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Supporters
Club honour Peter McGrath and John Murphy - 13/11/02
Down's GAA Supporters Club will offer overdue
recognition to two of their greatest servants next week.
Former All-Ireland winning team-manager Peter McGrath and
his stalwart assistant, John Murphy will be honoured next
Tuesday night at 8 o'clock at the Supporters Club annual
general meeting in The Savoy Suite, Canal Court Hotel, Newry.
All Down GAA supporters will be welcome to attend and pay
tribute to the very successful duo - McGrath and Murphy
- who led the Mourne county to two All-Ireland SF championships
in their 13 years in charge of the senior team.
The duo
also managed the Down minors for several years first, collecting
the All-Ireland minor title in 1987 before taking over the
senior side in 1989. In that first season in charge, Peter
McGrath quickly began to work his managerial magic, taking
Down to the National Football League Final in 1990, where
they were defeated by Meath.
However, a year later Down
won their first All-Ireland senior championship title in
23 years when they gained revenge on 'The Royals' in the
final. Three years later the 'red and blacks' were back
in Croke Park, Dublin again, this time defeating a fancied
Dublin side in their own backyard - and McGrath had brought
the famed Sam Maguire Cup back to Mourne county for the
second time.
That 1994 success saw Down become the first
county to collect two All-Ireland senior titles in the 'nineties
- a feat matched only by Sean Boylan and his Meath side.
Throughout the 'nineties McGrath and Murphy kept Down football
to the forefront on the inter-county scene, and for that
alone these men deserve great credit.
They always sent out
teams to play attractive football, and for their efforts
and that of the players under their command, Down football
was right up there with the very best over that period.
Both men have contributed so much to Down football that
it is only fitting that their services are being recognised
by the Down Supporters Club. When the history of Down football
in the 'nineties is written McGrath and Murphy will definitely
be to the forefront. Indeed the young players coming on
stream in Down football at the present time owe a lot to
people like McGrath and Murphy.
They had a belief that Down
could compete with the very best, and proved that point
on the national stage with their two All-Ireland successes.
They may have departed from the inter-county managerial
scene, but their achievements together with the players
under their command will never be forgotten!
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