OUT OF THE BLUE – 50 years since Dublin’s landmark All-Ireland triumph
The Dublin footballers endured a miserable decade prior to their swashbuckling success in 1974, writes Paul Clarke
AS TRANSFORMATIONS go, the extraordinary rise to prominence of the Dublin footballers 50 years ago takes some beating. The decade which preceded their AllIreland win in 1974 was a horror show and there appeared to be every reason to believe that it would continue for several years as they struggled to make an impact in Leinster.
Dublin claimed their 17th All-Ireland football title in 1963, but a dramatic fall from grace followed, punctuated only by a provincial success in 1965 which was followed by a loss to Kerry at the penultimate hurdle.
There were countless miserable days, including a first round elimination against Longford in 1970.
When they crashed out of the Leinster Championship in a second round replay against Louth in 1973, nobody could possibly have predicted what soon lay in store. Any suggestion that they would claim the Sam Maguire Cup in swashbuckling fashion would have been laughed at.
As failure followed failure, supporters became disillusioned, but that changed in 1974 when they attracted a new breed of fans, including a boisterous group who turned Hill 16 into an environment which intimidated opposing players. Kevin Heffernan’s role in the renaissance was immense and Heffo’s Army illuminated the championship.
JIMMY KEAVENEY had experienced many bleak days and his intercounty playing life appeared to be behind him. But he returned and as the campaign gained momentum his value as a freetaker and a crafty forward was obvious, including in the All-Ireland final against Galway when he contributed eight points.
Optimism was in short supply going into the Leinster Championship and a 3-9 to 0-6 victory over Wexford generated little excitement. Keaveney’s return against Louth was a good sign and a 2-11 to 1-9 win set up a quarterfinal meeting with Offaly who had claimed four of the previous five Leinster titles and back-to-back All-Irelands too.
When Leslie Deegan scored a late point to earn a 1-11 to 0-13 victory there was a definite momentum shift and that was followed by a 1-13 to 0-10 win over Kildare. Dublin were into their first Leinster final in nine years and with Keaveney scoring 1-8 they beat Meath by 1-14 to 1-9.
The title famine was over, but Heffernan saw it as a stepping-stone to greater things. A first championship meeting with Cork since 1907 brought a 2-11 to 1-8 All-Ireland semi-final victory over the reigning champions and a place in the final for the first time in 11 years.
Galway needed only two wins to claim the Connacht title, including a
2-14 to 0-8 success over Roscommon in the final. They beat Donegal (3-13 to 1-14) in an All-Ireland semi-final, with John Tobin tallying 2-6 in the first championship clash between the counties.
Tobin had scored 2-21 in three games but, significantly, his only point in the final came from a free. By comparison, Keaveney’s eight points brought his overall tally for the campaign to
1-36. He was a shining light, as was goalkeeper Paddy Cullen who produced a wonderful save from Liam Sammon’s penalty 14 minutes into the second half.
The tricky wind favoured Dublin in the opening period and Galway had room for optimism when they led by 1-4 to 0-5 at the interval. The impressive Michael Rooney fisted their goal and he was denied another when Cullen intervened on the restart.
Keaveney reduced the gap to the minimum with a pointed free, but Galway were presented with a great opportunity to take a firmer grip when Sammon was fouled. He took the resultant penalty himself, but Cullen dived to his left to turn it out for a 45.
DUBLIN RESPONDED by pushing ahead by 0-9 to 1-4, before Cullen produced more heroics to deny Pat Sands. Galway drew level, but they didn’t score again as Dublin finished with a flourish and points from
Keaveney (three), David Hickey and the inspirational Brian Mullins saw them through by 0-14 to 1-6.
When captain Sean Doherty accepted the cup, it symbolised an extraordinary redemption mission. Heffernan’s role was recognised when he became the first non-player to win the Texaco Footballer of the Year Award. Wonderful years of rivalry with Kerry followed for the rest of the decade, during which Dublin won the finals of 1976 and 1977 and lost in 1975, 1978 and 1979.
The teams in the 1974 final were: Dublin: Paddy Cullen; Gay O’Driscoll, Sean Doherty, Robbie Kelleher; Paddy Reilly, Alan Larkin, George Wilson; Stephen Rooney, Brian Mullins (0-2); Bobby Doyle, Tony Hanahoe, David Hickey (0-2); John McCarthy (0-1), Jimmy Keaveney (0-8), Anton O’Toole (0-1).
Galway: Gabriel Mitchell; Joe Waldron, Jack Cosgrove, Brendan Colleran; Liam O’Neill, TJ Gilmore, Johnny Hughes (0-1); Willie Joyce, Michael Rooney (1-1); Tom Naughton (0-2), Jimmy Duggan (0-1), Pat Sands; Colie McDonagh, Liam Sammon, John Tobin (0-1). Sub: Jarlath Burke for McDonagh.
Referee: Paddy Devlin (Tyrone).