The Madness of Football: How the Examiner saw the 1966 All-Ireland football final
How the Cork Examiner recorded Galway's win over Meath in 1966.
GALWAY became the most successful county of modern Gaelic football and, arguably, one of the greatest teams of any era when they won their third successive All-Ireland senior title at Croke Park yesterday. They firmly countered suggestions that they might be on the downgrade in a game which had its moments of brilliance but was generally disappointing because, for the greater part, Meath were outclassed.
Once Galway had their goal in the 22nd minute, Meath never got within more than five points of them. Throughout the last quarter the Leinster champions threatened a comeback but they just superbly balanced Galway fifteen.
The last county to win three covered off anything which beat three All-Irelands in a row was Kerrv in 1939-41, but it is very much a possibility that Galway can go on to take another title.
The average age of the team is something less than 25 years — fractionally younger than Meath's—and surely only disinterest can bring about their undoing.
Luck indeed may have been on Galway's side right through this championship, but there was no comparison between the Connacht side we saw yesterday and the team which struggled to a fortunate win against Cork in the semi-final. Whether Meath offered as tough an opposition as the Munster county is an open question but there is no denying that Galway were very much fitter and played with a zest to match their skill.
They maintained a tremendous pace right through the hour, never really allowing Meath to settle, and it was very obvious that, even as the losers pressed for scores when they held a territorial advantage near the end, they were disorganised and uncertain. Their followers no doubt, hoped in vain for the type of long range, top speed point-taking which swept Down out of the semi-final, but generally Meath's performance was more in line with their disappointing first half against the northerners.
Although they should be as much at home in Croke Park as the champions, there were obvious signs of nervousness about the challengers, and Galway themselves were a little over-eager in pressing home the slight advantage of the wind. The result was that, despite having a great deal of the play, Galway led by only three points to nil after 22 minutes.
Then came the goal which really set them up for their third win. Sammon switched the ball inside to Dunne on the right wing. As he was slipping round a defender he was yanked back almost off his feet. One sensed rather than saw that the Meath defence stood off in anticipation of a free. However, the referee allowed the advantage. Dunne switched through the ball to Mattie McDonagh and he whipped home the only goal of the game. It was. of course. McDonagh who placed Dunne for the champions' goal against Cork.
Even the prospect of having the wind to their backs could hardly have encouraged a Meath team which had failed to score from plav in the first half. Their only point came from a free by Murty O'Sullivan. in the 26th minute.
Galway were nine points up six minutes after half-time, but had to wait until five minutes from the end to collect the third of their four second-half points. In the meantime Meath had four, but it is probably a commentary on the impressive air of confidence exuded by Galway that one could never see them threatened.
Throughout the hour, Meath found Galway's full-back, Noel Tierney, an insurmountable barrier. Not since his early days with Galway has Tiernev come anywhere near this form. In fact, it is doubtful if he has ever played better Meath tried shifting Quinn in full-forward after 20 minutes. Curran and Quinn in turn tried playing the Galway full-back deep and close in. But it made not the slightest difference. He fetched with fantastic tenacity, discounting anv idea that he lacks mobility. And making this a nightmare outing for the Meath full-forward line was the manner in which John Bosco McDermott and Enda Colleran, after an uncertain start, covered off anything which beat the Milltown sales executive
Galway were marking so tenaciously in the half-back line that Meath were in trouble there also. But this may in some degree have been caused by the service they were given by midfield. Peter Moore was impressive in the air despite the lack of support from Tom Browne, but he never distributed the ball to the same effect as, for instance, Jim Duggan and Pat Donnellan. Duggan and Donnellan operated on a very smooth change-over with Donnellan moving in as a seventh forward every time Duggan gained possession. But it was Donnellan's own tireless work which meant so much to Galway. What was really disastrous for Meath was the fact that their much praised half-back line was repeatedly by-passed by the Galway half-forwards. As in the game against Down, both Cunningham and Collier tended to lie back.
At the beginning Galway were inclined to look for their points from outfield and they had a series of early wides, but once they settled in, the full-forward line came outfield at such a speed and the whole sextet inter-changed so effectively, that this "zonal defence" by the Meath backs was ineffective! Galway then snapped their scores from close in. Collier had his hands full with the mobile Leyden, but it hardly helped the great hearted Stamullen man that John Keenan completely outpaced Dinny Donnelly. Keenan in fact, saw more of the ball than any other Galway forward, but it is notable that each one of the champions' forwards had a score in the first half.
If Keenan had been in better shooting form he would certainly have had a couple more points. It was surprising that the Meath selectors waited so long to try and repair this deficiency in their defensive set-up and it was not until some seven minutes from the end that Martin Quinn made his appearance, with his brother Jack going out to midfield. Jack Quinn had been one of the few Meath defenders to play steadily and he picked off some fine overhead balls in the square. It was not so much, however, that Collier and Reynolds, who held Cyril Dunne scoreless, were really bad, but they were being lured out of position to fill the gaps left by colleagues, and, given half a chance . Galway were through for points.
Meath tried several changes for the second half and the most successful of these was the introduction of Jack Fegan for Dave Carty at half time- Fegan partnered Moore at midfield. Tom Brown played with much more penetration on the forty than he had at midfield. But with the speedy Newell cutting across for clearances and Galway's back line practically unbeatable, Brown needed much more support than he got. His co-forwards never seemed quite sure of what they were about. And in fact one jinking run by the redheaded Collier looked more dangerous than any of the goal scoring efforts of the attack.
At the same time there was probably more sentiment than any sense of necessity behind the move which brought Galway's John Donnellan in at centre-back instead of Sean Meade two minutes from the end. Only a miracle could then have saved Meath. It was rather a nice gesture by the Galway selectors, ensuring that the man who captained the team to success two years ago should share in their triumph yesterday and make sure of his third All-Ireland medal.
Whatever his chance of getting another, there is now little doubt that Galway, despite their league defeat, are still very much the kingpins of Gaelic football and can remain so for quite a few years to come.
Cleary had Galway's opening point in the third minute. Three minutes later Cyril Dunne sent over a free from about thirty yards and a few yards in from the sideline. Leyden put Keenan through for another point which put Galway three points up after thirteen minutes.
Following McDonagh's goal, Sammon snapped up a pass after Reynolds had kicked himself out of position by putting the ball to an opponent, who cut him out with the return. Leyden had a fifth point in the 25th minute before O Sullivan's free, which was followed by a point from a free by Dunne just on half-time. Galway then led 1-6 to 0-1. Keenan and Shanlev exchanged points in the fifth minute: Keenan had another for Galway and then in the 11th, 13th, 19th and 23rd minutes Sullivan (free), Curran (2), and Shanley cut Galway's lead. In the closing five minutes points by McDonagh and Dunne (free) were punctuated by a point from Browne.
— M. McDonagh (1-1 ) C. Dunne (0-3). S. Keenan (0-3), S Leyden (Orl), L. Sammon (0-1), S Cleary (0-1).
M. Sullivan, N. Curran, O Shanley (two points each), T Brown (0-1).
—J. Geraghty; E. Colleran N. Tierney, J. B. McDermott; C McDonagh, S. Meade. M. Newell; J Duggan. P. Donnellan; C. Dunne, M McDonagh, S. Leyden; L. Sammon S. Cleary, S. Keenan. Subs. — J Donnellan for S. Meade.
S. McCormack: D. Donnelly. J. Quinn. P. Darby; P. Collier, E. Cunningham. P. Reynolds; P. Moore, T. Browne : A. Brennan, M. O'Sullivan, D. Carty; G. Quinn, N. Curran, O. Shanley. Subs.—M. White for Donnelly: M. Quinn for Fegan.
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