INSIDE TRACK: There’s been a fair exchange of Louth and Cavan players
Donal Brady won All-Irelands with both Cavan and Louth, an achievement that is not likely to be repeated
A request from a Cavan man: “You wrote about the Louth and Monaghan connection a few weeks ago – what about the Louth and Cavan connection?”
He’s Dundalk-based but from the Breffni, and is probably not a regular reader of these pages. There was particular mention earlier this year on two players with links with both counties in club and county football, and there have been others in the past. But, we’ll give it another whirl.
Louth All-Ireland winner, Seán Óg Flood, transferred to Cavan in the latter part of his career and was a winner there as well, wearing the No 1 jersey on a successful Ulster championship-winning team, in 1962. He also played for Ulster.
Had Mick Brady decided not to return to his native Cavan midway through the 1957 season, and instead continued to play with Louth, he, too, could have been on the All-Ireland team.
The Roche Emmets clubman had figured in the National League at the beginning of the season, but while continuing to play for Roche Emmets, changed county colours. The loss of a possible All-Ireland was compensated by leading his club to a first county senior championship in 1958, and playing in three Ulster finals, like Flood, winning a medal in ’62.
Mick Higgins, one of Cavan’s greatest, was a garda, and on his transfer to Drogheda lined out St Magdalene’s. He played in the 1945 senior final, won by Dundalk Gaels. Prior to that he was on the Dundalk St Mary’s College team that won the prestigious McRory Cup in 1938
But it was in the Cavan colours that the Tullyvin man won fame. On the team beaten by Roscommon in a replayed All-Ireland final in 1943, he lined out on the forty when Cavan won the title in 1947, a game against Kerry that’s often recalled for the venue at which it was played – New York’s Polo Grounds.
Higgins won a second medal the following year, and then brought up the hat-trick in 1952, captaining the team that beat Meath in the first-ever All-Ireland final between neighbouring counties.
Around the same time, another Cavan man was making his presence felt in Louth. Paddy Smith was a Bank of Ireland official at the Ardee branch, and lined out with St Mary’s winning a senior championship medal in 1948. The brother-in-law of Kevin Beahan played on the Cavan team beaten by Armagh in the 1950 Ulster final.
Dundalk’s Marist College was a leading boarding school, attracting students from many counties. Its minor teams won several Louth championships, and, as already mentioned, added the McRory Cup.
One of those wins came in 1936, and that same year Louth won the All-Ireland title. Donal Brady, from Cavan, featured on both teams and then the following year created a unique piece.
On the completion of his studies he returned to his native county. Still within the age limit, he took his place on the Cavan team, and partnered by another Breffni legend, TP O’Reilly, at midfield, won a second All-Ireland title, the Tom Markham Cup making its way to an Ulster county for the first time.
Brady’s achievement is one that is never likely to be emulated.
When Louth regained the All-Ireland title in 1940, Angus Cahill, another Cavan-born Marist College player, played on the team that beat Mayo 5-5 to 2-7.
It’s for sure there are other connections between this county Cavan. Those listed are among the most prominent.