1989 All-Ireland Final

[Farrandeelin]

I recorded the GAA Gold from Sunday which dealt with all things 1989. I am too young to remember the whole thing. I appreciate there aren't as many Mayo posters here anymore, but those of you who do remember it, what was it like? Was the county in full on hype mode ala 1996? Was it one of those that got away finals? Or were Cork better than the 6 point winning margin? How much would 'Finnerty's miss' have put between the teams*?

* I believe Mayo were winning at that stage but stand to be corrected.

Fans from other counties opinions appreciated too of course, if ye read it.

[An Watcher]

I vaguely remember being at the semi final when Mayo beat Tyrone.  I think Tyrone minors might have won but years blend together back then

[GAABoardMod5]

All-Ireland Final 1989 Mayo v Cork on youtube:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0OT_jXgY4o

[6th sam]

I went with my dad, a Mayo man in 1989. There was a sense that Cork were a notch above Mayo at that time. So we went in more hope than confidence. It reminded me of Tyrone in 1986 , in that even  when Mayo were in ascendancy, you felt that they would need a slice of luck to get over the line.
Remarkable to compare Mayo's supporters' psyché going into that final with Down supporters 2 years later. We fully expected to win the All-Ireland despite coming from nowhere , to tackle a legendary Meath team on top of their game. Down again came out of nowhere in 2010 and should have got over the line. In Downs 6 all ireland appearances they had quality scoring forwards . Galway and Tyrone are of a similar ilk. Sadly , I think Mayo have lacked two things that are required to win All-Ireland's : belief and established flare forwards , and the two are intertwined . Conroy and O'Dinoghue were making the right waves but got injured. They'll be back and may be enough to get Mayo over the line eventually , but ultimately Mayo football  needs to promote flare scoring  forwards in club and county football . Aodhán O'shea's 2 yard handpasses aren't going to win Mayo N All-Ireland, but an on-fire Ryan o'Donoghue may well  do so in the next couple of years.

[clarshack]

I vaguely remember being at the semi final when Mayo beat Tyrone.  I think Tyrone minors might have won but years blend together back then

An excellent Derry minor team won the All-Ireland that year.

I sort of recall that everyone expected Cork to win after losing the previous 2 finals to Meath.

Wasn't this game shown live on Channel 4 as well?

[From the Bunker]

I was at the game in the old Canal end! £6.50 for the ticket, i think!

Mayo played well and ran Cork close. But you could see the experience of Cork tell coming into the home stretch.
They knew how to close it out and they probably had a bit more fitness than Mayo.

I remember a homemade sign on the way to the game.

''38 years of famine to end''


Feck me it's nearly 38 years since 1989.

[seafoid]

Cork had experience because they played 3 finals in a row. Mayo didn't get back into another final until 96. There was no way to build up a layer of cuteness if you were depending on Ulster to get to the all Ireland .

[rrhf]

was at the game. Mayo played like they have played many time since and celebrated the occasion instead of trying to win a football game.  Cork were there for the taking.  In fairness that Cork team went on until their last legs so they had massive character.  Remember watching them out on their feet after 25 mins against Derry in a final 93, Derry who hadnt a decent forward and 1 free taker and them still playing to the final whistle..

[Rudi]

Farr youse robbed Roscommon in the Connacht final replay after extra time. To add insult to injury Jimmy Burke scored a bizarre goal, he knew nothing about.
Should have won the all Ireland V Cork, lady legs aka Anthony Finnerty scored a great goal at a key time. Alas youse chit the nest & lost the first of perhaps 30 All Irelands in a row.

[Rudi]

Derry had a mighty minor team in 89, Roscommon lead by a point at half time in the semi, they destroyed us in the second.

[whitey]

Memories of that game for me include:

Jimmy Burke getting stretchered off was a hammer blow for Mayo

I always said McHale should have just taken his point before he laid off the pass to Finnerty for the missed chance

Cork had a sub come off the bench who scored 2/3 points

IIRC that Cork team have several players who passed away at a young age

Mayo lost Greg Maher just a few years ago

[seafoid]

That Mayo team was like a FRED process. Fast rise in 89. Exponential decay afterwards. The 1993 semi against Cork was the purest facepalm.

[Wolfetones]

Derry had a mighty minor team in 89, Roscommon lead by a point at half time in the semi, they destroyed us in the second.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qs9AlnBa4x0

http://derrygaa.ie/features/the-harvest-of-89/

Derry minor football panel 1989: Martin O'Connor, Jarlath Martin, Paddy McAllister, Gregory Simpson, Barry McGonigle, Gary Coleman, Roderick Skelly, Anthony Tohill, John Mulholland, Eamonn Burns, James Lynn, Rory McEldowney, Eunan O'Kane, Dermot Heaney, Declan Bateson, Ryan Murphy, Eugene Lynch, Feargal Kearney, Dermot Dougan, John O'Connor, Karl Diamond, Dolan O'Hagan, Michael O'Donovan.

7 who went on to win the All Ireland in 93?

[clarshack]

Memories of that game for me include:

Jimmy Burke getting stretchered off was a hammer blow for Mayo

I always said McHale should have just taken his point before he laid off the pass to Finnerty for the missed chance

Cork had a sub come off the bench who scored 2/3 points

IIRC that Cork team have several players who passed away at a young age

Mayo lost Greg Maher just a few years ago

John Kerins and Mick McCarthy? were there others?

[clarshack]

Derry had a mighty minor team in 89, Roscommon lead by a point at half time in the semi, they destroyed us in the second.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qs9AlnBa4x0

http://derrygaa.ie/features/the-harvest-of-89/

Derry minor football panel 1989: Martin O'Connor, Jarlath Martin, Paddy McAllister, Gregory Simpson, Barry McGonigle, Gary Coleman, Roderick Skelly, Anthony Tohill, John Mulholland, Eamonn Burns, James Lynn, Rory McEldowney, Eunan O'Kane, Dermot Heaney, Declan Bateson, Ryan Murphy, Eugene Lynch, Feargal Kearney, Dermot Dougan, John O'Connor, Karl Diamond, Dolan O'Hagan, Michael O'Donovan.

7 who went on to win the All Ireland in 93?

Derry 1989, Laois 1997, Tyrone 1998 and the Kerry teams with David Clifford were the best Minor teams i've ever seen personally.