The first match you saw in Croke Park

[ardal]

10 years old

Armagh vs Roscommon (1980 I think)

There with the lads from the athletics club

Sitting in the Hogan watching my dad walking around the edge of the pitch at the same time as the teams took the field, as he'd arrived late

[passedit]

So it looks like I am provisional oldest lemon here until some auld timers like Hardy and Lar naParka row in.

I would guess Hardy was at the 1967 AIF at the very least (perhaps the Leinster final that year)  whereas LnP was surely there in for the AI semi in 1967 or 1969.

My money's on Ballela Angel, win double for the best story as well. Don't let me down now BA!

First for me was 78 AISF. Cathal Digney got the line in the first half, ref got a shower of half drunk coke cans at half time from the Hogan stand and Down got stuffed.

[ONeill]

13
Monaghan 0-6 Cork 1-14, 1988
Derrytresk club trip
Think Canavan played for Tyrone minors.

[brokencrossbar1]

I was about 15yrs old
It was an All Ireland club Final on St Patricks Day in the early nineties
Went with two friends
I remember the hails stones battin the face of me.

1994, Bellaghy in the football final and there was a fierce snow storm.

[5 Sams]

So it looks like I am provisional oldest lemon here until some auld timers like Hardy and Lar naParka row in.

I would guess Hardy was at the 1967 AIF at the very least (perhaps the Leinster final that year)  whereas LnP was surely there in for the AI semi in 1967 or 1969.

I'm afraid to say you're not...see my reply earlier...


What age were you? 13
Who was playing, what year  ? Down minors 1977
Who did you go with ? Lads from the club.
Do you remember anything about it ? Down won, it pissed rain and Dublin hammered some other crowd in the other match

[Farrandeelin]

What age were you? 9
Who was playing, what year? Mayo and Meath 1996 AIF (draw)
Who was with you? My Dad
What do you remember? Being stuck in the second row from the back of the Upper (New) Cusack Stand. Dad opening a bottle of coke and it fizzing out on some poor person's jacket! The view over Dublin when we first took our seats. Mary Robinson getting a great reception from the Mayo fans. The silence at the end of the game.

[Craigyhill Terror]

What age were you? 8
Who was playing, what year ? Galway v Kilkenny All-Ireland hurling final, 1987
Who did you go with ? My dad
Do you remember anything about it ? Virtually nothing of the match apart from the reaction in the crowd when Noel Lane scored Galway's goal, though couldn't actually see the goal. Clearest memory is the scoreboard flashing up the news Stephen Roche had won the World Championship

[Don Corleone]

Age: Not telling, but old enough to have my own ticket.
Game: 1956 AI Final Galway defeated Cork and Dublin routed Leitrim minors.
With: Poppa Don and older brother Francesco.
Memories: The huge crowd obviously. Frank Stockwell unerring. A monumental fetch by Denis Bernard of Cork over Purcell and Mattie Mac. The Cork f/f Neilly Duggan blazing wide with it in the melting pot. The late Des Foley of Dublin ruling the roost in the minor final. Poppa Don effing and blinding that he was surely 21/22.

As a footnote, I was about 5 rows back in the old Cusack directly behind Louth's Kevin Behan the following year when he pointed a 40yd. sideline ball off his "bad" side. Cork again the victims.

[Lar Naparka]

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.

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

What age were you?
13

Who was playing, what year?
1992
National League Semi Finals: Derry v Meath and Dublin v Tyrone

Who did you go with?
Father and Brother.

Do you remember anything about it?
Derry winning.
Sat in the lower Hogan almost on the half way line. 
Not a massive crowd for the two games.
Standing at the back of the lower Hogan waiting on the final whistle to go in the second game to start the run/sprint for the car so we could beat the north bound traffic.

Was Derry and Tyrone in the final that year, pretty sure the whole Mitchels underage and maybe the adult teams went to the league final that year. I was quite puzzled by a guy who kept shouting come on Londonderry (I think he was a Londonderryman brought to the match by his Derrywoman wife).

[Throw ball]

Age 8
Match: Armagh v Roscommon 1977 semi final replay.
With: Dad, uncle and brother.
Memory: returning to the car to find it had been broken in to.

[brokencrossbar1]

6
'92 AI Final
On the father's lap, sleeping.
Woken up as the minor game entered injury time 'to see Armagh get the cup'. Meath fluke a goal to win by one and Armagh don't get the cup.

Feck,  I always thought you were someone a lot older than that!!!! 

[Estimator]

What age were you?
13

Who was playing, what year?
1992
National League Semi Finals: Derry v Meath and Dublin v Tyrone

Who did you go with?
Father and Brother.

Do you remember anything about it?
Derry winning.
Sat in the lower Hogan almost on the half way line. 
Not a massive crowd for the two games.
Standing at the back of the lower Hogan waiting on the final whistle to go in the second game to start the run/sprint for the car so we could beat the north bound traffic.

Was Derry and Tyrone in the final that year, pretty sure the whole Mitchels underage and maybe the adult teams went to the league final that year. I was quite puzzled by a guy who kept shouting come on Londonderry (I think he was a Londonderryman brought to the match by his Derrywoman wife).

Yeah, Derry / Tyrone final. Derry won by two after a brilliant goal from Tohill from 45yds.
Was in the Upper Hogan for that.

[magpie seanie]

What age were you? 12.
Who was playing, what year?  Mayo V. Meath 1998 AI Senior Football Semi Final. Actually don't think I've been to Croker with that brother since.
Who did you go with? My brother and the rest of our county champion U-12 winning squad and mentors.
Do you remember anything about it?  Mayo lost. Trying to see Michael Lyster in the box behind us in the Nally Stand.

You have just done what I did earlier and got your years mixed up. Galway won Connacht in 1998.

Do you mean the 1988 match I was talking about earlier?

Yeah - it's gas cos when I read your post I immediately said - it must have been 1988! Then I go and make a typo!

[Tubberman]

Age: 10
Who was playing: Roscommon v Cork 1990 AISF. (We were living in Roscommon at the time).
Who did you go with: Dad and a couple of his friends. The guy driving had a merc and it had a carphone in it. Was fascinated, he even let me ring home.
Do you remember anything: Mainly being up so high, in the old Hogan stand. Remember thinking Roscommon had done alright.

If you asked my father, he'd say my first match. He's adamant he brought me to the final in 89, but I vividly remember watching it on telly at home. Wouldn't forget that one....