Now that we're in the doldrums a bit its not a bad time to reflect on moments from the past that stand out in the memory and still bring a smile to your face.For me it would have to be that final few minutes that culminated in Cluxtons point in 2011.I managed to get a ticket for the hill late in the day and the place when mental when it sailed over.16 years of waiting and against Kerry in fairytale style made it a day for the ages.Still get a buzz from it.
Where were you for one such moment ?

Dubh_linn (Dublin) - Posts: 2312 - 10/10/2015 09:15:18    1797620

Funnily Dubhlinn, that moment also lives long in my memory, but for very very different reasons!! I'll never know how we threw that one away :(

Its not any particular game per say for me (though Kerry have been involved in so many classics in my time supporting them), its actually more events around one or two of them which have stayed with me.

I was only a baby when Kerry won their last All Ireland in 1986 before the Great Kerry Famine. I grew up on my father's stories of brilliant Kerry teams and legendary Kerry players but all I remember from the early 1990s is being brought to games like the 1992 Munster Final and seeing Clare beat these 'legends'. I distinctly recall sitting in the back seat of the car as we drove through the evening dusk on the coast road back from Limerick and seeing the bonfires lighting on the Clare hills across the silent Shannon. All I could think was what was all this guff about Kerry being great footballers!!

So to get to 1997 and to finally see a Kerry side win Sam, was an unbelievable moment. We didn't have any tickets for the final but the minute the full time whistle went, we all piled in the car and drove into Tralee.

I will never forget the scenes driving down Castle St, people were climbing on cars, banging bonnets, hanging out of windows, dancing jigs in the middle of the street. It was pandemonium the flags flying, people singing, above all it was the moment that struck home for me how much the GAA means to us Kerry people. I will never forget it.

The homecoming last September was very special too. Myself and the brother were racing the team train home from Dublin on the Monday afternoon. We made it into Tralee just as the team open-top bus was heading down Ashe St. I've never seen such a crowd at a home coming,perhaps because so many Kerry people felt the team were not quite ready to win back an All Ireland, esp with Gooch gone.

It was a great, great night one that made you immensely proud to have had the good fortune to be born a Kerryman.

TheHermit (Kerry) - Posts: 6354 - 10/10/2015 10:31:07    1797635

To me it was when Louth beat Westmeath to reach their first Leinster Final in fifty years in 2010. Louth in the 90s missed out on a couple of finals but to finally reach the promise land was special indeed. And to meet Meath and living on the Boyne border the build up was something else.

OLLIE (Louth) - Posts: 12224 - 10/10/2015 10:54:59    1797637

1990 All_ireland football final was amazing. 2004 All-ireland hurling final was special as well. 1998 Under 21 All_ireland was unique too.

bennybunny (Cork) - Posts: 3917 - 10/10/2015 11:30:03    1797651

In recent times the 5 past cluxton in 2010 was great, our last truly great day out in Croker, that always brings a smile to my face.

I was at the AI final in 1999 as an 11 year old and obviously I thought that was brilliant as well, although I expected Meath to win All-Irelands back then so I probably would have savoured it even more if I'd have known the barren spell was coming.

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 10/10/2015 11:53:35    1797653

10/10/2015 10:31:07
TheHermit
County: Kerry
Posts: 845

1797635
Funnily Dubhlinn, that moment also lives long in my memory, but for very very different reasons!! I'll never know how we threw that one away :(
Well TheHermit,you know one mans throwing away is another mans seizing the day, and I think it was a wonderful example of a team who had that never say die attitude which makes champions.I think they have proved themselves beyond any doubt over the last few years and shown how when the chips are down they can call on that inner belief that we just didn't seem to have previous to Pat Gilroy getting the job done.
I think that's what they done that day and have done on a few occasions since as demonstrated this year again v Mayo.The team that looses will often feel they left it behind but you can only win if you are able to take the opportunity and win when its there to be won.Galway will probably feel they threw a chance away this year as will Meath v Westmeath and indeed Cork v Clare and Tipp v Kilkenny are all examples of teams who had their chance but had the day seized by the better team.
It is moments like you mention that are special as they say "what's seldom is wonderful" and I for one will vouch for that as I don't think I've ever enjoyed a sporting moment as much.

Dubh_linn (Dublin) - Posts: 2312 - 10/10/2015 12:28:41    1797660

Ah yea Dubhlinn fair play to Dublin that day they kept plugging away and were able to take advantage in the dying moments.

Just with the expedience of that Kerry side and being in the position they were, you would have beat your house on them.

Sure that's what made 2011 so much worse then this year, we just didn't turn up last month and can't have any complaints.

However another moment that brings a big smile all the time is the epic performance against ye in 2009.

Ye might have the advantage over us at the moment, but I doubt a Dublin team will ever do anything like that to us!!

TheHermit (Kerry) - Posts: 6354 - 10/10/2015 12:55:24    1797673

We weren't up to it that day for sure and not anything like where we are at the moment.That's the difference I suppose its easy enough loose by a big margin if you are mentally frail and I think that was definitely an issue back then.Its not often Kerry get beaten by big scores though but I think we should probably have beaten ye by a lot more this year and it just wasn't reflected on the scoreboard and the weather might have saved ye a bit of a drumming.
As you say ,we have the upper hand for sure at present,and its a time to savour the good days as they are inevitably numbered as all great sides know.
We are immensely proud though of their achievements whatever lies ahead.

Dubh_linn (Dublin) - Posts: 2312 - 10/10/2015 13:15:41    1797681

Great topic, fair play.
Ironically this was brought about by a player I was never a big fan of because I though he never achieved his full potential.

The dying minutes of the 2006 Connacht Final, the sides are level and we win a free on the stand side of the bacon factory goal. A few of us were sat near the opposite endline enduring some sneering from some Galway youths, who were not a representation of most sound Galway supporters.

It didn't look an easy free from our vantage point and I'd seen The Mort miss easier ones. He nailed it and I got up from my seat, not a seat really, like a long slab where everyone can sit side by side. The sneerers had me vexed so I let it all out roaring, sure we had won. I ran 4 or 5 rows back along the slabs and stopped at a much sounder quieter bunch of Galway supporters. I apologised to them and returned to my seat. To my dismay Michael Donnelan, a class act, was lining up an easier free than Mort's. Luckily his radar malfunctioned!

About 3AM on Monday morning I was dancing on the bar in my local, The Hay Wrap blaring from the jukebox. We didn't need Willie Joe that day !

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7324 - 10/10/2015 13:27:18    1797685

Ive two most recent obviously Cluxtons point , hollywood drama writers would be hard pressed to beat it ,its my personall greatest moment , got a ticket , managed to get a restricted view ticket for a family member , like many games against Kerry we went in hope more than expectation , the rest is history .
The second is a defeat that still hurts , I was a much younger man , when you really take stuff to heart , 91 the draws the loss to Meath , but funnily enough when I look back on it worse than losing that would have to not be involved in the greatest saga our game has seen , Ive learnt to live with that defeat , and like Clucko I will never ever forget it .

Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts: 5193 - 10/10/2015 13:37:20    1797688

The Hermit

We were dreadful over that time

Completely broken

Tyrone did the damage the year before and sure even a very average Meath side scored 5 goals against Dublin the following year

We were very poor

It was then that things changed..

I reckon we could have beaten you by 10+ in the period 91-95

Just never got the chance with a great Meath team in our way and Cork ruling the roost in Munster

I mean we beat Meath by 10 in 95 and they at the time were a far superior team compared to Kerry

Just the way history works out... ye were fortunate to avoid us

But going back to 2011.. It's funny that the "Kerry" threw it away myth persists

I mean Dublin went in ahead and had the better 1st half..

Dublin started the 2nd half well and went what was it 2-3 points up

Kerry then had their best period of the entire match with some fine scores but also benefiting from individual Dublin errors

Then Dublin came back again, all it took was 40 secs.. and then took the lead.. it was Kerry that then equalised against the run of play

We all know what happened then but Dublin out scored Kerry 1-3 to a 0-01 over that time

Dublin were ahead in that game longer than Kerry

Dublin led at half time by a point and were the better team, and Dublin then finished the better team

They weathered the Kerry purple patch and then Kerry couldn't live with Dublins counter.. 6 points to 1

There was a lot more to that game than just Kerry's purple patch...

Kerry lads forget that

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20598 - 10/10/2015 13:50:46    1797689

10/10/2015 13:27:18
GreenandRed
County: Mayo
Posts: 1856

1797685
Great topic, fair play.
Ironically this was brought about by a player I was never a big fan of because I though he never achieved his full potential.

The dying minutes of the 2006 Connacht Final, the sides are level and we win a free on the stand side of the bacon factory goal. A few of us were sat near the opposite endline enduring some sneering from some Galway youths, who were not a representation of most sound Galway supporters.

It didn't look an easy free from our vantage point and I'd seen The Mort miss easier ones. He nailed it and I got up from my seat, not a seat really, like a long slab where everyone can sit side by side. The sneerers had me vexed so I let it all out roaring, sure we had won. I ran 4 or 5 rows back along the slabs and stopped at a much sounder quieter bunch of Galway supporters. I apologised to them and returned to my seat. To my dismay Michael Donnelan, a class act, was lining up an easier free than Mort's. Luckily his radar malfunctioned!

About 3AM on Monday morning I was dancing on the bar in my local, The Hay Wrap blaring from the jukebox. We didn't need Willie Joe that day
GreenandRed,
Every time you hear that tune you're going to remember that day.For a lot of Dubs it would be "the boys are back in town" which I can't hear without remembering those celebrations after 2011 and the crazy night that came after.Didn't dance on the bar but felt like someone danced on my head on the Monday. Still,it was one of those memories I'm glad to have.

Dubh_linn (Dublin) - Posts: 2312 - 10/10/2015 13:51:14    1797690

If the last day had of been dry I think the Dubs would have come close enough to dismantling Kerry by a big score

lilypad (Kildare) - Posts: 1363 - 10/10/2015 14:15:51    1797693

Against Armagh in 2008. Sean Docs equaliser. I was right behind those goals as well. Pandemonium in the stands. I remember running down a long the back grabbing someone in green. The two of us danced for 30 seconds before both he and I realised that he was my boss.

gotmilk (Fermanagh) - Posts: 4971 - 10/10/2015 15:56:12    1797706

Excellent gotmilk :)

lilypad (Kildare) - Posts: 1363 - 10/10/2015 16:38:44    1797708

Eammon Taffes sweet strike to the back of the Offaly net in the 95 AI final to end 81 years of heartache.

ZUL10 (Clare) - Posts: 693 - 10/10/2015 17:38:39    1797721

10/10/2015 15:56:12
gotmilk
County: Fermanagh
Posts: 2447

1797706
Against Armagh in 2008. Sean Docs equaliser. I was right behind those goals as well. Pandemonium in the stands. I remember running down a long the back grabbing someone in green. The two of us danced for 30 seconds before both he and I realised that he was my boss.
Hahaaa, yeah,I remember watching that game abroad and it was hard to believe at the time as I don't think ye were given much of a chance.

Dubh_linn (Dublin) - Posts: 2312 - 10/10/2015 17:56:53    1797723

1996 AI hurling final but I would say that wouldn't I?! :)

MedwayIrish (Wexford) - Posts: 2324 - 10/10/2015 19:30:16    1797732

2001 Connacht Final, Ros were hanging on to a one point lead going into injury time, Nestor scores a goal for Mayo, a sneering Mayoman behind me taps me on the shoulder and says that a terrible way to lose a Connacht final, a minute later Lohan buries the ball in the Mayo net, kick out, full time, I turn to my Mayo friend and say thats worse, unforgettable.

giveballaghback (Roscommon) - Posts: 296 - 10/10/2015 20:14:06    1797741

I was at the same game GiveBallaghback. A great fightback. Davy Nestor gave the ball away and ye went down the field and scored the winning goal. A lesson for us to play to the finish. "Safe home" was the smiley message we got from the Rossie supporters as we left The Hyde with our tails well tucked up our holes.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7324 - 10/10/2015 20:51:27    1797747