Carlow Football Team 1962

Back (L to R): John Connolly (Clonmore - representing his late father Paks), JJ Doyle (Clonmore - Selector), --, Sean Nolan (Tullow), Joe Nolan (Tullow), Joe Gorman (Tinryland), Pat McNally (B'branna), --, Tommy Kehoe (Clonmore).

Front: Red Willie Walsh (St Mullins), Ned Long (O'Hanrahans), Pat Brophy (Tullow), Brendan Hayden (Tinryland), Billy "Buller" Canavan (Tullow), Black Willie Walsh (St Mullins).

As part of their GAA 125 anniversary celebrations, Carlow County Board honoured the Carlow hurling and football teams of 1962 at a function in the Talbot Hotel on 25 November. The Carlow hurling team swept all before them to win the All-Ireland Intermediate Hurling Championship in 1962 and Mick O’Brien from The Green, Hacketstown was one of the outstanding performers on the team.

The footballers of this era were a match for the best and beat Cork, Kerry (in Tralee) and Kildare before losing to reigning All-Ireland Champions Down in the National Football league semi-final in Croke Park. Later in 1962, Carlow won the prestigious John Player tournament beating Cavan and Dublin en route. Clonmore’s Paks Connolly and Tommy Keogh were on that team and J.J. Doyle was a selector.
That Carlow team included the following who featured on the Carlow team of the century: Joe Nolan, Buller Canavan, Paks Connolly, Pat Brophy, Ned Doogue and Joe Gorman as well as legends such as Cran Hogan and Ned Long. The mystery is how this great team, regarded by many as better than the 1944 team, did not succeed in winning a Leinster title.