(Note - Many Thanks To Johnny Glynn For Sending The Above Pic Of The 1934 Galway Team)
Galway and Dublin meet in the All-Ireland Senior Football Semi-Final this Saturday in Croke Park with history very much on the side of the Dubs since the teams first met in the Championship.
That was the 1922 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship with the final taking place on the 10th of July 1923 as Dublin beat Galway by 0-6 to 0-4.
This was Galway's second appearance in an All-Ireland football final following their first appearance (a loss to Kildare) in 1919. They would not win the All-Ireland football title until 1925.
Galway were lucky to have even been there in the first place. Sligo had won that year's Connacht Senior Football Championship, defeating Roscommon, Mayo and Galway, before disposing of Tipperary in their subsequent All-Ireland semi-final meeting. However, "a flimsy technicality" led to a replay of the Galway versus Sligo Connacht final, which Galway won by 2-4 to 1-5 in a game that was played in Croke Park!
The 1922 Final saw Dublin win by two points with their captain Paddy Carey scoring the final point from a 50-yard kick.
The sides would meet again ten years later with Galway this time taking the honours with a one point win in the Semi-Final. However, Galway would be beaten by Cavan in the Final by 2-5 to 1-4 with goals from Louis Blessing and "Son" Magee. A record crowd attended the game, with about 5,000 more locked out.
The Railway Programme From the 1933 All-Ireland Final.
However, Galway were seen as a force to be reckoned with and they were ready for the 1934 Championship and wins over Roscommon and Mayo gave them the Connacht Title setting them up for an All-Ireland Semi-Final spot with the defending champions Cavan. Galway came out on top winning by 1-8 to 1-4 and with Dublin beating the Munster Champions Kerry in Tuam in the other Semi-Final, the scene was set for the final at Croke Park on the 23rd of September.
A crowd of 36,143 attended the 1934 All-Ireland football final. Galway had a two-point win over Dublin with goals by the Kerry-born Michael Ferriter with two and Martin Kelly. Galway winning by 3-5 to 1-9.
The winning Galway team was also the first to wear the now famous maroon and white colours of the county.
This is the Match report of the 1934 All-Ireland Final from the Connacht Sentinel
Since that famous win in 1934, Galway have played Dublin in the championship six times, losing all six, the most recent being the controversial All-Ireland Senior Football Final of 1983 when Mattie McDonagh's side were beaten by 1-10 to 1-8.
