I grew up watching the greatest team of all time and listening to Micheal O Heir in 1981 " deenihan up to Tadgh Donnelly and Kennelly to John Egan, Egan up along the wing, up to Eoin Liston and Liston back to Egan, and now they're really rolling" " Egan into Mike Sheehy and into Jack O Shea ! GOAL The first goal of the game" John Egan was a God to us young lads as were they all! Memories that will never be forgotten.
I remember John Egan when He was Stationed in Killavullen, County Cork. John used train in the local GAA Pitch, Play Football Backs & Forwards for an hour or so, then twenty laps of the pitch on His own, and straight into the squash court for a game of high intensity squash, shower and get dressed. John Egan was extremely very well liked and respected where ever He went. I have no doubt John was the most gifted Corner Forward that I have seen playing Gaelic Football, and a great reader of a game. I had fierce time for John, huge respect as had countless more. Born and raised in the most beautiful Parish in South Kerry, Sneem where His memory will Live forever. Rest in peace.
What a player so many fond memories of watching John playing or listening on the radio as a the great Michael O Heir gave a running commentary of the game, in my my mind without question the best team of all time, still all household names to this day considering it is 35 years since that great group of players last lifted the Sam Maguire.
Faithful follower.Well done OWEN great tribute to a great man what a great player he was unflappable under pressure and he played against some of the toughest Kerry and Dublin defenders when the rules at that time, to put it mildly didnt favour the skillful player. Met Matt many times and you had to be struck by his modesty. When he had his unfortunate accident in 1984, the way he accepted it and got on with his life is truly inspirational. One thing is for certain, we in Offaly will not see a player of his calibre for a long long time to come. {We were truly privileged from 1978-84 to witness such a great player & sportsman. Would Offaly have won the All Ireland Final in 1982 without him,? id say it would be next to impossible. THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES MATT.
My mum and his mum are first cousins but I was crap at football and from Leix lol I never realised we were related until years later long after he got tired beating us .
Was watching the 82 final again and John Egan almost won the game on his own. What a phenomenal player and such a clean player as well. As an Offalyman I loved watching him play even though he filled me with dread evey time he got the ball.
brings back very very fond memories, I'm from Dublin but my dad was from Offaly and I had the pleasure of seeing Matt play a number of times as well as being at the 1982 final. I had never seen anybody play like him before, it was as if he saw everything in slow motion, very very special.
Where is the ballad of matt connor? Some of the great gaa legends had songs or ballads about them and matt connor was the greatest without a doubt. Offaly will never see the likes of matt connor again.
One of the most poignant and superbly made tributes I've seen . What an utterly brilliant player .I don't care what county you hail from this has got to hit you ...that point at the start is a thing of sheer beauty .what a crying shame it ended so soon for the man and for football in general .I remember my father welling up speaking of Matt conner. Such a mixture of pure admiration and devastation ..
Eamon Ryan .. what planet are you on??....in an era of no back door and the greatest team of all time..ie Kerry..to score what he scored...legend sits easy on his shoulders!
Quite Simply Matt Connor was the greatest player ever in the history of Gaelic football.. He had a skill and technique which was as good as any world class athlete.His movement and his grace with the ball in hand , his ability to finish chances and also to create scores from nothing .. he was a genius and `I count myself very lucky to have seen this man play a few times in Croke Park.
I first saw him play in a Junior game for Sneem against Legion on the outside pitch in the Fitzgerald Stadium c 1973. He played centre back, scored 2/3 points and was magnificent. From '75 on, I rarely missed a Kerry training session and never a match, and he will remain the greatest footballer I have ever seen. To watch him in full flight was to witness genius and to marvel at poetry in motion. Maith thu a Sheain ni raibh a leithead againn aris.
Matt will always be remembered as one of the all time greats. He is the real Offaly Rover respected by all. There should be a statue of Matt in O Conner park like Micko in Waterville. Hope Offaly Gaa are listening.
