Paddy Doherty: The Making of Paddy Mo

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It’s a very striking thing that there was pent-up potential there and once the demonstration was given by one team, it was followed by others. We must remember that it almost ran into 1995 when Tyrone were very close and were arguably a poor refereeing decision away (Peter Canavan being adjudged to have touched the ball on the ground for Seán McLaughlin’s equaliser) from earning at least a replay. He made his debut against Glen that same year and St Peter’s won the junior championship in his first season. He progressed to the Down minor team and first lined out for the Mourne senior team in 1943.

Reality TV star Paddy Doherty has told how convicted murderer Joe Joyce insisted to him that he “tried to kill nobody”. In 2008, Down defeated Tyrone after a replay in the Ulster SFC but lost to Armagh in the Ulster SFC semi-final. Down advanced to play Offaly in the All-Ireland SFC qualifiers. After a convincing 5–19 to 2–10 victory over Offaly, Down faced Laois in a Round 2 qualifier. Defeating Laois by a single point, and with Dan Gordon being sent off, Down progressed to the last round of the qualifiers, in which the team was paired with Wexford, a game held at Croke Park. Down had Dan Gordon's suspension removed, but awful conditions and a poor Down performance resulted in a defeat to Wexford by a scoreline of 2–13 to 0–12. The tall Dublin farmer was equally at home with hurling as football and won two Railway Cup medals on the same day in 1962 in both codes. A stalwart of the St Vincent football nursery in Dublin, Des was an extraordinarily gifted footballer.

Teenager in serious condition and four others injured after two cars collide on Irish road

We’ve lost other members of the support staff too like Tommy McGivern who was a driver and Terry Lawlor, a great man who coordinated so much for us. I never had any intention of missing. I’d say the ball was in the net and out again before Willie moved. Four games with Dublin, two bouts of extra-time and, fittingly, a dramatic conclusion as Kevin Foley’s late goal and a point from David Beggy earned a famous win for Sean Boylan’s side. Despite the shouts from the crowd, he helped Down beat Donegal and then Tyrone on the way to the final of the Ulster Senior Football Championship, but eventual All-Ireland finalists Derry proved too strong on the day. Also, my father took a weak turn while watching me taking that penalty… he never again went to see me play… not even in the All-Ireland finals.

Reading how Matt covered Doherty's scoring feats, I decided I'd send him a note asking if he could get me Paddy's autograph. This is to bring to life remarkable stories of some brilliant footballers and hurlers that have not been told before.

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Barney Carr’s father had played for Down once in 1914 but his own connection with the GAA didn’t begin until the St Peter’s club was formed in Warrenpoint in the winter of 1931 when he was nine-years-old. In terms of coaching, Burren gave me the opportunity to coach right through the club structure and since 2016 I've been involved with the Down development squads and I just hope to continue and build on that progress because, like all counties, there definitely is a lot of talent there and it'll be good to work with young players and bring them through. Known as the ‘Daingean Dynamo’, he was of slender physique, but my goodness could he play. Against physically well-endowed opponents, his deft touches and body swerve left them wondering what had passed them. Being an older dad has never been an issue for me – I give my kids love and time and that's what matters’

I don't believe I ever saw Paddy Doherty play, but I did an introduction about my father, Pat, who was a big Down fan. He went to the '60 and '61 All-Ireland Finals, he was a big fan of Paddy Doherty." Down footballers, officials, supporters and journalists from the time are adamant that considerable numbers of the Protestant population from across the county and beyond travelled to Croke Park in full support for the semi-finals and final. It seemed that the exploits of the team had created a sense of common belonging and self-worth; they knew that they wanted to celebrate but were not sure how, that it stirred something uplifting within them but they were not sure what, and that the success belonged to them as well but they were uncertain as to why. Friendships In it, he thanked me for writing to him and telling me he was happy to be getting noticed in New York.Paddy says the person who gave him the name was his godfather, Malachy Doherty who named the Down star after Maureen Connolly, the lightning fast American tennis player who was universally known as ‘Little Mo’. Coming out as a lesbian to my children was hands down the most difficult thing I have ever had to do’ It made Down's winning of the All-Ireland Football final that year especially meaningful for me, then and since. He will be missed’ – Andy Farrell leads the tributes as Keith Earls confirms his retirement from all rugby And he’s still not Paddy Doherty, even now, to those who can recall his amazing exploits on the football field.