You might recall an exchange in the comments the other day between myself and my old china ontheroad concerning events relating to the Connacht final of 1946. The incident where Jimmy Murray had raised the green flag himself after scoring a goal for Roscommon was mentioned, an episode that led to Mayo objecting to the goal and which resulted in the match – which Roscommon had won by 1-4 to 0-6 – being replayed. Fat lot of good it did us, as it transpired, as they beat us again in the replayed final – this time by 1-9 to 1-2 – which was held on the 11th of August in Roscommon.
ontheroad said that he’d seen an unusual photo where both teams posed together at half-time in that replayed final. I asked him if he had a copy of it and off he went in search of it.
Here it is – if you double-click on the thumbnail on the left you can see the full-size image. I’m also uploading a copy of the photo for posterity onto the 1946 page of the results archive. My thanks to ontheroad for making this image available so that it could be shared with a wider audience.
You are welcome WJ. Those were mighty men. Some players from both those sides collected a pair of All Ireland senior medals each.
That was the halycon days of Connacht football. The late Cardinal Tomas O Fiach was once asked what would have been his dearest wish. His reply was “To have played football like Bill Carlos”.
A great photo Willy Joe. The Ref. with the ball in his hand is the late John Vallely from Armagh. He had a Mayo connection that I’m sure that the sheep stealers didn’t know anything about. He was married to a Ballyhaunis woman. He played for many years with Armagh, and with Ulster in the Railway Cup. He was also a real gentleman.
Looks like the genfitt jerseys the mayo lads are wearing!!! tough looking dudes all right!! Not a physio or psychologist in sight……. how did they manage at all??? Great photo otr !!!!
Fair play to you “on the road” – you always come up with the goods – great picture – did you take it yourself. I believe you were a dab hand with the camera back in the 40s – a great man to take a shot. You wouldn’t happen to have a photo of Bill Carlos would you? ?
Might get WJ to stick up one of you, though it might scare the kids at Halloween! By the way Bill Carlos lived not far from your workplace. Call in sometime and one of the Carlos’s will fix you up. Say I sent you.
now they are the original hardy bucks ! great stuff OTR and WJ
Hey Guys – Greetings from Ros.
I also scanned this famous photo from the 1991 CSF Final Replay Programme & put it up on gaaboard.com a few months back, as there wasn’t a copy online anywhere to the best of my knowledge. (Link below.)
It also contained the accompanying programme report which i’ll paste below also.
Regards, spec
Controversy and Comraderie
Mayo and Roscommon met in the 1946 Connacht Final in Ballinasloe. In a game that will be remembered for all the wrong reasons Roscommon finished winners 1-4 to 0-6. However, Mayo objected and Roscommon counter-objected and after a rancourous Connacht Council meeting it was decided to replay the game. The replay was played in St. Coman’s Park which Roscommon won 1-9 to 1-2. The picture of the two teams was taken at half time in the game and is reckoned to be the only photograph of its type taken at any time during a game of such importance.
The teams for the replay were :
Roscommon – G Dolan, W Jackson, J Casserley, O Hoare, B Lynch, W Carlos, J Quinn, E Boland, T Collins, P Murray, J Murray, D Keenan, J McQuillan, JJ Fallon, JJ Nerney
Mayo – T Beirne, P Gilvarry, J McNamara, S Flanagan, J Forde, J Gilvarry, F Mongey, H Kenny, P Carney, P Kilroy, E Mongey, J Gilvarry, J Munnelly, J Kilroy, T Acton
Sets of brothers figured prominently on that day. Mayo had three Gilvarrys, two Kilroys and two Mongeys, while Roscommon had two Murrays.
http://gaaboard.com/board/index.php?PHPSESSID=896b9e489754c16930212532775de1fe&topic=62.msg837987#msg837987
Thanks for that Spectator – it’s appropriate, I think, given the unique nature of the photograph that the job of unearthing all the details has become a joint Mayo-Roscommon one!