A GLORIOUS BREAKTHROUGH for Tipperary football.
2011 All-Ireland football final day will be defined by Stephen Cluxton’s late shot that ended Dublin’s wait for Sam Maguire but the curtain-raiser had sparked plenty celebrations as well with a memorable victory.
Tipperary stunned Dublin with Colman Kennedy’s dramatic late goal and it’s one of the games that singled out by Declan Browne in this week’s episode of Warriors, the GAA podcast for The42 members.
We asked the Tipperary football great to select his three favourite GAA matches, be it playing for club or county, or one he was a supporter at.
After a couple days of deliberation, Browne arrived at his final selection and he discussed them with Fintan O’Toole.
The two-time All-Star winner went for a game with his county, the 2002 drawn Munster football final between Tipperary and Cork, when he starred with a brilliant return of 0-8.
He talked about how special an occasion it was to play in Croke Park with his club Moyle Rovers in the 2008 All-Ireland junior hurling final against Kilkenny’s Conahy Shamrocks.
And then finally he went for a day as a supporter when Tipperary won that minor decider against Dublin and talked about the emotional significance of the victory.
“I’ve no problem saying it, we all cried, I cried myself in the Hogan Stand. It was something you’d never think, in Tipp football circles you’re hearing Bloody Sunday and you’re hearing the 1930s and the 1920s and the beginning of the century, it was just great to be able to actually get over the line. Like in ’84 Seamus McCarthy’s team, you’d the likes of Brian Burke and John Owens, they were close to Dublin, Jim Stynes, he was playing that day as well.
“An awful lot of work had been done previous years by Philly Ryan and Peter Creedon with minor teams that came so close to winning Munster titles. A lot of work had gone into it, to see the relief and the joy from everyone that was there was brilliant. I was on the last minor team in ’95 to win a Munster title so it was a big gap, 16 years to get to that day.
“It was a day we’ll never forget, obviously with the significance of the Dubs in the senior getting over the line as well. It was a great occasion. To beat Dublin in an All-Ireland minor final in a packed Croke Park was special. Did Tipp rob it? Lady luck came on our side at this stage.
“In Munster, Cork and Kerry just couldn’t handle us in those years. It was amazing the way things had worked out that, there was never a fear of going to play these teams. It was just, ‘Oh Jaysus yeah, we’ll win this’. Whereas in my time you do your best and see where it takes you. This group had it all. They were just pure and utter class.”
Check out this week’s episode of Warriors which is available to members of The42 and let us know your suggestions for future episodes on Twitter at @Warriors_GAA or email sport@the42.ie.
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