Peter Corr was a marked man the day Louth played Roscommon in All-Ireland semi-final

Louth senior teams have had several National League meetings with Roscommon over the years. One that comes to mind was played in St Brigid’s Park in 1983.

It was a Division Two tie, and it came after the Jimmy Mulroy-coached side had beaten Tyrone in the opening round, also at the Dowdallshill pitch, and Derry, away.

One of Roscommon’s best, Dermot Early, was, as nearly always, accurate from frees, but didn’t get enough scores to prevent Louth from carving out a 0-13 to 0-12 win.

Giving him a mention here, my long-time bookie, Barry O’Brien, might, or might not, give me a point or two above the odds on my next bet had he still been taking dockets across the counter in Quay Street.

Anyway, the Seán O’Mahony’s clubman was at left-full that day on a team that read: Gerry Farrell; Paddy Matthews, Matt McDermott, B O’Brien; Dessie Callaghan, Aidan Wiseman, Mickey McCabe; Eugene Judge, Pat Mulligan, Frank Brannigan, Peter Fitzpatrick, Noel Cluskey; Jim McDonnell, Paul Renaghan, Denis Kelleher.

Peter Fitzpatrick was the leading scorer with three points, with the other scores coming from Jim McDonnell, Paul Renaghan, Denis Kelleher, sub Peter O’Hare (0-2 each) and Mickey McCabe and another sub, Richie Culhane, one each.

Full points from three games, Louth were well in the hunt for promotion. However, following successive defeats by Mayo, Wexford, Cavan and Galway, the Reds narrowly avoided relegation.

We have to go much further back than that – 40 years, to 1943 – for the only championship meeting of the sides. It was an All-Ireland semi-final that was recalled for many years, not with any great fondness by Louth people.

In winning the Leinster championship for the first time in 31 years, Louth had a tough four-game passage to navigate. Meath were first up and then Dublin, both games played in Drogheda. Offaly came next, and in the final, Laois were easily taken care of, 3-16 to 2-4.

Throughout the provincial campaign, Peter Corr – like Barry O’Brien with Seán O’Mahony’s after his name in brackets – was firing on all cylinders. The All-Ireland Minor winner of three years earlier was the free-taker, but also good for scores from open play.

His Leinster tally came to 1-21, of which 1-8 was claimed in the defeat of Laois. Quite obviously, Roscommon saw him as a dangerman, the one to watch. They did more than watch him.

A foul blow early on had Corr a virtual passenger. Maybe if it was today, with a more thorough examination of injured players, the emphasis on their ability to continue, he would have been replaced.

The game finished with Roscommon ahead by 3-10 to 3-6. Corr, later found to have been heavily concussed, came in with just one point, having missed several handy frees.

Roscommon went on to win the title, beating Cavan; and were successful again the following year, this time getting the better of Kerry in the final.

It’s said that the player who delivered the blow, arguably a game-changer, apologised to Corr many years later. Honourable, but how crucial was his misdemeanour responsible for Corr not getting the chance to add a senior medal to the won he won in minor? It’s a question Louth folk asked for many years.

This would have been many years after the Dundalk-born Corr – an uncle of Andrea, Sharon, Caroline and Jim, members of the world-renowned group, the Corrs – had changed codes, and then put behind him a fine soccer career in the English League.

He played with Dundalk before signing for Preston North End, £2,500 the sum changing hands. While at Deepdale, he stood in for the injured Tom Finney on a few occasions. His next move was to Everton, and such was the impact he made there, that he won four International caps.

One of them was for a game at which history was made. Ireland’s 1949 match with England was at Goodison Park, and by winning 2-0, the Jackie Carey-captained side, with Corr on the wing, became the first to beat the Three Lions on home soil.
A number of years later, Hungary, the Mighty Maygars, demolished England at Wembley, winning 6-3.

From London back to Croke Park, The Louth team that played Roscommon in 1943: Joey Halpenny (St Mary’s); Larry Waller (Young Irelands), Eddie Boyle (Seán McDermott’s, Dublin), Seán Boyle (St Mary’s); Jack Regan, captain (Dundalk Gaels), Jim Quigley (Young Irelands), Tom Clarke (Cooley Kickhams); Gerry Devine (St Magdalene’s ), Jimmy Thornton (Cooley Kickhams); Fr Kevin Connolly (Cooley Kickhams), Fr Larry Carr (Oliver Plunketts), Peter Corr (Seán O’Mahony’s); Fr Michael Hardy (Cooley Kickhams), Jimmy Coyle (Seán McDermott’s, Dublin), Ollie Halpin (St Magdalene’s). Joe Leonard (Dundalk Gaels) came on as a sub.

There’ll be no-one at Ardee this weekend for Louth’s renewal of rivalry with Roscommon who witnessed the 1943 tie; but there might just be a few who heard the tales about it.