71 year old togs out for Kilgarvan

Rowley Birkin QC

Heard on Morning Ireland that a 71 year old man togged out and played 60 minutes for Kilgarvan in a hurling match recently.

Anyone care to corroborate or dismiss it? Fantastic story if its true, hopefully it is!

According to Morning Ireland he said that he brings the gear in the boot to all the matches "just in case"!!

Tomthepost

Yeah it is reported in the tabs this morning. Name is Tom Randles. Kilgarvan only had 14 players so he played the full 60 mins at corner forward.
Fair Play to him:)

aidan24326

bigkev49 wrote: »

Heard on Morning Ireland that a 71 year old man togged out and played 60 minutes for Kilgarvan in a hurling match recently.

Anyone care to corroborate or dismiss it? Fantastic story if its true, hopefully it is!

According to Morning Ireland he said that he brings the gear in the boot to all the matches "just in case"!!

Fair play to him! But jaysus they must have been stuck! Probably a junior c game where half the lads were on the beer the night before or something, but credit to him all the same.

A fella aged 42 came on as a sub for Loughrea in the Galway county hurling final a couple of years ago (the infamous joe canning game) which is pretty impressive to be still be playing at that level. He's also a well known referee, name escapes me now.

I'm only 32 and the oul' legs are getting weary even now!

blackbelt

I suppose it depends on conditioning and being lucky to go without getting injured.My father gave up rugby after breaking his leg.I've been lucky to get away with not being injured thus far apart from ankle ligaments being pulled.I'm 24 so I have a while to go.

As for this 71 year old man,how could anybody mark this guy without being afraid or concerned to cripple the guy.One bang of the hurl and he could get a broken leg,hip etc.When an elderly person breaks their hip,it can be very serious.

GAAman

Did he get any scores? Fair balls to him i know a fair few young lads who wouldnt last a half nevermind 60 mins (though if they were one short who went on for him?)

DeepBlue

GAAman wrote: »

Did he get any scores?

Seemingly not according to the story in the Examiner.

27 June 2008

Mature talent: Tom, 71, togs out for hurling team

By Claire O’Sullivan
HE might have celebrated his 71st birthday but when the local team were down a man, he didn’t dither when asked to tog out.


Kerryman and grand-father Tom Randles played the full 60 minutes of a recent Junior A Duhallow League game against Co Cork side Tullylease and reckons it “didn’t take a bit out of him”.

The players around him may have ranged from 17 to 35 but he was still “very involved in play”, according to onlookers.


A corner-forward, he didn’t make the scoreboard, but provided skills that ensured his team-mates got the sliothar over the bar.

“I’ve always loved hurling and I keep fit. It keeps the arthritis at bay. I’m used to training. I’ll train with the team when I can. I also run and walk and I love dancing. I do a bit of ceilí dancing but, you know, I’d do any kind of dancing at all,” he quipped. “I don’t drink and I don’t smoke and it pays off. A fit body is a fit mind, I like to say”.

They say a love of football courses through the Kerry blood, but this Kerryman has always been in thrall to hurling.

“I played hurling in Cork as part of the inter-firm championship. I played for CIE as left corner-forward along with Seanie O’Leary who was full-forward. I won an All Ireland with Capwell station in the inter-depot All Ireland,” he said.

Kilgarvan (home to one of Ireland’s most famous rural politicians, Jackie Healy-Rae), Tom says, has always been a bastion of hurling in Kerry.

“I always loved a puck around. I don’t think that will ever change,” he said. “I’ve togged out with the team once or twice in the past, if a man couldn’t get down because of work or something. I always keep my gear in the boot just in case.

“I’ll probably do it again, I’m sure.”

taidghbaby

i seen a fella in his 60's running in sandyford d'other day and he had the body of a soccer player-6 pack included!!

probly far fitter than any of my twenty-somethng friends!!!

kerry4sam

love it ... that's typically Kerry attitude though ... never let your side down; at whatever cost to yourself

darrenoneill33

aidan24326 wrote: »

Fair play to him! But jaysus they must have been stuck! Probably a junior c game where half the lads were on the beer the night before or something, but credit to him all the same.

A fella aged 42 came on as a sub for Loughrea in the Galway county hurling final a couple of years ago (the infamous joe canning game) which is pretty impressive to be still be playing at that level. He's also a well known referee, name escapes me now.

I'm only 32 and the oul' legs are getting weary even now!

Michael Haverty is the ref in question