Padraig Horan - (Offaly v Galway)
Offaly's historic breakthroughs in Leinster in 1980 and at
All-Ireland level in '81 were achieved under the captaincy of
Padraig Horan. He was still playing four years later when the team
won its second All-Ireland and he managed the county to a National
League in 1991. Offaly were underdogs in 1981, against reigning
champions Galway, and came late in the match to win a memorable
final.
"We were fierce well prepared for the match by Dermot (Healy,
Offaly manager). He talked an awful lot about crowds and what to
expect. That morning we went to mass in Tullamore and got the train
to Dublin, avoiding most of the crowds. When we got there, we had a
puckaround in Trinity College during the minor match and by the time
we headed up, most of the spectators had gone ahead.
"When it was over, I remember the bedlam at the presentation. It
was most uncivilised, I'd just got my hands on the cup when it was
whipped away and gone. I didn't get to say a speech hardly at all -
there was so much shouting - just a few words. These things are more
dignified nowadays. None of us minded once our hands were on the
McCarthy. Eventually I gave it to Pat Carroll, Lord rest him, and he
nearly got killed bringing it back to the dressing-room. "What I
remember most was the homecoming and the crowds in Tullamore and
Birr - I didn't think there were so many people in the whole county.
It was great for me because the year before when we won our first
Leinster, my father had died during the match so I didn't go home
with the team on that occasion.
"Healy's speeches (at the homecoming) actually laid the
foundations for the under-age success to come and I suppose the
All-Ireland a couple of years ago."