In 1966 when only 22 Mattie Kerrigan was thrown head first into the cauldron of senior inter-county football in a National Football League game against Louth. He had played junior football for Meath but the move to the senior ranks was more daunting than he first though. 

“I wasn’t on the senior panel or anything before that. I hadn’t even played minor for the county. I had helped Summerhill win the Junior Football Championship that year but getting selected for the senior inter-county team was a big jump up. I was delighted to get picked, but in the game itself, I hardly got a kick of the ball. Early in the match I went for a pass, slipped and fell and the ball rolled over me. It wasn’t a very good start."

Thankfully for Meath the young Summerhill lad was given a second chance and he took it. From then on he went from strength to strength to become one of the best footballers ever to don the green and gold jersey playing a big part in the All Ireland success of 1967.

Mattie continued to represent his county right into the seventies. He was there again on the forty in 70 and was a goal scoring corner forward as a late rally pipped the Dubs in the NFL decider of 1975. Later that year he received a coveted All Star award.

Mattie went on to inspire Summerhill to their famous four-in-a-row of Meath SFC wins from 1974 to 77.

In a sparkling inter county management career Mattie took charge of the Meath seniors, guided the minors and under 21's to a number of Leinster trophies and had success managing both the Westmeath and Cavan seniors.

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