Cushnahan, Mick
February 07, 2013
Death of former Tyrone great Mick Cushnahan
Mick Cushnahan, the mid field colossus from the first Tyrone senior team to win the Ulster title in 1956, died after a short illness on Monday.
Honorary President of the Derrylaughan Kevin Barrys GAA club, he was also on the half back line for Tyrone when they won the All Ireland Minor championship for the first time in 1947.
John Joe O'Hagan who played for the county at minor and senior level with Mick, believes if he had not been injured, Tyrone would have reached the All Ireland final in 1956.
Cushnahan partnered Jody O'Neill in the Ulster final in Clones when Tyrone beat Cavan to win the Anglo-Celt Cup amid incredible scenes as they brought home the Anglo-Celt Cup for the first time in the county's history. However they lost the All Ireland semi-final to Galway by two points.
John Joe said, "Most of that team Is now deceased. Mick knocked his shoulder out before the semi-final and was a massive loss. He had great strength and was vital in the breakthrough for the minor and senior teams. I have no doubt we would have beaten Galway that day if Mick had been there.
"Most of the fellows from that team are now deceased and I rang Thady Turbett, who was our goalkeeper, to tell him that Mick had died.
"I was very fond of him and am very saddened he has passed away. He was a very straight fellow, a great man. He was very tough and worked for years in the mines and at the clay pit which was hard going. He was also a great club man for years."
Mick Cushnahan's funeral took place yesterday morning in St Brigid's Church in Brocagh before interment in the adjoining cemetery.
Courtesy of The Ulster Herald.
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