Moynihan, Con
February 28, 1997HIGH ON THE LIST OF OUTSTANDING MAYO CENTRE HALF BACKS
Much has been written about the poor state of Connacht football in the past. The poison pen pushers have had a field day bisecting and dissecting the flaws and shortcomings of the western province. It has suffered more knocks than Frank Bruno. But to be fair not without some justification. Not since Enda Colleran led Galway triumphed in the 1966 All-Ireland has Sam Maguire mad the trip west writes Shane O'Brien
Its astonishing what a difference a year makes or should I say a prolonged interest into the month of September makes. Thanks to exploits and endeavour of John Maughan and his Mayo protégé's football fever engulfed the province in '96- the west was alive.
As they entered centre stage on All-Ireland day, the Mayo men carried with them the hopes and best wishes of every man, woman and child from Connacht.
Unfortunately however as we know. Mayo failed in their valiant attempt to bridge the thirty year gap. They came to within ten minutes of All-Ireland glory- so near and yet so far. If nothing else can be derived from the ashes of All-Ireland defeat at least the Mayo players, supporters and officials can take solace from the fact that they went a huge way to restoring long lost pride.
Now with the beginning of the 1997 championship only a matter of months away, Mayo will be hoping to draw on the experience of last year and go one better. They face a difficult opening assignment against Galway and one man with a more than a passing interest in the outcome is former Mayo star and current Galway minor supreme, Con Moynihan.
A Garda Sergeant in Ballinasloe, Con has been residing in the Galway town since 1981. He graduated from Templemore Garda Training College in 1972 and will be twenty five years in the force this July. On his graduation he served in Ballymun, followed by Ahascragh before Ballinasloe. In November '93 Con was transferred to Ballyar on promotion but remained living in Ballinasloe before returning to the Galway town on the 5th of December 1996 as Garda Sergeant.
Eagerly anticipating forth coming clash between his native county and adopted one, Moynihan is wisely cautious. 'Tuam seems to be Mayo's hodoo ground. They'll find it very difficult to beat Galway on their home turf'.
But there'll be no room for sentimentality on the 10th of May when the counties clash in the opening round of the Minor Championship. The 43 year old leaves us in no doubt as to where his allegiances lie. 'I've been here a long time now and im totally committed to the Galway', quips Con.
'At the moment my primary concern is putting a squad together. We have trials at the weekend but with St Jarlath's and St Mary's still involved in the schools competitions that's a bit of a hindrance'.
So is there a fierce rivalry between the two counties? 'I'd be more inclined to call it a healthy rivalry. Once the game is over it's over, win lose or draw. I've never considered there to be bad blood'.
The 1996 All-Ireland series provided Con with many memorable moments. Obviously defeat and the manner of defeat disappointed, he was still nonetheless proud of his fellow county men. "I was delighted to see them reach the All-Ireland and they can consider themselves very unlucky not have bought the cup home.
"In the final I was disappointed with the full forward line. They performed brilliantly all year. I can't understand why they froze on the big day. Changes should have been made there but I don't want to be seen to criticise John Maughen. He brought the team on in leaps and bounds and deserves a great deal of credit for his efforts. There was a different spirit among the players, a different attitude which in my time was lacking", remarks Moynihan.
Con was never fortunate enough to sample the atmosphere of All - Ireland souvenir may have eluded him but he's still nonetheless the proud holder of Minor and under 21 All-Ireland medals garnered in 1971 and '74 respectively.
Moynihan lined out at centre-half back on the winning Under 18 side. Under the guidance of the late Paddy Waldrom from Ballyhaunis, they overcame a Cork side which included Jimmy Barry Murphy to win on a scoreline of 2-15 to 2-7. "I suppose my outstanding memory from that game was that I scored a point from centre-half back, something which didn't happen very often", he laughs.
1973 saw the western county reach the Under 21 decider, but Kerry proved too good for them. "That Kerry side was very strong. Seven or eight of them went on to win senior All-Irelands. Players like Jimmy Deenihan, Ger Power, Mikey Sheehy and Paudie Lynch went on to become some of the best Gaelic footballers ever".
But defeat did not signal the end of the promising Mayo side. A year later they returned with a renewed determination and the experience of a year previous proved vital as they overcame a spirited challenge from Antrim to claim the title after a relay. Again occupying the pivotal central defensive position Con recalls the triumph.
"Antrim were a very good team. JP O Kane at midfield was a terrific player and my marker Patsy Armstrong pushed me to the limits. We beat Dublin in the semi-final and Brian Mullins was on their team. Only recently I was talking to a Garda colleague, Dermot Hobbs who was full back for Dublin about the match.
"We had a great side in those days. It's fantastic achievement when you consider that ten of the team who won the Minor All - Ireland went on to win Under 21 medals", remarks Con.
Unfortunately a senior inter county career from 1974 to '77 didn't reach the heady as Con had become accustomed to. In 1975 the westerners reached the semi-final of the National League but Meath proved their masters. The young Moynihan endured a trying time at the hands of Meath All-Star Ken Rennicks. "He was a hardy bit of stuff. But I was young and it was part of a learning process. We could have that game, we had enough possession but couldn't make it tell where it mattered most - on the scoreboard". Later that year the Mayo side reached the Connacht final against Sligo. With so many talented prospects aboard, Mayo were expected to capture their first crown since 1969. But the underdogs from Sligo had different ideas and after two tightly fought contests, they emerged victorious by a one point margin, 2-10 to 0-15.
"The Connacht final was the highlight of my senior career but very much the low point also. I maintain if the goals were still there today it would make no difference. It Just wouldn't happen for us on the day. It was a pity for Mayo football became that loss broke up a young promising team. I stayed on till '77 but the majority of the team went their separate ways.
"In one sense I don't begrudge Sligo a provincial title but the long team effect it had on a minor and under 21 All-Ireland winning was devastating. It put Mayo football back a fair bit".
A native of Ballaghadereen, the same parish as current county stars Kevin Cahill and Dermot Flanagan, Con Moynihan gained all major county honours with the local club. Under the tutelage of former Mayo great, the late John Morley a minor championship was annexed in '68. In a glorious era for the Mayo/Roscommon border club(1968 to 1972), Under 21, junior, Intermediate and Senior championship were won. Con's brother Philip was a very promising player with the local club but his career was cut short prematurely due to a series of knee injuries.
Attending the local St Nathy's Secondary School Con also enjoyed considerable success. One juvenile and two junior Connacht School medals were gained. A nursery for budding inter-county stars, St Nathy's annexed their one and only All-Ireland College's title in 1957. Having played four year's Senior football with the secondary school Con contested two Connacht finals and two semi-finals but the ultimate prize eluded him narrowly missing out on the Provincial victory in 1968.
A class mate of Con's at St Nathy's was former Mayo and Leitrim boss John O'Mahoney, who incidentally accompanied Moynihan on the minor and under 21 All-Ireland winning sides. O'Mahony now teaches in the school as ironically does Paddy Henry a member of the Sligo team of '75.
At Templemore Kerry star John Egan who Con rates as "the unsung hero" of the great Kerry teams was a couple of months ahead of him. Unlike now the Garda team didn't compete in the Sigerson cup but still Moynihan sampled the sweet taste of Sigerson success in'74 and'75. Studying law at U.C.D, he was corner back on the all conquering side which included the likes of Denis 'Ogie' Moran
Taken from Hogan Stand magazine
28th February, 1997 Tweet
