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Wondering do any of ye know of current or ex-cricket fields outside of The Pale?

I heard there was one in Birr, Co. Offaly until fairly recent times.

It was always bewildered us that MK tended to favour backs so much during his reffing days also.

Often, even during big Ros \ Mayo games, both sets of supporters would momentarily abandon rivalries & unite in agreeing that he was one of the most infuriating refs we'd ever come across. A die-hard fan declared in total frustation one day " He's consistently inconsistent and that's the besht wan can say about him [as a ref]"

For all that, he'd left his legacy as a great player on the field of play and that's quite rightly what he'll be remembered for in the future.

When Páidí threw off the jacket mid way through the first half, I thought he must surely be thinking of coming on to give the Bannermen a dig out!

Then again, perhaps it wasn't his 'bubble' but rather his jacket buttons that had burst

Whatever, i must say that that was a very green geansai he was sporting in Hyde Park yesterday.

"It's particularly embarrassing if a sponsor has gone to the bother of putting up the bucks for a team and then seeing the opposition on the podium when the trophy is being presented - and it's happened."

I can appreciate where the sponsors are coming from and the wish of the GAA to facilitate them fully.

But is it not at least a little embarrassing that GAA head bods are directing their amateur players not to do the sporting thing in the immediate aftermath of a game, through swapping jerseys as they've done for years? It's an established ritual which demonstrates the sportsmanship and respect opponents have for each other.

If one gesture captures the spirit of the GAA, it's the swapping of jerseys immediately after the white heat of battle, imo.

This is another example of commercialism gone mad & signifies traditional values being re-aligned. Oh modern world, indeed.

[Cherishing the feats of legendary Murray]

It's a sad day for Gaels everywhere.

Jamsie was a gentleman, a legendary captain & footballer and a source of inspiration to all who knew him or of him.

Commiserations to his family and friends. Ros football has lost one of their greatest sons.

May He Rest in Peace.



The folllowing article appeared in The Irish Post last year;


Cherishing the feats of legendary Murray

BY HENRY WYMBS

Roscommon may not currently be enjoying the best of fortunes both on and off the field but they do have a proud tradition. They have not reached an All-Ireland final since 1980 and last won the second of their back-to-back All-Ireland titles in 1944.

One name that immediately springs to mind from that glorious Roscommon era is Jimmy Murray who was then hailed as one of the greatest captains to have ever graced a Gaelic football arena. Not surprisingly his name is still revered throughout the country as he was the first player ever to captain back-to-back All-Ireland champions.

Murray — who will be 89 this May and is now the oldest surviving All-Ireland winning football captain — recently recalled some of his fondest memories. His achievements also include the unique honour of leading out his county on five separate occasions in All-Ireland senior football finals in Croke Park.

He said: "It was great to be part of that team and to lead your team was a wonderful experience; I suppose I was lucky, Roscommon is a very small county and at the time it was categorised as one of the weakest in football terms."

Murray was at the heart of the great Roscommon football revival which began in 1943. The Rossies had not won the Connacht title since 1914 but along came great players who later became legends of the game including the Murray brothers, Bill Carlos and Donal Keenan. Unfortunately while football fever raged at that time, the dark clouds of World War Two also hung over the country.

Murray recalls: "The early '40s in Ireland was a bleak time with war raging over Europe. There was little money and food was limited. Transport was scarce and travel was either by bike, trap or any other means at your disposal. Football gave the people hope."

In 1943 Roscommon defeated Galway in the Connacht final by four points before beating Louth in the All-Ireland semi-final. Ulster champions Cavan now stood between them and their first Sam Maguire Cup.

Murray said: "Cavan had some mighty players in big Tom O'Reilly his brother John Joe and Simon Deignan. I will never forget the cheering and the noise as I led the Roscommon team around. I remember thinking of my mother at home with the rosary beads praying for us to win and my father listening to the match on the radio."

A tense game ended in a draw but Roscommon finally won their first title in the replay.

Recalling the reaction to Roscommon's historic victory Murray said: "We had a great reception after the game and the journey home was something I'll never forget. From Athlone to Roscommon, crowds gathered with bonfires lighting the sky. There was a torch-light parade in my home town for my brother and myself. Knockcroghery had become the centre of attention in the whole of Ireland."

A year later Roscommon had the satisfaction of adding to their prestige by defeating the pure football traditionalists of Kerry to win back-to-back All-Ireland titles.

Murray's local village of Knockcroghery is now one of Roscommon's football spiritual homes. Born on May 5, 1917 into a family of eight boys and two girls Jimmy still lives in the same house — a bar and business grocery which still bears his name.

The pub's walls are still lined with memorabilia from the county's All-Ireland success as well as GAA photographs from other counties. The football used in the 1943 final hangs proudly from the ceiling in the front bar.

Murray said: "This place was always a pub and grocery. It's now third-generation with my son running it."

Murray shares a general view on who he believes were the greatest players he ever saw in action.

"Two players stand out. The late Sean Purcell of Galway and Mick O'Connell of Kerry were the best players I ever saw in my lifetime."

However Murray was also a very distinguished and gifted footballer along with being one of nature's gentlemen. Despite all his magnificent achievements in life he still remains modest and shy as well as being full of life for a man approaching 89.

While Murray bemoans the current plight of Roscommon football he still remains philosophical about the future.

He said: "We have a fine new manager in John Maughan and things can only get better and who knows' I may still live to see 'Sam' cross the Shannon once more."

John Maughan must be hoping that his new charges will show the same kind of heart as the great Jimmy Murray whose footballing feats could well be the inspiration of a long overdue Roscommon revival.

Did i hear correctly on Galway Bay FM, Galway lads, that Jimmy Sice is one of four candidates in the running to manage the Galway Minors?

Has he a good track record with Corofin teams?

As was obvious enough from my earlier post Galway lads, i also thought the stance taken by one or two of ye was hypocritical.

Here ye were selectively calling for FD to be suspended, while ye neglected to mention the sending off for elbowing and even still wouldn't acknowledge what happened in that Corofin - Dunmore game. [Admittedly, many of your fellow tribesmen have moved on regarding it though and fair play to them for that.]

Yakking on about inferiority complexes, rival county bitterness, muddying the waters etc sounded like a belated attempt to justify that selective outbreak of enthuasiasm for GAA disciplinary matters after Sunday's game. As belleaqua said, we'll agree to disagree & that's the end of it. No harm done.

A friendly piece of advice though lads - if those of ye'd still turning a blind eye for once and for all condemned the events in the Corofin - Dunmore game, GAA fans might take ye more seriously when it comes to yeer comments regarding onfield incidents. Particularly when it involves a player from a rival county.

A consistent as opposed to 'we'll take it or leave it depending on how it suits our side' sort of thing, ya know.

Ah, Galway GAA people are the soundest & i always enjoy going along to watch yeer teams and having the craic with ye.

I still reckon one or two of ye can't stomach losing to The Ros though...

Of all the counties to be lecturing us in such a 'holier than thou' manner.

Seem to remember a certain club game a few years back, when everyone blinked simultaneously, just as the ref stumbled...

There was no talk of suspensions then, was there?

Still, tis great all the same to see yeer enthuasiasm for the rulebook has returned.

And lets face facts, it doesn't get much worse than losing to the Rossies, does it?

Like many another incident, this one is best left to strands of time, good for an aul discussion over the long winter evenings.

A good test of a batsman's character is his ability to withstand sledging, cracks and leg-breaks.

Especially when one day, playing as night watchman, he runs out and slips into a gully

On a more light note though;

While cricket isn't everyones cup of tea, Sri-Lankans and Indians are known to be particularly partial to it

[made in]

So are we saying that cricket was made in (maiden......... geddit?) in Ireland?

The puns are back NKAB.

That's a very sweeping statement Charlie with a hint of spin, but that well spotted pun bails you out, i guess.

ONeills bouncer and a good one it was, followed on by good line and length, will stump those lurking at silly point though.

You're on a very sticky wicket indeed when you highlight the pre-eminence of the foreign game in 1800's Ireland.

It's just not cricket is it