Tributes have been paid to Galway GAA great Noel Tierney, who has sadly passed away at the age of 82. Noel was full-back on the famous Galway "Three-in-a-row" side of 1964, '65 & '66 and was admired all over the country for his high-fielding ability and swashbuckling style of play that epitomised Galway's greatest-ever team. The Milltown native was honoured by his club only last Sunday week at a special event in the local Community Centre at which current Footballer of the Year Paul Conroy made a surprise appearance to pay tribute to the man who had won the same accolade 60 years previously in 1964. Only four years after starring in the 1960 All-Ireland winning Minor team, Tierney won the Caltex Footballer of the Year Award in 1964 as a 22-year-old full-back who helped inspire his county to a famous All-Ireland final win over Kerry by 0-15 to 0-10. That Galway team would go on to achieve immortality by completing further All-Ireland successes in 1965 against Kerry and 1966 against Meath, and Tierney's influence was key as the Tribesmen did not concede a single goal in all three finals. He would go on to win five Connacht titles as well as his three All-Irelands, a National League and two Railway Cups, including 1969 when he captained the side. Bizarrely, his senior inter-county career ended after the 1968 All-Ireland semi-final defeat to eventual champions Down (2-10 to 2-8) as his focus switched to trying to win a Senior Championship with Milltown.
Having helped Milltown to win the 1961 County Junior Championship, Noel was part of the team that lost the 1967 County Senior Final to a star-studded Fr Griffins, but four years later Milltown won their first-ever Senior Championship title when they overcame St Grellan's Ballinasloe 0-5 to 0-4 in the final in Tuam Stadium.
Noel Tierney was pre-deceased by his son Fergal and is survived by his wife Peggy, son Martin and daughters Aoife and Mairead. Funeral details to be announced.
Cover photo courtesy of Jacinta Fahy, Tuam.
