GAA fan appeals for help to get ticket to his 65th All-Ireland final
An avid GAA supporter is appealing for help to ensure he gets a ticket to what would be his 65th All-Ireland men’s senior football final this weekend.
Harry Smith has been at almost all the GAA finals since seeing Galway win the Sam Maguire against Cork in 1956 and hopes to be in the crowd to watch Galway again this Sunday, this time taking on Armagh.
The 81-year-old sportsman has also attended seven replays, 42 All-Ireland hurling finals and 32 women’s All-Ireland finals, but admits he didn’t look for a ticket to this year’s Clare and Cork hurling clash.
He has also witnessed seven counties – Louth, Offaly, Down, Derry, Donegal, Tyrone and Armagh – win the Sam Maguire for the first time over the years.
However Harry, who is living in Collon, Co Louth, admits that football isn’t exciting anymore and hopes the rules will change that currently allow players to pass the ball back to the goalie.
“I’m not a one-trick pony, I’m a real GAA man and I go to as many games, involving all counties, as I can,” he said.
“I’m originally from Slane, Co Meath where I won an intermediate championship medal with the GAA club there in 1968 so I follow Meath around the country but as I’ve been living in Louth for 55 years, I also follow the wee county.
“My wife laughs that because I go to so many matches that if I didn’t turn up at one, it wouldn’t be played.
“I watched my first final at the age of 14 when I saw Galway beat Cork in 1956. I’ve only missed the finals since in 1972, 1980 and of course in 2020 because of Covid-19.
“I don’t think there are many out there who have gone to more finals, though I’m told there is a man in Donegal who has been at 74 matches. I’m hoping to make it to 65 anyway,” he laughed.
“I’ve got to know many of the legends over the years. I’m good friends with Brian Dooher and the likes of Colm the Gooch Cooper who I’d both class as some of the best footballers I’ve ever seen along with Sean O’Neill of Down, Jack of Shea of Kerry, Dublin’s Bernard Brogan and Brian Fenton and Stephen O’Neill of Tyrone.
“In Meath, I think Trevor Giles and Graham Geraghty were class acts and in Louth, there was Muckle McKeown and Dan O’Neill, but current players like Conor Grimes are brilliant too.
“The finals between Kerry and Dublin in the 1980s were some of the best I’ve ever seen though I’d also class the best match as the Leinster final in 1970 when Meath came back from being 11 points down in the second half to Offaly to win by a point.
“The best goal I’ve ever seen was by Tyrone player Eoin Mulligan in the 2005 All-Ireland final against Dublin. I think Louth have progressed far better than any other team down through the years. Look at how far they’ve come under Mickey Harte and I think Ger Brennan is getting even more out of them.
“The funniest incident that I’ve come across was in 1960s when the great Kilbride team in Meath played Skryne in the Keegan Cup and Kilbride’s Martin Quinn refused to leave the field when he was sent off and sat on the ball. The match was abandoned and Skryne was awarded the title.”
As well as a GAA fan, the father of four also holds four All-Ireland medals for cross-country running and the former boxer has trained a number of All-Ireland champions, including Brian Grogan and Derek Hickey.
However, he believes football isn’t as exciting as it used to be to watch.
“All you really have to do these days to play football is to run. Players shouldn’t be allowed to kick the ball back to the goalie. It’s too defensive and a disaster to watch. In the old days, you’d catch the ball, kick it into the square and it was every man for himself. It’s just not as exciting any more.
“I don’t mind who wins on Sunday but I’d love to be there to watch the game and feel the excitement of the crowds. And it would be great to get to my 65th final.”
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