‘More than anything, it was the comradeship amongst ourselves’
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Galway three in-a-row winner Noel Tierney was Footballer of the Year in 1964
THIS year marks the 60th anniversary of Galway's All-Ireland Senior Football Championship success of 1964. It was a victory that set in train the three in-a-row era - the glorious high point in the county's rich Gaelic football history.
Galway had lost to Dublin in the 1963 decider but redoubled their efforts and went one better in '64, defeating Sligo, Mayo, Meath and favourites Kerry along the way.
Cyril Dunne kicked nine points in their 0-15 to 0-10 All-Ireland final win over the Kingdom in front of 76,498 at Croke Park. Séamus Leydon, Christy Tyrrell, John Keenan and Mattie McDonagh were also on target in a forward line that had Seán Cleary on the edge of the square.
Mick Garrett and Mick Reynolds formed a formidable midfield pairing, while John Donnellan captained the team from wing-back, leading a defence that included Enda Colleran, Bosco McDermott, Seán Meade and Martin Newell in front of 'keeper Johnny Geraghty.
All immortal names in Galway football along with Noel Tierney who, at the age of 22, filled the full-back position with such distinction after graduating from the county's All-Ireland Minor-winning team of 1960.
In an illustrious career at senior level, Tierney would win three All-Irelands, five Connachts, a National Football League in 1965, as well as two Railways Cups in '67 and '69 as captain. With Milltown, memorable successes came in the 1961 Junior Football Championship and 1971 Senior Football Championship.
He earned individual recognition at the highest level with two Cú Chulainn Awards in '63 and '64, which was the precursor to the All-Stars. His great attributes of strength and high fielding attracted acclaim from far and wide, and he became Galway's first Footballer of the Year which, at the time, fell under the wider umbrella of the Caltex Awards (later Texaco Awards).
Read our special four-page interview with Noel Tierney in this week's edition of The Tuam Herald, in shops now or buy our digital edition here