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Replying To BrendanCarroll: "Found this thread looking for info on Junior cup our NY All-Stars won in 1981. (or was it minor cup in 80? - NY won an all-ireland, anyhow). Michael O'Moriarty called both first game and replay against Galway from box above railyard stands. Pat Carroll's youngest brother here, wondering why I don't find anything on that final.
I didn't play, so can only pass on what I saw and heard. I won't be resolving question. Pat was at his athletic peak during that final. What even he never acknowledged was that the following Summer he tore up his left knee in a non-sports injury. I was there. He never acknowledged extent of injury, but if you saw him play after, you caught him at 70-80% of his previous physical abilities. The Pat Carroll of the team that defeated Galway was likened at time by O'Moriarty to Mattie McDonough at that age. He took replay throw-in out of air, soloing straight down field, leaving defenders in dust and buried it in back of net, removing any doubt about game's final outcome. He took many cheap shots from tribesman, but didn't retaliate. He has heart of a lion, as do Terry, Gary et al. Pat seemed to anticipate better, in my view.
Incidentally, he was offered center field job with Mayo, but told coach he'd go crazy living in Castlebar." My understanding is that NY of 60's and 70's was trial by fire for many Irish players: if you could play there you could play anywhere. That coming from top players. Hell's Kitchen, as it were.
As for current vs talent of time: New York was still Irish. It had huge talent pool who could bike or ride subway to Inwood, Van Cortlandt, and other parks for practice coached by men who competed at a high level in their day. If a family had athletically inclined sons, they brought them to practice at 8 or 10 yrs.
Naturally, some of these where going to develop into outstanding athletes, regardless of chosen sport. I
Point being: had New York All-Stars of late seventies stayed together as a team (with its allotted 3 Irish born), it likely would have reached an 80's Senior Final.
BrendanCarroll (USA) - Posts: 2 - 24/08/2020 20:48:01
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