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Here Are 5 Times The All-Ireland Club Finals Were Better Than The Inter-County Finals

Here Are 5 Times The All-Ireland Club Finals Were Better Than The Inter-County Finals
Conor Neville
By Conor Neville
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After an exhilarating season of club football, we arrive at the club finals tomorrow. St. Patrick's Day used to mean standing in the rain watching a few tractors huff and puff down the road. Now, it means All-Ireland club football final day.

Here are five times the club finals in March were better than the All-Ireland finals in September.

"The Greatest comeback in history"

An enterprising online journalist is due at least some of the credit for ensuring that Brigid's 2013 win will forever enjoy a treasured place in posterity.

This far-sighted individual took the decision to upload the closing stages commentary of the legendary Willie Hegarty to soundcloud.

Having trailed Ballymun by eight points, and looking like they were going the way of previous Roscommon clubs on Paddy's Day (poor Clan na Gael), Brigid's rallied. The culmination of the comeback was Frankie Dolan's magnificent winner.

[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/83794418" params="auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%" height="450" iframe="true" /]

David Brady's post-match interview after Ballina win

'I've been a loser all my life. But today, Hogan Stand boy! Pick up the Cup'

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Ballina Stephenites held off Portlaoise to win by a point in the 2005 final. David Brady, surrounded by 20 and

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David Brady voice croaked with emotion in the post-match interview but the look of joy in his eyes when he said 'Hogan Stand boy!' would cheer and inspire anyone.

Unlikely counties thriving

Loughgiel Shamrocks have twice taken the club hurling title north, sacking the southern aristocrats in the new year. In both finals, they defeated Offaly sides, St. Rynagh's in 1983 and Coolderry in 2012.

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This year, Cushendall have already stunned the usually formidable Galway champs in the semi-final.

Ciaran McDonald and Colm Corkery (2001 and 2003)

Some lavish talents whose careers famously came and went without All-Ireland success at inter-county level. Ciaran McDonald and Colm Corkery met on opposite sides in the 2001 and 2003 finals.

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In 2001, McDonald and Crossmolina squeezed home by a point in a humdinger of a final. Croke Park final glory at last.

Corkery had won a club title with Nemo in 1994 but lifted the Cup himself after they gained revenge on Crossmolina in a low scoring game.

Wicklow club wins something in Croke Park

Wicklow has never won a provincial title, but their clubs have frequently put up a good show. 1990 was a big year for Wicklow football. It was the year of their first and only All-Star, won by Kevin O'Brien.

His award was in large part down to his exploits for Baltinglass, the winners of the All-Ireland club championship that year.

Baltinglass beat the Buffalo Bills of club Gaelic football, Clann na Gael, in the final. It was the Roscommon club's fourth All-Ireland final defeat in a row.

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Read more: 12 Iconic Club Championship Challengers From So-Called Weaker Counties

 

 

 

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