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Billy Morgan - A True Legend

March 10th, 2009
by Weeshie Fogarty

 It was truly a fitting and indeed remarkable tribute to a man who in my opinion was the greatest goalkeeper I have ever seen. The name of Corkman Billy Morgan is as well known in Kerry as any of the legendary footballers who have worn the green and gold throughout the decades and his status as one of Corks greatest ever footballers is self-evident. Last Saturday evening week in Ventry Billy Morgan was honored as an Irish Examiner sponsored photographic exhibition celebrating the GAA life and times of the former great player and manager was officially opened in Paudie o Se's pub. This will be on display in the bar over the coming months. It is a rare occasion indeed to have a famous Cork footballer so honored in this county and there to open the exhibition was Kerrys greatest ever championship scorer Austin Stacks own Mickey Sheehy. Mickey had often been the bane of Billy Morgan's life as they faced each other year after year in the Munster Championship. Indeed the unassuming and hugely talented and wonderfully stylist Sheehy stands above all other Kerry forwards in the scoring charts having chalked up the astonishing championship tally of 29goals and 205 pts in an honour laden career. Comortas Peile Páidí o Se is now in its twentieth year and sponsored this year by Cadburys have broken new ground as for the first time a team from America made the journey to the West Kerry Gaeltaght. The Philadelphia Blue Flame American football team is comprised of Police and Firemen from Philadelphia and the played an exhibition match against The University of Limerick. 

Billy Morgan had magnificent career both as a manager and player with his club Nemo Rangers and county. By many he is regarded as the soul of Cork football. This accolade is due to his fervent passion and total commitment to the Rebel county and his beloved Nemo Rangers. He never tried to hide the fact that to beat Kerry in the championship was one his main single sporting goals in life. I watched him between the posts in the old Athletic Grounds in Cork, also in Pairc Ui Caoibh and in Fitzgerald Stadium Killarney as year after year he at time single handily stood between Cork and heavy defeats. And this was the era when Mick o Dwyer's multi talented Kerry football team were in their prime sweeping all before them as they cruised to eight All Ireland titles. I will go as far as to state that having watched that magnificent Kerry machine from their first victory to their final defeat Billy Morgan was the greatest footballer they had to face during that golden period.   He wore his heart on his sleeve during his distinguished career and indeed still dose as I discovered when I spoke to him back in Ventry on the night he was being honored.

As manager with club and county he was one of the best as he guided Nemo to numerous All Ireland club wins and Cork to Sam Maguire victories in 1989 and 1990. His experience as a player lasted an incredible eighteen years. He first lined out at centre forward on the Cork team that was beaten by Kerry in the 1963 Munster minor final and in 1965 he was in goal for the Cork under 21 side that lost the final to Kildare. He made his winning senior championship debut in the Munster final in 1966 and held that position until he retired from inter county football in 1981. He had no doubt that captaining Cork to a historic All Ireland win in 1973 was the highlight of his career. And not far behind this was winning his first county championship with Nemo.  "Nothing can compare with playing and despite all the victories I had as a manager that '73 victory will for ever be my favorite memory. Managing and coaching is only a poor substitute for playing". He has many great memories of Munster final battles with Kerry and one of them was very painful both in mind and body. I quizzed him in relation to one of the superb photographs on display which recorded a collision he had with Bomber Liston in a Munster final in Fitzgerald Stadium. "My recollection of the event was of a ball coming in over Kevin Kehilly and I came out from my line to collect it. I got to the ball a fraction of a second before Eoin (Liston) who was running in .We collided and I woke up in hospital where I spend three days. I had broken my collar bone and I got eleven stitches under my chin but it was totally accidental, for me it was the equivalent of running into a bus. There was no intent on Eoin part and I know that very well". Sean o Neill of Down was the greatest fordward he ever faced. Mickey Sheehy was not far behind while Kerrys Brendan Lynch was one fordward who probably scored more goals against him than anyone else. "Really there are too many to remember at such short notice".

So who was the greatest all round footballer he ever saw. No hesitation in answering. "Mick o Connell was the greatest. His style, his fielding of the ball was unbelievable. He simply soared up for the ball and I mean he soared into the sky. He could kick with either foot, left or right and he was so accurate and I deliberately put the word accurate behind the word kick. He was a genius and to have actually played with him in the Railway Cup final of 1972 which we won, (Munsters first since 1949) is something that I will boast about to my grand children". Billy Morgan was renowned for his passion and some times explosive temper on the field of play but to meet and talk to him far from the maddening crowd is a wonderful experience. Quietly spoken and unassuming his memory of games, players, goals and incident are astonishing. He was the greatest goalkeeper I have ever seen and I say this full in the knowledge that my own Killarney Legion club mate Johnny Culloty was also one of the great keepers. It was indeed a very special moment when Billy's two old foes Paudie o Se and Mickey Sheehy stood up and paid tribute to the man who had on so many Munster final occasions defied the best efforts of Kerry's greatest fordward to raise the green flag. A wonderful touch to honour this great Corkman in the heart of Kerry. We should see more tributes such as this to legends from other counties.

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