Your first ever intercounty game

Hammer Archer · 12-12-2019 1:27pm #1

Though this would be a nice general topic. What was the first ever game you attended as a child? What game was it, what was the score, what age were you, who did you go with, what do you remember about it, if anything?

For me, I think I was 5 years old and it was a league game in Páirc Tailteann between Meath and Fermanagh in 1993 or 1994 (back when the league started before Christmas) with the auld lad. Can't remember much of the game but I remember Meath won well and there were no goals scored (which I remember disappointed me). Clearly remember being fascinated by the old Navan manual scoreboard that had a guy looking out the window of it.

After that, I started going to league games close by pretty regularly. Think it was the following year when we played Dublin in the league. We were surrounded by Dublin kids in the stand. Me, still being wet behind the ears, felt left out of the Dublin chants and asked my Dad if I could join in with them. To this day I still remember his response: "You can! You'll be walking home though" :pac: Learned a valuable lesson that day.

Was absolutely fantastic being a young Meath fan back then. You grew up with success which made it all the more frustrating when the early 21st century came along and it all dried up.

endacl · 12-12-2019 3:30pm

Jaysus...

Sometime in the mid 70s. The auld fella took me to see Wexford/Kilkenny in Croker. I’d have been 4 or 5. Dad was from Wexford. Mothers a Kilkenny woman. I remember endless supplies of fizzy drinks and taytos standing under Sam Spudz at the canal end. Arrived home wearing a purple and gold cap and rosette. The crepe paper ones. Remember those? The mother was not impressed.

Can’t remember who won.

Gael85 · 12-12-2019 5:02pm

First league match was Dublin v Armagh around 91/92. Would have been around 9 at the time. Was no goals in the game. Think Dublin won 12-9. Remember the community guard bringing a few of us from school. My first championship game was Dublin v Louth in 92. John O'Leary dropped the ball and Louth forward scored. Dublin came back in second half to win.0-15 to 1-9. Was also at Dublin v Clare(my father county) in 92 in the old Cusack stand. Always remember the Clare Clare Clare chats around the stadium.

Tell me how · 12-12-2019 5:05pm

Gael85 wrote: »

First league match was Dublin v Armagh around 91/92. Would have been around 9 at the time. Was no goals in the game. Think Dublin won 12-9. Remember the community guard bringing a few of us from school. My first championship game was Dublin v Louth in 92. John O'Leary dropped the ball and Louth forward scored. Dublin came back in second half to win. Was at Dublin v Clare(my father county) in 92 in the old Cusack stand. Always remember the Clare Clare Clare chats around the stadium.

Was at the same match, in the same stand. Remember my auld lad calling Charlie Redmond a tinker as he backed up to the wire to take a free.
Even, now, I think of it when I see Redmond on telly.

My first game was a National Football League game in Cusack Park in the late 1980's.
Think it might have been against Down but not sure.

Gael85 · 12-12-2019 5:10pm

Tell me how wrote: »

Was at the same match, in the same stand. Remember my auld lad calling Charlie Redmond a tinker as he backed up to the wire to take a free.
Even, now, I think of it when I see Redmond on telly.

My first game was a National Football League game in Cusack Park in the late 1980's.
Think it might have been against Down but not sure.

Met Tom Morrissey during the summer and he was cursing Charlie too

:D

Tell me how · 12-12-2019 5:19pm

Gael85 wrote: »

Met Tom Morrissey during the summer and he was cursing Charlie too :D

Some decent football played that day.

Goal by Vinny Murphy was top class (1min 20) (the b*stard).

Still, at least Donegal put manners on them.

Gael85 · 12-12-2019 6:08pm

Tell me how wrote: »

Some decent football played that day.

Goal by Vinny Murphy was top class (1min 20) (the b*stard).

Still, at least Donegal put manners on them.

My father still talks about the Clare goal that was disallowed just before Vinnie goal.

Coillte_Bhoy · 12-12-2019 6:41pm

1975 Connacht Final replay, Mayo V Sligo in Castlebar, was 8 years old, I always remember my mate from next door crying because he wasn't being brought but his dad promising him that he would bring him to Croke Park for the semi final :pac: My abiding memory was of JP Keane hitting the crossbar or so i thought until i just now found a video of it and it was actually Willie Magee.
https://www.rte.ie/archives/category/sports/2015/0714/714747-sligo-are-connacht-champions/

Sligo won by a point, my Dad and his mates were in utter shock. Amazing to think we went through the 70's without one Connacht title. My second inter county game was the AI Final that year, wow that was some buzz for an 8 year old lad, i was blown away by the noise and colour on the Hill. Always have a had soft spot for the Dubs since but thats been sorely tested these last few years.

Marty Xavier · 12-12-2019 7:34pm

All Ireland Final 1983 Dublin vs Galway. Mesmerised my the Hill. I was 10, Galway ****ed that away.

kksaints · 12-12-2019 8:25pm

Have vague memories of going to a Kilkenny vs Cork camoige match around 2000 in Nowlan Park. Cork won with a fairly late goal.

The first senior hurling match was the All-Ireland semifinal between Kilkenny and Wexford in 2007. Wasn't the greatest of matches but at least Kilkenny thrashed Wexford very comfortably. The quarter final between Waterford and Cork was on afterwards and was an enjoyable match even if it probably wasnt one of the classics that those two had in the mid 00s.

First Inter county football matches were the Leinster semifinals in 2018. Neither were good matches, one was a Laois vs Carlow bore fest with little good play and the second was a Dublin hammering of Longford with at least some good football from the Dubs in the first half and a decent atmosphere from the hill.

Bonniedog · 12-12-2019 8:39pm

I was at Dublin hurling matches in early 70s when uncles was a player and then selector. Croke Park in the middle of winter was not the place to be, and the first game I vividly remember is the 1974 football semi final against Cork. Can still see in mind's eye Anton O'Toole's goal and would be hard put to distinguish many in recent years.

First time i'd seen Croke Park with more than a few hundred there. Hooked for life of course.

Poor_old_gill · 12-12-2019 9:53pm

Munster football final 1991 against limerick- I remember being there vaguely but I was 4/5 depending on when it was played.

Also remember being at the semi final that year as it was my first game in croker- down beat us and I can remember that we never looked like winning just because I can remember the emotions of the match.

I remember the Munster final against Clare in 92 and being really upset with my dad cos he had promised me all week that Kerry were gona win.

We used go everywhere- I can remember winter league matches in the snow in birr and trips to Navan in the early to mid 90s.

One thing that I can always remember from those days is whenever we played cork that billy Morgan would spend a load of time on the pitch shouting at the ref and the abuse that he used to get from Kerry fans was crazy looking back

Also remember the rake of pints that my dad and his mates would drink and then drive home with- was the done thing back then

KrustyUCC · 12-12-2019 10:02pm

Munster Hurling Final 1992 Cork v Limerick in Pairc ui Chaoimh

Was 7

Dad, two uncles, few friends from the club, another young fella on my parish league team and me

Cork won 1-22 – 3-11

Tomas Mulcahy scored a bizarre goal where he hand passed the sliotar from one hand to the other and then kicked it to the net

Tell me how · 12-12-2019 10:03pm

KrustyUCC wrote: »

Munster Hurling Final 1992 Cork v Limerick in Pairc ui Chaoimh

Was 7

Dad, two uncles, few friends from the club, another young fella on my parish league team and me

Cork won 1-22 – 3-11

Tomas Mulcahy scored a bizarre goal where he hand passed the sliotar from one hand to the other fouled the ball and then kicked it to the net

FYP

KrustyUCC · 12-12-2019 10:14pm

Yeah but Willie Barrett didn't think so

NIMAN · 12-12-2019 10:15pm

I'm a bad example in this, as I ain't a GAA fan at all.

My first intercounty game was Donegal v Kerry AI 2012.
And it'll probably be my last!

Poor_old_gill · 12-12-2019 10:21pm

NIMAN wrote: »

I'm a bad example in this, as I ain't a GAA fan at all.

My first intercounty game was Donegal v Kerry AI 2012.
And it'll probably be my last!

Yet you’re on the GAA forum and commenting on threads?

NIMAN · 12-12-2019 10:22pm

Poor_old_gill wrote: »

Yet you’re on the GAA forum and commenting on threads?

I wasn't on a GAA Forum.

You do know that the LATEST list shows threads from all forums, ones you have little interest in?

I seen it there and decided to post as I had something to contribute, that ok with you?

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater · 12-12-2019 10:29pm

To be honest, I haven't a notion when it was, I may have been brought to various matches but the first time I can remember seeing a Roscommon team was a friendly against Westmeath to open Clann na nGael's new clubhouse in 1994, I would have been 9. First time I saw them in Championship (again, that I can remember) was 1998, a Connacht Semi-Final replay at Markievicz Park when we beat Sligo by a point.

Gael85 · 12-12-2019 10:45pm

Poor_old_gill wrote: »

Munster football final 1991 against limerick- I remember being there vaguely but I was 4/5 depending on when it was played.

Also remember being at the semi final that year as it was my first game in croker- down beat us and I can remember that we never looked like winning just because I can remember the emotions of the match.

I remember the Munster final against Clare in 92 and being really upset with my dad cos he had promised me all week that Kerry were gona win.

We used go everywhere- I can remember winter league matches in the snow in birr and trips to Navan in the early to mid 90s.

One thing that I can always remember from those days is whenever we played cork that billy Morgan would spend a load of time on the pitch shouting at the ref and the abuse that he used to get from Kerry fans was crazy looking back

Also remember the rake of pints that my dad and his mates would drink and then drive home with- was the done thing back then

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

Gael85 · 12-12-2019 10:46pm

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater wrote: »

To be honest, I haven't a notion when it was, I may have been brought to various matches but the first time I can remember seeing a Roscommon team was a friendly against Westmeath to open Clann na nGael's new clubhouse in 1994, I would have been 9. First time I saw them in Championship (again, that I can remember) was 1998, a Connacht Semi-Final replay at Markievicz Park when we beat Sligo by a point.

Eddie Lohan was brilliant for Roscommon in 98.

RMAOK · 12-12-2019 10:52pm

As far as I can remember, my first county game that I attended was a hurling league final between my own county (Galway) and limerick below in Ennis. It was around 1996 or 97 I think. Galway lost - I'd have been around 11 or 12, I'd say.

Poor_old_gill · 12-12-2019 10:56pm

NIMAN wrote: »

I wasn't on a GAA Forum.

You do know that the LATEST list shows threads from all forums, ones you have little interest in?

I seen it there and decided to post as I had something to contribute, that ok with you?

Well it's a GAA thread and you have made a point of saying that you're not really interested in GAA so it's a bit odd that you have bothered.

I'm just applying logic to a situation, that ok with you?

Poor_old_gill · 12-12-2019 10:59pm

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.

Maybe so - I can remember the abuse that used to be shouted at him an it was crazy! He ended up being my coach later in life and I always thought it was funny that I had spent the years of about 6 -15 thinking that Billy Morgan was the biggest b*llix ever put on God's green earth.

Tell me how · 12-12-2019 11:00pm

Poor_old_gill wrote: »

Maybe so - I can remember the abuse that used to be shouted at him an it was crazy! He ended up being my coach later in life and I always thought it was funny that I had spent the years of about 6 -15 thinking that Billy Morgan was the biggest b*llix ever put on God's green earth.

A sentiment probably repeated with every single player Davy Fitz has coached.

The_Kew_Tour · 12-12-2019 11:04pm

1989 Munster Final V Kerry. I was 5 but have photos from the day. Was at 1990 AI final v meath and semi v Roscommon but again very vague memory.

First one I remember was 1991 Munster Final v Tipp in Thurles. I remember the Tipp fans running into the pitch after few goals.

padd b1975 · 12-12-2019 11:06pm

A challenge game to mark the opening of new dressing rooms at our club pitch between Mayo and Offaly in 1979.

Martin Furlong ruffled my hair.

Gael85 · 12-12-2019 11:10pm

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

1989 Munster Final V Kerry. I was 5 but have photos from the day. Was at 1990 AI final v meath and semi v Roscommon but again very vague memory.

First one I remember was 1991 Munster Final v Tipp in Thurles. I remember the Tipp fans running into the pitch after few goals.

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?

Hesh's Umpire · 12-12-2019 11:19pm

Can't be sure. The da wasn't a big GAA man but it would have been his brothers brought me to a Laois game in the Leinster football championship in Tullamore. Can't be sure but think we beat Kildare. Mid to late 70s.

The_Kew_Tour · 12-12-2019 11:21pm

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?

Can't remember, but that's probably cause Cork lost:pac:

Bonniedog · 12-12-2019 11:24pm

NIMAN wrote: »

I'm a bad example in this, as I ain't a GAA fan at all.

My first intercounty game was Donegal v Kerry AI 2012.
And it'll probably be my last!

That's us fked now,,,,,,;)

Your first ever intercounty game

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