Paddy Heaney of the irish news!

[cadhlancian]

100% Five Sams. Some characters allright.

About ten tears ago I got a phone call from a good friend from Tralee who was heading up to a Tyrone V Kerry national league match in Dungannon.

The man was Bill Kirby who owned a famous pub in Rock St (supposedly where they have more All Ireland medals than loose change). His son was making his senior debut for Kerry that day, ("young Willim") and the proud father wanted me to meet him for a pint and a chat in a local hotel, and show him where the ground was. He mentioned he had a few good characters with him in the car.

We met in the Inn on the Park, and the crack was mighty, as it always was with Bill, between the horsey chat, the dogs, and football too obviously. His companions for the day were Ned Fitzgerald, Mick O Connell and a football journalist for the Kerryman, not sure if it was Wishie Fogarty or not.

Later we went to the ground together, and got a space along the wire on the far side of the ground, the five of us. At half time Mick O Connell wandered off on his own, "to stretch the legs" and next thing we saw him walking through a gate, onto the middle of the pitch where the subs were kicking around. O Connell proceeded to put approx 5 or 6 kicks over the bar from a full 40 yards, without missing any. He walked off the pitch, cool as you like, and came back to join his original company, for the second half, not a bother, as they say!

William Kirby made his debut that day, the start of a career that wielded three all -ireland medals at midfield. The wee lad I had known since he was about eight years old had grown up, and could now talk in the same currency as so many in his neighbourhood.

His Dad sadly passed away earlier this year, but if Paddy Heaney is in Tralee this week, he should call in with "young Willim", probably pulling pints in Kirbys brogue Inn. It wont be long before he meets the football characters of Tralee, who thankfully I have had the pleasure of meeting on many occasions. And if you do Paddy, tell Mary I miss the old boy.

Just tell them its some fella from Antrim, they`ll know straightaway.

also a great post

[cadhlancian]

Irish News Paddy Heaney

Myths and legends. The GAA is jam-packed with them, particularly when it comes to the business of winning Championships.

Popular folklore would have us believe that a Championship-winning team requires 15 superstars. Of course, people from places that haven't won that many trophies most often expound this theory.

Those in the know realise that nothing could be further from the truth. Fairly average Kerry footballers have been winning All-Ireland medals for the past 100 years.

The same phenomenon applies at club level. Once a parish gets a reputation for breeding winners, the path to glory becomes less rocky. Success can be infectious.

Players from a traditionally successful club will often adopt a poise, confidence, and even arrogance, that is notably absent from teams with no Championship pedigree.

There are some obvious examples in Ulster. Carrickmore spring to mind immediately. How the Carmen footballers have conspired to win their most recent Tyrone Championship titles beggars belief.

Although bereft of any county standard forwards, they've still been able to pick up the O'Neill Cup with routine regularity. The Carrickmore jersey has probably played as big a role in those victories as the men wearing it.

Bellaghy are another prime example. The Wolfe Tone's can win Derry Championships on auto-pilot. Last year they had a thoroughly ordinary team – and still came within a kick of the ball of winning the John McLaughlin Cup.

Clubs like Carrickmore and Bellaghy provide strong evidence that success owes as much to attitude as ability.

For the best example of success fostered in tradition and expectation, we need look no further than Kerry.

If there is a handy All-Ireland title up for grabs, they'll win it.

Sometimes the green and gold jersey is all that is required in Croke Park. Mayo men go weak at the knees when faced with it. Kerry did their almighty best to lose the 1997 All-Ireland final but Mayo still couldn't put them away. Kerry won more by default than by design.

During the last two years we watched Kerry pick up two All-Irelands without having to extend themselves in the showpiece game of the year. The All-Ireland finals of 2006 and 2007 were unmitigated disasters. They'll be remembered as the 'Kerry Cakewalk Years.' Mayo and Cork

capitulated and were crushed.

We shouldn't begrudge Kerry their 34th and 35th All-Ireland crowns. While they take full advantage of their easy route out of Munster, they maintain a consistency that's not matched by any other county.

By the same token, we shouldn't fall into the trap of believing all that 'Kingdom' codswallop that has clearly brainwashed the southern counties.

Kerry footballers are not born any better than the rest of us. If that were the case, they'd have won more than two All-Ireland minor titles during the past 28 years. (In the same

period, Tyrone, Down and Derry have all won three each).

The Kerry people can claim a great deal of the credit for the mythology and mystique that surrounds their teams. Listen to them closely and you'll realise that they rarely criticise their own players. And they'll certainly never disabuse you of the notion that the Kingdom produces a superior specimen of footballer.

We've been drip-fed a diet of stories that Kerry are the custodians of the beautiful game for so long that many no longer question it. They are also commonly regarded as the beholders of good sportsmanship and fair play.

Thankfully, we in the north are a more cynical lot and are less inclined to genuflect at the Kingdom's altar.

The begrudging outcry that emanated from some Kerry mouthpieces following the defeats to Armagh (2002) and Tyrone (2003) proved that they find defeat just as bitter and as unpleasant as the rest of us.

And the conduct of the current senior team has made a total mockery of any suggestion that the Kingdom's footballers are a more angelic bunch than their fellow countrymen.

Aidan O'Mahony's dive showed that some Kerry players are just as willing to cheat as their rivals. This is also a fairly undisciplined Kerry squad. They were missing two first team players at the weekend through suspension. Darragh Ó Sé tried to knock out Pearse O'Neill, while Paul Galvin got three months for knocking the book out of referee Paddy Russell's hand.

But then these Kerry players clearly have an issue with referees, as was evident when they

surrounded Jim White on Sunday.

This is not to say that Kerry are bigger sinners than anyone else. The point is that they are just as flawed as everyone else.

Yet, for all their misbehaviour and misdemeanours, this Kerry side can still be a joy to watch. It was utterly impossible not to admire their silky skills as they chalked up 1-21 during a monsoon against Galway.

We must also credit Kerry for finding the solution to the blanket defence and returning the tactical emphasis to attacking play.

Tyrone smothered Kerry in the 2003 All-Ireland semi-final by deploying an ultra-conservative defensive system.

Tyrone won 0-13 to 0-6. Mickey Harte will realise that it would be impossible to achieve a repeat of that result against a Kerry side containing the twin towers of Kieran Donaghy and Tommy Walsh.

If Tyrone only score 13 points in the final, they'll lose. We've moved swiftly from the era of the blanket defence to the blanket attack – and for this we must pay due homage to a Kerry side that has scored an average of 21 points in their last three games.
Despite the fact that they've won two All-Irelands on the trot and redesigned the template for Gaelic football, it is this Kerry's team major misfortune that question marks hang over their claims to greatness.

This uncertainty exists due to their facile victories against Mayo and Cork. The fact that they've yet to beat Tyrone has undermined their considerable achievements.

Their performances in this year's Championship suggests that they are a good team with a lot of great players. In contrast, Tyrone produce great teamwork with a lot of good players.

They are starkly contrasting teams and it should be a contest to savour. At long last, Kerry are going to face a battle in the All-Ireland final.

Donning the green and gold jersey will not be enough to lift the Sam Maguire Cup this year. Tyrone will not believe in the myths surrounding their opponents. But if Kerry succeed in winning three-in-a-row then this side will be rightly considered as legends of the game.

and tyrone have scored an average 0f 19.5 points over there last 3 games

[Hoof Hearted]

BEARDS. It seems they're all the rage these days. But it was never just a trend for Eoin Liston. He started growing his in the cot.

"I've had it since I was 19 or 20,'' he says. We've never seen the 'Bomber' any other way. The big, graceful bear on the edge of the square. Everyone's favourite full-forward.

He did shave it off once, but not for charity, as is also the trend these days. He took the razor to his cheeks "in Australia in 1990 for the craic".

The 'Bomber' enjoys a bit of merriment, although he does his fair share of charity work.

He sold his seven All-Ireland medals a few years ago because he wanted to donate the proceeds to charity. His offer was publicised by Gay Byrne on The Late Late Show.

"Tim O'Mahony from Toyota bought them. He paid £20,000, which was a fair bit of money at the time, but he returned the medals to me. I still have them."

Those medals have enabled Liston to keep enjoying the craic while doing his bit for worthy causes.

He and his sparring partner, Ogie Moran were special guests at a huge charity golf event that was held in La Manga earlier this year. By all

accounts, they were a non-stop double act for the entire weekend.

"We had a bit of fun. Those medals are still working for us because we are still getting trips here and there.''

In La Manga, they sang and they drank. When Eoin forgot the words, his sidekick Ogie would fill in the gaps. The old co-ordination and chemistry is still there.

They had a ball, although they didn't play much golf. It has always been such with Eoin Liston. Of course, no man wins seven All-Ireland medals without being a driven competitor.

Liston just made it look easy and he sang a few songs and drank a few pints along the way. He retains particular affection for his trips to Ulster for pre-Christmas League games.

"We came up for the craic really. Being honest, our preparation would have left a lot to be desired. If we won the All-Ireland in

September, we didn't take it serious again until the first of March. For a few League matches, after that you would have started to get a wee bit more serious.

"They were just great weekends. Every match is fierce important now. Those games were important like. Some fellas got their fun out of the craic the night before. Some others got their fun out of playing right well on the day of the match. It was different strokes for different folks. We had some great trips up north at that time."

The 'Bomber' will be back in Ulster tonight when he is the guest speaker at The Irish News Allstars and the audience will get a chance to rubs shoulders with the former Kerry star.

Some questions they won't need to ask him are about the origins of his nickname. He's had it since his days as a teenager in south Kerry.

"We played soccer on the beach in Ballybunion every Saturday. Gerd Muller was a lazy fella who used to hang around the square for

Germany. He was playing in the World Cup at that time. It stuck (pronounced 'schtuck').

With his characteristic lightness of touch, he also dismissed the myth that Mick O'Dwyer took him for individual training sessions. The story goes that Micko would play full-back and he'd mark Liston. Micko would get someone to rain high balls on top of them. The Kerry manager would harass, pull and torture the gentle giant, thereby moulding him into the crafty predator that was unleashed on Dublin in 1978.

"Folklore,'' says the softly-spoken Liston, before quietly pointing out that he was on the Kerry U21 squad that won successive All-Ireland crowns in 1976 and 1977.

There was no room for rough diamonds in a group of players that included Charlie Nelligan, Mick Spillane, Seanie Walsh, Pat Spillane, Ogie Moran and Jack O'Shea. They would go on to change the face of Gaelic football and enter the pantheon of all-time great teams.

Dublin couldn't cope with Liston when he was sprung on them in his debut year. The 6 foot 3 inch full-forward scored a hat-trick in the 1978 final. He was also at his lightest ever weight, "13 stone 11  and that was with my appendix out as well''.

He grew with each medal. "I was 16' 3'' when I played my last game for Kerry," he says with a wry grin.

The 'Bomber' won his medals in two sequences. There was the run of four-in-a-row from '78 to '81. Then, the three-in-a-row from '84 to '86.

The current side will attempt to emulate their famous predecessors next Sunday. They're going for their third title on the trot. Were it not for Tyrone's victory against them in 2005, Darragh O Se and the boys would be going for five in-a-row.

Liston acknowledged that that defeat to Tyrone, and the one in 2003, have stung Kerry.

"Beating Tyrone in a final is huge from our point of view. There is no talk about a three in-a-row. It is just about beating Tyrone and getting this one. The players feel that it would diminish their other two if they don't beat Tyrone.

"People in Kerry are just happy to win this match by a point and to beat Tyrone more so than anything else."

The 'Bomber' is also convinced that the battle on the sidelines will have a huge influence in dictating the final outcome.

"I think tactics are going to play a big part in this game. Are we going to be playing everything into Kieran Donaghy? Or do we have a Plan B and a Plan C?"

The 52-year-old has huge respect for Tyrone, but he also thinks Kerry have moved on since their defeat to the Red Hands in 2005.

"The last time we played Tyrone, we didn't have Kieran Donaghy, Paul Galvin, Tommy Walsh or Killian Young. This team has evolved.

Tyrone have also lost Peter Canavan and he is a huge loss."

It's also evident that Liston is no navel-gazing Kerry fan. He knows the Tyrone squad inside out and has a keen appreciation of its scoring potential.

"All the six forwards score. And they have Mulligan and O'Neill on the bench. That's eight very good scorers. Then you have McGinley at midfield, who was a forward.

Jordan, McMenamin, Harte and Gormley can all score from defence. That's 13 players who can score. Sure that's unbelievable."

The 'Bomber' will no doubt be aware that 14 Kerry men have scored in this year's Championship. But the old habits die hard and Kerry men have to watch what they say.

Liston is surrounded by former comrades at the branch of the Nationwide Bank that he manages in the centre of Tralee. Charlie Nelligan has a bakery and coffee shop a few doors up. A little further up the street, Mick O'Dwyer has a fast food outlet. Across the road, Eoin points out a financial consultancy business owned by Seanie Walsh.

"He also owns half the town and you have my permission to print that,'' he says.

Thankfully, the 'Bomber" is one Kerry man who never took it all too seriously.

[ONeill]

Excitement in the Kingdom is not a matter of painted sheep

There is no banner of Kieran Donaghy draped over a pub in Tralee. No sheep dyed green and gold in Cahirciveen. No painted cars in Killarney.

There is no bunting in the Kingdom. Driving into the county from Limerick, the first town I entered was Abbeyfeale. There was scarcely a flag.

Truth be told, there were two. I counted them. One was outside a hardware shop, the other hung from the bank. Castleisland was much the same.

There are more flags in Killarney. But one suspects they are there to brighten the place up for the tourists. It has been raining for several months.

But you can't blame the Kerry folk for the absence of the mania that is par for the course in Ulster when a team reaches the All-Ireland final.

Kerry teams have qualified for seven of the nine finals since the turn of the century.

Let's be honest. It's not a huge novelty. However, this is not to say that they are in any way blase about the outcome of next Sunday's game.

Flags go up and flags go down, but a Kerry man's obsession with football is permanent.

Jimmy O'Brien is a good example. He's an old timer. He wears a shirt and tie, a jacket, and braces for his trousers. Nearly 80, he still goes to all the Kerry games in Croke Park. He was also at this year's National League final in Parnell Park.

His passions are football and music. As I returned from the newsagent yesterday morning, I met Jimmy. He was leaving his pub (completely unattended) to do a message.

As we chatted, Weeshie Fogarty drove past. Weeshie joined us after parking/abandoning his car on the main street in Killarney with the keys in the ignition.

The craic was good. Jimmy had heard Dungiven's Francie Brolly at various fleadhs over the years. He was able to imitate him perfectly.

Weeshie insisted that Jimmy should sing me a few songs. We ended up back in the pub while Weeshie's car was left double-parked with the

engine running. We were there for some time.

It was all songs and stories. Songs and stories about Kerry and Kerry footballers.

Yet, it would be grossly misleading to suggest these Kerry men are interested only in their own domain.

Nothing could be further from the case. While we in Ulster may have a certain fascination with Kerry, they also have a certain fascination with Tyrone.

Jimmy O'Brien is a huge fan of the Tyrone minor team. He relished Kyle Coney's recent exhibition against Meath and is sorely

disappointed the Ardboe lad is heading to Australia.

And all the Kerry men, without exception, are particularly interested in Mickey Harte. Nearly everyone I met asked me about the Tyrone manager. "What is he really like?" they asked.

Mick O'Connell admires Harte and loves his unequivocal criticism of the International Rules Series.

Maurice Fitzgerald totally agreed with Harte's decision to recall Stephen O'Neill for the final.

"You should do anything you can that will help you win an All-Ireland final because winning is heaven," said Maurice. He didn't need to say what hell is.

Eoin Liston was intrigued to discover who Harte will put on Colm Cooper. 'The Bomber' reckons Conor Gormley will mark Kieran Donaghy and Justin McMahon will pick up Tommy Walsh.

'The Bomber' realises that leaves Harte with a decision to make. Does he deploy Ryan McMenamin on Cooper and sacrifice Ricey's

attacking skills from the half-back line? Or does Harte keep the tried and tested formation and put Ciaran Gourley on him?

"The game could hinge on who marks the Gooch,'' said 'The Bomber'.

The Kerry cognoscenti will watch Harte's moves closely. Their huge respect for him is obvious.

But then, this county is all too aware of the influence one great manager can wield.

Tyrone have Mickey. Kerry had Micko.

After I interviewed Eoin Liston in Tralee on Wednesday evening, I went in search of a bite to eat.

A few doors up from the bank where Liston works, I saw a fast food outlet called 'Micko's'.

'Could it possibly be? I thought. The green and gold chairs were the first clue. The green and gold menu was the second. The sight of a familiar face winking down from the walls confirmed my suspicions.

Micko's grinning face is also on the food cartons, the cups... everything really.

Kentucky has Colonel Sanders. Kerry has Mick O'Dwyer.

Of course not all the attention in Kerry is focused on Harte's tactical manoeuvres. The question of whether Pat O'Shea should start Paul Galvin is the number one talking point in Kerry this week.

The topic is discussed on bar stools, on the street, on the radio and in newspapers. Interestingly, the decision does not rest solely with Kerry manager Pat O'Shea.

While Ulster managers enjoy a Stalinist control of team selection, Kerry still operate a selection system.

Pat O'Shea has two selectors, Sean Geaney and Dave Geaney (no relation) and all three men get a vote. It has always been this way.

At one stage in the 1930s, there were 13 selectors. Although a democratic process, it has caused some huge controversies.

An incredible incident took place before the 1953 All-Ireland final between Kerry and Armagh.

John Joe Sheehy, a former Kerry great, was one of five selectors. John Joe's son, Paudie was captain of the team. He played at wing

half-forward.

When the five selectors sat down to pick the 15 men who would start the All-Ireland final, John Joe left the room when they came to decide who would wear the jersey normally worn by his son.

When John Joe returned to the room, his son was no longer on the team and Jas Murphy was the new team captain.

These Kerry men take their football pretty seriously. Their attitude is captured in a verse of a song that I heard in Jimmy O'Brien's pub

yesterday afternoon. (The lyrics were written by the late Gary McMahon, a good friend of Jimmy's, who won an All-Ireland medal with Kerry in 1962).

You cannot box or bottle it or grasp it in your hand, But pride of place and love of race inspired a love of land,Time honoured is our birthright you will never break the mould,That's deep within the soul of us that wear the green and gold.

When Jimmy delivered the last line, he couldn't help himself. It was a reflex action. With a clenched fist and eyes alight, he shouted: "Bring on Tyrone."

Like I say, there may be no bunting, but these Kerry men are every bit as excited about this game as they are in Tyrone.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Someone should have broken it to him that Abbeyfeale is actually in Limerick, and not Kerry (like Strabane isn't in Donegal, and Lifford isn't in Tyrone)!

[JMohan]

100% Five Sams. Some characters allright.

About ten tears ago I got a phone call from a good friend from Tralee who was heading up to a Tyrone V Kerry national league match in Dungannon.

The man was Bill Kirby who owned a famous pub in Rock St (supposedly where they have more All Ireland medals than loose change). His son was making his senior debut for Kerry that day, ("young Willim") and the proud father wanted me to meet him for a pint and a chat in a local hotel, and show him where the ground was. He mentioned he had a few good characters with him in the car.

We met in the Inn on the Park, and the crack was mighty, as it always was with Bill, between the horsey chat, the dogs, and football too obviously. His companions for the day were Ned Fitzgerald, Mick O Connell and a football journalist for the Kerryman, not sure if it was Wishie Fogarty or not.

Later we went to the ground together, and got a space along the wire on the far side of the ground, the five of us. At half time Mick O Connell wandered off on his own, "to stretch the legs" and next thing we saw him walking through a gate, onto the middle of the pitch where the subs were kicking around. O Connell proceeded to put approx 5 or 6 kicks over the bar from a full 40 yards, without missing any. He walked off the pitch, cool as you like, and came back to join his original company, for the second half, not a bother, as they say!

William Kirby made his debut that day, the start of a career that wielded three all -ireland medals at midfield. The wee lad I had known since he was about eight years old had grown up, and could now talk in the same currency as so many in his neighbourhood.

His Dad sadly passed away earlier this year, but if Paddy Heaney is in Tralee this week, he should call in with "young Willim", probably pulling pints in Kirbys brogue Inn. It wont be long before he meets the football characters of Tralee, who thankfully I have had the pleasure of meeting on many occasions. And if you do Paddy, tell Mary I miss the old boy.

Just tell them its some fella from Antrim, they`ll know straightaway.

I was there that day.

The only thing you I can correct in it was that he actually climbed over the wire on to the top of the dugout!!!! 

He proceded to demand the ball from Jamsie O'Connor the Kerry sub, who wasn't sure whether to give it to him or not since the GAA had introduced the 'no subs kicking around at half time rule' ... anyway yup he started kicking around.

I had heard a story about him in Waterford a few months ago and I pointed to him on the field and said 'there is Mick O'Connell' ... I was laughed at and told 'go home and rest your head' ... but an old man behind me told the others ... hang on that was Micko ... he said no one has that style of kicking only Micko.

Nearly as crazy a story about him soloing turnips in the garden ....!!!

[tyssam5]

The 52-year-old has huge respect for Tyrone, but he also thinks Kerry have moved on since their defeat to the Red Hands in 2005.

"The last time we played Tyrone, we didn't have Kieran Donaghy, Paul Galvin, Tommy Walsh or Killian Young. This team has evolved.
--------------------------------------------------
Well I know Galvin wasn't quite the household name he is now back in 2005, but surely the 'Bomber' should know he was in the starting 15 for the 2005 final?

[Seamus]

Hopefully before The Bomber is 52 years old we will be celebrating 4 in a row.

[AFS]

The Armagh that we played in '06 was, in my book, a great team that in fact should have won a second All-Ireland.

"I tried to pick up a lot of things from Armagh. They played that good, diagonal ball into their full-forward line and showed great kicking out of defence.

"They had a fantastic system of play and I'd be big into trying to get a team to play to a particular system. I thought Armagh's was an awesome system.

"In the first half, the Armagh machine was functioning at its peak and we were just hanging on by our finger-tips. But Donaghy's goal just after half-time turned that game�"


Considering we don't have an awful lot to shout about at the minute, its good to hear that if this current Kerry side do complete the great 3 in-a-row feat that Armagh will have had a good deal of influence in the way they went about it.

I'd also like to give a bit of praise for Paddy Heaney. He comes under a bit of stick at times but I'd have to say I thoroughly enjoyed all his articles this week

[ONeill]

The 52-year-old has huge respect for Tyrone, but he also thinks Kerry have moved on since their defeat to the Red Hands in 2005.

"The last time we played Tyrone, we didn't have Kieran Donaghy, Paul Galvin, Tommy Walsh or Killian Young. This team has evolved.
--------------------------------------------------
Well I know Galvin wasn't quite the household name he is now back in 2005, but surely the 'Bomber' should know he was in the starting 15 for the 2005 final?

Yes, a rare comment from the bomber. The most iconic image from the '05 final was Mulligan catching the ball, barely challenged by a timid Galvin, in the move that set up God's goal.

[tyssam5]

The 52-year-old has huge respect for Tyrone, but he also thinks Kerry have moved on since their defeat to the Red Hands in 2005.

"The last time we played Tyrone, we didn't have Kieran Donaghy, Paul Galvin, Tommy Walsh or Killian Young. This team has evolved.
--------------------------------------------------
Well I know Galvin wasn't quite the household name he is now back in 2005, but surely the 'Bomber' should know he was in the starting 15 for the 2005 final?

Yes, a rare comment from the bomber. The most iconic image from the '05 final was Mulligan catching the ball, barely challenged by a timid Galvin, in the move that set up God's goal.

You must be recalling that wrong O'Neill. Galvin is a half-forward for Kerry, what would he be doing back in the edge of his own square, sure that's puke football.

[the green man]

Christ can a man not make a mistake ( or maybe Heaney made it knowing that them lot would bounce on it ) I'd say Listons opinions would gather more support throughout the country than youse two lachicos

[ONeill]

Christ can a man not make a mistake ( or maybe Heaney made it knowing that them lot would bounce on it ) I'd say Listons opinions would gather more support throughout the country than youse two lachicos

Heaney stated today: A few doors up from the bank where Liston works, I saw a fast food outlet called 'Micko's'. 'Could it possibly be? I thought. The green and gold chairs were the first clue. The green and gold menu was the second. The sight of a familiar face winking down from the walls confirmed my suspicions. Micko's grinning face is also on the food cartons, the cups... everything really.

Yet 2 days earlier he claimed that Liston told him this. Heaney's losing it.

[the green man]

The wife works up in Derry and she tells tells me that she heard Phil Coulter practising some song about Cahirciveen in the Millenium Forum

[5 Sams]

Excelled himself again today with a great piece on Maurice Fitz.....sorry I cant put it up....maybe someone else will oblige....Goldenyears?/