All Ireland Gold Tonight - Dublin Galway 83

[cicfada]

I was sitting in the Cusack that day and the tension was unreal!! That day really set back Galway football years and I remember so many  people saying that they would support the hurlers from then on!! After all that was the third AI lost in 10 years and 4th in 12 years!! God those misses were terrible at the time and so much worse when I saw them again tonight on the box!! Straight in front of goals 14 yards out and to kick it wide so many times!!! Tension really got to the players in that match. Ciaran Duff was a bloody good player but that incident really  gave him a reputation he didn't deserve!! Brian Mullins was another tough player, I remember he was so embarassed that night on TV. He said he was ashamed and apologised  to his family!!Budgie was a huge loss to Galway when he got sent off,  he went on to play for Mayo afterwards with little success!98 made up for it though, I suppose noone expected Galway to win anything at all for years after 83 and it would have brought in a low expectation threshold!Dublin did what they had to do to win and were the better footballers at the end of the day!It's nice to see Brian Talty had no problems going to play in  Dubln afterwards and indeed is now on the Dublin management setup!!

[Jell 0 Biafra]

The Jackeens were poxed lucky in 1983, only for Tadhg Murphy's late goal in the Munster final, Dublin would not have beaten Kerry like the langers rolled over for them. Jaysus they were a filthy shower in 83 though but we sorted them out out in 84 and 85 with a team of old men.

And only one All Ireland since for the Jackeens , its comical.

Is that really KM playing the "soft All-Ireland" card?   

I've heard it all now.

[orangeman]

Was that the end of John Gough as an intercounty referee after having the audacity to send 3 Dubs off ?? 

[GaillimhIarthair]

I was sitting in the Cusack that day and the tension was unreal!! That day really set back Galway football years and I remember so many  people saying that they would support the hurlers from then on!! After all that was the third AI lost in 10 years and 4th in 12 years!! God those misses were terrible at the time and so much worse when I saw them again tonight on the box!! Straight in front of goals 14 yards out and to kick it wide so many times!!! Tension really got to the players in that match. Ciaran Duff was a bloody good player but that incident really  gave him a reputation he didn't deserve!! Brian Mullins was another tough player, I remember he was so embarassed that night on TV. He said he was ashamed and apologised  to his family!!Budgie was a huge loss to Galway when he got sent off,  he went on to play for Mayo afterwards with little success!98 made up for it though, I suppose noone expected Galway to win anything at all for years after 83 and it would have brought in a low expectation threshold!Dublin did what they had to do to win and were the better footballers at the end of the day!It's nice to see Brian Talty had no problems going to play in  Dubln afterwards and indeed is now on the Dublin management setup!!

Tierney didn't transfer to Mayo until 1991 & should never have been sent off that day (nor Hazley).  It was Peter Lee (I think) that started that schimozzle ! It was a bad bad day for Galway football and probably did set us back 10 - 15 years. 

[The Hill is Blue]

It's nice to see Brian Talty had no problems going to play in  Dubln afterwards and indeed is now on the Dublin management setup

..with Ciarán Duff   

[furboot]

enjoyed the program - was at that match but think that that final made the news for the wrong reasons - for football that year it was Dublin Cork - especially the replay. Had forgotten that Galway were lucky to get past Donegal that year in the semi.
By the way I see that 83 final is on dvd at these guys www.dvdsales.ie

[Mike Sheehy]

Jesus it was terrible viewing. Compare it to the Ulster final the following year when McGuigan tore it up. Maybe it was conditons, nerves, or maybe it was the MIKASA GLOVES, but the basic skills of the two best teams in the land that day were seriously lacking! At times that was like watching an u-12 game!

That Ulster final was probably the worst display of Gaelic Football defence that I have ever seen. Sure they were practically falling overthemselves to let him score.

[Rossfan]

It was a bad bad day for Galway football and probably did set us back 10 - 15 years. 

Well ye all stopped goin' to see them till 1998 anyway 

[spectator]

From anfearrua


The Game of Shame: Dublin v Galway 1983
Monday 26th November
RTE 1
7.30pm

All-Ireland Final day is the most important day of the year in the GAA calendar and many games have gone down in history as unforgettable classics which enthralled the nation.

Unfortunately the 1983 Football Final between Dublin and Galway is remembered for all the wrong reasons. It was a game full of thuggery and ugliness, where 4 players were sent off and others were lucky not to join them.

"People had witnessed something never seen before, an All-Ireland final where one team finished with 12 men and the other team with 14."
Mártan Ó Ciardha, Raidió na Gaeltachta

It is impossible to locate the exact source of the disgraceful scenes which marred the final as there was no history of violence in previous clashes between the sides. Ironically both Dublin and Galway were lucky to have reached the final at all, as both needed late goals in the semi-finals to stay in the championship. Dublin salvaged a draw with Cork thanks to a Barney Rock goal in injury time before beating them in a memorable replay in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, while Galway defeated an unlucky Donegal thanks to a Brian O'Donnell strike.

GAA fans were looking forward to the final in '83 as both counties had a proud footballing tradition, and it was also the first final since 1977 that didn't involve Kerry. Conditions were terrible on the day of the match with the gale force wind and driving rain making it impossible for the players to play constructive football, and the physical battle was more intense than usual. The game was full of dangerous sliding tackles and heated exchanges between players was frequent.

"If you study the match again, the first dig was thrown by Galway."
Barney Rock, Dublin Player

"We would be getting stuck in there's no doubt about that. There's no point in playing Gaelic Football unless you're going to get stuck into the guy."
Brian Talty, Galway Player

Barney Rock scored a bizarre goal from 40 years after a poor free-out from Galway goalkeeper Padraig Coyne. Galway protested claiming that the goal should not have been allowed due to Dublin manager Kevin Heffernan interfering with play as he attended to the injured Joe McNally, but referee John Gough did not agree and the goal stood.

Then things turned sour for Dublin. After a tussle in midfield, Dublin legend Brian Mullins swung back his arm and connected with Brian Talty, sending him crashing to the ground. The referee decided to send Mullins off.

"If I look back on it, a lot of thoughts run through my mind. It happened and I had to accept it."
Brian Mullins, Dublin Player

"It's hard to remember back because it was such a hard belt! The memory of it is nearly gone, or maybe I don't want to remember."
Brian Talty, Galway Player

Shortly before half-time a number of players clashed beneath the Hogan Stand and to the crowds amazement John Gough decided to send off a player from each side, Ray Hazley from Dublin and Tomás Tierney of Galway.

"In my view neither player deserved to be given their marching orders. But perhaps another one of our players was lucky that he wasn't sent off."
Stephen Joyce, Galway Player

The referee's whistle for half-time brought a ceasefire of sorts, however players clashed in the tunnel and although rumours circulated for years about the incident, whatever happened in the tunnel stayed in the tunnel. Interestingly though, Brian Talty of Galway never returned for the second half.

"Brian Mullins came in after for Brian Talty. I ran in and stood in his way."
Stephen Joyce, Galway Player

Five minutes after the restart another unsavoury incident led to the dismissal of Ciaran Duff of Dublin after he kicked Galway's Pat O'Neill while he was on the ground. All of a sudden it was 14 men against 12 on a day which did nothing for the reputation of Gaelic football or for the GAA.

"I'm sure Ciaran will always look back on it as a moment of madness."
Barney Rock, Dublin Player

Dublin's '12 Apostles' defended superbly against the onslaught of Galway attacks and held out for a famous win by a margin of 2 points, but the controversy tended to overshadow the Dubs' great achievement.

After the match some Galway officials depicted Dublin as a squad of hitmen with no regard for decency or fair play. In reality Galway's inept use of 2 extra men was the main reason of their downfall.

"The '12 Apostles' had beaten us. It wasn't easy to take."
Stephen Joyce, Galway Player

The following morning's newspapers coverage had very little to do with the actual game, but focused on the ugliness of the match and also reported on the poor supervision at exits and the terrible crushing in the Canal End and on Hill 16, where a fan was stabbed. There were reports of clashes amongst supporters after the match and of buses full of Galway fans being stoned as they left Dublin.

"For the first time in my life I was really scared at a football match. People were pushing and shoving."
Antoin Delap, GAA Fan

"I was in the Hill. I was 13 at the time and the one thing you can't forget was the sheer crush in the crowd. It was frightening."
David Whelan, Dublin Fan

The pressure was on the GAA authorities to act fast and deal with the controversy on the pitch, but it took weeks for the organisation to sort out all the disciplinary matters arising from the final. When the punishments were announced Dublin felt aggrieved believing they were handed far too much of the responsibility for the controversies.

Ciaran Duff was banned for 12 months, Brian Mullins for 5 months, their manager Kevin Heffernan received a 3 month ban while Ray Hazley got a month. 2 players from Galway, Tomás Tierney and Peter Lee were both suspended for 1 month each. Both county boards were also fined.

"At the end of the day it was a major achievement. Everyone had a winners medal and we were extremely proud."
Brian Mullins, Dublin Player

This week's episode of Scannal relives that infamous final of 1983 through the eyes of 4 players involved, Brian Mullins and Barney Rock of Dublin and Brian Talty and Stephen Joyce of Galway along with extensive use of the match footage. The players talk about the build-up to the match, the conditions on the day, the sendings-off, the tunnel incident and the aftermath.

We hear the views of Mártan Ó Ciardha of Raidió na Gaeltachta who was working in Croke Park on the day of the match. Two fans also recall how much they feared for their well-being due to the overcrowding in both terraces.

[Kerry Mike]

Is that really KM playing the "soft All-Ireland" card?

Yerra tis, but you have to take the soft All Irelands when they come along, and they all count in the bigger picture. And as we always say to the Cork people, shure if they were that "easy" to win everyone even the Langers would be at it.

[mouview]

Galway were a bit unlucky in '87 - they really should have held on against Cork in the drawn semi when they conceded a late pointed free to Tompkins. I remember Mattie Coleman kicking a sideline in-field in the last minute when he should have hoofed it way down the line. The  late John Joyce, just out of minor, had a whale of a game at wing-forward. Galway were bet sick in the replay - had they reached the final against Meath, their good head-to-head record might have stood to them.