I finally got around to sorting out my Dad’s old stash of match programmes which were stuck in a cupboard at home for many a long day. And in their midst are a few historic gems. I plan to photograph them all and post them here for those nostalgic junkies out there.

And where better to start than the 1980 All-Ireland final where Galway finally brought Liam McCarthy back across the Shannon to end 57 years of hurt.

1980 All-Ireland final match programme

The match  programme is a bit worn and my Dad has scribbled the final result on the cover: Galway 2-15 Limerick 3-09.  After waiting 57 years, he was keen to record the result for posterity!

The game itself was action packed and had a real ebb and flow.  You can see the highlights of the first and second half on YouTube.  Galway got off to a flyer and were 2-01 to no score ahead after 10 minutes.  Bernie Forde kicked the first goal after soloing through the Limerick defence.  The second goal was a combination of quick thinking by PJ Molloy and slow thinking by the Limerick defence.  Molloy stole in along the endline and tumbled in the square; the Limerick defenders seemed to think a free or penalty was about to be given; instead Molloy got up and blasted the ball to the net.

Limerick steadied the ship and a clever over head flick by  Eamon Cregan (the oldest man on the pitch at 34 years) gave Limerick their first goal.  The quality of point scoring was excellent.  Cregan scored a beautiful point from under the Hogan Stand after selling a dummy to Conor Hayes and John Connolly scored one almost as good under pressure from Leonard Enright.  At half time it was 2-07 to 1-05.  Galway extended their lead to 7 points early in the second half with Bernie Forde in particular tormenting the Limerick defence.  Goals from Joe McKenna and a penalty by Cregan closed the gap to two points (2-13 to 3-08).  It was a nervy finish for Galway but a nice point by sub John Ryan eased the worries.  Sub Eamon Grimes (the captain of the Limerick 1973 side) went close with a shot but Limerick’s final chance was a free from Cregan which was deflected over the bar.

The Sunday Game man of the match was awarded to Galway goalie Michael Conneely who made a series of super saves.  There were 4 Connolly brothers of Castlegar on the Galway panel; Michael at numer 8, the youngest Joe at number 11, John at number 14 and sub Padraig.

The game is often remembered for Joe Connolly’s inspiring speech as Gaeilge.  It gives me goosebumps every time I hear it.  Connolly touched on what it meant for Galway people all over the world; he knew the importance of the diaspora years before Mary Robinson :)  According to the Connacht Tribune,  8000 people gathered in Gaelic Park in New York to celebrate the victory on the Sunday night.

The teams lined out as follows:

1980 All-Ireland final senior teams

In the minor match Tipperary defeated Wexford on a scoreline of 2-15 to 1-10. (Was 1980 the only year in which the winning senior and minor teams scored the same amount?)  The minor teams were as follows:

1980 All-Ireland minor teams

Ken Hogan, Joe Hayes and the great Nicky English won minor medals that day and would go on to win senior medals 9 years later.

One amusing thing about the programme is the player profiles.  We learn that Michael Conneely was a paying spectator to a Galway v Dublin match in  1974 (in Tuam of all places) when he was told to tog off ’cause the regular keepers were absent….

Michael Conneely

….the one and only Sylvie Linnane gets kudos for his sideline strokes….

Sylvie Linnane

…and child prodigy Vincent ‘Olly’ O’Connor played minor for Ballybrown at the tender age of 10 and was pointing 70s as an eleven year old…..

Vincent 'Olly' O'Connor

The senior referee was Noel O’Donoghue of Dublin and the minor ref was Noel Dalton of Waterford.