Roscommon GAA

"For more details of Roscommon GAA see Roscommon Senior Club Football Championship or Roscommon Senior Club Hurling Championship."

infobox GAA county
county gaa = Roscommon GAA
crest =
irish = Ros Comáin
province = Connacht
nickname = The Rossies, The Sheepstealers
county colours = Primrose and Blue
grounds = Dr. Hyde Park, Roscommon
dominant sport = Gaelic football
nfl div = Division 2A
nhl div = Division 2
football champ = Sam Maguire Cup
hurling champ = Nicky Rackard Cup
ladies football = Brendan Martin Cup
camogie = O'Duffy Cup
pattern_la=_yellowshoulders|pattern_b=_thinbluesides|pattern_ra=_yellowshoulders
leftarm=0000ff |body=FFF000 |rightarm=0000ff |shorts=0000ff |socks=0000ff
|The Roscommon County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) (Irish: "Cummann Luthchleas Gael Coiste Ros Comáin") or Roscommon GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Roscommon. The county board is also responsible for the Roscommon inter-county teams

History

Roscommon were a glamour team of the 1940s, winning back to back All Ireland's, and have contributed some of the great personalities to GAA history.

Roscommon's rise from Junior status to Senior All-Ireland champions in the four years leading up to 1943 was one of the great romances of its time. In the All Ireland final they drew with Cavan before winning the replay with two quick goals from Frankie Kinlough and Jack McQuillan. Kinlough scored the goal and Donal Keenan the points the following year when Roscommon beat Kerry. Roscommon were captained by Jamesie Murray from Knockcroghery.

Legend tells how Roscommon lost a six-point lead in the final three minutes of the 1946 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship final against Kerry, Tom Gega O'Connor and Paddy Kennedy scoring the goals. Roscommon were beaten in the replay (Gerry Dolan made one of the greatest saves in Croke Park history against Laois in that year's semi-final). The injured team-captain, Jimmy Murray, was having blood wiped from his face to "look right" for the presentation when Kerry struck for two late equalising goals. Defeats in 1947, 1952 and 1953 semi-finals ended the party.

The 1940s successes were the pinnacle of Roscommons achievements. They also reached the final in 1962. That year was memorable for they were losing the Connacht final to Galway by 5 points when Roscommon keeper Aidan Brady swung on the crossbar, breaking it in two. During the 15 minute wait to get it replaced, Roscommon moved the great Gerry O'Malley to midfield in a re-organisation and he inspired their comeback to enable them to win the Connacht Championship. However Kerry, once again, led by the great Mick O'Connell defeated them in the All-Ireland final. Roscommons next period of success came in the late 70s when they won 4 Connacht titles on the trot from 77-80. they reached the final in 1980 against Kerry. They looked like causing an upset when John "Jigger" O'Connor's 35th second goal helped them to an early 1-2 to 0-0 lead but this was the Kerry team regarded as the greatest in history, and they eventually won by 1-9 to 1-6. A series of minor championships (1983, 1984, 1989 and 1992), and an All-Ireland Under-21 final in 1982, showed the impact of that success and in 1990 and 1991 Roscommon emerged from Connacht again, succumbing to Meath by a single point in the 1991 All Ireland semi-final.

Honours

*All-Ireland Senior Football Championships: 2
**1943, 1944
*All-Ireland Junior Football Championships: 2
**1940, 2000
*All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championships: "2"
**1966, 1978
*All-Ireland Minor Football Championships: "4"
**1939, 1941, 1951, 2006
*National Football League: 1
**1979
*Connacht Senior Football Championships: 19
**1905, 1912, 1914, 1943, 1944, 1946, 1947, 1952, 1953, 1961, 1962, 1972, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1990, 1991, 2001
*Connacht Under-21 Football Championships: 5
**1966, 1969, 1978, 1982, 1999
*Connacht Minor Football Championships: 11
**1939, 1941, 1949, 1951, 1965, 1967, 1975, 1981, 1984, 1992, 2006
*Connacht Junior Football Championships: 9
**1929 (awarded), 1932, 1939, 1940, 1959, 1964, 1999, 2000, 2006
*"All-Star Awards:" 15
**1972: M. Freyne, 1974: D. Earley, 1977: P. Lindsay, 1978: H. Keegan, 1979: T. Heneghan, D. Murray, D. Earley, 1980: H. Keegan, G. Connellan, D. Murray, 1985: P. Earley, 1986: H. Keegan, 1989: T. McManus, 1991: E. Gavin, 2001: F. Grehan

Hurling

Roscommon hurlers' one appearance in an All Ireland semi-final was back in 1910, when they were beaten by 10 goals to one point by Tipperary. Their biggest achievement to date was the winning of the Nicky Rackard Cup Final in 2007, when they defeated Armagh in Croke Park on Saturday, 11th August. Another notable victory was the defeat of Wexford in the 1984 Centenary cup competition in 1984. They competed in the newly formed Christy Ring Cup in 2005 and 2006 but were relegated to the Nicky Rackard cup after poor performances. However, the winning of the Rackard Cup in 2007 brought jubilation and much hope for greater achievements in the future for a very committed panel of players and management.

Honours

*All-Ireland Senior "B" Hurling Championships: 1
**1994
*All-Ireland Junior Hurling Championships: 2
**1965, 1974
*Nicky Rackard Cups: 1
**2007

Ladies' Gaelic football

Honours

*All-Ireland Senior Ladies' Football Championships: 1

**1978All-Ireland Junior Title 2001

Trivia

In the 1992 Connacht minor final, Roscommon trailed by two points when they awarded a penalty which would be the last kick of the game. Peadar Glennon steadied up to take the kick. then Shane Curran ran in and blasted the ball into the net. Roscommon collected the cup, did a lap of honour, then learned that the goal had been disallowed because Glennon was in the area when the kick was taken. The match was replayed, and Roscommon won.

External links

* [http://www.stolensheep.tk/Roscommon/ Roscommon supporters website]
* [http://www.hoganstand.com/Roscommon/ Roscommon on Hoganstand.com]
* [http://www.hoganstand.com/Roscommon/Profile.aspx National and provincial titles won by Roscommon teams]
* [http://roscommon.gaa.ie/ Roscommon GAA site]