Your first ever intercounty game

PTH2009

Waterford vs Dublin in the 2005 All Ireland Senior Hurling qualifiers in Walsh Park. Waterford won well, Dublin were weak at the time. Been hooked ever since and only missed a handful of Waterford hurling championship games since then

Waterford vs Longford in a football qualifier in 2006 was my first football championship game. Haven't been to many football games.

chubba1984

My first match was the Clare v Dublin football semi-final in '92 that has been mentioned already.

It might be nearly 30 years ago but I still remember the day vividly. I was 7 years old and I can recall how excited I was when my dad let me sit in the front seat, handed me the map and put me on navigator duty for the trip to Dublin. Sitting there in my yellow t shirt and blue trousers proud as punch. Just the two of us in the car. My dad was as excited as myself, him having played a bit for Clare and seeing the dark days like the hammering from Kerry in '79 which was still fresh enough in memory. Heading to Croke Park to watch a Clare team play in a championship game - first time in 60 years he kept saying. Being 7, that was nearly ten of my lifetimes...i realised that was a very long time.

I remember Dad telling the guy on the turnstile I was only 5 and the wink he gave me to keep quiet. Got the free entry and took our seats in the Upper Hogan. I'd never seen such a crowd and joined in with all the Clare, Clare, Clare chants. And the noise and all the flags flying when the Clare lads came out on the pitch.

Clare gave as good as they got too. Tom Morrissey was a colossus at midfield that day - I spent weeks afterwards practicing catching the ball over my head pretending to be Tom. I remember Padraig Conways disallowed goal and then Vinnie Murphys goal down the other almost immediately. The joy when we thought we'd scored and the devastation of effectively a six point swing.

The look on my Dads face when he realised it wasn't going to be Clare's day. The walk back to the car was very quiet. Me not really sure how to take it. Sitting in the car in Clonliffe College waiting to get out onto the road. I clearly remember Dad looking at me and asking "Well what did you make of that?".

And I started talking about what I had seen....and I'd say I didn't stop for the 4+ hours home. The result didnt really matter to me. I was talking about a bunch of heroes in the same saffron and blue colours I was wearing. There was nothing for it - I was going down to the pitch with the under 10s the next week. Pretending to be those heroes I has seen in Croke Park.

27 years later in my mid 30s I'm still playing GAA but the inspiration all started on that wonderful summers day all those years ago.

Pogue eile

Gael85 wrote: »

I remember that game in 91. Wasn't there a replay? Remember Nicky English scored a goal and there was a hole in the net or something?

No, the game in Thurles was the replay, Nicky English scored a perfectly good point in the drawn game that was waved wide, Pat Fox equalised in injury time to save the officials!!

Gael85

Pogue eile wrote: »

No, the game in Thurles was the replay, Nicky English scored a perfectly good point in the drawn game that was waved wide, Pat Fox equalised in injury time to save the officials!!

I knew there was some controversy near the end of that game. Tipp fans invaded pitch when scored a couple goals in replay? I think Aidan Ryan scored a goal?

Pogue eile

Gael85 wrote: »

I knew there was some controversy near the end of that game. Tipp fans invaded pitch when scored a couple goals in replay? I think Aidan Ryan scored a goal?

Correct and right, Pat Fox scored a great goal and a number of fans came on to the pitch - someone had cut the wire in the terrace, I mean who the **** brings a wire cutter to a match - and then Aidan Ryan scored an incredible goal to seal the win and the place went mental, I was only 12 at the time but remember it like it was yesterday. Tipp had been 9 pts down at one stage in the game.

Bonniedog

Im sure your father enjoyed it and remembered it as much as you did Chubba, One of my fondest memories is first time I brought then 4 year old daughter to see Dublin and Sligo in 2001 qualifiers.

She has become another life addict, who has been blessed to have missed most of the bad days. Looking forward to seeing her mettle being tested over next while!

(She has spared herself real pain by not going to the hurling..)

[Deleted User]

Dublin Donegal national league final. 1993 maybe? I think it was the year after Donegal beat them in the all Ireland final anyway.

Mushy

First one I remember was a Tipp v Cork match in Srmple Stadium. I want to say it was in 2000, but could have been year or two later. Tipp missed two penalties, cork won by a small enough margin.

Was in good seats, bout 5-10 rows back. It was amazing. Lovely day. In amongst bunch of cork fans, some asking my dad was he blind as had tipp colours, some then calling him by his twins name who lives in cork. All in good fun.

mistermiyagi

Gael85 wrote: »

Was there a row between Billy Morgan and Kerry selector around in a game 92/93? Remember watching on Sunday game at the time.

I can't remember any Cork football game where Billy Morgan didn't have a row with a Kerry selector so you're probably right.

Xenophile

I was 10.

First round on the Munster Football Championship 1957.

Venue, Walsh Park, Waterford.

Waterford victors over Kerry. Same year Louth captained by Dermot O'Brien (of showband fame) beat Cork in the All Ireland Final.

Bonniedog

And I thought I was old!

Well you were there when history was made for sure.

Hill St Blue

The first match I remember properly, was the Centenary Cup semi final between Cavan and Meath, in Croker in ' 84. I was in the Cusack stand with my Dad, and I was fairly scared by all the noise.

I distinctly remember there being a mad auld Monaghan man sitting beside me (they were in the other semi afaik) drinking milky tea from a glass bottle, eating sambos wrapped in newspaper, and going absolutely stonewall mental. That didn't exactly help to alleviate my fears!

Consey

1979 Ulster Final. Monaghan v Donegal in Clones. 6yrs old. Monaghan 1-15, Donegal 0-11. First Ulster Championship win for Monaghan in 41 years. Kieran Finlay scored 1-9. May well have been at League matches or evn earlier championship matches before, but that's the first one I remember. Whole family was there as Monaghan were in the Ulster Final!!!!!!

Love of Ulster Final day in Clones has never diminished since then.

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater

Gael85 wrote: »

Eddie Lohan was brilliant for Roscommon in 98.

He was brilliant. I think he finished the Connacht Championship with something like 1-26. He got most of our scores in both the final and the replay against Galway that year. I maintain we would have beaten Derry if we had gotten out of Connacht that year. What could have been!

Cushtie

Some time around mid 80,s as far as I can remember. Kerry V Cork in munster football final in a packed out Fitzgerald Stadium. Went with auld fella. Back in the day when a kid could be lifted over the turnstiles. I remember it was a beautiful warm day. The old terrace was heaving.
There was a lad from our club playing in the minor game and I spent the whole time roaring at him anytime the ball came up that side of the field.
I dont remember too much about the senior game, But I think Cork won both minor and senior that day.

4Ad

Clare V Kilkenny league huring match in Limerick 1977.
We had just moved from London, lots of taytoes, and lemonade, no doubt the Da had a few pints ....

Stationmaster

Can't remember my exact first game but what I do remember most strongly, having started going to Clare games in the late 80's and early 90's, was how 'normal' the disappointment of coming home from Thurles after another false dawn was. I's very hard to describe but it was almost like everyone one of us supporting knew deep down that we weren't going to win and we never did - in finals anyway.

That's why the Munster Final win in 95 will always be my most cherished memory of a Clare match. Even writing about it now gives me goosebumps. To finally know what the feeling was of winning a Munster final will always stay with me. I can only imagine the feeling felt by those older than me who had through decades of defeats beforehand. The fact that there was only a handy Clare crowd made it even more special in a way because it meant something unreal to every one of us there.

Clubwise, I can just about remember the Clare Senior hurling final of 86. It was held in Carron, which would be in the middle of North Clare, between Clarecastle and O'Callaghans Mills which Clarecastle won well. My abiding memory of it though was thinking that if I stood in front of the sweet shop long enough looking sad they might give me some freebies.

PTH2009

Not first match related but interesting question

Is there any county who have not played in Croke Park since the redevelopment in either code ???

Tell me how

PTH2009 wrote: »

Not first match related but interesting question

Is there any county who have not played in Croke Park since the redevelopment in either code ???

I think with the various league finals which have taken place, that a lot of counties have had games there while if it was limited to championship matches, they would still be waiting to visit.

I'm thinking specifically of Leitrim who played only their 5th match ever there in the Div 4 final this earlier this year.

ShyMets

1989 Leinster Final between Dublin & Meath. My father brought myself and my Brother. Afterwards he took us to a pub on Dorset St which I'm almost sure was Birminghams.

blanch152

A Dublin league game in the early 70s, very cold, taken by a relative, took a few more years before I could be persuaded back.

Was looking back to try and find it and noticed that the 1975 League play-offs involved Dublin, Mayo, Kerry, Tyrone, Monaghan and Meath. Nothing changes.

Bonniedog

I remember those games.

Beat Tyrone well in semis and then beaten by Meath in the final. Was at both,

Final ended with invasion from Hill and fighting. There were a fair few scum used to go in those days,

zetecescort

Cork v Kerry in 94 or 95 I think. Cork won with a late Stephen O'Brien goal much to my delight. My father whose family are from Kerry was not so happy.

First time in Croke Park turned out to be my fathers last, semi final between Kerry and Kildare in 98. Both of us in the upper deck of the new Cusack trying to take in the view of the city out over the old Hogan

slegs

Been at almost every Limerick championship match and a lot of league matches since I can remember. Earliest one that sticks in my head is 1980 All Ireland final when I was 8. Joe McKenna, Sean Foley, Eamon Cregan etc were gods to me.

Been some great times following Limerick with that great team of the early eighties and the magic of 94/96/07/13 but was starting to think it would never be our year. 2018 was surreal and I think more to come from this group which is easily the best quality Limerick squad ever in my view

Was also at that Limerick / Kerry Munster football final in Killarney in 1991 that another poster mentioned. Limerick scored 3-12 and lost to a Kerry team that didn’t score a goal.

Exiled1

1962 All Ireland hurling final between Tipp and Wexford. Generally considered to have been a classic.
I vividly remember puking my guts out at Inchicore (travel sickness) and being lifted over the stiles in the old Hogan Stand.
Was on the 21 yd line from where Tom Ryan hit one of two great goals for Tipp.
I remember being entranced with the displays of Billy Rackard and Jimmy Doyle, perhaps because Billy's blonde head was easily distinguishable. But Doyle was utter class and I saw over the next twelve years of his hurling career he was truly great. Even the hard chaws couldn't get a stick on him!

boggerman1

Cork v limerick in Thurles in 1987.the match with the John fenton goal.i would have been 8 years old.

NufcNavan

Meath v Offaly in the Leinster in 98 or 99? We won anyway. Was sat in the Nally.

Scoundrel

The first game I can remember was Kildare v Louth in Leinster championship in 2000 I was in canal end and a particularly wayward shot hit me on the hand and stung for the next few minutes although I was brought to Roscommon games prior to that by my father though thankfully my memory has blanked them out.