary celebration, as he did in 1997 Liam will lead the team out onto the Croke Park sod and following behind will be Mike. 

“Any time you get to turn up to Croke Park in a new suit and a pair of shoes is a great day,” he smiles. “I haven’t seen many of the lads except at the odd match but as the years go on you appreciate what that All-Ireland meant. We hadn’t won one in 11 years up to that point. It’s worth celebrating.”