All Ireland Soccer Champions!
The picture you see below is a photo I tracked down by questioning various people.
I needed the photo to make the article.
I enlisted the help of John “Soup”Campbell and Ger Reid in Reid’s bar on Friday night.
Gerard’s father the late Christy Reid “spit of Doire Reid”
stood beside my family with his friend my father.
He couldn’t watch the penalty shootout.
A photo was finally sourced.
My brother “rubber man” was central midfield as far as I know.
You can guess the names all you want but you are safer reading the full article !
Hairs sent me details of a Gaelic under 13 teams that also won an All Ireland in the community games around that era I’m working on it.
Soup played in an All Ireland under 13 Gaelic final representing Armagh, again in the community games in Butlins but was on a team completely from North Armagh clubs. Also around that era.
I ended up marrying Soups cousin, whose Da was my manager when I won an Armagh minor championship medal. Dear knows where that is !
My own brother was an and is an Eire Og man (life member) I marked him for Clans in an under 16 match just like he marked me many’s a time in sparring at Tullygally boxing club.
He played on the same Armagh under 13 Armagh community games team with soup hence the connection.
My sister won three All Ireland titles in ballroom dancing with her dance partner.
The whole family felt they had won them.
also Community games.
The community games was the Olympics of Irelands sporting youth. A week away in the mini Olympic village that was Butlins.
For the northern teams it might as well have been La Manga.
Mo daidi narrowly lost out on a senior football All Ireland title after a replay for Clan na Gael.
I’m sorry that familial pride has allowed me to digress.
Bunker
asked me to start with Lurgan Celtic as goalkeeper, but I’m a Tullygally man, I boxed with Tullygally so I played for Tullygally. Plus Dessie Rodger’s
Murdered in the dark days on his way home from work. had managed to secure us a full set of Spurs kits and that was my team then.
Which he pulled out of a kitbag to a team in awe, while nonchalantly chewing his beech nut
Gerard McMahon who played in that Tullygally team went on to play for Spurs.
Neil Lennon who played on Bunkers “Armagh” soccer team which was basically Lurgan Celtic, went on of course to manage Celtic.
Look at some of the other names on that team and you will see the influence of Lurgans greatest ever coach.
Much has been made of how a team made up entirely of Glasgow players won the European cup in 1967.
Bunker built a team from one club which beat teams made up of the entirety of places like Dublin, Cork, Derry etc.
I have to admit I’m the only boy in the household who hasn’t played in an All Ireland final. Seriously though ask me why I attempted to swim to Scotland or start the Lurgan Grapevine.
It would be the same as asking Dessie Rogers why he bothered with Tullygally fc while working overtime to feed his family or Bunker
The same.
I came close with Magee college in an All Ireland B colleges trench cup. However five broken ribs two collapsed lungs and a stopped heart limited my football a bit at a crucial stage. Soups cousin now my wife was at my bedside throughout and still is.
Even when I was living in Dublin playing for Naomh Olaf GAC, thankfully I never had to mark anyone as corner back like Soup, wee Marty Lavery or the doc or doire Reid for that matter.
But in them days in the Dublin league I could throw a dig and that was helpful.
My nickname in Dublin was Gordy da Nordy
I tried to escape the shame of doc giving me a headlight by trying to swim to Scotland. I was the only Irishman that qualified that year so scores even bro but you being on the boat got me three quarters of the way there.
Big Gerry Taggart also on the team below who played for Leicester City and Northern Ireland. Was a hero of mine just for being on that team.
I was there with my entire family to witness the tears of victory as the lads won on penalties. I got my first kiss of a Dublin net baller on the dodgems as ye do.
I asked my da why are they crying?
As the lads won on penalties.
My da said you will understand someday.
Big Gerry Taggart “tags” took me out for a pint with my brother.
an ex swimmer himself he gave me a blow by blow account of my north channel swim and no All Ireland would replace the pride he had put in to me.
In 2002 when the final whistle blew of the All Ireland senior football final as the tears flowed i understood. The tears of victory.
On that panel was big Ger Reid always a good man for the matches. D Horisk also on that team also a great Armagh senior player.
I have provided the team list below.
Any mistakes blame El Tel.
I hope Dessie Junior bunkers nephew who I coached alongside for the Clans sees this and spots a mistake.
Also that he can show this to his uncle Bunker.
From left to right back row right to left front row players Jason sewell Eddie Rushe Aidy Sheehy Damien Horisk paul Wharton Gareth mccaugherty Terry Hamill gerard Reid
Martin oneills Martin heaney gavin Hughes dee Kelly mark Reynolds Gary’s Hughes
Neil lennon gerard Taggart
Gordy Hamill
Ed
The message from big Taggs for me
Is on the you tube channel
Written in memory of Dessie Rogers and in honour of Bunker McGuinesss who I hope enjoys this .
