The first match you saw in Croke Park

[Clarin Pearl]

What age were you?  5

Who was playing, what year ? Donegal V Galway AllIreland Semi 1983

Who did you go with ? Dad & Uncles

Do you remember anything about it ? Val Daly. The instant noise... the atmosphere.

My WDL ratio in Croke park(football and hurling championship games only) is Won 11 drew 3 Lost 10. Not a bad record on paper for a Galway fan. Its masks the carnage of Thurles and other graveyards of hope.

[Fuzzman]

What age were you?  15
Who was playing, what year  ? National League Final 1992 Derry v Tyrone
Who did you go with ? Father
Do you remember anything about it ? Anthony Tohill taking one of his soon to be trademark 65s and it dropping into Plunket Donaghy's hands on the goal line when he decided to drop it on into the net to give derry a goal and ultimately victory! A Good Day!

SNAP TBRICK18
I really wanted to go to the AI semi and final in 1986 but I was only 13 and my older brother went with his mates. Didn't make it on 1989 either so 2002 was my first time.
I went to the league final with 2 other club mates and one of their Derry cousins and his GF and the craic was great having a Derry man to pick on the whole game
Sadly my enthusiasm was curbed as a price came up and sat next to me and so my usual colourful chit chat was majorly subdued.

I remember being worried about how our MF would do against Tohill and McGilligan but Ciaran Corr played an absolute brilliant game and made loads of clean catches. I was in total awe.
The other clear memory I have was when we left the match totally dejected I heard Joe Brolly who played at 13 being interviewed and him saying
"We were out played in midfield, outplayed in the forwards and outplayed in defence and we still won"

I learned that day that being a Tyrone fan was always gonna be troublesome and have lots of ups and downs. I didn't think though that Donegal would go on to win the AI that year or that Derry would win it the year after, or that we would have to wait 11 years for our first big day.

http://inpho.ie/assignment/National-Football-League-Final-1992/s_ozJ6zCxIrxqWld6_W1Sw..a

[straightred]

What age were you?
Who was playing, what year  ?
Who did you go with ?
Do you remember anything about it ?

11
Scotstown Nemo Rangers 1979 AI club final
Family
St Patricks day, snow and sadly losing

[Carmen Stateside]

Age 8
Tyrone Galway 86 semi final.
Whole family packed into car and went
Mc Cabes goal and also remember one of the Tallys from Galbally getting pick pocketed after game inside the stadium.

[imtommygunn]

Antrim offaly ai semi final 1989

Hasn't got better since

[Milltown Row2]

Antrim offaly ai semi final 1989

Hasn't got better since

Tommy Murphy cup and teh Christy Ring, That's our level and at the minute all we can hope for!!

89 was my first year having a pint in Dublin with my da, I remember my uncle looking at me as my dad got me a pint!! Priceless

[Jeepers Creepers]

Offaly v Kilkenny in the Leinster hurling champ semi final replay in 85, then back for the final Offaly v Laois  a week later. If I can remember correctly We were escaping the 12th fortnight in the North on holiday and the oul Fella brought us. Begged him to bring me to the AI final in Sep btw Offaly and Galway. Never forget it.

[Champion The Wonder Horse]

What age were you?  15
Who was playing, what year  ? National League Final 1992 Derry v Tyrone
Who did you go with ? Father
Do you remember anything about it ? Anthony Tohill taking one of his soon to be trademark 65s and it dropping into Plunket Donaghy's hands on the goal line when he decided to drop it on into the net to give derry a goal and ultimately victory! A Good Day!

SNAP TBRICK18
I really wanted to go to the AI semi and final in 1986 but I was only 13 and my older brother went with his mates. Didn't make it on 1989 either so 2002 was my first time.
I went to the league final with 2 other club mates and one of their Derry cousins and his GF and the craic was great having a Derry man to pick on the whole game
Sadly my enthusiasm was curbed as a price came up and sat next to me and so my usual colourful chit chat was majorly subdued.

I remember being worried about how our MF would do against Tohill and McGilligan but Ciaran Corr played an absolute brilliant game and made loads of clean catches. I was in total awe.
The other clear memory I have was when we left the match totally dejected I heard Joe Brolly who played at 13 being interviewed and him saying
"We were out played in midfield, outplayed in the forwards and outplayed in defence and we still won"

I learned that day that being a Tyrone fan was always gonna be troublesome and have lots of ups and downs. I didn't think though that Donegal would go on to win the AI that year or that Derry would win it the year after, or that we would have to wait 11 years for our first big day.

http://inpho.ie/assignment/National-Football-League-Final-1992/s_ozJ6zCxIrxqWld6_W1Sw..a

Which Price? Katie? Vincent?
Dermot Heaney played midfield that day with McGilligan.

[Milltown Row2]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHbGYbl608g&feature=player_embedded

[fearglasmor]

What age were you? - 9/10
Who was playing, what year  ? Offaly v Donegal 1972/3 Grounds Tournament
Who did you go with ?  Da
Do you remember anything about it ? Running  on with me little autograph book when the teams were kicking in and getting autographs from Martin Furlong, Paddy McCormack, Mick Ryan, Martin Heavey, Willy Bryan and Tony McTeague

[Main Street]

About 18.
Mayo v Australia in 1967.
A gang of mates from St Pat's, Drumcondra.
It was a tremendous spectacle from start to finish with the Aussies giving an exhibition of high fielding at its best and running Mayo ragged with their superior speed and physical toughness.
The "Galahs" won by 2-12 to 2-5 and the margin would have much greater  if their kicking had been on a par with their fielding and handling.

That must have been my first at Croke Park as well, I was about 8 at the time, visiting relatives in Dublin and went to it with my brother  It was a sunny  Saturday afternoon, cost 6d to get in and there was a big crowd,  over 30,000.
Mayo had Langan at full forward but who roamed everywhere and a rock at CHB, Jackie Morley, who would eat Francie Bellew before breakfast. On the football, the Australians were huge and outplayed the Mayo lads.

Probably Joe Langan RIP. The Team of The Century Tom would have been long retired.

The Morley would would have been John Morley - one of the finest players of his generation. A guard, shot in cold blood along with Henry Byrne while on duty in 1980. His son Gordon also played for Mayo.

That's right on all counts, Moysider. I was at that match too and at the Aussies' hammering of newly crowned  All- Ireland champs Meath the previous  Sunday. And it was Gaelic football, not any compromise rules (though I think I remember the Aussies were allowed to pick up). They were huge muscular monsters and won by sheer physical force.

Meath did a Tour of Australia in the following Spring and won all five gaelic matches against Aussie Rules clubs.

I got my Morleys mixed up, Jackie Morley was a soccer player for the celebrated Waterford team around the same time, was also teak tough and played at centre half.

[CD]

Age 8
Tyrone Galway 86 semi final.
Whole family packed into car and went
Mc Cabes goal and also remember one of the Tallys from Galbally getting pick pocketed after game inside the stadium.

Same game for me!

[magpie seanie]

Best thread in ages on this board. Kudos to seafoid and all contributers.

[Rufus T Firefly]

What age were you?   6
Who was playing, what year? Offaly v Galway, 1971 All Ireland Final
Who did you go with?  With my late Dad - was lifted over the turnstile and sat on my Dad's knee in the Hogan Stand.
Do you remember anything about it? Remember walking along the concourse under the Hogan Stand and hearing a roar from the crowd watching the Minor match which stopped me in surprise and made my Dad laugh at the look of shock on my face!

Was at many of the All Ireland Finals in the seventies including the 1972 replay - my earliest vivid recollection of the actual football was at the 1973 All Ireland Final between Cork and Galway - Upper Hogan, on the 14 yard line at the Canal End - me on my Dad's knee, and seated either side my mum and the late John Daly, who was then Armagh Harps manager. In my mind's eye I can still see the shot for a Galway goal that Billy Morgan let cross the line in the Canal End.

[whitey]

1985-Mayo V Dublin AISF

Age 14

Admission-£1 hogan stand for kids

A gang of about 50 of us took the train up from Castlebar without parental supervision

My first introduction to underage drinking

The train on the way home had no lights, so some people used it as an opportunity to play fvck.


The following spring, Mayo played in the League Semi Final V Monaghan. The same crew of characters reassembled and again took over a carriage on the train.  i vividly remember one of the gang gaining access to the intercom and making some very entertaining public service announcements