The death of well known personality Donal O'Sullivan came as a big shock to many in the world of Gaelic Athletic Association. He had a great passion for the game and had many successes on and off the field, over a long number of years. In his day, he was a powerful force on the edge of the square and came to the notice of the Cork Senior Football selectors in 1954 following several good outings with UCC in the Sigerson Cup competitions. Naturally, the highlight of his career was captaining Cork to reach the 1956 All-Ireland final, following stirring victories over Kerry (after a replay) and Kildare on the way. However, Galway with the former Carrigtwohill player Billy O'Neill on the team, stormed to a 2-13 to 3-7 victory, with Sean Purcell the archetypal and Frank Stockwell contributing 2-5 at O'Sullivan's expense. Affectionately known as 'Big Donal' the West Cork native, who was chairman of the County Board from 1976 to 1978 and the Munster Council during the 1980-1983 period, told me a few years ago that he had marvellous memories of his career despite that defeat. He captained Cork to win the league title early in 1956 when an exceptionally good Meath team were beaten by a point and was full back for Munster in the Railway Cup final. I once asked Jack Mahon, the former Galway defender who played against Cork in the '56 decider, to give a reason why the Leesiders failed to win at least one All-Ireland in the fifties. He said it was basically a lack of faith in themselves. "Any team that had such an inspiring figure as Eamonn Young to train them, and with such outstanding men as 'Toots' Kelleher, Nealie Duggan, Niall Fitzgerald, Paddy O'Driscoll, Dan Murray, Paddy Harrington and others, and not win an All-Ireland after reaching two finals, was a disappointment. I think perhaps they were over the top when they reached the deciders of 1956 and 1957. The real time for that team was 1950 to 1955" he added. Long before Donal made the County Panel, he gave a couple of seasons to the Glanmire footballers and figured on the team that won the East Cork Junior 'A' title in 1950. He acknowledged this when I mentioned it to him and had a soft spot for a club that won four East Cork titles between 1950 and 1958. In the 1950 decider, they defeated old rivals Midleton by one point. He also lined out for Imokilly that season, but they were beaten by St Patrick's at Cobh. The team included many notable personalities like Ger Power, Sean Fleming and Gerard Murphy (Midleton), Youghal's Jimmy Cotter, Paddy O'Mahony and Gerry Murphy, Donal Curtin and Billy O'Neill (Carrigtwohill) and the legendary dual player from Glanmire, Paddy Barry. In 1955 when Lees won the County Senior football crown after a four points win over Macroom Donal O'Sullivan was full back. They had two Roscommon inter county players, Eamonn O'Donoghue and Eamonn Boland, on duty, as well as the former Cork 'great' Weeshie Murphy, who led the Rebels to All-Ireland glory in 1945. Charlie Dorgan, who died last week in Little Island, was a goalkeeper supreme with various teams during the 1940's and was a substitute on the Cork senior hurling team that completed the four in a row of All-Ireland titles in 1944. We had great passion for the game of hurling and after winning an East Cork 'B' championship with Little Island in 1940 spent a number of years with Sarsfields in the intervening years to 1946. That season they reached the semi-final only to lose to Glen Rovers with a team of high quality players that included the Barry brothers, the O'Neill's, Christy Twohig, Alan Lotty, Moss Dwyer, Pat O'Leary and Micka Brennan who had also worn the county colours with distinction from the mid 1930's. During the 1940s Leeside had the services of several players from Little Island and in 1949 reached the East Cork 'A' final against Aghada. Tommy Donnelly captained the side that included brothers, Jack and Christy Twohig, Thady and Paudie McDonagh, Paddy Butler - later to play with Cobh - and Charlie Dorgan who by all accounts lined out at centre back. Aghada won the game by 3-8 to 1-3 but Leeside objected for some reason or other, and were subsequently awarded the title. The debate dragged on for a long time as it seems a replay should have been at least given to Aghada on the grounds of a small technicality. The Aherne brothers, Sean, Billy and Tony who lined out with Cork in the 1951 Munster final after winning an All-Ireland junior medal the previous year, were the backbone of that Aghada team while Liam and Jimmy Walsh, Danny, Michael and Tommy McCarthy, Noel Day, Tommy Hennessy and Liam Power were others who shone out during that era. Courtesy of the Imokilly People Tweet

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