45 Years On: The All-Ireland Minor Champions of 1977

Thursday 1st September 2022

45 Years On: The All-Ireland Minor Champions of 1977

To mark 45 years since their achievement of winning the county’s first All-Ireland Minor Football title, members of the 1977 panel and management gathered at the Canal Court Hotel last Friday night for a reunion.

The Ulster title was hard earned that year, and despite conceding a goal in both the drawn game and replay, they edged out Armagh by two points to win a first provincial title in 11 years.

The new Ulster champions asserted themselves however on the All-Ireland stage, defeating Mayo by 2-11 to 1-7 in the semi final and then Meath by 2-6 to 0-4 in the final on 25 September 1977 to claim the Tom Markham Cup.

John McCartan was the captain and Sean O’Neill was team manager.

Pictured at the reunion were:

Back: Paddy O’Rourke, Seamus Carr, Liam Hardy, Emmet McGivern, Pat Donnan, Gerard McStay, Gerry Rodgers, Brian Robinson, Paddy Kennedy, Raymond Tumilty, Jarlath Digney, Michael Sands.

Front: Adrian McAulfield, Brendan Loughran, Martin McCann, Paul Lambe, Sean O’Neill, John McCartan, Sean McManus, Brendan McGovern, Francie Rooney, Johnny Murtagh, Colm McAteer.