Summerhill GFC lost one of their links with the great four-in-a-row winning team of the mid seventies with the sad passing of Tom Gibbons.

Tom played a key part as the south county team emerged from the lower grades to bring the Keegan Cup through Trim in 1974, 75, 76 and 77.

A number of other trophies were also annexed by the Hill during this glorious period, including the Leinster club championship as famed St Vincents were hammered 5-4 to 0-6 in the provncial decider of 1977. The full forward line of Fergus Fagan, Mattie Kerrigan and one Tom Gibbons cut the Dublin defence to shreds in the games opening stages.

Strong and sturdy, Tom was the ideal corner forward or top of the left as they were oft called in bygone days.

Deadly accurate with that eye for goal, he was Summerhills regular free taker and lets say very few of such efforts failed to find the target. 

A native of Louisburgh, Co. Mayo Tom was later joined on that great Summerhill combination by his younger brother John who was teaching in the local National School.

John too became an integral part of that Hill squad and lined out for Meath in the Leinster finals of 1976 and 77 as a centre half back. Future champions Dublin obtained their biggest tests in those two provincial deciders and many old timers still feel that this outstanding Meath team should have obtained an All Ireland title themselves.

Earlier John had won an All Ireland under 21 medal for his native county in 1967 and wearing the number 11 jersey shot 3-3 against Roscommon in the Connacht final of that season. 

He played for the Westerners at senior level for a number of years and was ironically a wing forward on the young Mayo team that was beaten by Meath in the All Ireland semi final of 1967. Meath later beat Cork in the final.

John would go on to win a NFL medal for the 1969/70 campaign and captained Mayo in the Connacht championship of 1973

Tom Gibbons was buried yesterday, Monday August 14th in Killeagh, Co. Cork.

Ar dheis De go raibh a anam.

The four in a row Meath SFC winning Summerhill squad. Front l-r: Tommy Daly, Noel Young, Noel Byrne. Middle l-r: Martin Coyne, Mick Gannon, Brendan Balfe, Paddy Lyons, Austin Lyons, Fergus Fagan, Padraig Grey, Donal McKay, Colm Gannon, Larry Doyle, Tommy Fagan. Back l-r: Mattie Kerrigan, Michael Lyons, Peter King, John Colgan, Pat Jennings, John Gibbons, Bobby White, Tom Gibbons, Donie Mooney, John Ennis, Vincent lavelle, Brendan Fitzsimons

 

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