Cavan Gaels newsletter - August 2017

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CAVAN GAELS GAA

NEWSLETTER ISSUE 26 AUGUST 2017

Seo chugaibh an 26ú eagráin, Mí Lúghnasa 2017. Ádh mór ar foirne Chumainn Gael an Chábháin go léir ar an mbealach rompu i mblíana. Ná laga Dia íad.

AUGUST 2017

GAELS AROUND THE WORLD: U8 player Malik Nevin on Craggy Island.

MÍ LÚGHNASA The festival of Lughnasadh was one of the main ancient Celtic annual celebrations, marking the beginning of the harvest season. It was named after the Celtic God Lugh, who, in Celtic mythology, was one of the Tuatha Dé Danann and father of Cú Chulainn. It was marked with offerings of the first bounty of the harvest each year and was a time of celebration before the work of preparing for the seasons ahead.

The first two weeks of August still remain prime time for holiday and leisure with us today.

GAELS AROUND THE WORLD: Cameron McGovern at Rossnowlagh beach.

TORNADOES Every Saturday at 11am.

Terry Coyle Park.

Condolences Denis O’Keefe, Drumalee.

Cathal Mulhall, Athy, Co.Kildare.

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senior men Our Senior Men’s team has enjoyed a positive start to the Championship this month with wins over Lacken in Kingspan Breffni Park (1:14 to 2:07) and Arva (3:15 to 0:09) in Ballinagh, in rounds 1 and 2. This Friday (August 11th) we take on last years champions Ramor United in Kingspan Breffni - throw-in is at 8:00pm.

Kevin Meehan gets a tackle in during our round 2 Senior Football Championship game against Arva

senior ladies Our Senior Ladies team welcome Bridgewater Gaels to Terry Coyle this Sunday (August 13th) in round 2 of the championship.

After a narrow defeat away to Shercock in round 1 we’ll be hoping to bounce back with a win. Throw-in is at 12:pm. All support greatly appreciated!

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phil murray - a profile A PROFILE ON PHIL ‘LIGHTNING’ MURRAY, PRIMARILY ABOUT HIS OUTSTANDING FOOTBALL CAREER AT CLUB AND COUNTY LEVELS DURING THE LATE 1950’s, 1960’s AND 1970’s.

Phil ‘Lightning’ Murray was born and raised in St. Brigid’s Terrace in Cavan town. He took the same educational path as most of his own young contemporaries, the Poor Clare’s Convent N.S., the Brothers (De La Salle) N.S. and finally the Technical School which was at that time located in Farnham Street.

In 1957 Phil joined Jackson’s Garage as a trainee panel beater. In 1969 he became a car salesman and was later promoted to sales manager. He retired from Jackson’s in 2007.

As Phil grew up, he was happiest when he had a ball in his hands. With his friends Jackie Sheridan, Paddy Duffy, Gerry Finegan, Hugo Cafferty and Tommy Monaghan he played football on the street, in Tierquin Park, the home pitch of Cavan Harps, in Brady’s field, now the location of the Travellers’ halting site, and sometimes they ventured down to the Farnham Gardens in Ashe Street where Hugo Cafferty reigned supreme. Every Sunday morning after last Mass, the young lads from the locality, among them Phil, came to the Egg Market for a game of soccer. So good was the entertainment that large crowds turned up to watch. I’d say that ‘Lightning’ picked up a trick or two in those games that he would put to good use on the many playing fields that he graced in later years.

Phil won the first of his many medals when he captained De La Salle to victory in the Under 14 Roinn A League final against Kingscourt in July 1955. This historic game was played in Virginia and on the team were three boys who would later be on the Cavan minor panel that reached the All Ireland final of 1959, Hugo Cafferty, Paddy Duffy and Phil himself.

That League final was historic because this was the first year that Under 14 competitions were organised in the county. Early in 1955, a Schools Board was set up, with Bro. Cyril as Secretary and Seamus Gilheaney, grandfather of Finian Farrell, as Chairman.

Also on that winning team in Virginia were his great friends Jackie Sheridan, Tommy Monaghan and Gerry Finegan. Coincidentally, the Cavan county minors were training on the same pitch in Virginia that evening in preparation for the impending Ulster minor championship final. One of the minor players present was Jimmy ‘Inky’ Sheridan, the brother of the aforementioned Jackie. Phil recalls proudly that he saw ‘Inky’, his neighbour who sometimes would join them to kick football on the street, there on that evening.

Phil pictured with PJ Duke Cup. back l-r Jimmy McNamara, Hugo Cafferty, and Tommy Monaghan.

In the Brothers School Phil benefited greatly from the expert coaching by Bro. Cyril who soon realised that he had a special talent on his hands. Bro. Cyril called him ‘a bundle of atomic energy’. Though small in stature, Phil was as tough as teak, was full of tricks and dummies and had all the necessary skills. He had spent a lot of time practising the high catch on the gable end of his house, sometimes on his own and other times competitively with his friends. As well as being very skilful, Phil had natural pace. He was as fast as lightening.

It was no surprise that Phil Murray was given the nickname ’Lightning’. But who gave him the name and how did he get it? A local man from nearby Breffni Terrace by the name of Jimmy McMahon gave him the name. Jimmy observed over time that whenever Phil went down the steps from St. Brigid’s to the Dublin Road he jumped four or five steps at a time and so was down to the footpath on the Dublin Road almost at the blink of an eye. So one day Jimmy said to Phil “slow down young Murray, you’re going like lightning down those steps”. Phil Murray is still known affectionately as ‘Lightning’.

I have already referred to Phil’s natural talent as a footballer, but he has other talents as well and these he put to good use in his day job as a car salesman. Phil is very personable, chatty, knowledgeable and above all, very sound and honest. In addition he was well known because of his football prowess for both club and county. These are all admirable qualities to have, particularly if you are a car salesman.

He needed to call on some of these attributes one September evening in the early 1980’s when a young priest who had just joined the teaching staff in St. Patrick’s College came into Jackson’s to buy his first car. Soon he was met by a small, good looking, fair haired young man who shook the young priest’s hand and introduced himself as “I’m Phil ‘Lightning’ Murray. You might know me. I played for Cavan”. The young priest replied “Nice to meet you Phil but I never heard of you. I have no interest in football but the President of St. Pat’s where I work is Fr. Gallogly. He is a football fanatic. I’ll tell him that I met you. I’m sure he’ll know you”. Despite this minor setback, the young priest bought his first car from Phil in Jackson’s.

Let us now fast forward a little more than thirty years when that same young priest, now the Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise, Bishop Francis Duffy, meets Phil again. This time Bishop Francis recognised Phil and called him by his nickname ‘Lightning’. The occasion was the funeral Mass of my brother JJ in the Cathedral on Sunday October 18th 2015. Phil was working in a voluntary capacity as ISSUE 26 august 017 4

an usher while Bishop Francis was in attendance to pay his respects to JJ, a former teaching colleague and a great friend. About one week later, I received from Bishop Francis a letter of sympathy on behalf of the family. In the letter he said and I quote “The funeral Mass was a very moving tribute to JJ. I couldn’t help but think of my encounter with ‘Lightning’ many years ago and guess who I met in the Cathedral”?

Under 16 football competitions in the county started in 1956 but very few clubs came on board. One of the eight teams that participated was Cavan Slashers who were the inaugural winners, defeating Castlerahan in the final, 1-03 to 1-01. Phil scored the crucial goal for the Slashers.

There was a lack of interest in organising minor football in the parish until Cavan Gaels came along and it took them a few years to get their act together. The only teams in the parish to win the Cavan minor championship between 1931 and 1957 were Cavan Slashers (1931, 1932,1933), De La Salle (1947) and Butlersbridge (1953). Cavan Gaels (a parish team) won their first minor championship in 1967, fifty years ago this year. Since the club’s formation in 1957 they have won the minor championship on sixteen occasions which included seven in a row titles (1998-2004) and the last thirteen minor titles were won by Cavan Gaels as a single club.

1959 is a very important year in Phil’s football Curriculum Vitae (CV). He was a member of the Cavan county minor team which contested the All Ireland final that year. He was a substitute in the first round of the Ulster minor championship but came on in the semi-final against Donegal, scoring two goals. He made the left full forward position his own for the Ulster final against Antrim, the All Ireland semi-final against Galway and the final against Dublin. Unfortunately, Dublin defeated Cavan by four points, 0-11 to 1-04, despite being behind at half time.

1959 All Ireland Minor Final in Croke Park. Phil is 4th from the left in front. Also in picture is Hughie Smith (front 2nd left) and Hugo Cafferty (back 6th from right) & Ray Carolan (front right) Playing on the Cavan minor team in all the games at right full back was his old friend Hugo Cafferty, who like Phil, unavoidably missed the first ever senior championship final that Cavan Gaels won in 1965. Paddy Duffy from Owen Roe Terrace, was the substitute goalkeeper, but emigrated soon after that game. He now resides in Tasmania. Another substitute that day was the late Hughie Smith, then a member of Farnham Harps GAA club who later transferred to Cavan Gaels. Hughie played on Gaels teams beaten by Crosserlough in the senior championship finals of 1967 and 1970.

Phil is delighted that he got the opportunity to play in the All Ireland minor final. But he regrets that the panel did little physical or skill training during the year leading up to the final. Would it have made any difference? That of course is the great imponderable.

In the early 1960’s, Phil was playing outstanding football for Cavan Gaels and people around the county were beginning to take note.

In the Anglo Celt, letters regularly appeared in the Sports Page Arena from GAA enthusiasts, stating that Phil ‘Lightning’ Murray should be given a run on the Cavan senior team.

1962 saw Cavan defeat Down in the Ulster senior championship final, thus dashing Down’s hopes of winning three All Ireland senior titles in a row. But Roscommon put an end to Cavan’s aspirations of winning the All Ireland final that year in the semi-final in Croke Park, a game that Cavan should have won as they missed over a dozen scoreable chances which included a few easy frees, yet only lost by two points. Phil wasn’t yet involved with Cavan seniors but he was on the Cavan junior panel.

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Cavan juniors beat Down by one point in the Ulster final of 1962 with Phil as a substitute. Next, Cavan played Cork in the All Ireland semi-final in Breifne Park. He lined out at left corner forward. Cavan won convincingly and he had a good game. In the All Ireland junior final against Meath which was played in Ardee, he scored 2-01 yet he ended on the losing side. The final score was Meath 1-11, Cavan 3-04. He played in this final with a badly sprained toe. He received the injury while on holidays in Kerry in the early part of the week prior to the final. He accidentally stubbed his toe while training on the beach.

1962 Cavan Junior team which defeated Cork in All-Ireland semi-final in Breffni Park with Phil front left.

Despite losing that junior All Ireland final and having a very sore toe which after the game was totally discoloured, Phil agreed to play for the Cavan senior team against Dublin later on that day. The occasion was the opening of a pitch somewhere in north County Dublin.

The Grounds Tournament was a special knock-out competition involving only the four All Ireland semi-finalists during the 1960’s. It was played off usually during the months of October and November in Croke Park, attracting large crowds each year. In 1962 Cavan played the All Ireland champions Kerry in one of the semi-finals. Phil was left full forward in direct opposition to Kerry’s Tim ‘Tiger’ Lyons and by all accounts came out on top in the duel. Still, Cavan lost.

He won his first Ulster senior championship medal in 1964 as a substitute when Cavan defeated Down but lost their All Ireland semifinal tie to Kerry. After the Ulster final victory, Phil joined the rest of the Cavan squad in Kilnacrott College for a two week residential training camp in preparation for the impending All Ireland semi-final against Kerry. Cavan had pioneered collective training back in the 1930’s and 1940’s when they were winning All Irelands but this type of intensive training had been banned by the GAA in the mid-fifties because it “smacked of professionalism”. But the Cavan GAA Board in 1964 didn’t mind breaking their own laws in the hope of reaching the All Ireland final. Unfortunately, it backfired as Kerry gave Cavan a trouncing in that semi-final.

As the 1965 Ulster championship season beckoned, Phil was becoming a very prolific scorer at club and county level. But he was unlucky with injuries, the last of which left him sidelined for the rest of the year. In the Ulster championship semi-final against Armagh, he received a nasty cut to the head in a collision with an Armagh player. A Cavan supporter ran onto the field and covered the wound, which was bleeding profusely, with his cloth hankerchief. Phil played on and Cavan won. The team and officials came back to Cavan town for their after match meal. In the Farnham Hotel the team manager Mick Higgins advised Phil to have the wound checked in the nearby Surgical Hospital. To his consternation he had eight stitches inserted in the wound.

But worse was to follow. Phil was chosen to wear the number 15 jersey in the 1965 Ulster final, again against Down but he injured his knee in the pre-match warm up. He was advised by the team doctor to play as it was possible that the pain would go when he warmed up. The first half was a struggle and at half time he was replaced. The injury turned out to be a fractured patella in his left knee. He spent the next six weeks in a full length plaster of Paris. He was out of football for the remainder of the year. He was very disappointed to miss the Cavan senior championship final which the Gaels won for the first time later in the year.

By 1967, Phil was back again in tip top shape and injury free. Cavan regained the Ulster senior championship title defeating Down in the final, 2-12 to 0-08. Playing at left corner forward, he was winning his second Ulster senior championship medal. But Cork ended Cavan’s ambition of winning the All Ireland that year, winning by a single point, 2-07 to 0-12. Luck was against Cavan that day as they ISSUE 26 august 017 6

have been awarded a penalty after a blatant pull down in the square while Cork converted a penalty that shouldn’t have been given.

Ulster Champions 1967.

Later in 1967, Cavan beat Meath, who had won the All Ireland a few weeks earlier, in the semi-final of the Grounds Tournament in Croke Park. Phil gave his marker, the famous ‘Red’ Collier a torrid time with his tricks and dummies. On one occasion during that game he left Collier floundering as he went up the wing continuously hopping the ball as in basketball. In the final, Cavan were defeated

by Mayo.

He lined out at left half forward on the Cavan team beaten by Down in the 1968 Ulster senior final. However, in the McKenna Cup final of the same year Cavan reversed the result.

In 1969, he won his third Ulster senior medal when Cavan got the better of perennial rivals Down in the Ulster senior final. He came on as a replacement during the game.

Phil was an unused substitute in the drawn All Ireland semi- final between Cavan and Offaly. At one stage he was told to get ready to go on but the final call never came. For the replay, Phil was unavailable as he was on honeymoon. Between the two Offaly games, he married Kathleen Newman from Ballyhaise and as a result, missed the replay which Cavan lost. Kathleen is a daughter of the late Packy Newman, a well- known local referee of the 1950’s and early ‘60’s, and sister of Hughie who played at midfield for Cavan during the entire 1969 championship campaign and was at midfield when Down defeated Cavan in the 1968 Ulster final.

Packy Newman played for Drumalee from 1935 when they were first affiliated until the club disbanded in 1940. Then he joined Cavan Harps and later played for Crubany. He played at full forward on the Crubany team beaten by Mountnugent in the junior championship final of 1943. Also on that Crubany side was Joey Murray, uncle of Phil. Lining out for the winners were Mick Higgins who would win All Ireland medals in 1947, 1948 and 1952, as well as the Finnegan brothers, Eugene and Philip ‘Sonny’, uncle and father respectively of Philip Finnegan from College Street who has given many years of voluntary service to the club, first as a player and then as an administrator in various capacities.

Phil was an unused substitute in the drawn All Ireland semi- final between Cavan and Offaly. At one stage he was told to get ready to go on but the final call never came. For the replay, Phil was unavailable as he was on honeymoon. Between the two Offaly games, he married Kathleen Newman from Ballyhaise and as a result, missed the replay which Cavan lost. Kathleen is a daughter of the late Packy Newman, a well- known local referee of the 1950’s and early ‘60’s, and sister of Hughie who played at midfield for Cavan during the entire 1969 championship campaign and was at midfield when Down defeated Cavan in the 1968 Ulster final.

Packy Newman played for Drumalee from 1935 when they were first affiliated until the club disbanded in 1940. Then he joined Cavan Harps and later played for Crubany. He played at full forward on the Crubany team beaten by Mountnugent in the junior championship final of 1943. Also on that Crubany side was Joey Murray, uncle of Phil. Lining out for the winners were Mick Higgins who would win All Ireland medals in 1947, 1948 and 1952, as well as the Finnegan brothers, Eugene and Philip ‘Sonny’, uncle and father 7 august 2017 ISSUE 26

respectively of Philip Finnegan from College Street who has given many years of voluntary service to the club, first as a player and then as an administrator in various capacities.

Cavan Harps 1942.

Packy took up refereeing after his playing days. He was in charge of the 1951 minor championship final between Ballyconnell and Kingscourt. This final was played in Tierquin Park as Breifne Park was being renovated and would remain closed until the official re-opening on June 8 1952.

But it is the 1953 Cavan junior championship semi-final between Cavan Harps and Ballinagh, played in Breifne Park which Packy Newman refereed that is still a topic of discussion. During this game, Willie Doonan who was playing for Cavan Harps had a difference of opinion with Packy over the awarding of a close-in free to Ballinagh sometime during the second half. Willie struck Packy who fell to the ground. There was pandemonium all around. The game was abandoned.

A few days after the game Packy sent his match report to the Secretary of the County Board, Hughie Smyth. An investigation into the incident referred to above took place and Willie Doonan received a long suspension. The County Board decided to replay the game.

Ballinagh won it convincingly. One of the Ballinagh team who played in those games was Donal Crotty, father of Karol.

Packy continued to referee until the mid-sixties. The last final at which he officiated was the junior championship final of 1960 between Cootehill and Cross (now called Cuchullains) played in Breifne Park.

A new play, written in 2015 by Padraic McIntyre entitled “Hero of the Half Acre”, chronicled the life of Willie Doonan which naturally included his footballing exploits, and of course centered on the 1947 All Ireland final in the Polo Grounds, New York. But the play did make reference to that Harps Ballinagh game, the incident between the referee Packy Newman and the player Willie Doonan, the referee’s report on the game and the subsequent suspension. That play was premiered in the Ramor Theatre Virginia in October 2015 and received a great reception. It was staged again in Virginia for a few days in December 2016 to packed houses.

It’s a pity that the play “Hero of the Half Acre” wasn’t written in Packy’s life time. He would have been a proud man if that play had been written in his lifetime. He died in January 1985 at the age of seventy.

A very popular tournament for GAA followers in Ireland and the UK during the 1960’s was the Wembley Tournament in both football and hurling. Each year, two counties in both codes earned the right to play against each other in Wembley Stadium usually on the ISSUE 26 august 017 8

Whit weekend, having come through a testing qualification process earlier in the year at home. Cavan played in three finals during the 1960’s, winning in 1966 and 1967. Phil played against Sligo in 1966 and Galway in 1967.

Wembley Tournament 1967. Phil is back left. Who else can you recognise?

The 1967 final between Cavan and Galway, who had won three in a row All Ireland titles in 1964, 1965 and 1966, was televised live in Ireland with commentary by Michael O’Hehir. In this match, Phil’s direct opponent was Galway’s Noel Colleran. He gave the Galway man a hard time, selling a series of dummies which had Colleran totally confused.

The late Michael O’Hehir bought a new car in January of every year from Jackson’s. In January 1968 Phil had to deliver the new car to Michael’s house in Griffith Avenue on Dublin’s northside. When Michael came to the door, his first words were ”Phil ‘Lightning’ Murray, how are you? Show me some of those dummies that you sold in Wembley last year against Galway”.

In May 1970 Terry Coyle Memorial Park was officially opened by the Vice President of the GAA, Seamus o Riain. Phil was very honoured to captain Cavan on that day when they defeated Kerry who were the previous year’s All Ireland football champions.

The Cavan Team at Offical Opening of Terry Coyle Park May 1970.

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Phil ‘Lightning’ Murray gave his club Cavan Gaels very loyal service over a twenty year span. His first game for the club was in the 1958 junior championship against Drung in Ballyhaise. His direct opponent was Kerry man Brendán Ó Bric who then was teaching in Drung NS. Brendán, who now lives in Navan, was the National Schools Inspector in the Cavan area for many years.

Phil won his first medal with the club in 1962 when the Gaels defeated Crosserlough in the 1960 senior league final. His second league medal was won in 1964 when the final of the 1962 senior league was played, with Crosserlough again providing the opposition.

Obviously, competitions were not run off then with the same level of efficiency as now.

He had to wait until April 1972 for his third senior league medal. The opposition in the 1971 Senior League final was Lacken. There was a delay in playing the final because a vital league game in November 1971 between Cavan Gaels and Killygarry, the winners of which would play Lacken in the final, was abandoned due to a pitch invasion. In March 1972, the Cavan County Board decided after an investigation that the game be refixed at a neutral venue. The Gaels won the replay and the rest is history. Phil’s fourth and final senior league medal came in December 1976 when Cavan Gaels beat Crosserlough in the final.

Phil played senior championship football with the club from 1960 until the end of the 1978 season. In those eighteen years he played in six county finals, 1967, 1970, 1975(draw and replay), 1977 and 1978. He was on the losing side in 1967 and 1970 when the opposition was Crosserlough who were on their record breaking run of seven in a row senior championship titles.

In the replay of the 1975 senior championship final against Crosserlough, ‘Lightening’ was upended in the small square to give the Gaels a penalty which was converted by PJ Carroll, leaving the final score 1-11 to 0-08 in favour of the Gaels.

Phil collected another senior championship medal in 1977 when St Mary’s, an amalgamation of two clubs, Castlerahan and Munterconnacht, were the losers. The Gaels also won the 1978 senior championship final against Ballyhaise for whom his brother in law Hughie Newman was at midfield. At the age of thirty seven, Phil was chosen as ‘Man of the Match’ for his outstanding performance in the final. In the following day’s Irish Independent, there was a small report on the match. The headline of the report read “Murray outstanding for Cavan Gaels”.

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As I noted earlier, Phil missed the 1965 senior final due to injury. However, he did receive a 1965 senior championship medal because he had played in all the games leading up to the final. He was a big loss to the team as he had at that stage matured into a very elusive and free-scoring forward. Phil was disappointed that he failed to win an Ulster club medal. He was on the Gaels team defeated by St. John’s Belfast in the final of 1977. However, he enjoyed the three Ulster club campaigns of 1975, 1977 and 1978. During those years we defeated along the way such well-known club teams as Bellaghy, Trillick, Carrickmore, Downpatrick and Lisnaskea. He also has great memories of playing against other strong club sides like Casteblaney, Scotstown, Crossmaglen, Ballinamore, Navan O’Mahoney’s, Enniskillen Gaels and Summerhill in various tournaments which were popular club fundraisers in the 1970’s.

Phil said that seven-a-side football competitions were rare in his earlier playing career but he got the opportunity to play in the 1975 All Ireland seven-a-side tournament in UCD and the 1978 one in the Kilmacud Crokes GAA ground in Glenalbyn. He enjoyed the experience of playing a different style of football but he suffered a serious facial injury in the 1978 seven-a-side when he clashed with the goalkeeper in one of the games and had to be brought by ambulance to nearby St. Vincent’s Hospital to have his eyelid stitched.

He was allowed to go home that evening but had to return to the Dublin hospital on a few occasions for skin grafts on the affected area.

Phil retired from club football at the end of the 1978 season at the age of thirty seven. He didn’t rest on his laurels. He went into team management as a county team selector for two years, 1979 and 1980. It wasn’t a great experience for him or the other selectors and the team manager PJ Carroll. There were rumours of some friction and mistrust between management and players, which resulted in the players calling for the team management to resign. This impasse was discussed in detail at the 1980 Cavan GAA Annual convention in St Patrick’s College and at a few subsequent monthly County Board meetings without a positive outcome.

This bad experience didn’t deter Phil from getting involved in management again as he replaced Gabriel Kelly as team manager of the senior and junior teams in Cavan Gaels in 1981 and did a two year term. During his tenure, the senior team was in transition and results were erratic. The juniors, on the other hand, annexed the division 4 of the Cavan senior league for 1982.

1982 Division 4 winners.

There was no ladies football when Phil’s three daughters Richella, Clódagh and Fionnúala were growing up but their youngest child and only boy, Raymond did play underage football with the club. He won under14 league and championship medals in 2003, under16 league and championship medals in 2005 and minor league and championship medals in 2007. As well, he is the holder of an Ulster under17 medal from the 2006 Paul McGirr Tournament in Dromore Co. Tyrone. Raymond got great encouragement from his father and also from his uncle John Fee who was married to Kathleen Murray, a sister of Phil’s. John was very much involved in the coaching revolution in Cavan Gaels from the late 1980s until his untimely death in 2004, during which he co-managed with his great friend JJ, teams to win numerous under 12, 14, 16, minor and under 21 club titles and of course the prestigious Ulster minor club title in 1999.

While Raymond was in third level education, he began to take a greater interest in music to the detriment of his football career. He is now a qualified chartered physiotherapist working in Naas General Hospital. 11 august 2017 ISSUE 26

QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION: Q: Phil, how much did the style of football change from the time you started playing to the time you retired in the late 1970’s?

A: When I started playing adult football, it was mostly of the catch and kick variety. You stayed in your selected position and you fought for the 50/50 ball that was kicked in your direction. Football was much more physical then but it was played at a slower pace.

At club level, I can recall clearly very physical games against Cornafean.

A revolution in the way football was played occurred when that great Down team of the 1960’s came along.

They changed the philosophy of football. They put JJ and John. more emphasis on the brain and less on the brawn.

More thought went into the way football should be played. Forwards were encouraged to move around and so give their marker more work to do. Outfield players were being coached to play the ball intelligently into the forwards who were making these runs and hopefully scores would result.

This new style football suited me. I was fit and fast. If the right ball was played I could score. At club level, the “Down style” was embraced fully particularly by the Cavan Gaels team of the 1970’s and this made football easier for me even if I was getting older.

Down also changed the dress styles of players. They changed the colour of togs worn by the county team from the traditional white to black. They believed that it would be easier to identify their own players if the colour of their togs is not the traditional white, particularly if players only have peripheral vision. Also, it was Down who first introduced tracksuits for their players.

Q: What do you think of the modern style of football?

A: Football has become more scientific. It is now all about statistics, how often you handle the ball, the number of passes you make, the number of turnovers you have, how far you ran (players fitted with GPS) etc. It has become a faster game as players are much fitter.

More gym work is done to develop players’ bodies so that they are stronger. But football skills have suffered.

I hate the way some teams now play and unfortunately Cavan is one of them. Constantly passing the ball across the field and back ISSUE 26 august 017 12

annoys me. Passing back ways is more annoying. It seems players are being programmed to play a certain way. They are not allowed to be creative and to express their own natural ability.

Q: Who had the greatest influence on your football career when you were young?

A: Definitely Brother Cyril. He was coaching the Down style of play even before Down came on the scene.

Q: Who was your toughest opponent?

A: At club level definitely Denis King from Crosserlough. Denis was a great player. He was tough, but he was honest and fair. At county level all opponents are difficult but it has to be Brian McEniff from Donegal.

Q: Who was the best team manager you had? A: Gabriel Kelly at club level and Mick Higgins at county level.

Phil was always very fit during his long football career. Nowadays he is an avid gardener and likes to walk a few kilometres every day.

Above all, he enjoys his golf, his other outdoor pastime.

He is a long time member of the Cavan GAA Golf Society. This group who are comprised of mainly past GAA club and county players, meet frequently to play golf in different venues, after which they might have a social chat about times past on and off the football fields. Almost every year they go on a golfing holiday to Spain. Phil usually travels along with Ray Carolan, Jimmy Stafford, Gene Cusack, Paddy Maguire and Gabriel Kelly.

Paddy Maguire, Ray Carolan, Gabriel Kelly and Phil ‘Lightning” Murray.

On these foreign golfing holidays there is a lot of time to chat and many GAA stories are told. In one of these stories, Phil himself and Ray Carolan are the two main characters. It goes as follows. In a Cavan Senior League match played in Cross (near Mullagh) in the early 1970s, Cavan Gaels with Phil Murray on board were playing Cuchallains GAA who had Ray Carolan in their side. The youthful John Cullen was making his debut for the Gaels and was advised prior to the game by the experienced Phil to alert him if any of the opposition was aggravating him off the ball.

What Phil predicted might happen did happen and so he went to John’s aid. He caught the offending player by the jersey and pulled him onto the ground. Another Cuchallains player tried to separate them but to no avail. The referee stopped play when he realised what was happening. At this stage Ray Carolan appeared, surveyed the scene for a second or two and then uttered the following words “Murray, what the hell are you doing up here fighting? Look at the size of ye!!!”

There is an old saying “ Good goods come in small parcels”. How very apt and accurate it is in the context of Phil ‘Lightning’ Murray, the footballer and true sportsman par excellence.

By Paddy Reilly 13 august 2017 ISSUE 26

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS: Malachy Byrne and Jimmy “Inky” Sheridan at their joint surprise 80th birthday celebration in The Slieve Rossa recently, where Chairperson Mary McCarthy made a presentation to both men on behalf of the club.

player Profile nadine lyons WHAT IS YOUR OUTSTANDING GAA MEMORY TO DATE? Winning an All Ireland with St. Patrick’s College in Dublin. (The 7am trainings on a Wednesday morning having to restrain from Coppers was worth it!!)

IF YOU COULD REVISIT ONE MOMENT FROM YOUR SPORTING CAREER THAT YOU COULD GO BACK AND CHANGE, WHICH MOMENT WOULD YOU CHOOSE AND WHY? I would go back to when I played at county level and I’d tell myself not to leave and to keep it up. It’s my biggest regret!

TOUGHEST OPPONENT? Anyone with a bit of height to them is always a struggle for me!! But other than that it’d probably have to be Aoife Darcy for Longford she is clever and sharp on the ball and very fast.

MOST SCORED IN ONE GAME? I played mainly as a back up until I came to Cavan Gaels but I remember in secondary school playing mid-field and scoring 2-4- I was happy with that!

What 3 people alive/dead would you invite to a dinner party?

My great granny Margaret Cosgrove because she was a legend and so witty (she’d lead the laughs), Zach Galifianakis (Alan from the hangover), and Ashling Thompson!

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO CHANGE ABOUT YOUR GAME? I’d like to be able to solo and kick with both feet and improve my mental strength on the field.

HOBBIES/ INTERESTS OUTSIDE OF GAA? Music and volunteering with St Vincent de Paul.

BEST PIECE OF ADVICE RECEIVED? “Never eat yellow snow!!!” - Diarmaid McCorry, Butlersbridge.

On a serious note- You are the only person that can make changes in your own life, no one else is going to, so don’t sit back and expect things to happen unless you do it for yourself.

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camogie training New members always welcome! For more info; contact Mary (0877532979).

Find “Cavan Gaels Underage Camogie” on facebook!

Many congratulations to Conor and Jenny McClarey who recently tied the knot in San Francisco. A large contingent of Gaels clubmates were on hand to help celebrate the day!

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Well done to both Laura Lynch and Ciarán Flynn, who finished 6th & 2nd place respectively, in the “Counting on You” free taking challenge, winning €1000 for the club.

Cavan Gaels Eli Clarke and his brothers and sister who proudly displays the Silverware won at B’boro blitz.

Conor Rabbitte, Ed O Hanlon, Padraig “Scooby” Byrne and Karol Crotty enjoying the birthday celebrations recently for Malachy Byrne and “Inky” Sheridan ISSUE 26 august 017 16

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TERRY COYLE PARK - SMOKE FREE Terry Coyle Park is now a smoke free environment. Cavan Gaels leads the way with this Healthy Club initiative, being the first Club in the County Cavan to implement this policy. We request the co-operation of our members to ensure that our sports ground remains smoke free.

club merchandise Our club merchandise is available to buy in The Sports Shop, Main St. Cavan.

Official club merchandise is also available for purchase online at: www.oneills.com/shop-by-team/gaa/ireland/cavan-gaels-gaeil-an-chabhain.html

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••••• CLUB BINGO ••••• EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT @ THE OZANAM CENTRE, RIVER ST. CAVAN

Childrens Officer: Michael Mooney 087-643-5901 Designated Liaison Person: Mary McCarthy 087-233-6925 --Thank you to all our readers and contributors. Please continue to give us constructive feedback, it is much appreciated.

From the Newsletter Team Rebecca, John, Ann Marie & Greg.

19 august 2017 ISSUE 26

club lotto results

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