Peter Darby One of an elite band of Meath men. Since the summer of 1991 and the gripping four match saga Dublin, Meath games have attracted more and more attention from neutral footballing aficionados. Their games smack of the county v city clashes that made the Dublin, Kerry clashes of the seventies so absorbing. Having played many times against the Sky Blues, Peter Darby knows what is involved when old rivals and neighbours lock horns. A Meath player almost ten years Peter joined an exclusive club when he became only the third player to captain Meath to an All-Ireland when they defeated Cork 1-9 to 0-9 in 1967. Darby was twenty eight years of age at the time and in normal circumstances would have a few years of top flight football to look forward to but by the end of 1968 his career was at an end, brought to a halt by a back injury that refused to go away. Since then the Cantrell and Cochrane sales rep. has remained enthusiastic as ever about his football and seldom is a Meath game of any significance missed. Like all dedicated Royal followers Peter is looking forward to Sunday's Leinster final with a mixture of optimism and apprehension. "Dublin were never an easy team to beat when I was playing and nothing has changed since. They have just got over two hard games against Kildare and Louth so they will be well prepared for Meath". Brought up in Trim, Darby showed from an early age he had the physique, talent and determination to make it at the highest level in both football and hurling. By the age of 16, the Trim youngster was on the Meath hurling team and was only eighteen when the first appearance was made for the county Senior footballers, although it would be some time later before a regular place was established. "I made my first appearance for Meath in 1957 in a challenge game. I was playing alongside people like Mattie McDonnell and Michael Grace who were heroes of mine, they were almost at the end of their careers at that time but they were still great players. I watched them playing many times for Meath but I never thought I would ever be lining out beside them. It was the fulfilment of a dream". Recalling the excitement surrounding Meath's first All-Ireland triumph in 1949 Peter Darby still looks back on the team of that era with undiluted admiration. They had the panache, style and substance to capture and retain the imagination of the young football enthusiast. "The team of '49 were my heroes, even still I see them as the best Meath team ever, every one of them was a great footballer and more or less the same team went on to win a second title in 1954". By the late fifties Peter Darby himself had become a familiar name on Meath teamsheets but there was few signs that the magic of '49 and '54 would be recreated until 1964 when the Royal County overcame Dublin (2-12 to 1-7) to take the Leinster final, their first in ten years. "That year was the big breakthrough for us, we started to put together a very nice little team. Kilbride had started to provide the Quinns and a few other players who began to claim their place on the team and even though we lost to Galway in the All-Ireland semi-final, a good team was taking shape". The burgeoning young Meath side eventually made it to the All-Ireland final of 1966 where they once again faced the Tribesman and once again learned a harsh lesson in the realities of top class football. "It was a huge disappointment to lose the final that year, we played well below our best. We could have done much better but it was just one of those days when things didn't go right for us". A talented, intelligent player with wide range of talents Darby turned out to be Meath's Mr.Versatile, appearing in just about every position on the team. Jokingly he says he was on the way out from the start, commencing in the corner forward position and gradually moving back though the half forwards, midfield, half backs and finally the full back line. By 1966 the Trim native was filling in at left full back and was still in that position the following year when the jigsaw all fitted together for the Meath men. Ironically Darby sees the origins of the '67 success in the bitter setback suffered the previous year. "All the players were very downhearted to have lost in '66. We knew we had a good team and were capable of winning it and even though we lost, the Meath supporters gave us a fantastic welcome home the following evening, it was a marvellous reception and it was that evening we all decided to a man we would do everything in our power the following year to bring home the Sam Maguire and we did. We worked very hard though". Darby was part of an excellent defence, the teams backbone which included goalkeeper Sean McCormack, right full Mick White, full back Jack Quinn, right half Pat "Red" Collier, centre half Bertie Cunningham and left half back Pat Reynolds. A fiery determination, however, was not the only quality Meath included in their armoury at the start of the '67 Championship. "If I was to say what helped us to success I would have to say the will to win and a great spirit among the players. I can't remember playing in a team that got on together so well, they were a great bunch of fellows. Another unusual thing about that team was the fact all the players and even the selectors all came from different clubs. That was unusual". As captain the Trim player saw himself as having a certain duty to fulfill. "I hadn't a major role to play, I just said a few words of encouragement to the players but I was very honoured to be captain that year". Meath's reward for winning the '67 title was a trip to Australia, a once-in-a-lifetime journey Down Under that left Darby with bitter-sweet memories. "It was a fantastic trip for us and we had a great time but I aggravated an old muscle injury which eventually forced me to pack it in. My last game for Meath was in the Melbourne Cricket Ground. I was only 29 but I had to give it up, I played a few club games but it was no good the more I played the worse it got ", adds Peter who took up golf in 1967. Darby's forced retirement was a sad loss not only for Meath football. For over 10 years the Trim man had played hurling for his county but because of Meath's low status in the game there was little recognition for his efforts. "Meath hurling has come on a lot in the past two or three years but it was in the doldrums for a long time before that which was a pity. I felt if the hurling was promoted in the same way as the football we could have done better. I remember in the 50s Meath could beat Offaly as often as they could beat us, there was very little between the teams yet Offaly went on to win an All-Ireland. I think there is a lot to be said for a separate hurling board to promote the game". Despite the demand on his time, Peter was able to balance both his football and hurling careers but if given the choice which game would he opt for? "I preferred to play hurling, it is a very skilful game and I always enjoyed it. I had intended to play on as long as I could but because of the injury, I had to bring an early end to my hurling career as well but I had a good run. I had won an All-Ireland and as well but I had a good run. I had won an All-Ireland and Leinster medals in football and in hurling, I won five county titles with Trim between 1995 and 1960. Hurling was the dominant sport in the town in those days as the football was only beginning to take off". Married to Joan with three children, the former Meath skipper enjoys going to matches in both codes but in football especially he has noted a big change in the way the game is played. "These days there is a lot of possession football played. In my time it was mainly catch and kick and there is something to be said for both styles but I feel there needs to be something done with the tackle in Gaelic football. It just doesn't work at present, if they brought in a rule like they have in Australian football where a player caught in possession is penalised it would improve things, then you would have to introduced the mark for someone who fielded a high ball. These are changes that could be made but Gaelic football is still a very exciting game. I certainly enjoyed my time playing the game". Written by the Hogan Stand Magazine 29th July '94 Tweet

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