On this day 70 years ago…

September 14, 2017

Cavan and Kerry parade before the start of the 1947 All Ireland SFC Final at the Polo Grounds

It's the most famous All-Ireland final of them all and it took place 70 years ago today.

On September 14th, 1947, Cavan defeated Kerry before some 30,000 spectators at New York's Polo Grounds to take home their third All-Ireland senior football championship title.

In what remains the only All-Ireland decider to be played outside Ireland, the Breffni men triumphed to a 2-11 to 2-7 victory over the Kingdom after fighting their back from a disastrous start against the reigning champions to lead by 2-5 to 2-4 at half-time.

T.P O'Reilly and Mick Higgins scored the goals for Cavan and their captain John Joe O'Reilly lifted what was then known as the Gaelic Football Cup at the Manhattan baseball venue.

Following the team's return home to Ireland centre-forward Higgins stated: "It was only after we arrived in Southampton that we realised the joy of it all. Large numbers of Cavan people turned up to see us in London and Birmingham. We were treated like kings in Cavan."


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