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Micko

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Replying To rebelrouser:  "Agreed and flukey is right it should have been done years ago when he retired from inter county management but nonetheless a great watch.

What do people think his greatest achievement as manager was?

Winning a four in a row of All Irelands (1978, 1979, 1980, 1981) with Kerry?

Coming back to win Sam in 1982 after being cruelly denied five in a row?"
His second spell with Kildare was something else especially when he got the Lillies to their first All Ireland final in sixty three years.It is hard to believe that was twenty years ago this year. Kildare had won their first Leinster in 1998 after forty two years. He is the only manager to defeat the previous three All Ireland Champions in the same year: The Dubs (1995), Meath (1996) and Kerry (1997). He did this with Kildare in 1998. But was more remarkable is that before 1998, Kildare had not beaten the Dubs or Meath in the Championship since the 1970's and Kerry since 1927.

OLLIE (Louth) - Posts: 12224 - 09/01/2018 19:48:17    2067574

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Only watched this now after recording it. Loved it. The greatest GAA man in history. Without question.

KildareKelly (Kildare) - Posts: 593 - 09/01/2018 20:31:18    2067578

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Just watched it again this time with some normally loud opinionated teenagers, they watched transfixed , says it all

Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts: 5193 - 09/01/2018 22:25:44    2067595

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Replying To OLLIE:  "His second spell with Kildare was something else especially when he got the Lillies to their first All Ireland final in sixty three years.It is hard to believe that was twenty years ago this year. Kildare had won their first Leinster in 1998 after forty two years. He is the only manager to defeat the previous three All Ireland Champions in the same year: The Dubs (1995), Meath (1996) and Kerry (1997). He did this with Kildare in 1998. But was more remarkable is that before 1998, Kildare had not beaten the Dubs or Meath in the Championship since the 1970's and Kerry since 1927."
Fairplay OLLIE, some interesting stats there, I didn't know they were the only team to beat the 3 previous All-Ireland champions and to be fair Meath and Kerry were top teams back then, Dublin were in a slight slumber, but still very competitive.

I know a few people from Kildare and they still talk about the great summer of 98, Micko brought that joy to the county and lit up the Leinster championship in the process. In a way Kildare were slightly unlucky, they beat the 3 previous All-Ireland champions but then ran into a brilliant Galway team.

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 09/01/2018 23:01:40    2067597

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Great manager, and a very enjoyable documentary. When he left laois he was interested in the Carlow job, sadly our short sighted county board didn't approach him. He always had his team firing for the championship even with Wicklow who had a very limited panel of players he managed to get some performances from them.

Barrowsider (Carlow) - Posts: 1591 - 10/01/2018 09:52:53    2067612

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Enjoyed the programme. Charging other children to play with the ball seemed a bit much though.

gahfan (Wexford) - Posts: 636 - 10/01/2018 11:11:31    2067626

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Replying To Htaem:  "Fairplay OLLIE, some interesting stats there, I didn't know they were the only team to beat the 3 previous All-Ireland champions and to be fair Meath and Kerry were top teams back then, Dublin were in a slight slumber, but still very competitive.

I know a few people from Kildare and they still talk about the great summer of 98, Micko brought that joy to the county and lit up the Leinster championship in the process. In a way Kildare were slightly unlucky, they beat the 3 previous All-Ireland champions but then ran into a brilliant Galway team."
Htaem after Louth, the lillies would be my second team in Leinster. I like to see them do well. Louth had some great victories against them down through the years. In Micko's first ever championship game in 1991 in Drogheda a late Stefan White goal gave the Wee County a great win over Kildare. In 1995 Louth beat Kildare in Newbridge. It was the first Sunday Game live. Colin Kelly had some match that day. In 2007 Louth beat Kildare also in Newbridge with a late late goal by the great Paddy Keenan. And in 2010 Wee beat them in Navan. Brian White probably had his best match for Louth. That was the last time Wee beat Kildare. Since then they have had the upper hand. St Brigid is associated with both counties and the river Boyne rises in Kildare. Plus both counties border yourselves.

OLLIE (Louth) - Posts: 12224 - 10/01/2018 11:34:40    2067630

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Replying To OLLIE:  "Htaem after Louth, the lillies would be my second team in Leinster. I like to see them do well. Louth had some great victories against them down through the years. In Micko's first ever championship game in 1991 in Drogheda a late Stefan White goal gave the Wee County a great win over Kildare. In 1995 Louth beat Kildare in Newbridge. It was the first Sunday Game live. Colin Kelly had some match that day. In 2007 Louth beat Kildare also in Newbridge with a late late goal by the great Paddy Keenan. And in 2010 Wee beat them in Navan. Brian White probably had his best match for Louth. That was the last time Wee beat Kildare. Since then they have had the upper hand. St Brigid is associated with both counties and the river Boyne rises in Kildare. Plus both counties border yourselves."
Did Louth not beat Kildare sometime in the early 2000s (2001?) Ollie? I seem to remember the game was a qualifier in Newbridge.

Gleebo (Mayo) - Posts: 2208 - 10/01/2018 13:39:55    2067647

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Replying To Htaem:  "Micko is a great man, brilliant on the pitch and a legend on the sideline and while I enjoyed the programme last night I thought it was pretty sad in it's presentation. Ok that's obviously what the makers of the programme had intended but why? the great man is old but he's not dead or forgotten about by any means."
That would have been my take on it (and having watched the programme on O'Se the previous day). O'Dwyer was an exceptional player also and when he went from wing back to corner forward he showed that he could play at a the same level as the best forwards in any era.

browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2342 - 10/01/2018 13:53:33    2067651

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Replying To Gleebo:  "Did Louth not beat Kildare sometime in the early 2000s (2001?) Ollie? I seem to remember the game was a qualifier in Newbridge."
Kildare beat Louth twice in the early noughties. In 2000 they beat the Wee Men in Croke Park and two years later they beat us in Navan.

OLLIE (Louth) - Posts: 12224 - 10/01/2018 14:17:04    2067655

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Replying To OLLIE:  "Htaem after Louth, the lillies would be my second team in Leinster. I like to see them do well. Louth had some great victories against them down through the years. In Micko's first ever championship game in 1991 in Drogheda a late Stefan White goal gave the Wee County a great win over Kildare. In 1995 Louth beat Kildare in Newbridge. It was the first Sunday Game live. Colin Kelly had some match that day. In 2007 Louth beat Kildare also in Newbridge with a late late goal by the great Paddy Keenan. And in 2010 Wee beat them in Navan. Brian White probably had his best match for Louth. That was the last time Wee beat Kildare. Since then they have had the upper hand. St Brigid is associated with both counties and the river Boyne rises in Kildare. Plus both counties border yourselves."
Remember them all Ollie, especially 1991. Drogheda packed that day. Long quiet journey home! Secret weapon Stefan.

St.Conleth (Kildare) - Posts: 1700 - 10/01/2018 17:50:51    2067678

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Replying To St.Conleth:  "Remember them all Ollie, especially 1991. Drogheda packed that day. Long quiet journey home! Secret weapon Stefan."
Ah super Stefan White. What a player. His father Stephen won an All Ireland with Louth in 1957. Stefan White himself won an Ulster title with Monaghan in 1988. There must of been 16,000 in Drogheda that day in 1991.

OLLIE (Louth) - Posts: 12224 - 10/01/2018 18:31:36    2067684

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Replying To OLLIE:  "Htaem after Louth, the lillies would be my second team in Leinster. I like to see them do well. Louth had some great victories against them down through the years. In Micko's first ever championship game in 1991 in Drogheda a late Stefan White goal gave the Wee County a great win over Kildare. In 1995 Louth beat Kildare in Newbridge. It was the first Sunday Game live. Colin Kelly had some match that day. In 2007 Louth beat Kildare also in Newbridge with a late late goal by the great Paddy Keenan. And in 2010 Wee beat them in Navan. Brian White probably had his best match for Louth. That was the last time Wee beat Kildare. Since then they have had the upper hand. St Brigid is associated with both counties and the river Boyne rises in Kildare. Plus both counties border yourselves."
Fairplay to your memory OLLIE, Louth and Kildare have had some very good clashes by the looks of things with Louth really holding their own. I remember Louth's win over Kildare in 2010 in particular, Kildare were on the up and would have been clear favourites but Louth won pretty comfortably in the end.

I was only 10 when Kildare beat Meath in the 98 Leinster final but I believe it was very close to being a Kildare v Louth leinster final that year OLLIE. My older brother (who's since passed on) actually took me to the Leinster final in 98 but I have little memory of it, as far as I remember though he brought me to see Star Wars (I think it was A New Hope re-release) after the game to try and dispel all memory of it.

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 10/01/2018 18:32:48    2067685

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Replying To gahfan:  "Enjoyed the programme. Charging other children to play with the ball seemed a bit much though."
Is this comment for real

Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts: 5193 - 10/01/2018 18:53:18    2067687

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Replying To Htaem:  "Fairplay to your memory OLLIE, Louth and Kildare have had some very good clashes by the looks of things with Louth really holding their own. I remember Louth's win over Kildare in 2010 in particular, Kildare were on the up and would have been clear favourites but Louth won pretty comfortably in the end.

I was only 10 when Kildare beat Meath in the 98 Leinster final but I believe it was very close to being a Kildare v Louth leinster final that year OLLIE. My older brother (who's since passed on) actually took me to the Leinster final in 98 but I have little memory of it, as far as I remember though he brought me to see Star Wars (I think it was A New Hope re-release) after the game to try and dispel all memory of it."
Htaem sorry to hear about your brother. Yes Meath beat Louth by a point in the semi-final that year. Graham Geraghty scored a point that was given but it looked wide. (What is with Louth/Meath matches. There is never a dull moment). Leinster was great in the 1990's. You had some great clashes between the Dubs/Meath, Dubs/Kildare and Kildare/Meath. Louth reached six Leinster semi-finals in the nineties. Their best chances of reaching the final was in 1991 after they lost to laois after a replay. This was the infamous brawl and 1997 when they lost to Offaly. Ironically if they had won either of them they would of played Meath in a Leinster Final.

OLLIE (Louth) - Posts: 12224 - 10/01/2018 19:47:37    2067698

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Replying To OLLIE:  "Htaem sorry to hear about your brother. Yes Meath beat Louth by a point in the semi-final that year. Graham Geraghty scored a point that was given but it looked wide. (What is with Louth/Meath matches. There is never a dull moment). Leinster was great in the 1990's. You had some great clashes between the Dubs/Meath, Dubs/Kildare and Kildare/Meath. Louth reached six Leinster semi-finals in the nineties. Their best chances of reaching the final was in 1991 after they lost to laois after a replay. This was the infamous brawl and 1997 when they lost to Offaly. Ironically if they had won either of them they would of played Meath in a Leinster Final."
Ah not at all OLLIE, sure that's life, people come and go sadly.

Typical Meath v Louth game so, I never remember a dull game between us two, league or championship. Louth may not of had much success in the championship against Meath of late but yous did come to Navan in 2012 and hammer us down into Division 3.

Ye Leinster was great in the 90s, would be great to see it that competitive again. The 91 Meath team would have been tough to beat but I'd say Louth would of had a great chance against Meath had they of made the 97 final, we were depleted after the 3 punishing games against Micko's Kildare.

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 10/01/2018 21:49:15    2067717

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Replying To OpenStand:  "Watched the documentary tonight , one of the best GAA documentaries of all time , some life story ."
The 2 Mickos...O'Dwyer and O'Connell were both ranked together. From roughly the same part of Kerry, they were at the heart of successful Kerry teams in the 1960's.
O' Dwyer went on to become the most successful gaelic football manager ever....paid a dubious compliment to Cork in calling them the 2nd best team in the country in the 1970's.

Rockies (Cork) - Posts: 947 - 11/01/2018 02:31:38    2067749

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I watched Micko last night. Interesting summary of Mick O'Dwyer's career in business and football. He was successful in both aspects. He still has huge interest in football.
Nice to know a little about life around South Kerry before the modern age.



As an Offalyman I wanted to see his reaction to the 1982 final loss to Offaly, the most famous match in GAA lore. Unlike paying compliment to the Galway and Down teams of the 1960s, who defeated Kerry,there was no similar recognition that Offaly were a good team. Offaly also defeated Kerry in1972 in a replay.

That Kerry team of the 1970's and 1980's were a great team, who changed football, and came back in 1984 to win 3 in a row. Offaly post 1982 went into decline, apart from 1997/98.


I wish Mick well, sorry to see he has a slight problem with his left side, but he has a positive outlook.
We will not see his like again.

thelongridge (Offaly) - Posts: 1735 - 11/01/2018 11:55:34    2067786

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Replying To Damothedub:  "Is this comment for real"
Yea thought the same when I read his book, thought it was peculiar to hear of a young lad to be charging others to pay using their ball. We were harmless at that age playing football every evening with the neighbours.

gahfan (Wexford) - Posts: 636 - 11/01/2018 14:44:45    2067807

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Replying To Htaem:  "Ah not at all OLLIE, sure that's life, people come and go sadly.

Typical Meath v Louth game so, I never remember a dull game between us two, league or championship. Louth may not of had much success in the championship against Meath of late but yous did come to Navan in 2012 and hammer us down into Division 3.

Ye Leinster was great in the 90s, would be great to see it that competitive again. The 91 Meath team would have been tough to beat but I'd say Louth would of had a great chance against Meath had they of made the 97 final, we were depleted after the 3 punishing games against Micko's Kildare."
True enough Htaem. Life goes on. Wee won't have to wait long for the next Battle of the Boyne match. It's on Sunday 18th of March. What a weekend that is gonna be. It's a pity that these match is not in Navan. I would fancy our chances. Louth have not beaten Meath in Drogheda in any competition since the O'Byrne Cup in 2007. Since Meath beat us in Navan in the Championship in 2002, Wee have are unbeaten in three visits to Navan. Wee won in the league in 2012, drew in the O'Byrne Cup in 2013 and won last year in the O'Byrne Cup.

OLLIE (Louth) - Posts: 12224 - 11/01/2018 16:06:43    2067828

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