Inside Track: The great Seán O’Neill acknowledged Paddy’s save with a handshake

Paddy Gallagher, who died last week, was goalkeeper when Roche Emmets were regularly among the prizewinners, competing with Newtown Blues for the top spot in Louth club football.

That was in the late 1950s into the ‘60s, just a little over a decade after the club came into existence.

Founded in 1947, Emmets took only six years to win their first championship, the old Second Division.

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Then on their 10th anniversary, the team with St Brigid’s Cross as their emblem won the second-tier Junior Championship, beating Glyde Rangers in the final.

The run continued. Captained by Mick Brady, Roche reached the pinnacle in 1958, winning the Senior Championship.

Paddy Gallagher was still in his teens for the defeat of Drogheda’s Naomh Mhuire in the decider, playing alongside some of the very best to wear the blue jersey, players such as Jim McArdle, Vincie Kirk, Niall Craven, Mickey Gartlan, Tommy Flood and team captain Brady.

When Roche next played in the final, in 1963, they were pipped by the Newtown Blues, the Drogheda side chasing a third successive title.

In between, they played in six Cardinal O’Donnell Cup finals on the trot, winning three. There was also a win in the Old Gaels Cup.

Without doubt a golden period for what was known by many as Jack Treanor’s team. A constant throughout was goalkeeper Gallagher. There was nothing flamboyant about him, just a very good shot-stopper.

His talents weren’t recognised by the county selectors until later on in the 1960s. First up for him in a competitive game was in a National League match with Kerry.

That day in Tralee he had the first of his many clean sheets, Louth scoring a famous 0-6 to 0-5 win.

It’s often been referred to, the performance Gallagher turned in against Down in a 1970 National League quarter-final in Croke Park. It was one of the finest ever by a Louth county team goalkeeper.

Down, fielding most of the team that had won the All-Ireland final two years earlier, had the assistance of a goal-force win in the first half, and at the break led by 0-8 to 0-1.

The difference would have been much greater had it not been the number of times Sean O’Neill and his colleagues up front were denied by the Louth custodian.

They just couldn’t beat him from near or far, O’Neill acknowledging one of his saves with a handshake.

The day didn’t end in a Louth win, however. Down held out on a score of 0-9 to 0-7.

Paddy’s association with Roche didn’t end when his playing days were over. In the years that followed he filled many roles, chairman, team trainer and County Board delegate. At the time of his death he was club president.

Your writer was both an opponent and team-mate of Paddy’s, knowing him to be nothing less than a gentleman off and on the field.

As expected, Roche Emmets gave their colleague a worthy send-off last Thursday, his Requiem Mass celebrated in St Brigid’s Church, Kilcurry.