Sean McCormack played for Meath at the highest level. Royal County explores an era that is a million miles away from the life we now live in. When Meath captured their third senior All- Ireland football title in 1967 it represented a personal triumph in the face of adversity for goal -keeper Sean McCormack. In his early childhood days Sean could only look on as his friends played out their dreams of playing on the hallowed turf of Croke Park. Royal County spoke to the personable Kilmainhamwood clubman and heard his remarkable story. " I was about six at the time and my father kept a few calves, and one day I decided to go for a jaunt on one of them. You know the stupid games children play. The calf threw me into a ditch and a splinter lodged in my knee. It was very sore and swollen at the time but later it became much worse. The doctors couldn't find the cause of the problem and I spent about two years in the Cappagh hospital in Dublin. At one stage things got that bad that the doctors were talking about amputating the leg above my knee. My father wasn't having any of it and eventually I got home with a metal splint on my leg which meant I couldn't work my knee. I walked with a limp and the lads at school called me ' Bocka' because of the limp." Sean's father Patsy instructed the teachers at the local national school not to allow him take part in any sport. Sean takes up the story, " We used to position the goals in such a way that Mrs Dillon ( Sean's teacher ) couldn't see us when she looked out the window at break times. I got stuck in the goals and because of the metal leg nobody would come in near me with the ball. In those days the worst kid got stuck in the goals and because I couldn't run I always ended up playing there. He continued to wear the metal splint for a full two years until it was discarded. " In my early teens I was able to run with a very slight limp and it was at that stage that I began playing outfield." Sean's first taste of success came in 1961 at minor level when he togged out at right full back on the Castletown/ Kilmainhamwood team that eventually went on to win the championship. " There were six or seven of us from Kilmainhamwood on that team. Larry and Padraig ( Sean's brothers ) Matt and Tom Clarke and Willie Mooney and there were a few lads from the 'Wood amongst subs. As far as I can remember we beat Duleek in the final and they had six county minors at the time." The following year Sean was picked on the Meath Junior team that went on to win the All- Ireland. Sean recalls with a wry smile. "The Junior scene at the time was fiercely competitive. It was taken every bit as seriously as the Senior. We beat Cavan in the final at Ardee in front of a crowd of about 11,000. From what I can remember we held on for a deserved victory against a gale force wind in the second half. There would have been three or four Kilmainhamwood lads on that team. Myself, Padraig, Tom Monaghan and John Carolan were all on the Meath team. There were three or four from Kingscourt on the Cavan team also. The funny thing is that six out of the seven worked in Gypsum so you can imagine the craic before and after the game." The Meath Junior team of 1962 were ineligible the following year having won the All-Ireland but Sean was called back into the panel in 1964. " I was living in digs in Dublin at the time, and I got a postcard from the County Board saying I had been picked for the Meath Juniors. I went along expecting a subs jersey and when they handed me the yellow jersey I thought I was the sub goal- keeper. I couldn't believe my eyes when I turned it over and saw I was actually playing." Cork beat Meath that year after a replay but it proved a huge stepping stone for McCormack. Sean made his mark as an inter county goalkeeper and it was to prove the first step on the road to representing Meath at senior level. Sean recalls " I was called into the senior set up at the tail end of 1965 and managed to get a few tournament games. I was picked as first choice keeper for the first round of the championship in 1966. I managed to hold my place and we got to the All-Ireland Final. Galway beat us that day. We were terrible. It was Galway's third in a row. I think about eight of the Galway team went straight back home after the match. It didn't mean that much to them. It meant an awful lot more to the Galway team that won this year I can tell you." Disappointed and dejected the Meath team bounced back the following year and Sean was to fulfill his life long ambition to win a senior All- Ireland. Sean recalls " We beat Cork by a couple of points but it was a poor game. We were terrible in the first half but we improved in the second half and deserved to win." And what of Sean's own performance that day ? " I hadn't an awful lot to do really. A few high balls and a few on the chest. I don't think I had a shot to save. It was a quiet game for me really ." And what are his abiding memories of that historic day ? " In those days the Meath team assembled at Barry's Hotel. A lot of the lads would walk down to Croke Park and listen to the banter amongst the crowd. It was easy to do that in those days because there were no County uniforms. You just wore your own clothes. Directly after the match myself and the Red ( Collier ) threw our bags to Scups White and made our way out with the crowd again. We made arrangements with him to pick us up at a pub later on. I don't think either of us drank at the time. We just sat there and listened to the craic. It's hard to believe but neither of us were recognised." " In comparison to other Counties we were well looked after at the time. We always had a steak after training while other counties might only get a salad or something. But we were all responsible for our own kit. I remember the day before the All Ireland ('67) I was cleaning my old boots and my father Patsy said I should get a new pair. In those days I was earning £ 11.50 a week and a pair of boots was £ 5.00. I went out to Vincie Cahill in Kells who had been on the Meath team a few years previously and whom I knew quite well hoping to get a bargain. Vincie explained that a pair of boots had been robbed from outside the shop, but the thief took a size eight and a size nine. He offered me the boots at £ 3.50. Believe it or not I wore those boots for the rest of my career." 1967 represented the highlight of Sean's footballing career although he continued to play in goals for the County until 1972. Meath went under to Kerry in the All Ireland Final in 1970 after beating Galway in the semi final. Again Sean has vivid memories " I played particularly well in the victory over Galway. I was asked by R.T.E. to do an interview after the match and obliged. When the interview was over I went back to the dressing rooms to collect my kit. Everybody had left. I came back out onto the pitch and made my way through the Hogan Stand to find the whole place locked up and me inside. I eventually got out by climbing the wall of the Handball alley, across a roof and jumping out onto the road. I don't think that would happen nowadays." THE OLDEST TROPHY IN MEATH WASN'T LONG IN FOLLOWING THE CHAMPIONSHIP AND LEAGUE DOUBLE OF 1996 When 1996 turned into 1997 both the Keegan and Mooney [Division 1 League] Cups rested on the Kilmainhamwood sideboard, both for the very first time. It was always going to be a difficult act to follow. Too difficult as it turned out. In view of the enormous effort that was invested by the entire panel and the team officials into the championship and league successes of 1996 there was always going to be a question mark about the team's hunger in 1997 and although the players gave their best, it was asking too much for a repeat. And there were extenuating circumstances. Manager Paddy Clarke departed having guided the club to unprecedented success, there were a handful of niggling injury problems and, on a couple of vital occasions, Raymond Cunningham's involvement with Cavan's successful Ulster Championship campaign led to his absence from a Kilmainhamwood attack of which he was a most influential figure. Things were different when it came to the business end of the Feis Cup... the 'Wood had a full panel available and it counted. Seneschalstown, who, like Kilmainhamwood, had disappointed in the championship, were looking for consolation when the teams met in the final at Rathkenny at the end of November. It was very wet and very windy but the two teams managed to serve up a thriller and patrons received a bonus when the game went to extra time. The Furzemen had first use of the considerable breeze and soon raced into an early three point lead, 0-5 to 0-2. However, midway through the half Aidan Crosbie made a terrific interception and the ball eventually found it's way to Raymond Cunningham who sent it to the net from close range. The goal was always going to be worth its weight in gold, coming at a time when Seneschalstown were dominating and with the 'Wood playing into the teeth of the gale. Within minutes Crosbie was forced to retire with an injury and Seneschalstown regained the initiative. A Padraig Coyle goal put them in the driving seat although their three point interval lead, 1-6 to 1-3 was anything but secure. With the wind at their backs and only three points to make up the omens were good for the 'Wood. But scores were extremely difficult to come by in the third quarter. Still, at the threequarter stage, they were on level terms, thanks to points from Raymond Cunningham, (two), Brian Stafford and Francis Owens. With the scores level at 1-7 apiece it was anybody's game although Kilmainhamwood were best positioned. They took the lead for the first time with ten minutes remaining thanks to a point from a free by Raymond Magee and at that stage seemed a good bet to make history by winning the competition for the first time. But Seneschalstown rallied and equalised through Mattie McCabe before regaining the lead with a point from Padraig Coyle. McCabe added another and the game had apparently turned in the Furzemens' favour. Into the last minute and a half, Kilmainhamwood rallied yet again and points from Brian Stafford and Raymond Cunningham saved the day, for the moment at least. The final score at the end of an absorbing hour's football was 1-10 apiece... extra-time. Once again the Wood had to face into the contrary elements for the first period of extra-time, but on this occasion, they showed tremendous determination by scoring 1-2 while restricting their opponents to a single point in the opening fifteen minutes. The goal came after ten minutes when substitute Michael Clarke combined with Brian Stafford before sending the ball to the back of the Seneschalstown net. The points came from Cunningham and Stafford and the score at the break was 2-12 to 1-11 in Kilmainhamwood's favour. In the second half of extra-time, the men in white and blue again outscored their opponents, this time by 0-3 to 0-1 with their points coming from Raymond Magee, Raymond Cunningham and Brian Stafford. the final score was Kilmainhamwood 2-15, Seneschalstown 1-12. Ken Russell was in outstanding form at centre-field, while Raymond Cunningham and Brian Stafford demoralised the opposing defence by scoring 1-10 between them. In defence, Gerry Owens, Shane Russell and Liam Shankey were rock-solid. The winning team was; Ronan Finnegan; Shane Russell, Ray Madden, Damien Cunningham; Gerry Owens, Liam Shankey, John Corrigan; Martin Crosbie, Ken Russell (0-1); Raymond McGee (0-3), Paul Shankey, Raymond Cunningham (1-5); Aidan Crosbie, Brian Stafford (0-5), and Francis Owens (0-1). Substitutes; Alan Shankey, Michael Clarke (1-0). Tweet

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