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What are the best GAA Stories?

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  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 12,808 Mod ✭✭✭✭Keano


    About 15 years ago the Kerry hurlers were down to play Clare in Clare in a Munster championship game. Needless to say they didn't hold out much hope of winning.... So what did they do - the whole squad went to on a seisuin the night before the game in Ennis all courtesy of the Kerry county board... A few Clare players playing that day commented that the smell of drink was crucial.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,867 ✭✭✭lorweld


    local u10 team lost a match fairly badly. at the end of the game their manager after giving them a fierce eating brought them over to the boot of his car opened it and showed them a big box of taytos and a crate of score orange and said 'these were for ye for the end of the match but since ye played cat ye're not getting them now' and closed the boot. the poor young fellas!!!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 67 ✭✭molby14


    not sure if its mentioned here, but surely the best goes to Clare V offaly in 95, Ger Loughnane, wat a legend. Center back Seanie Mcmahon was injured in the weeks up to the game, a bad shoulder injury. anyway, it was big news around offaly and of course, if he played, what was the first thing they would do? hit the f**ker hard when he got the first ball. so, loughnane pulled a master stroke, and strapped up the other shoulder! low and behold, mcmahon was getting belted left right and center on his strond shoulder and the weak one wasnt touched!

    im not trying to be an arsehole but i doubt that story is true.... seanie broke his collarbone v cork that year and finished the match full forward... amazingly he won the line ball that clare got the goal to win the match with. but it was plain to see from that game , shown live on tv which shoulder he had damaged


  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 12,808 Mod ✭✭✭✭Keano


    You are correct in saying it was clear what shoulder he damaged but I cannot imagine the mangers of the opposing teams spent too much time worrying about what shoulder, so Clare just strapped the strong shoulder to fool the players on the field


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 67 ✭✭molby14


    You are correct in saying it was clear what shoulder he damaged but I cannot imagine the mangers of the opposing teams spent too much time worrying about what shoulder, so Clare just strapped the strong shoulder to fool the players on the field

    if they were going to the level of trying to take him out of the game i would be sure they knew what shoulder it was


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,178 ✭✭✭kevmy


    'Larry' Finnerty was training for Mayo in the early 90's. He wasn't the best trainer in the world. Anyway the drill was to run along and jump up to catch an imaginary ball. So Larry was watching the lads do this but when it came to his turn he started of joggin but instead of jumpin to catch the 'ball' he veered of towards the dressing rooms.

    Manager shouts after him 'where do ya think your goin'

    Larry responds 'I have to get gloves from my kit bag the balls wet'


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 9 furboot


    not a gaa one but here goes..... on a Lions rugby tour to New Zealand some years ago in the era of Moss Keane there was the usual late night drinking session and next morning all the squad are raring for the 'big fry' breakfast. Some were later at getting out of the scratcher than others and when some of the late risers arrive down for breakfast there's not much left. Moss demands rashers and the rest to which the waitress replies " there's no bacon left"....to which a certain knowledgable head replies "...what do you mean no bacon...how could there be no bacon and this country full of sheep...."


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,867 ✭✭✭lorweld


    lol haha. I know Moss some character!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 35 artie ziff


    "Anthony Lynch the Cork corner back will be the last person to let you
    down
    - his people are undertakers"

    "I saw a few Sligo people at Mass in Gardiner street this morning and
    the omens seem to be good for them, the priest was wearing the same
    colours as the Sligo jersey! 40 yards out on the Hogan stand side of
    the
    field Ciaran Whelan goes on a rampage, its a goal. So much for
    religion."

    "Colin Corkery on the 45 lets go with the right boot. Its over the bar.
    This man shouldn't be playing football. He's made an almost
    Lazarus-like
    recovery from a heart condition. Lazarus was a great man but he
    couldn't
    kick points like Colin Corkery.

    "1-5 to 0-8.. well from Lapland to the Antarctic, that's level scores
    in
    any man's language".

    "Pat Fox has it on his hurl and is motoring well now ... but here comes
    Joe Rabbitte hot on his tail ...... I've seen it all now, a Rabbitte
    chasing a Fox around Croke Park!"

    "I see John O Donnell dispensing water on the sideline. Tipperary,
    sponsored by a water company. Cork Sponsored by a tae company. I wonder
    will they meet later for afternoon tae."

    "Teddy looks at the ball, the ball looks at Teddy"

    "Danny "The Yank" Culloty. He came down from the mountains and hasn't
    he
    done well"

    "He grabs the sliotar, he's on the 50......he's on the 40......he's on
    the 30..........................he's on the ground"

    "In the first half they played with the wind. In the second half they
    played with the ball".

    "He kicks the ball lan san aer, could've been a goal, could've been a
    point.............it went wide."

    "Stephen Byrne with the puck out for Offaly....Stephen, one of
    12......all but one are here to-day, the one that's missing is Mary,
    she's at home minding the house.....and the ball is dropping i lar na
    bpairce...."

    "Pat Fox out to the forty and grabs the sliothar, I bought a dog from
    his father last week. Fox turns and sprints for goal, the dog ran a
    great race last Tuesday in Limerick. Fox to the 21 fires a shot, it
    goes
    to the left and wide..... and the dog lost as well

    "Sean Og o Hailp?n.... his father's from Fermanagh, his mother's from
    Fiji, neither a hurling stronghold

    "Teddy McCarthy to John McCarthy, no relation, John McCarthy back to
    Teddy McCarthy, still no relation "


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 78 ✭✭johnnyrotten123


    If he did ask, I'm sure it wasn't out of politeness! I'm sure the story is missing something there alright, if it is true. A good rumour anyway!

    I was speaking to a man in Wexford by the name of Seamus Keevans - he's 'Mr Football' in Wexford but he has played inter-county for at least four counties. Anyway, he marked Mick O'Connell in a game going way back. O'Connell was his personal hero and after Micko rose majestically and plucked the ball from the sky and cleared it up the field for the fourth time in-a-row, Keevans turned around and says: "Well, d'ya know wha' it is Mick, I could stand here and look at ya all day!"

    apologies for replying to my own story but the great Mr Keevans passed away the weekend before last and couldn't let that go without a mention. He was at a football game at the time when he had a turn for the worse.

    One other story that I heard at the weekend. He was over the Under-12 football team in Gusserane in Wexford many years back and they were due to play the county final. Seamus went up to each of the boys and handed the a yellow pill and told them to 'swallow that but don't chew on it and if you do so, you will win the game'. They did what they were told (as most eleven year olds do) and they went out full of confidence and won the match. A few days later, Seamus' son Shay - who was on the team - went into his father's study and in a drawer he found countless boxes of smarties which Seamus had purchased. He had opened them all and taken the yellow smartie out of each one....simple but brilliant.

    A great man who will be sorely missed.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,178 ✭✭✭kevmy


    Teddy McCarthy was on Laochra Gael on TG4 the last day and had a good one.

    The Cork hurlers were down by 6 points at half time in the All Ireland Final against Galway in 1990.

    One of the selectors comes in and gives out like hell and ends up with the line "we'll never win an All Ireland with only 2 or 3 of ye playin"

    Silence in the dressing room for a few seconds.

    Then Kevin Hennessey pipes up "What I want to know is who the feck the other two are"


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,315 ✭✭✭Tomthepost


    apologies for replying to my own story but the great Mr Keevans passed away the weekend before last and couldn't let that go without a mention. He was at a football game at the time when he had a turn for the worse.

    One other story that I heard at the weekend. He was over the Under-12 football team in Gusserane in Wexford many years back and they were due to play the county final. Seamus went up to each of the boys and handed the a yellow pill and told them to 'swallow that but don't chew on it and if you do so, you will win the game'. They did what they were told (as most eleven year olds do) and they went out full of confidence and won the match. A few days later, Seamus' son Shay - who was on the team - went into his father's study and in a drawer he found countless boxes of smarties which Seamus had purchased. He had opened them all and taken the yellow smartie out of each one....simple but brilliant.

    A great man who will be sorely missed.

    Keevans certainly seemed like a bit of a legend. Appartently he played championship football in all four provinces (Wexford, Sligo, Down and Limerick i think)
    Trained both the county seniors and junior in Wexford. Chaired the county board and the minor championship in Wexford is called the Keevans cup in his honour.
    Correct me if I'm wrong on any of this.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 78 ✭✭johnnyrotten123


    Tomthepost wrote: »
    Keevans certainly seemed like a bit of a legend. Appartently he played championship football in all four provinces (Wexford, Sligo, Down and Limerick i think)
    Trained both the county seniors and junior in Wexford. Chaired the county board and the minor championship in Wexford is called the Keevans cup in his honour.
    Correct me if I'm wrong on any of this.

    I have heard Cavan, Waterford and Roscommon mentioned - not sure about Down and Limerick - he played in all four provinces anyway!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,315 ✭✭✭Tomthepost


    I have heard Cavan, Waterford and Roscommon mentioned - not sure about Down and Limerick - he played in all four provinces anyway!

    You are probably right. You would think I would have got one of them right.
    In my defence I think that it was Wexfords league game up in Down where he feel ill.
    Waterford makes more since then Limerick from a geographical point of view and I guess there would have been little point in playing for Sligo as opposed to Wexford whilst I'd imagine Roscommon would have been quite strong back then


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 602 ✭✭✭will1977


    Tomthepost wrote: »
    You are probably right. You would think I would have got one of them right.
    In my defence I think that it was Wexfords league game up in Down where he feel ill.
    Waterford makes more since then Limerick from a geographical point of view and I guess there would have been little point in playing for Sligo as opposed to Wexford whilst I'd imagine Roscommon would have been quite strong back then

    The Down game was in Wexford park;)


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,315 ✭✭✭Tomthepost


    Anything new out there on this front?

    I miss reading them:confused:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,238 ✭✭✭ShagNastii


    Being a wexford fan, I must add to the Liam Spratt South East Radio GAA host stories.

    Some absolute class lines coming from the man, my favourite has to be one he made on one of the big hurling matches Fitzy tipped the ball heading for the goal but he couldn't stop it from hitting the net... Imagine listening to the following quote on the radio! I use full caps as the man is forever shouting.


    "OH MY GOD, FITZY WITH A MAGNIFICANT, AMAZING SAVE!!!! WHAT, A, SAVE BY DAMIEN FITZHENRY.............IT JUST A PITY IT HAD TO GO INTO THE NET!!!!"


    Hes really like Effin Eddie, me and the boys call him EE (Effing Eddie) PG-13



    His new one, is insisting to call Matty Forde, "Magic" Matt Forde allllllllllllllll the time. Commentary goes much like so, in a match!

    Magic Matty Forde to PJ Banville, PJ back to Magic Matty, Magic matty hand passes to Red barry, Barry to Lyng, Lyng lays it off to Magic Matty Forde. Matty Lobs it OOOOOOVVVvver the bar what a point by MAGIC MATTY


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,307 ✭✭✭cruiserweight


    ShagNastii wrote: »
    Being a wexford fan, I must add to the Liam Spratt South East Radio GAA host stories.

    Some absolute class lines coming from the man, my favourite has to be one he made on one of the big hurling matches Fitzy tipped the ball heading for the goal but he couldn't stop it from hitting the net... Imagine listening to the following quote on the radio! I use full caps as the man is forever shouting.


    "OH MY GOD, FITZY WITH A MAGNIFICANT, AMAZING SAVE!!!! WHAT, A, SAVE BY DAMIEN FITZHENRY.............IT JUST A PITY IT HAD TO GO INTO THE NET!!!!"


    Hes really like Effin Eddie, me and the boys call him EE (Effing Eddie) PG-13



    His new one, is insisting to call Matty Forde, "Magic" Matt Forde allllllllllllllll the time. Commentary goes much like so, in a match!

    Magic Matty Forde to PJ Banville, PJ back to Magic Matty, Magic matty hand passes to Red barry, Barry to Lyng, Lyng lays it off to Magic Matty Forde. Matty Lobs it OOOOOOVVVvver the bar what a point by MAGIC MATTY

    Loads of good ones from Spratt, taken from another forum
    "The game is in and the ball is on!" would be one famous quote of his.

    Also one that a fella told me was the man himself commentating on a wexford game I think (names and clubs changed and a bit of poetic licence involved too). It went something to the effect of:
    "...And it's a lineball for Wexford. There's a break in play now while Seán Flood receives some attention....... And while there is I'd just like to offer my sincere condolences to the Murphy family in Clonroche on the sad passing of Mary last weekend.... She was a loving wife and mother and all were fond of her in the community...... Herself and her husband Tim were always involved in the local scene and especially the GAA.......Mary always gave her time up for others and I still remember the time when I met.....GOOOAAAALLLL!!! A GOAL FOR WEXFORD!!!!"


    Another time I remember was when he was commentator on another Wexford match, in New Ross. Ned Buggy was alongside him.
    Spratt was commentating away and then went entirely silent for about 30 seconds. The silence was broken by him shouting:
    "A Goooaaaal. A Great goal for Wexford. Fantastic goal there Ned. I didn't see it or who scored it as I was talking to Liam Griffin there. Did you see the goal Ned?"
    Ned: "Eh...no Liam. I was actually looking at you talking to Liam Griffin."


    Also, this one sounds unbelievable if I hadn't heard it with my own ears. It was a county final in Ross-Rathnure v Rapps. I was actually sitting beside the broadcast booth, listening on my headphone to his commentary. He describes Rathnure's Marks Morrisey as thus:
    "And there's Marks Morrisey. A great servant over the years for Everton...sorry I mean Liverpool."

    "and Dickie Watch looks at his Murphy"

    At a match in Parnell Park he was bemoaning the Dublin traffic - "was the traffic bad on your way up, Billy "
    - " About the same , Liam. I was in your car"

    Or when Dublin missed a late free against Wexford and lost by a point - " Dublin would have fully deserved a draw if they had won "

    "GOOAL, its a goal for Wexford, no no its not a goal but if it had to have been a goal it would have been a great goal!"

    Before the Kilkenny match in the Park today Liam announced a " minutes silence for Wexfords Mr. Football who sadly passed away during the week - Seamus Fitzhenry"

    "... and it's another clearance by Séan Flood - the son of the late, great Tim Flood!
    (silence for a couple of seconds)
    Oh, I forgot..... he's still alive!"

    "Its a GOAL FOR WEXFORD, no its gone wide billy, its gone wide! "

    Interviewing David O'Connor a few years ago & Liam said "tell us now David why do people call you DOC"?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,746 ✭✭✭taidghbaby


    there also was larry o' on the sunday game commenting on a particularly bad stroke by gerry quinn: "he should be shot for that" cant remember him being on it after that.

    alao a few years back we had a junior match on a sunny friday evening.
    our full back being a teacher had decided to go for a few points after school, and coupled with him being slightly cross eyed it didnt bode well for us!
    anyway after about 10mins a big high ball is launched in between our corner back and there corner forward, which they fought for!
    however as the ball was dropping in the sun there was an almighty bang followed by a loud scream, and we turned around to find their full forward lien in a heap on the ground about 20 yrds from the play, screaming "what the fcuk was that for"
    our full-back in a combination of cross-eyedness, drink and the sun had lost the flight of the ball in the air, thought it was dropping on him and decided to just let fly!!!

    probly the best part was the fact the ref called it an accident and threw in the ball:)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 349 ✭✭li@mo


    The game was expected to be very one sided with the local team getting a hammering.
    The underdogs start well getting the first point.

    Man in crowd shouts:

    "blow it up ref" to which another opposing supported shouts "there will be at least 30 minutes of additional time:


    This years league...Roscommon V Cork. Corks first game after the strike.
    Cork leading in the dying minutes and their goalie delays the kickout to waste time which angers the Roscommon support. One shouts out "them f**kers are still on strike"


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,127 ✭✭✭✭kerry4sam


    You can't beat Micheal O Muircheataigh for stories especially actually during the matches ...

    One of my favourites is "Pat Fox out to the forty and grabs the sliothar, I bought a dog from his father last week. Fox turns and sprints for goal, the dog ran a great race last Tuesday in Limerick. Fox to the 21 fires a shot, it goes to the left and wide..... and the dog lost as well."

    Now that's a story and a half :)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 78 ✭✭johnnyrotten123


    Loads of good ones from Spratt, taken from another forum

    you can never get enough of Spratt....

    I use to listen to him all the time a few years ago, along with his sidekick and 'stats man' Gerry Forde who surely had the most pressurised job in Wexford GAA (and yes, that includes John Meyler). Typically, Liam would be commentating at his usual pace and gusto when either a free or a wide would occur for or against Wexford. Without taking breath, Liam would come up with a devishly difficult question and stick the microphone in Gerry's face. Gerry would then have to find to answer before play resumes. For example..

    Spratt: ...'and Eoin Quigley is hauled to the ground yet again, how many times has Quigley earned a free for Wexford in the Leinster championship Gerry?

    (Cue sound of nervous rustling of papers in the background)

    Gerry: 'eh, I think this is his...

    Liam:...'sorry to cut across you there Gerry, Rory Jacob has just played a short free to his brother Mick....'

    I think he enjoyed it putting poor old Gerry through the ringer at times!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 500 ✭✭✭hawker


    Great thread.

    I recall in the run up to the 1991 League final when Kildare had a corner back called Bill Sex. I recall either the semi of final of the league where the Sex was carrying an inury and was extremly doubtful for that particular game and the heading on the back of the Evening Herald was

    'Sex is out for Kildare'.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1 ScreechB


    I was playing an U-17 game for my school against Thurles a few years ago and let's say myself and my marker didn't really get on that well. It started because they took a short sideline and as he bent over to rise the sliothar I came in and buckled him from behind. As he was getting up he took the ankles from me and a 'scuffle' broke out so we were both booked. The next time he ran to solo past me I stuck out my arm dead straight and caught him under the chin, upending him. The ref called me over and said "No. 7 that was the 4th foul you've made on him, you're getting the line". He then asked me my name and when I told him he said "Are you any relation to (my dad)?". When I said yes he replied "Ah sure I know him well, I used to vote for him. You come from good stock" and he sent off the Thurles lad for retaliating when he got up.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 367 ✭✭PN14


    Old thread but some good stories. Heres a few

    Back in the late 70's my dad was playing midfield in a senior hurling tournament match against our neighbouring team. Huge rivals and massive crowd at the game. Anyway they are lining up for the throw in when there's an almighty slap and the opposing centre forward in laid out on the ground. The ref runs into our centre back and best player and the centre back just says ah jayus ref sorry I thought you had it thrown in (this despite he being 20 yards away). Ref laughs and goes back and starts game.

    One from my own time. We were playing in a junior county league final it was our first time being in a final for over a decade and it was a big event. The team was made up of a few 16 year olds myself included and a shot of lads in their thirties (emmigration wiped out the generation in between). Anyway there was a penalty awarded to the opposing team into the second half. Everyone lined up their freetaker rose the ball to strike and our full back hooked him. The ref runs into our full back a gray haired grizzled guy in his mid thirties a number 8 for the local rugby team the full back says sorry ref this is my first year playing (despite he playing for 20 years) i didn't know I wasn't supposed to stop him the manager is telling me all the time to hook & block lads. The ref didn't even book him. They retook the penalty saved and we won by 2 points. The full back still tells the story reckons we wouldn't have won without his hook.


  • Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 55,127 Mod ✭✭✭✭Necro


    Some great stories on this thread! Here's one from last year's club championship in my county:
    17 year old plays his 1st/2nd senior championship game for his club, Ex inter county hard man absolutely annihilates him with a late shoulder. Player is down in a heap and clearly injured. On runs his own team's 'physio' and starts moving his arm rapidly in a circular motion - young lad screams and faints from the pain. Turns out his collarbone is broken!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1 CaoimheKeevans


    Well it may be 13 years late but I’m his grand daughter and he played in Cavan Wexford Waterford and Sligo


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