The first match you saw in Croke Park

[moysider]

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.

[Syferus]

What age were you? 7
Who was playing, what year  ? Galway vs Offaly, 1980
Who did you go with ? The ould lad and his uncle and John Tull Dunne
Do you remember anything about it ? Seeing the word "Gaillimh" on the scoreboard and wondering what it meant.The queues for the toilets and the speed required, Crisps and Fanta, leaving the sisters at home and partaking in the world of big men

Do you know young Cyril Dunne? Should as him about Tadg Mannion, Gerry O'Malley's Brigids and Roscommon HB partner and the hat incident.

Wear a hard-hat.

syf

I couldn't give a flying f### about Roscommon fuball, even though the mother is from Ros. Go and win an all Ireland so you have something more recent than 1944 to regale us with.

Oh, it's very much about Galway football..

[naka]

age 9
all Ireland semi final replay 1977 Armagh v Roscommon( we won by a point)
missed mass for the first time to get the bus(£2.50 return), had a wooden rattly, and a white tee shirt which had up Armagh written on it in black marker
went with my 18 year old brother our first time ever in dublin
remember the pitch invasion and I got my photo in the final day programme( my mother kept it in the house til she died)

[inexile]

age 9
all Ireland semi final replay 1977 Armagh v Roscommon( we won by a point)
missed mass for the first time to get the bus(£2.50 return), had a wooden rattly, and a white tee shirt which had up Armagh written on it in black marker
went with my 18 year old brother our first time ever in dublin
remember the pitch invasion and I got my photo in the final day programme( my mother kept it in the house til she died)

Nice memory.

[moysider]

Age - go away from around me! Depressed enough as it is.

1978 - Mayo lose a high scoring game to Dublin. The habit started early for me. Back then a league title meant a bit.

Attended with 2 brothers.

Memories. Liam Donoghue scored 2 goals. I m sure we were a rabble though. Fine players in our team but Dublin were organised. We had so many top players in 60s and 70s that were let down so badly by ? as well as letting the real supporters and kids like me down. The last 25 years are a golden era in comparison. It was a mess.

[bennydorano]

I was 8 or 9 when Down beat Armagh in the Nfl final in 82/83. I had to wiki it there to check that it wasn't monaghan as my 2 earliest Croke Park memories are 2 League Final defeats! Monaghan came in 85. I remember the Monaghan match more clearly as there was a looney Monaghan fan quite close to us who was lucky he wasn't threw overboard from our Upper Hogan perch. I can smell the stale drink, fag smoke & cheese & onion from here.

[rrhf]

85 national league semi final draw v monaghan. Age 9. With my father and a few club men.  I remember getting over the turn styles and a cheeky dub steward getting grabbed by the throat by a monaghan man for some reason. Monaghan won the replay in Armagh.

[Hardy]

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.

[Ciarrai_thuaidh]

Age 7, National League Final 1987, Kerry v Dublin.

There was a decent crowd at it and I remember the noise if not too much about the game. First concrete memories would be the 1991 semi v Down. Remember Maurice Fitz hitting the crossbar twice in the first half and the noise and colour of the Down fans. Wasn't the best day but glad I got to see that Down team play in the flesh, especially Linden..one of my all time favourite players.

[rosnarun]

1977 AI semi final Armagh V Roscommon

Memories include £2.50 return train fare from Portadown to Dublin.3 punts admission to Hogan and a brilliant comeback by Armagh to earn a draw! Craic coming home on train was something else!

no need for punts im 1977

[ross4life]

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.

Yes John Morley is regarded as one of Mayos best ever centre half backs.

Gordon kicked his first football in the same town as Shane Curran,Mickey Freyne,Harry Keegan,Derek Duggan etc..  Moved to Galway & won All Ireland with Salthill-Knocknacarra in 2006 hes currently one of their selectors.

[ballela-angel]

"So it looks like I am provisional oldest lemon here until some auld timers like Hardy and Lar naParka row in - My money's on Ballela Angel, win double for the best story as well. Don't let me down now BA!"

I think I am from the submittals so far - 1959 AI semi-final, Down V Galway - We got stuffed! - I was 7 and cried my eyes out watching Leo Murphy have an awful day against Sean Purcell, as Leo was best buddies with the fella who was dating one of my sisters at the time - I remember the rake of bicycles in Dublin on Clonliffe Road - Not sure which story's Passedit is referring to

[ballela-angel]

Oops! Apologies to Don Corleone there - I just read his post and he beat me by a couple of years - Looks like we're both old geezers!

[passedit]

"So it looks like I am provisional oldest lemon here until some auld timers like Hardy and Lar naParka row in - My money's on Ballela Angel, win double for the best story as well. Don't let me down now BA!"

I think I am from the submittals so far - 1959 AI semi-final, Down V Galway - We got stuffed! - I was 7 and cried my eyes out watching Leo Murphy have an awful day against Sean Purcell, as Leo was best buddies with the fella who was dating one of my sisters at the time - I remember the rake of bicycles in Dublin on Clonliffe Road - Not sure which story's Passedit is referring to

Wrong on both counts for me which is why I don't gamble. Was thinking of a great seat you had for one of the games, now thinking that wasn't Croke. Memory not what it used to be!

[T Fearon]

I'll bet Hardy was there on Bloody Sunday, but he's not letting on!