Great GAA Comebacks

[sid waddell]

An almost great comeback, Armagh v Galway 2001

Galway led 0-12 to 0-5, Armagh scored 7 points in a row, but then a Michael Donnellan interception set up a Galway win.

https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/the-point-that-left-armaghs-year-marooned-26066107.html

If ever there was a turning point in a year it was that block and point. Galway never looked back after it but they were on the verge of going out as Armagh were all over them and legitimately looked like they were about to win it.

The next year Armagh were the ones to benefit in a not too dissimilar situation when Dara McGarty of Sligo should have buried them when through one on one on goal. Armagh didn't know where they were after being six points up. McGarty took the easy equalising point instead of going for goal and Armagh were saved by the bell from the kickout. They badly needed it because I've rarely seen a team as rattled. Sligo were playing with 14 men too.

[sid waddell]

There's the obvious one, Offaly's five-minute final of 1994:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bceb42XNhOM

I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

I was on the Hill for that and two Offaly buckos of about 35-40 years of age standing beside me left with about 15 minutes to go, they were more interested in getting their feed of pints into them. Reminds me of a bit in the book Kings of September where the future Offaly footballer Sean Grennan was at the 1982 football final with his mother and the mother decided to leave with ten minutes left. They drove to a relative's house in Balbriggan and only found out Offaly had won when they got there. I can never understand why people leave an All-Ireland final, or indeed any match, if the outcome is in any way in doubt. The only time I ever left a Dublin championship match early was the time in 2009 when Kerry steamrolled us, and I slunk away with about seven or eight minutes left, it was too much to endure.

[johnnycool]

There's the obvious one, Offaly's five-minute final of 1994:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bceb42XNhOM

I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

I was on the Hill for that and two Offaly buckos of about 35-40 years of age standing beside me left with about 15 minutes to go, they were more interested in getting their feed of pints into them. Reminds me of a bit in the book Kings of September where the future Offaly footballer Sean Grennan was at the 1982 football final with his mother and the mother decided to leave with ten minutes left. They drove to a relative's house in Balbriggan and only found out Offaly had won when they got there. I can never understand why people leave an All-Ireland final, or indeed any match, if the outcome is in any way in doubt. The only time I ever left a Dublin championship match early was the time in 2009 when Kerry steamrolled us, and I slunk away with about seven or eight minutes left, it was too much to endure.

Billy Dooley absolutely bolloxed, finds himself with no one near him 30 yards out and could barely manage to hit the ball over the bar but he did.

That one probably haunted Limerick for decades even though they lost again in 96 against 14 man Wexford.

[BennyCake]

Tyrone PoV: The first Ulster SFC Final game in 2003 between Tyrone & Down. Two goals early in the second half for Down put them nine points in the lead with around 25 mins to go - Tyrone manage to level the game near the end of normal time before Dan Gordon scores a goal for Down putting them three ahead again before three individual Tyrone points level the game deep into injury time, game finishing Tyrone 1-17 Down 4-8. Fantastic game - the replay six days later wasn't as dramatic, Tyrone won the game well.

Ah yes, the Gerry Kinneavy-inspired comeback. He gave Tyrone everything to get back into that one. Plus two chances to win it in injury time. Worst refereeing display I've ever witnessed.

I think Tyrone realised that day that their diving, feigning injury, dragging opponents to the ground and make it look like they were fouled, etc could get them over the line to win an AI. Sadly, it was true, as referees were clearly buying their antics.

[seafoid]

There's the obvious one, Offaly's five-minute final of 1994:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bceb42XNhOM

I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

I was on the Hill for that and two Offaly buckos of about 35-40 years of age standing beside me left with about 15 minutes to go, they were more interested in getting their feed of pints into them. Reminds me of a bit in the book Kings of September where the future Offaly footballer Sean Grennan was at the 1982 football final with his mother and the mother decided to leave with ten minutes left. They drove to a relative's house in Balbriggan and only found out Offaly had won when they got there. I can never understand why people leave an All-Ireland final, or indeed any match, if the outcome is in any way in doubt. The only time I ever left a Dublin championship match early was the time in 2009 when Kerry steamrolled us, and I slunk away with about seven or eight minutes left, it was too much to endure.

Billy Dooley absolutely bolloxed, finds himself with no one near him 30 yards out and could barely manage to hit the ball over the bar but he did.

That one probably haunted Limerick for decades even though they lost again in 96 against 14 man Wexford.

2018 wiped out all past regrets. It's amazing what an all Ireland win can do.

[Captain Obvious]

https://www.rte.ie/amp/1050632/ 5-11 to 0-00 at the break, but they managed to turn things around in the second half and took victory on an 11-01 to 6-12 scoreline.

[GalwayBayBoy]

An almost great comeback, Armagh v Galway 2001

Galway led 0-12 to 0-5, Armagh scored 7 points in a row, but then a Michael Donnellan interception set up a Galway win.

https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/the-point-that-left-armaghs-year-marooned-26066107.html

I was at that game. Galway had Armagh chasing shadows for 55 minutes and then almost lost it in the final 15 minutes or so. By added time Armagh had all the momentum and then Donnellan picked off a loose hand pass and set up Paul Clancy for the winner.

Galway actually did something similar against Cork in the next round. Battered them and then let them back into it. Although they rallied to win by 4 in that one.

[johnnycool]

There's the obvious one, Offaly's five-minute final of 1994:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bceb42XNhOM

I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

I was on the Hill for that and two Offaly buckos of about 35-40 years of age standing beside me left with about 15 minutes to go, they were more interested in getting their feed of pints into them. Reminds me of a bit in the book Kings of September where the future Offaly footballer Sean Grennan was at the 1982 football final with his mother and the mother decided to leave with ten minutes left. They drove to a relative's house in Balbriggan and only found out Offaly had won when they got there. I can never understand why people leave an All-Ireland final, or indeed any match, if the outcome is in any way in doubt. The only time I ever left a Dublin championship match early was the time in 2009 when Kerry steamrolled us, and I slunk away with about seven or eight minutes left, it was too much to endure.

Billy Dooley absolutely bolloxed, finds himself with no one near him 30 yards out and could barely manage to hit the ball over the bar but he did.

That one probably haunted Limerick for decades even though they lost again in 96 against 14 man Wexford.

2018 wiped out all past regrets. It's amazing what an all Ireland win can do.

That took over 20 years to come and considering the team that won three U21's with Dave Kean at the helm in the 00's failed to get over the line when they really should have done so I'd say that millstone weighted heavy around Limerick necks.

[mrdeeds]

From a Cavan point of view, versus Down in 2004. Down were 2 10 to 0 9 up with around 15 to go. Larry Reilly was sent off too. Then Dermot McCabe on one leg inspired a comeback and Cavan won 3 13 to 2 12. I remember wanting to leave but the driver refused.

[ardtole]

I remember that game too Mrdeeds, not as fondly as you though lol.

[seafoid]

There's the obvious one, Offaly's five-minute final of 1994:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bceb42XNhOM

I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

I was on the Hill for that and two Offaly buckos of about 35-40 years of age standing beside me left with about 15 minutes to go, they were more interested in getting their feed of pints into them. Reminds me of a bit in the book Kings of September where the future Offaly footballer Sean Grennan was at the 1982 football final with his mother and the mother decided to leave with ten minutes left. They drove to a relative's house in Balbriggan and only found out Offaly had won when they got there. I can never understand why people leave an All-Ireland final, or indeed any match, if the outcome is in any way in doubt. The only time I ever left a Dublin championship match early was the time in 2009 when Kerry steamrolled us, and I slunk away with about seven or eight minutes left, it was too much to endure.

Billy Dooley absolutely bolloxed, finds himself with no one near him 30 yards out and could barely manage to hit the ball over the bar but he did.

That one probably haunted Limerick for decades even though they lost again in 96 against 14 man Wexford.

2018 wiped out all past regrets. It's amazing what an all Ireland win can do.

That took over 20 years to come and considering the team that won three U21's with Dave Kean at the helm in the 00's failed to get over the line when they really should have done so I'd say that millstone weighted heavy around Limerick necks.

3 u21s? We won about 7 with nothing at senior level.
I would often think about the near misses. But the worst feeling was when Clare,the hoors, won in 2013, the year we were supposed to finish the job started the year before.

Winning in 2017 wiped the slate clean. Hurling all Irelands reach the parts other finals can't. 

[RandyDupree]

https://youtu.be/GsroSBEAieA

[From the Bunker]

https://youtu.be/GsroSBEAieA

Number 12 for Armagh -  McKenna must have taken 12 steps for his goal?

[APM]

Just thinking, in the last few years, Armagh supporters were guaranteed some rousing comebacks, mainly by their opponents, as they developed a great habit of blowing good leads with 10 minutes to go in both league and Championship. 

- Draw (FT) v Down, 2019 Championship (5pt lead)
- Draw v Clare, 2019 League (4pt lead)
- Draw v Kildare, 2019 League (5pt lead)
- Draw v Sligo, 2017 League (5 pt lead)
- Loss v Laois, 2017 League (5pt lead)

They also hung on to beat Longford by 2 points in the 2017 league after leading by eight with Longford scoring 3 goals.  Tipperary also scored 3 goals in the last round of the league that same year to comeback and beat Armagh by a point.  In this year's league, they managed to blow an 8 point half-time lead in Mullingar and finished up having to scrape a draw with a last minute Jamie Clarke goal.

Maybe its not that unusual.  I know Cavan had a great comeback win in Breffni this year against Westmeath in the league. However, even with a 10pt lead, over the last couple of years, you wouldn't have been certain of an Armagh win till the final whistle.   

[dublin7]

1998 All Ireland Club Championship semi-final Castlehaven (Cork) v Erins Isle (Dublin) in Thurles.

Castlehaven had completely outplayed Erins Isle and were 5 points in front with 1 min left of normal time. Isles were down to 14 men and Castlehaven fans were waiting on the sidelines to run in and celebrate.... Isles scored 2 goals in injury time and won by 1 point.

I can still remember it today as one of the great days out. The bitterness of the Castlehaven fans day was something I haven't forgotten either