Mick O'Dwyer
Encyclopedia
Mick O'Dwyer is an Irish
Gaelic football
manager
and former player. He played Gaelic football with his local club Waterville
and was a member of the Kerry
senior team from 1956 until 1974. O'Dwyer later served as manager of Kildare
, Laois
and Wicklow
, however, it was as manager of the Kerry senior football team from 1974 until 1989 that allowed him to gain iconic status as the most successful manager of all-time.
, County Kerry
in 1936. He was educated locally at St. Finian's national school before later attending Waterville Technical School. O'Dwyer later worked as a hotelier and as well as running an undertaker service.
minor football team in the early 1950s. After two years without an appearance in the provincial minor decider Kerry reached the Munster final in 1954 with O’Dwyer lining out at midfield. Cork provided the opposition on that occasion, however, ‘the Kingdom’ were far too strong for the young ‘Rebels’. A 4-10 to 1-3 trouncing gave O’Dwyer a Munster
medal in the minor grade. Kerry subsequently qualified for the All-Ireland final against Dublin
, however, O’Dwyer was not included in the starting fifteen on that occasion. Kerry lost the game by a point.
O’Dwyer’s move onto the Kerry senior football team was a natural progression. He made his competitive debut in a National League
game against Carlow
in the 1956-57 season, before making his championship debut in a defeat by Waterford
in the 1957 Munster championship.
In 1958 O’Dwyer lined out in his first senior provincial decider. Back-to-back champions Cork were the opponents, however, their three-in-a-row bid failed in spectacular fashion. A 2-7 to 0-3 victory for Kerry gave O’Dwyer his first Munster
winners’ medal in the senior grade. ‘The Kingdom’s’ run of success came to a halt in the subsequent All-Ireland semi-final when Derry
defeated O’Dwyer’s team by just a single point.
1959 got off to a good start when Kerry reached the final of the National League. Derry, the team that had put Kerry to the sword in the previous year’s championship, provided the opposition. A close game developed once again, however, on this occasion O’Dwyer ended the game with a National League medal following a 2-8 to 1-8 victory. Kerry later faced Cork in the Munster final for the second successive year. The game was more competitive than their encounter at the dame stage the previous year, however, the result was the same. Kerry won by 2-15 to 2-8 and O’Dwyer added a second Munster medal to his collection. ‘The Kingdom’ later defeated reigning champions Dublin
to set up an All-Ireland final showdown with Galway
. Every aspect of that game seemed to go Kerry’s way. A punched Tom Long
ball was forced into the net by Dan McAuliffe for Kerry’s opening goal. McAuliffe struck again when goalkeeper Jimmy Farrell dropped the ball accidentally in the goalmouth, while substitute Garry McMahon
slipped as he sent the third into the net in the final few minutes. A 3-7 to 1-4 score line gave Kerry the title and gave O’Dwyer a coveted All-Ireland
winners’ medal.
The following year Kerry faced Waterford in yet another Munster final appearance. The sides having been level at half-time, ‘the Kingdom’ dominated the second half and eventually won by 3-15 to 0-8 and O’Dwyer secured a third consecutive Munster title. A second consecutive All-Ireland final appearance quickly followed with Down
providing the opposition. The game was played on an even keel for much of the first-half; however, an important incident turned the game in the Ulster men’s favour eleven minutes after the interval. Kevin Mussen
’s line ball found Dan McCartan who sent in a high forty-yard lob which Kerry goalkeeper Johnny Culloty
dropped over the goal-line. Two minutes later Paddy Doherty
was pulled down in the square. He converted the subsequent penalty which put Down six points up. An historic final score of 2-10 to 0-8 resulted in a defeat for O’Dwyer’s side, while the Sam Maguire Cup
crossed the border into Northern Ireland
for the first time.
Kerry reached the final of the 1960-61 National League and, for the second time in three years, Derry were the opponents. The northerners put up little opposition as Kerry steamrolled them to secure a 4-16 to 1-5 victory. It was O’Dwyer’s second National League medal. Kerry’s subsequent Munster final date with Cork ended in a draw. The replay saw Kerry make no mistake and a 2-13 to 1-4 score line gave O’Dwyer a fourth Munster medal in-a-row. The subsequent All-Ireland semi-final was a repeat of the previous year’s championship decider. The result was also the same as the Ulster men secured a 1-12 to 0-9 victory and dumped O’Dwyer’s side out of the championship.
Kerry bounced back from this disappointment and proved that they were the masters of provincial football once again in another showdown with Cork. A 4-8 to 0-4 mauling gave O’Dwyer his fifth provincial winners’ medal in succession. Kerry later booked a place in the All-Ireland final against Roscommon
, a game which has been described as possibly the worst championship decider of them all. Garry McMahon went into the history books as he scored Kerry’s first goal after just thirty-five seconds. Kerry fielded the resultant kick-out and Timmy O'Sullivan got the first of Kerry’s twelve points of the day. A Don Feeley penalty failed to life ‘the Rossies’ who fell to ‘the Kingdom’ by 1-12 to 1-4. It was O’Dwyer’s second All-Ireland winners’ medal.
The home final of the 1962-63 National League saw Kerry finally defeat Down. A largely nominal victory over New York
in the proper final gave O’Dwyer a third National League medal. The subsequent Munster final against Cork was a much more competitive affair in comparison to recent encounters; however, a Kerry victory was never really in doubt. A 1-18 to 3-7 victory gave O’Dwyer an impressive sixth consecutive provincial winners’ medal. Kerry, however, went off the boil and were defeated by eventual championship runners-up Galway in the All-Ireland semi-final.
In 1964 O’Dwyer missed Kerry’s seventh consecutive Munster final victory. He returned to the starting fifteen for ‘the Kingdom’s’ subsequent All-Ireland final showdown with Galway. The game turned into a battle between Mick O'Connell and Cyril Dunne
. The former scored seven of Kerry’s points while the latter converted nine. After Galway took a four-point lead in the opening ten minutes they never looked back. A full-time score of 0-15 to 0-10 resulted in a defeat for O’Dwyer’s side. After receiving the Sam Maguire Cup Galway captain John Donnellan
learned that his father had died in the stand watching the match.
The start of 1965 saw Kerry face Galway again, this time in the National League final. Defeat was O’Dwyer’s lot on that occasion as well. An almost obligatory Munster medal quickly followed as Kerry defeated Limerick
by 2-16 to 2-7. Kerry later reached yet another All-Ireland final and, for the third time inside twelve months, Galway faced ‘the Kingdom’ in a national final. Galway raced out of the starting blocks once again; however, the game was not without incident. Kerry’s Derry O'Shea and Galway’s John Donnellan were sent-off. Major scoring threat Mick O’Connell was curtailed; however, Kerry launched a great comeback. In the end Galway were the champions for the second year in-a-row.
In 1966 disaster struck as O’Dwyer broke both his legs. These injuries effectively ended his football career and he retired from the game. After two years of recuperation O’Dwyer made a miraculous recovery and returned to the game and proved to be better than ever. After losing back-to-back provincial deciders, Kerry were back facing Cork in the Munster showpiece of 1968. A high-scoring game followed, however, a 1-21 to 3-8 score line resulted in a Kerry victory and an eighth Munster winner’s medal for O’Dwyer. Down, one of the fairytale stories of the sixties, provided the opposition in the subsequent All-Ireland final. Legendary player Seán O'Neill
got the inside of his boot to a rebounding ball for a goal after six minutes to get the northerners on their way. A Brendan Lynch
goal for Kerry in the final minute was little more than a consolation as Down won the game by 2-12 to 1-13.
At the start of 1969 Kerry signaled their intent when they reached the final of the National League once again. After taking care of Offaly O’Dwyer’s side traveled to New York
for a two-game final series with New York. An aggregate score of 2-33 to 2-24 gave Kerry the win and gave O’Dwyer a fourth National League winners’ medal. The almost annual Munster final between Kerry and Cork provided no surprise. ‘The Kingdom’ won easily by 0-16 to 1-4 and O’Dwyer added a ninth provincial winners’ medal to his collection. Another All-Ireland final appearance beckoned, this time with Offaly
providing the opposition. Goalkeeper Johnny Culloty proved the hero of the day. He made two great saves in the first-half and another straight after the interval. Kerry held onto a three-point lead from the interval until the final whistle and a 0-10 to 0-7 victory gave O’Dwyer a third All-Ireland winners’ medal. Not only didi he finish the season as the top scorer but he was later honoured by being named Texaco Hurler of the Year
.
The following year Kerry proved that they were the masters of football once again. Cork had the misfortune of facing ‘the Kingdom’ in the very first eighty-minute Munster final, however, Kerry were relentless. A massive 2-22 to 2-9 victory gave O’Dwyer an impressive tenth Munster winners’ medal. Kerry later qualified for a third consecutive All-Ireland final and were hoping for their first back-to-back titles since 1941. Meath
were the opponents on this occasion and an exciting game developed over the course of the eighty minutes. O’Dwyer’s side took an eight-point lead, however, this was cut back to just three by Meath. Din Joe Crowley
’s goal four minutes from the end sealed a 2-19 to 0-18 victory and a fourth All-Ireland winners’ medal for O’Dwyer. In winning this title O’Dwyer finished the season as top scorer again, as well as joining a unique group of players to win All-Ireland medals in each of three decades.
The 1970-71 National League saw Kerry reach the final again. Mayo
lined out in opposition, however, ‘the Kingdom’ secured a 0-10 to 0-8 win and O’Dwyer added a fifth National League medal to an already impressive collection. While Kerry embarked on the three-in-a-row championship trail, their plans came unstuck in the Munster final. After years of being put to the sword by their nearest neighbours, Cork fought back in spectacular fashion to record one of their most comprehensive victories over Kerry. A remarkable 0-25 to 0-14 score line ended O’Dwyer’s championship hopes for another year.
As O’Dwyer now reached the twilight of his football career, he showed no signs of slowing down. Kerry qualified for a second consecutive National League final in 1972 and, for the second time in as many years, Mayo provided the opposition. This time the victory was even more comprehensive as Kerry secured a 2-11 to 1-9 victory and O’Dwyer picked up a sixth National League medal. For the seventh year in succession Kerry faced Cork in the subsequent Munster final, however, on this occasion ‘the Rebels’ went into the game as reigning champions. Normal service was resumed as ‘the Kingdom’ secured a 2-21 to 2-15 victory and O’Dwyer won his eleventh Munster title on the field of play. Offaly
, a team who had won their first-ever All-Ireland title the previous year, provided the opposition in the subsequent All-Ireland final. Noel Cooney of Offaly and Brendan Lynch
of Kerry exchanged goals throughout the game, while Offaly captain Tony McTague
converted six points for his side. At the full-time whistle both sides were level on 1-13 apiece. The draw four weeks later was another exciting affair. Both sides exchanged tit-for-tat scorers, however, Offaly broke down Kerry’s defences after forty-eight minutes when Pat Fenning’s long speculative ball hopped over the line without anyone touching it. The 1-19 to 0-13 victory for Offaly turned out to be Kerry’s biggest-ever defeat in an All-Ireland final.
At the start of 1973 Kerry made it three-in-a-row of National League titles. Remarkably, at thirty-seven years of age O’Dwyer was still a member of the Kerry team and he picked up a seventh winners’ medal in that competition. Kerry, however, were now going though a period of transition as the team of the 1960s were retiring while the great team of the 1970s was still coming together. Kerry were back in the Munster final against Cork, however, the day turned into a disaster. ‘The Kingdom’ suffered their biggest-ever defeat in a provincial decider as Cork won by 5-12 to 1-15. This defeat effectively brought the curtain down on O’Dwyer’s inter-county career. He remained with the battle for another season in 1974; however, he retired before the start of the championship following a challenge game against Sligo
in May of that year.
in 1975, where he had much success. During his twelve years as manager O'Dwyer'Kerry teams played in ten All-Ireland finals, winning eight of them. During this period as manager of what many consider to be the greatest football team of all time five of his players won a magical 8 Senior All-Ireland medals. Four of his players won 8 Texaco Awards and overall his players won 71 All Star Awards
. O'Dwyer retired as Kerry manager in 1986 but moved onto other teams. His management career with Kerry spanned between 1975–1989, a period in which Kerry played 55 games, which they won 43, lost 7 and drew 5.
As manager of the Kildare team
in 1998, O'Dwyer lead them to a Leinster
title and an All-Ireland final, however, they narrowly lost out to Galway. His management career with Kildare
lasted two periods, the first was 1991-1994 and the second was 1997-2002. As the Kildare manger 33 games were played, with 16 wins, 11 losses and 6 draws.
He took over the Laois
team in 2002 which he led to a famous Leinster title in 2003. At the beginning of the football championship in 2006 O'Dywer announced that 2006 would be his last season with Laois, however, he had not ruled out moving as manager to another team. It was first revealed on 6 September 2006 that O'Dwyer would not be staying on at Laois for another season having made his final appearance as Laois manager against Mayo
in the All-Ireland Quarter Finals. His Laois career between 2003 and 2006, included 17 games, which finished as 10 wins, 4 losses and 3 draws.
On 7 October 2006, it was revealed that O'Dwyer has agreed to take charge of the Wicklow
senior football team. He made his debut as Wicklow manager with a win against Carlow
in the 2007
O'Byrne Cup
.
On 5 July 2009, Wicklow defeated Fermanagh
0-17 to 1-11. This marked a milestone for O'Dwyer as he has now beat every other county during his terms as manager of different teams.
On 30 June 2010, rumours were going around about O'Dwyer resigning after the exit of the championship by Cavan
it has not been resolved whether or not he will continue. In September, 2010 he confirmed he was going to continue as manager for Wicklow for his 5th year.
On 16 July 2011, O'Dwyer announced the end of his tenure as Wicklow manager following defeat to Armagh in Round 3 of the All-Ireland Qualifiers.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
manager
Manager (Gaelic games)
In Gaelic games, a manager or coach is an individual involved in the direction and instruction of the on-field operations of a team. Managing, or coaching, entails the application of sport tactics and strategies during the game itself, and usually entails substitution of players and other such...
and former player. He played Gaelic football with his local club Waterville
Waterville GAA
Waterville GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association Gaelic football club in Waterville, south County Kerry, Ireland. Former Kerry player & manager Mick O'Dwyer is from the club....
and was a member of the Kerry
Kerry GAA
The Kerry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kerry...
senior team from 1956 until 1974. O'Dwyer later served as manager of Kildare
Kildare GAA
For more information see Kildare Senior Club Football Championship or Kildare Senior Club Hurling Championship.The Kildare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Kildare GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kildare...
, Laois
Laois GAA
The Laois County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Laois GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Laois and the Laois inter-county teams.-History:...
and Wicklow
Wicklow GAA
The Wicklow County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Wicklow GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Wicklow...
, however, it was as manager of the Kerry senior football team from 1974 until 1989 that allowed him to gain iconic status as the most successful manager of all-time.
Biography
Mick O'Dwyer was born in WatervilleWaterville, County Kerry
Waterville, historically known as Carrean , is a village in County Kerry, Ireland, on the Iveragh peninsula. The town is sited on a narrow isthmus, with Lough Currane on the east side of the town, and Ballinskelligs Bay on the west, and the Currane River connecting the two.The town's name in Irish...
, County Kerry
County Kerry
Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
in 1936. He was educated locally at St. Finian's national school before later attending Waterville Technical School. O'Dwyer later worked as a hotelier and as well as running an undertaker service.
Inter-county
O’Dwyer first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a member of the KerryKerry GAA
The Kerry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kerry...
minor football team in the early 1950s. After two years without an appearance in the provincial minor decider Kerry reached the Munster final in 1954 with O’Dwyer lining out at midfield. Cork provided the opposition on that occasion, however, ‘the Kingdom’ were far too strong for the young ‘Rebels’. A 4-10 to 1-3 trouncing gave O’Dwyer a Munster
Munster Minor Football Championship
The Munster Minor Football Championship is the Minor "knockout" competition in the game of Gaelic football played in the province of Munster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Munster Council. The current Munster Minor football champions are Tipperary. Clare won the inaugural...
medal in the minor grade. Kerry subsequently qualified for the All-Ireland final against Dublin
Dublin GAA
Dublin County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Dublin GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Dublin. The county board is also responsible for the Dublin inter-county teams...
, however, O’Dwyer was not included in the starting fifteen on that occasion. Kerry lost the game by a point.
O’Dwyer’s move onto the Kerry senior football team was a natural progression. He made his competitive debut in a National League
National Football League (Ireland)
The National Football League is a Gaelic football tournament held annually between the county teams of Ireland, under the auspices of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The prize for the winning team is the New Ireland Cup, presented by the New Ireland Assurance Company...
game against Carlow
Carlow GAA
The Carlow County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Carlow GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Carlow and the Carlow inter-county teams.-Gaelic football:...
in the 1956-57 season, before making his championship debut in a defeat by Waterford
Waterford GAA
The Waterford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Waterford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for all levels of Gaelic games in County Waterford. The County Board is also responsible for the Waterford inter-county teams. The county...
in the 1957 Munster championship.
In 1958 O’Dwyer lined out in his first senior provincial decider. Back-to-back champions Cork were the opponents, however, their three-in-a-row bid failed in spectacular fashion. A 2-7 to 0-3 victory for Kerry gave O’Dwyer his first Munster
Munster Senior Football Championship
The Munster Senior Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition in the game of football played in the province of Munster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Munster Council and are played during the summer months...
winners’ medal in the senior grade. ‘The Kingdom’s’ run of success came to a halt in the subsequent All-Ireland semi-final when Derry
Derry GAA
The Derry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Derry GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland. It is responsible for Gaelic games in the GAA county of Derry, which covers virtually the same territory as the former administrative county of Londonderry...
defeated O’Dwyer’s team by just a single point.
1959 got off to a good start when Kerry reached the final of the National League. Derry, the team that had put Kerry to the sword in the previous year’s championship, provided the opposition. A close game developed once again, however, on this occasion O’Dwyer ended the game with a National League medal following a 2-8 to 1-8 victory. Kerry later faced Cork in the Munster final for the second successive year. The game was more competitive than their encounter at the dame stage the previous year, however, the result was the same. Kerry won by 2-15 to 2-8 and O’Dwyer added a second Munster medal to his collection. ‘The Kingdom’ later defeated reigning champions Dublin
Dublin GAA
Dublin County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Dublin GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Dublin. The county board is also responsible for the Dublin inter-county teams...
to set up an All-Ireland final showdown with Galway
Galway GAA
The Galway County Boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Galway GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Galway. The county boards are also responsible for the Galway inter-county teams.Unlike all other counties in Ireland,...
. Every aspect of that game seemed to go Kerry’s way. A punched Tom Long
Tom Long
Tom Long may refer to:* Tom Long , Australian actor* Tom Long , American President and COO of MillerCoors and former CEO of Miller Brewing Company...
ball was forced into the net by Dan McAuliffe for Kerry’s opening goal. McAuliffe struck again when goalkeeper Jimmy Farrell dropped the ball accidentally in the goalmouth, while substitute Garry McMahon
Garry McMahon
Garry McMahon was an Irish sportsperson. He played Gaelic football with his local club Listowel Emmets and was a member of the Kerry senior inter-county team from the 1958 until 1962. McMahon holds the record for scoring the fastest goal ever in an All-Ireland final.-Playing career:McMahon...
slipped as he sent the third into the net in the final few minutes. A 3-7 to 1-4 score line gave Kerry the title and gave O’Dwyer a coveted All-Ireland
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the premier competition in Gaelic football, is a series of games organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and played during the summer and early autumn...
winners’ medal.
The following year Kerry faced Waterford in yet another Munster final appearance. The sides having been level at half-time, ‘the Kingdom’ dominated the second half and eventually won by 3-15 to 0-8 and O’Dwyer secured a third consecutive Munster title. A second consecutive All-Ireland final appearance quickly followed with Down
Down GAA
The Down County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Down GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Down...
providing the opposition. The game was played on an even keel for much of the first-half; however, an important incident turned the game in the Ulster men’s favour eleven minutes after the interval. Kevin Mussen
Kevin Mussen
Kevin Mussen was a Northern Irish sportsperson. He played Gaelic football with his local club Clonduff and was a member of the Down senior inter-county team from 1951 until 1962. Mussen captained Down to the All-Ireland title in 1960...
’s line ball found Dan McCartan who sent in a high forty-yard lob which Kerry goalkeeper Johnny Culloty
Johnny Culloty
Johnny Colloty was a Gaelic football and hurling sportsperson from Killarney, County Kerry. He played with the Killarney Legion club.Intercounty Career...
dropped over the goal-line. Two minutes later Paddy Doherty
Paddy Doherty
Patrick Doherty is a former activist in Derry, Northern Ireland.As vice-chairman of the Derry Citizens Defence Association Doherty played a major role in the events of August 1969 which culminated in the Battle of the Bogside, and was a leading figure in Free Derry in the years following its...
was pulled down in the square. He converted the subsequent penalty which put Down six points up. An historic final score of 2-10 to 0-8 resulted in a defeat for O’Dwyer’s side, while the Sam Maguire Cup
Sam Maguire Cup
The Sam Maguire Cup, often called The Sam , is the name of the cup that is awarded to winners of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the premier "knockout" competition in the game of Gaelic football played in Ireland...
crossed the border into Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
for the first time.
Kerry reached the final of the 1960-61 National League and, for the second time in three years, Derry were the opponents. The northerners put up little opposition as Kerry steamrolled them to secure a 4-16 to 1-5 victory. It was O’Dwyer’s second National League medal. Kerry’s subsequent Munster final date with Cork ended in a draw. The replay saw Kerry make no mistake and a 2-13 to 1-4 score line gave O’Dwyer a fourth Munster medal in-a-row. The subsequent All-Ireland semi-final was a repeat of the previous year’s championship decider. The result was also the same as the Ulster men secured a 1-12 to 0-9 victory and dumped O’Dwyer’s side out of the championship.
Kerry bounced back from this disappointment and proved that they were the masters of provincial football once again in another showdown with Cork. A 4-8 to 0-4 mauling gave O’Dwyer his fifth provincial winners’ medal in succession. Kerry later booked a place in the All-Ireland final against Roscommon
Roscommon GAA
For more details of Roscommon GAA see Roscommon Senior Club Football Championship or Roscommon Senior Club Hurling Championship.The Roscommon County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Roscommon GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games...
, a game which has been described as possibly the worst championship decider of them all. Garry McMahon went into the history books as he scored Kerry’s first goal after just thirty-five seconds. Kerry fielded the resultant kick-out and Timmy O'Sullivan got the first of Kerry’s twelve points of the day. A Don Feeley penalty failed to life ‘the Rossies’ who fell to ‘the Kingdom’ by 1-12 to 1-4. It was O’Dwyer’s second All-Ireland winners’ medal.
The home final of the 1962-63 National League saw Kerry finally defeat Down. A largely nominal victory over New York
New York GAA
The New York County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or New York GAA, is one of the county boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association outside Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in the New York metropolitan area...
in the proper final gave O’Dwyer a third National League medal. The subsequent Munster final against Cork was a much more competitive affair in comparison to recent encounters; however, a Kerry victory was never really in doubt. A 1-18 to 3-7 victory gave O’Dwyer an impressive sixth consecutive provincial winners’ medal. Kerry, however, went off the boil and were defeated by eventual championship runners-up Galway in the All-Ireland semi-final.
In 1964 O’Dwyer missed Kerry’s seventh consecutive Munster final victory. He returned to the starting fifteen for ‘the Kingdom’s’ subsequent All-Ireland final showdown with Galway. The game turned into a battle between Mick O'Connell and Cyril Dunne
Cyril Dunne
Cyril Dunne is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played Gaelic football with his local club Ballinasloe and was a member of the Galway senior inter-county team in the 1960s. Dunne later served as manager of the Galway team between 1984 and 1986.-References:-Teams:...
. The former scored seven of Kerry’s points while the latter converted nine. After Galway took a four-point lead in the opening ten minutes they never looked back. A full-time score of 0-15 to 0-10 resulted in a defeat for O’Dwyer’s side. After receiving the Sam Maguire Cup Galway captain John Donnellan
John Donnellan
John F. Donnellan is a former Irish politician and sportsperson. He served as a Fine Gael Teachta Dála for Dáil Éireann for twenty-five years. He played Gaelic football with his local club Dunmore McHales and with the Galway senior inter-county team in the 1960s.-Early & private life:John...
learned that his father had died in the stand watching the match.
The start of 1965 saw Kerry face Galway again, this time in the National League final. Defeat was O’Dwyer’s lot on that occasion as well. An almost obligatory Munster medal quickly followed as Kerry defeated Limerick
Limerick GAA
The Limerick County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Limerick GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Limerick...
by 2-16 to 2-7. Kerry later reached yet another All-Ireland final and, for the third time inside twelve months, Galway faced ‘the Kingdom’ in a national final. Galway raced out of the starting blocks once again; however, the game was not without incident. Kerry’s Derry O'Shea and Galway’s John Donnellan were sent-off. Major scoring threat Mick O’Connell was curtailed; however, Kerry launched a great comeback. In the end Galway were the champions for the second year in-a-row.
In 1966 disaster struck as O’Dwyer broke both his legs. These injuries effectively ended his football career and he retired from the game. After two years of recuperation O’Dwyer made a miraculous recovery and returned to the game and proved to be better than ever. After losing back-to-back provincial deciders, Kerry were back facing Cork in the Munster showpiece of 1968. A high-scoring game followed, however, a 1-21 to 3-8 score line resulted in a Kerry victory and an eighth Munster winner’s medal for O’Dwyer. Down, one of the fairytale stories of the sixties, provided the opposition in the subsequent All-Ireland final. Legendary player Seán O'Neill
Seán O'Neill
Seán O'Neill is a retired Northern Irish sportsperson. He played Gaelic football with his local club John Mitchel and was a member of the Down senior inter-county team from the 1950s until the 1960s. O'Neill is one of only four Down players to win three All-Ireland titles...
got the inside of his boot to a rebounding ball for a goal after six minutes to get the northerners on their way. A Brendan Lynch
Brendan Lynch
Brendan Lynch is a British music producer, who has produced for Paul Weller, Primal Scream, and The Rakes. He has also worked with the 22-20s, Carleen Anderson and Ocean Colour Scene...
goal for Kerry in the final minute was little more than a consolation as Down won the game by 2-12 to 1-13.
At the start of 1969 Kerry signaled their intent when they reached the final of the National League once again. After taking care of Offaly O’Dwyer’s side traveled to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
for a two-game final series with New York. An aggregate score of 2-33 to 2-24 gave Kerry the win and gave O’Dwyer a fourth National League winners’ medal. The almost annual Munster final between Kerry and Cork provided no surprise. ‘The Kingdom’ won easily by 0-16 to 1-4 and O’Dwyer added a ninth provincial winners’ medal to his collection. Another All-Ireland final appearance beckoned, this time with Offaly
Offaly GAA
The Offaly County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Offaly GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Offaly...
providing the opposition. Goalkeeper Johnny Culloty proved the hero of the day. He made two great saves in the first-half and another straight after the interval. Kerry held onto a three-point lead from the interval until the final whistle and a 0-10 to 0-7 victory gave O’Dwyer a third All-Ireland winners’ medal. Not only didi he finish the season as the top scorer but he was later honoured by being named Texaco Hurler of the Year
Texaco Hurler of the Year
The Texaco Hurler of the Year is a hurling award, created in 1958, that honours the achievements of a hurler of outstanding excellence. The award is part of the Texaco Sportstars Awards, in which Irish sportspeople from all fields are honoured....
.
The following year Kerry proved that they were the masters of football once again. Cork had the misfortune of facing ‘the Kingdom’ in the very first eighty-minute Munster final, however, Kerry were relentless. A massive 2-22 to 2-9 victory gave O’Dwyer an impressive tenth Munster winners’ medal. Kerry later qualified for a third consecutive All-Ireland final and were hoping for their first back-to-back titles since 1941. Meath
Meath GAA
The Meath County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Meath GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Meath, as well as for Meath inter-county teams.- Pre-1960s :...
were the opponents on this occasion and an exciting game developed over the course of the eighty minutes. O’Dwyer’s side took an eight-point lead, however, this was cut back to just three by Meath. Din Joe Crowley
Din Joe Crowley
Din Joe Crowley is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played Gaelic football with his local club Rathmore and was a member of the Kerry senior inter-county team from the 1968 until 1972. His son Mike played with the Limerick intercounty team in the 2000s.-References:...
’s goal four minutes from the end sealed a 2-19 to 0-18 victory and a fourth All-Ireland winners’ medal for O’Dwyer. In winning this title O’Dwyer finished the season as top scorer again, as well as joining a unique group of players to win All-Ireland medals in each of three decades.
The 1970-71 National League saw Kerry reach the final again. Mayo
Mayo GAA
The Mayo County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Mayo GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Mayo and the Mayo inter-county teams.-History:...
lined out in opposition, however, ‘the Kingdom’ secured a 0-10 to 0-8 win and O’Dwyer added a fifth National League medal to an already impressive collection. While Kerry embarked on the three-in-a-row championship trail, their plans came unstuck in the Munster final. After years of being put to the sword by their nearest neighbours, Cork fought back in spectacular fashion to record one of their most comprehensive victories over Kerry. A remarkable 0-25 to 0-14 score line ended O’Dwyer’s championship hopes for another year.
As O’Dwyer now reached the twilight of his football career, he showed no signs of slowing down. Kerry qualified for a second consecutive National League final in 1972 and, for the second time in as many years, Mayo provided the opposition. This time the victory was even more comprehensive as Kerry secured a 2-11 to 1-9 victory and O’Dwyer picked up a sixth National League medal. For the seventh year in succession Kerry faced Cork in the subsequent Munster final, however, on this occasion ‘the Rebels’ went into the game as reigning champions. Normal service was resumed as ‘the Kingdom’ secured a 2-21 to 2-15 victory and O’Dwyer won his eleventh Munster title on the field of play. Offaly
Offaly GAA
The Offaly County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Offaly GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Offaly...
, a team who had won their first-ever All-Ireland title the previous year, provided the opposition in the subsequent All-Ireland final. Noel Cooney of Offaly and Brendan Lynch
Brendan Lynch
Brendan Lynch is a British music producer, who has produced for Paul Weller, Primal Scream, and The Rakes. He has also worked with the 22-20s, Carleen Anderson and Ocean Colour Scene...
of Kerry exchanged goals throughout the game, while Offaly captain Tony McTague
Tony McTague
Tony McTague is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played Gaelic football with his local club Ferbane and was a member of the Offaly senior inter-county team from 1965 until 1975. McTague captained Offaly to the All-Ireland title in 1972.-References:-Teams:...
converted six points for his side. At the full-time whistle both sides were level on 1-13 apiece. The draw four weeks later was another exciting affair. Both sides exchanged tit-for-tat scorers, however, Offaly broke down Kerry’s defences after forty-eight minutes when Pat Fenning’s long speculative ball hopped over the line without anyone touching it. The 1-19 to 0-13 victory for Offaly turned out to be Kerry’s biggest-ever defeat in an All-Ireland final.
At the start of 1973 Kerry made it three-in-a-row of National League titles. Remarkably, at thirty-seven years of age O’Dwyer was still a member of the Kerry team and he picked up a seventh winners’ medal in that competition. Kerry, however, were now going though a period of transition as the team of the 1960s were retiring while the great team of the 1970s was still coming together. Kerry were back in the Munster final against Cork, however, the day turned into a disaster. ‘The Kingdom’ suffered their biggest-ever defeat in a provincial decider as Cork won by 5-12 to 1-15. This defeat effectively brought the curtain down on O’Dwyer’s inter-county career. He remained with the battle for another season in 1974; however, he retired before the start of the championship following a challenge game against Sligo
Sligo GAA
The Sligo County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Sligo GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Sligo...
in May of that year.
Management career
O'Dwyer retired as a player in 1974 and was appointed manager of the Kerry teamKerry GAA
The Kerry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kerry...
in 1975, where he had much success. During his twelve years as manager O'Dwyer'Kerry teams played in ten All-Ireland finals, winning eight of them. During this period as manager of what many consider to be the greatest football team of all time five of his players won a magical 8 Senior All-Ireland medals. Four of his players won 8 Texaco Awards and overall his players won 71 All Star Awards
GAA All Stars Awards
The All Stars Awards, currently sponsored by Vodafone, are given annually since 1971 by the Gaelic Athletic Association to the best player in each of the fifteen positions in Gaelic football and Hurling in Ireland. Additionally, one player in each code is selected as the player of the year...
. O'Dwyer retired as Kerry manager in 1986 but moved onto other teams. His management career with Kerry spanned between 1975–1989, a period in which Kerry played 55 games, which they won 43, lost 7 and drew 5.
As manager of the Kildare team
Kildare GAA
For more information see Kildare Senior Club Football Championship or Kildare Senior Club Hurling Championship.The Kildare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Kildare GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kildare...
in 1998, O'Dwyer lead them to a Leinster
Leinster
Leinster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the east of Ireland. It comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Mide, Osraige and Leinster. Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the historic fifths of Leinster and Mide gradually merged, mainly due to the impact of the Pale, which straddled...
title and an All-Ireland final, however, they narrowly lost out to Galway. His management career with Kildare
Kildare GAA
For more information see Kildare Senior Club Football Championship or Kildare Senior Club Hurling Championship.The Kildare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Kildare GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kildare...
lasted two periods, the first was 1991-1994 and the second was 1997-2002. As the Kildare manger 33 games were played, with 16 wins, 11 losses and 6 draws.
He took over the Laois
Laois GAA
The Laois County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Laois GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Laois and the Laois inter-county teams.-History:...
team in 2002 which he led to a famous Leinster title in 2003. At the beginning of the football championship in 2006 O'Dywer announced that 2006 would be his last season with Laois, however, he had not ruled out moving as manager to another team. It was first revealed on 6 September 2006 that O'Dwyer would not be staying on at Laois for another season having made his final appearance as Laois manager against Mayo
Mayo GAA
The Mayo County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Mayo GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Mayo and the Mayo inter-county teams.-History:...
in the All-Ireland Quarter Finals. His Laois career between 2003 and 2006, included 17 games, which finished as 10 wins, 4 losses and 3 draws.
On 7 October 2006, it was revealed that O'Dwyer has agreed to take charge of the Wicklow
Wicklow GAA
The Wicklow County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Wicklow GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Wicklow...
senior football team. He made his debut as Wicklow manager with a win against Carlow
Carlow GAA
The Carlow County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Carlow GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Carlow and the Carlow inter-county teams.-Gaelic football:...
in the 2007
O'Byrne Cup 2007
-First Round:The first round saw the withdrawal of Kilkenny who were then replaced by Dundalk IT. Dundalk IT later dropped out of the competition which means that Wexford go on to play in the Quarter final on January 4, 2007. The first match of the O'Byrne Cup was played between Carlow and Wicklow...
O'Byrne Cup
O'Byrne Cup
The O'Byrne Cup is a Gaelic football competition organised by the Leinster GAA. The competition is named after Matt O'Byrne, a former Wicklow GAA club officer. Participants include the twelve county teams and four colleges. The O'Byrne Cup 2011 champions are Kildare, who beat Louth in the final by...
.
On 5 July 2009, Wicklow defeated Fermanagh
Fermanagh GAA
The Fermanagh County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Fermanagh GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland. The county board is also responsible for the Fermanagh inter-county teams-History:...
0-17 to 1-11. This marked a milestone for O'Dwyer as he has now beat every other county during his terms as manager of different teams.
On 30 June 2010, rumours were going around about O'Dwyer resigning after the exit of the championship by Cavan
Cavan GAA
The Cavan County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Cavan GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Cavan...
it has not been resolved whether or not he will continue. In September, 2010 he confirmed he was going to continue as manager for Wicklow for his 5th year.
On 16 July 2011, O'Dwyer announced the end of his tenure as Wicklow manager following defeat to Armagh in Round 3 of the All-Ireland Qualifiers.
Kerry
- Munster Senior Football ChampionshipMunster Senior Football ChampionshipThe Munster Senior Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition in the game of football played in the province of Munster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Munster Council and are played during the summer months...
:- Winner (12): 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964 (sub), 1965, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1972
- Runner-up (4): 1956, 1971, 1973, 1974
- Four All-Ireland Senior Football ChampionshipAll-Ireland Senior Football ChampionshipThe All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the premier competition in Gaelic football, is a series of games organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and played during the summer and early autumn...
s - Eight National Football League ChampionshipsNational Football League (Ireland)The National Football League is a Gaelic football tournament held annually between the county teams of Ireland, under the auspices of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The prize for the winning team is the New Ireland Cup, presented by the New Ireland Assurance Company...
- Twelve Munster Senior Football ChampionshipMunster Senior Football ChampionshipThe Munster Senior Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition in the game of football played in the province of Munster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Munster Council and are played during the summer months...
s - One Railway Cup
- Three Kerry Senior Football Championship finals with Waterville as player-coach
As manager
- Eight All-Ireland Senior Football ChampionshipAll-Ireland Senior Football ChampionshipThe All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the premier competition in Gaelic football, is a series of games organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and played during the summer and early autumn...
titles - Three All-Ireland Under-21 Football ChampionshipAll-Ireland Under-21 Football ChampionshipThe All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for players aged between 18 and 21 in the game of Gaelic football played in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and are played during the summer months...
titles - Six Railway Cup titles
- Two Leinster Senior Football ChampionshipLeinster Senior Football ChampionshipThe GAA Leinster Senior Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition in the game of football played in the province of Leinster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Leinster Council and are played during the summer months. The competition involves the counties of...
titles with KildareKildare GAAFor more information see Kildare Senior Club Football Championship or Kildare Senior Club Hurling Championship.The Kildare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Kildare GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kildare... - One Leinster Senior Football ChampionshipLeinster Senior Football ChampionshipThe GAA Leinster Senior Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition in the game of football played in the province of Leinster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Leinster Council and are played during the summer months. The competition involves the counties of...
title with LaoisLaois GAAThe Laois County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Laois GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Laois and the Laois inter-county teams.-History:... - One Leinster U21 Football Championship titles with KildareKildare GAAFor more information see Kildare Senior Club Football Championship or Kildare Senior Club Hurling Championship.The Kildare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Kildare GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kildare...
- Three Kerry Senior Football Championship finals with Waterville as player-coach
- One Tommy Murphy CupTommy Murphy CupThe Tommy Murphy Cup is a Gaelic football competition, featuring senior county teams elimainated from the early stages of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship and also Kilkenny when not fielding a team in the main All-Ireland...
title with WicklowWicklow GAAThe Wicklow County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Wicklow GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Wicklow...