Paddy McCormack was one of footballer's great characters The recent Bank Holiday games in O'Connor Park in Tullamore proved little in the way of real excitement. There was a big crowd and decent weather (for which we have become increasingly grateful), but the football on view wasn't of the highest quality. Long before the end of the Dublin-Westmeath game there was a stream of supporters heading for the exit gates. Mostly young Dubs who were happy enough that their team were not going to get caught in the closing stages. Bank Holiday . country team . time to celebrate. For the younger element of Dublin's huge army of support, the nearest available establishments were the choice. But for many of the older and more discerning fans there was only one place to go . Paddy McCormack's. G.A.A. supporters are often a loyal bunch and when their team plays away from home, the "Football" pub is the one to visit. And Paddy McCormack is a football pub. Could it be anything else? The proprietor is the legendary "Iron Man from Rhode", Offaly's sterling full back when they took the Sam Maguire Cup for the first time in 1971 and retained it twelve months later. And Dublin supporters enjoy the craic, the banter and the slagging that is as much part of McCormack's pub as the beer itself. "What did you do to "Blackie" Coen in Portlaoise in '62", they "enquire" of the host. Irrespective of what happened on the playing field thirty years ago, the banter is invariably good-humoured and the fact that "Blackie" is among the clientele proves that all is forgiven. Paddy McCormack loves the Dublin supporters, "the best in the world . great craic" and of course, with Offaly also celebrating their win over Carlow, the atmosphere is one of good humour and joy. And the man himself, although extremely busy, is enjoying himself more than most. Who can remember the last Sunday in September 1971? Who can forget it? The rain belting down in Croke Park. Offaly supporters wet to the skin, didn't even notice. Nor did the players. Willie Bryan receiving the Cup. And Paddy McCormack reaching out to touch it . just to reassure himself that he wasn't dreaming. Then clutching it to that broad, broad chest of his before raising it above his head to the delight of the already ecstatic supporters. Offaly, Off-aly, they chanted. And McCormack was their special hero, the sole link with the great '60/'61 team that had made the initial provincial breakthrough, the team that had been so narrowly beaten in a replay by Down, the team that had helped to attract more than 90,000 spectators to Croke Park. No, the torrential rain didn't matter as the man from Rhode was chaired shoulder high across Croke Park in a memorable gesture of appreciation. Rhode is situated in North Offaly and shares it's parish with Croghan . it's nearer of the two to Edenderry. Paddy McCormack hails from Croghan but played his early football with Rhode. There was no outstanding football tradition in the family but Rhode was a typically loyal Offaly club and football was always of immense importance. Young McCormack "made" the county Minors in 1956 and again in 1957 when they were unlucky to be beaten by Meath in the Leinster Final. Meath went on to win the All-Ireland. At centre field with Paddy on that occasion was Peter Daly, while other members of the team were Willie Nolan, John Egan and Tommy Cullen, all of whom quickly graduated to the Seniors and helped to bring to the county it's first Senior Championship in 1960 Paddy McCormack was promoted to the Senior panel for the 1957-'58 National League and made his Championship debut in '58. Did he entertain any prospects of intercounty success at the time? After all, Offaly had never won the Leinster title and had only contested three finals in the Association's history. "We could always produce good players, as good, if not better than any other county, but we struggled to put it together as a team. that was the difference in 1960". Dublin had won the All-Ireland in 1958, the "Leinster" in 1959 and had hammered Longford in the first round in 1960. They were hot favourites to make it three-in-a-row. Offaly had struggled to overcome Carlow in the first round (shades of (1993) but stunned the Dubliners with a well-merited three goal victory in the semi final. Although they had only one point to spare over Louth in the Final, the breakthrough has been made and at last, the term Leinster Champions was ascribed to the Faithful county. The unique and colourful pairing of Down and Offaly brought the crowds to Croke Park in their thousands. And Offaly's prospects of reaching a first All-Ireland Final looked more than promising when they led by seven points at the interval. And they still looked likely winners as the game entered the closing stages with Down trailing by three points. But there then occurred one of football's most controversial refereeing decisions when Jim McCartan was awarded a penalty which Paddy Doherty converted. "No way was it a penalty. McCartan tucked the ball under his arm and headed for goal. Four Offaly defenders stood firm, but to our amazement, the referee awarded a penalty. When we heard the whistle, we were positive it was a free out". Tony Hadden added a Down point but Offaly showed tremendous character to work their way back for an equalising point from a free by Har Donnelly. But Down won the replay and went on to take the Sam Maguire Cup to the six counties for the first time ever. It was terrible luck on the Offalymen. Throughout their near-successful odyssey Offaly's full back line of Paddy McCormack, Greg Hughes and John Egan became the country's most formidable full back line. "I suppose we were regarded as the successors to the great Meath full back line of the fifties, the two O'Briens and McConnell. There were some great forwards in those days, Down, Dublin, Roscommon and Kerry, so you had to be on your toes". In 1962, Offaly retained the Leinster title and continued in history-making vein by reaching the All-Ireland final for the first time. Roscommon were their semi final victories. Before a record attendance for any sporting event in the country, Down managed to hold onto their All-Ireland crown and although there was another penalty controversy (wing forward Tommy Greene was brought down on the edge of the square and didn't even get a free), the general opinion, unlike 1960, was that Down deserved to win. For most of that great "Faithful" team it was the end of the road, especially when the Dubs beat them in the controversial 1962 final. But the full back line was not finished yet and seven years later they returned to the All-Ireland scene. Kerry, however, had not won the title since 1962 and were slightly hungrier on the day. But the full back line played it's role to perfection and there was never any danger of the Kerry full forward line getting through for a goal. A troublesome achilles tendon injury ruled Paddy out of the 1970 campaign and Offaly went under to Meath in "the best of all Leinster finals". Losing out on a year when you've passed the 30 mark usually spells the end of the days at intercounty level, but the man from Rhode had not earned his "Iron" tag for nothing. On his return from injury he was moved into full back and found a new lease of life in the No. 3 jersey. "The Minors had won the All-Ireland in 1964 and several of that team had established themselves on the Senior side Fr. Gilhooley then blended us into a formidable fifteen. And, of course, many of the team had played in the '69 Final". At half time against Galway, Offaly trailed by five points and once again appeared to be on the way out. But John Smith was introduced at centre half back within six minutes of the resumption and Nicholas Calvin was moved to a previously struggling centre field. Clavin turned the tide in Offaly's favour and with the wind and rain making conditions extremely difficult, the Leinster champions gradually chipped away at the deficit. Murt Connor's goal turned out to be the decisive score and, at last, Offaly were All-Ireland champions. The celebrations began . from Rhode to Ferbane . from Clare to Coolderry. Offaly's 1971 victory had much to do with courage, guts and bravery. And they could play football as well. The courage and bravery were called into action again in 1972 when Offaly set out to retain the Sam Maguire Cup. The Leinster title was duly defended and first time Ulster champions Donegal were dispatched in the semi final. Kerry were the Final opponents. The game finished all square and there was a general consensus that the Kingdom would make no mistake at the second attempt. The view was further strengthened by the absence from the Offaly team of the injured Nicholas Clavin and Mick O'Rourke. Kerry had only lost one previous replay (to Galway, in 1938) but . "we didn't bother too much about the tradition . it's not much use if you haven't got the team. And besides, we should have won it at the first attempt. We were more concerned about the loss of Nicolas and Mick and remember, we also lost Johnny Cooney and Eugene Mulligan during the course of the replay". The game represented Offaly's finest achievement. Not alone did they overcome incredible adversity to win the game, but they also inflicted on Kerry their biggest ever margin of defeat in an All-Ireland Final . nine points. Flanked by the impressive Mick Ryan and by Larry Coughlan, McCormack ensured that the Kerry full forward line never got a clear sight of goal and his thundering clearances were a tremendous boost to his colleagues. "But it was Willie Bryan's immaculate second half display that won it for us . he was superb. It's difficult to know which victory gave me the biggest thrill of all - the first, against Galway was special because "firsts" always are, but the manner of our victory over Kerry in a replay and the adverse circumstances in which it was fashioned was equally memorable". And Paddy's performances earned him the All-Star Award at full back. Any hopes he had of helping Offaly to win a third successive All-Ireland were dashed when, in November 1972, he sustained a serious eye injury in the Grounds Tournament Final against Donegal. The injury effectively ended his long and illustrious career although he did attempt to come back and was substitute on the team narrowly beaten by Dublin in the 1974 semi final. There were many who felt that, had been introduced, Dublin might well have been beaten. What is not widely remembered is that Paddy was a selector on the All-Ireland winning teams of '71 and '72 and continued in the role in 1973 and '74. And what Offaly's prospects against hot favourites Kildare at Portlaoise on Sunday. "I wouldn't rule out Offaly. They may not have impressed against Carlow but Kildare always bring out the best in them". He is less happy about the standard of the game. rules and referees are causing a lot of problems. There doesn't seem to be place for a good old fashioned "shoulder" any more . and that's a pity". And he also bemoans the passing of the Railway Cups. "They were a great attraction in our day. We would commence training around Christmas for the Railway Cup. There would be trails in February and you had to be in reasonable shape. The best talent in the country was always on display on St. Patrick's Day". Paddy won Senior Football Championship medals with Rhode in 1958, '66, '67 and '69. After the first win he transferred to Croghan but later returned to play with Rhode. He remembers captaining Rhode against Croghan, who were captained by his brother Brian. And he also won a Cross County medal in 1967. He has no regrets about his football days. "We made great friends and although the exchanges were always hard on the field we forget about them once the game was over". But one aspect that displeased him was the manner in which injured players were treated by the G.A.A. "You wouldn't want to be depending on the G.A.A. to put bread on your table if you were unable to earn a week's wages because of a football injury". Paddy's wife Josie is a native of Rhode and they have five children. P.J., who runs Paddy's other pub in Mountmellick, Francis who looks after the Tullamore establishment, Geraldine is a well known singer while Joanne and Michelle are still at College. P.J. has a son Patrick, the Iron Man's first grandchild. To be a member of Offaly's first Leinster winning team ensured Paddy's place in the county's football folklore. To embellish the achievement by also playing on the first five "Leinster" winning teams also was unique. Teak-tough, an outstanding footballer and a great rallying source for the county. One suspects that once Paddy was made, the mould was broken. Written by Hogan Stand Magazine 25/06/93 Tweet

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