The Gaelic League: Waterford’s Dual Stars

by Shane Murphy

(first published in the July 2010 Longford Town match programme)

With the county still celebrating Waterford’s victory in Saturday’s Munster Final replay, it seems a good time to recall some of the Blues’ connections with the GAA. While we’ve had a number of strikers over the years who have shown an amazing ability to put the ball over the bar, there have also been very talented hurlers and Gaelic footballers at the club.

Aside from being a first cousin of Waterford senior hurler Aidan Kearney, Blues winger Liam Kearney was a very promising hurler in his youth. He played alongside 2005 Hurler of the Year John Gardiner, Ireland scrum-half Tomas O’Leary and Australian Rules star Setanta O hAilpin for the Cork under 16s before leaving for Nottingham Forest. Timmy Purcell’s father, Billy, won two All-Ireland medals with the Kilkenny hurlers in 1982 and ’83. He was a substitute in a team that contained future GAA president Nicky Brennan and was captained by Brian Cody. Timmy was a talented hurler himself – playing at underage level with JJ Delaney for Fenians in Johnstown. Meanwhile, Vinny Sullivan played Gaelic football for Dungarvan while on a break from the Blues at the beginning of last season. Some would say that explains his occasional handballs for United!

One of the heroes of the Munster final was Tony Browne whose brother, Derek, was Waterford United’s under 21 manager in the mid 2000s. Derek also acted as caretaker manager for two matches before Gareth Cronin’s appointment. Tony appeared alongside Eoin Kelly, Dan Shanahan and John Mullane at the RSC in a GOAL benefit game in February 2005. The Blues team featured the likes of Vinny Sullivan, Kevin Waters and Kenny Browne along with former greats Alfie Hale and Johnny Matthews and was captained by Eurovision entrant Chris Doran. The sides were level after 60 minutes with the Blues winning a penalty shoot-out 4-2. The final spotkick provided the unusual sight of Blues ‘keeper Wayne Russell scoring past the hurlers’ Paul Flynn. That match raised over €10,000 for victims of the Tsunami and created a welcome coming together of football and hurling fans.

The aforementioned Flynn has another unusual claim to fame. He was the first ever Blues goalkeeper to play at the RSC. Paul was at Aston Villa as a teenager (sharing accomodation with Dwight Yorke), but played with Waterford United in the 93/94 season. Another ex Blues ‘keeper, David Hennessy, is Kerry’s current sub goalie. David had a season here in 2004, but found his chances limited behind Dan Connor and Packie Holden. Watch out for him if Kerry win this year’s football championship. Wexford footballers have two of our former players in their ranks. Eric Bradley played up front in Paul Power’s team in 2000/01 – most notably scoring a hat-trick away to Sligo. His team-mate PJ Banville is most fondly remembered for scoring a last minute winner against Rockmount in a 2004 cup quarter final replay.

Alan Reynolds (who played with tonight’s opponents Longford as well as playing for and managing the Blues) and John Frost were members of Waterford’s first ever national title-winning team in football when they beat Meath in the 1999 Junior All-Ireland final. Reynolds – previously a county senior footballer – lined out at left half back with Frost a substitute. One senior All-Ireland winner to have played at the RSC was Paul Bealin who made a handful of appearances for Michael Bennett’s Blues in 95/96. Bealin played in midfield the last time Dublin won the Sam Maguire. Another short-term Blue, Colin T O’Brien won a minor football All-Ireland medal with Cork in 1993. When Peter Thomas was injured before the 1974 League Cup final, Cork hurling goalkeeper Billy Morgan initially agreed to sign temporary terms with the Blues, but later backed out.

Crossovers were obviously less common before the GAA’s ban on playing ‘foreign games’ was lifted in 1971. One victim of “The Ban” was Blues star of the late 1950′s Con Martin. In an extraordinary career, Martin won the 1941 Leinster football championship with Dublin, played for Leeds and Aston Villa and represented Ireland as a goalkeeper, defender and striker. However, he was expelled from the GAA in 1941 when he was discovered playing soccer for Drumcondra and didn’t receive his Leinster medal until thirty years later. One recent Blue that fell foul of a sort of reverse ban was former Cork minor Robert Brosnan who was let go by manager Gareth Cronin in 2007 when his loyalties were divided between the Blues and his local GAA club.

Of course, one of the Blues’ most famous matches was played at what is now a GAA ground. Waterford came from two down (and a man down) to beat Cork Hibs 3-2 on the last day of the 71/72 season and secure our fifth league title. Flower Lodge – the venue for that match – was bought by the GAA in the ’80s and renamed Pairc Ui Rinn.

I’m sure some of you know of other connections – maybe Jose Quitongo lined out at cornerback for Mount Sion! Personally, I’m hoping this year sees our hurlers win the All-Ireland and United win promotion.