To coincides with NUIG's hosting of the Fitzgibbon Cup semi finals this weekend, the college have organised a night to honour the late Joe McDonagh tomorrow night (Friday) in the Westwood Hotel. Organisers are keen to contact as many as possible of the players who lined out with and against Joe during his days in UCG, where he played hurling and football. He featured on several college teams in both codes, with the highlight coming in 1977 when UCG won the Fitzgibbon Cup.
It was a team with several big leaders. Joe captained Galway in 1979 when they lost to Kilkenny in the 1979 All-Ireland final; Joe Connolly was captain a year later when they ended a 57-year wait for an All-Ireland title with a team managed by Cyril Farrell (corner-forward on the 1977 Fitzgibbon Cup team). Pat Fleury (Offaly), another of Joe's colleagues in 1977, captained Offaly to All-Ireland success in 1985, while Conor Hayes led Galway to the All-Ireland double in 1987-'88.
The 1977 final saw UCG defeat Maynooth 1-14 to 1-12, with Joe McDonagh getting the only goal of the game early in the second half. Joe Connolly scored 0-8 from frees and from play, while another Galway legend Iggy Clarke was at centre back for the defeated Maynooth side.
The full match report from the Connacht Tribune is here:
