Pat McCarthy: a Kerry legend who also made his mark in Kildare

September 28, 1975 was Pat McCarthy’s 25th birthday. It is a day of social celebration for most as they reach the quarter-century mark, however, the Sallins-based Kerryman had the small matter of an All-Ireland final against Dublin to get on with that day.

Kerry toppled Dublin 2-12 to 0-11 points on an unsuitably wet day in the capital and fate did all it could to give Pat the perfect birthday present. As the referee’s final whistle blew, the ball sat in Pat’s possession and he still to this day thinks he should have kept it.

“It was a great last five minutes,” Pat said. “To play them knowing you were going to walk up the steps and collect the Sam Maguire.

“When you are mad for football, love playing with Kerry and are in an All-Ireland final, it is better than winning the lotto. If you win the lotto you’ll be forgotten about, but I think down in Kerry you are never really forgotten really if you win an All-Ireland.”

Pat won’t be forgotten in his home county, but will also live long in the memory of those from the place he has called home since November, 1971. In amongst All-Ireland and Munster title wins with Kerry, Pat holds near and dear the Championships he won with Sallins, holding a Junior winners medal in '73 and an Intermediate one in '77.

The Churchill man would only enter the Kerry senior panel after serving a suspension for his commitment to his now two home clubs. Pat often turned out for his native club on Saturday nights, before making the over three hour spin from just outside of Tralee all the way to Sallins for games on a Sunday.

Those of a Kerry persuasion, and others too, will remember Weeshie Fogarty’s renowned radio show Terrace Talk. One of the legendary broadcasters biggest assertions was that the 1976 Munster final replay was the greatest game of football ever played. Reigning All-Ireland Champions Kerry faced, in the brand new Páirc Uí Chaoimh, a Cork side who had done the same just three years prior.

“There was a huge crowd and a lot of people didn’t know where to go as it was the first huge game that was played in the new stadium. Next thing you knew they had opened the gates and the crowd pushed onto the sideline,” Pat recalled.

The sidelines were packed with bodies to witness a windswept 0-10 each draw as the crowds far exceeded the supposed capacity of the new venue. The replay took place two weeks later and remains one of the most famous games in Gaelic football history.

“We were lucky,” Pat said. “I thought we were beaten when the final whistle went because I thought Cork got a perfectly good goal and the umpire ruled it out. I was too far out to see whether anyone was in the square, but when the ball hit the net I just turned around. The score was in my head before the goal so I thought that put them a point in front. It ended up being a draw anyways after being ruled out and it went to extra-time.”

The '76 Munster final is hailed as perhaps Pat’s finest game in a Kerry jersey as he fielded all over the park to win The Kingdom crucial possession time and time again.

“It was one of those days, if you play football yourself you will know what I mean. You feel like the ball is just always floating towards you at the right height and everything,” Pat explained.

Kerry’s man under the high-ball was complemented beautifully by his midfield partner, and dear friend Paudie Lynch, as the Kerry boys dominated the middle of the park in extra-time.

Pat said, “I loved playing with Paudie, he was a great footballer. I am still great friends with him to this day. He was the kind of footballer that if your corner-forward was missing or your corner-back was missing, he could fill the gap with aplomb. He was magnificent, anywhere you played him.”

Kerry would pull clear after the controversial end to normal time to win the 1976 Munster final replay by a staggering score of 3-20 to 2-19.

The question of it being the greatest game was posed to Pat, but he leaned towards one of the many brilliant fixtures that he witnessed on the sideline with Mick O’Dwyer during his (second) spell with Kildare.

The Kerry legend said the first of the 1997 Leinster semi-final replays between Kildare and Meath is his pick for the greatest game. The dramatic tie finished Meath 2-20 to The Lillies’ 3-17 after extra-time

“It was nip and tuck, nail-biting stuff. That Kerry game was the same, a lot of people say that was the best that they saw, but who am I to say? I was only playing,” Pat laughed.

The Churchill man moved to Kildare after he finished college, picking up a job in the Department of Agriculture, but the plan was originally to move back home. So what changed?

“I said to myself I’d stay for a year and get back down to Kerry, but I really liked living in Kildare. The people I got to know were great people, very nice, and I settled in quite easily here,” Pat smiled.

That homing in Kildare then facilitated Pat obtaining a record as the only man to play with, for and coach alongside the great Mick O’Dwyer. He was brought into the set-up by Micko after a coaching stint in Eadestown and was in the backroom for some of Kildare’s finest moments.

“I was there for the run to the All-Ireland final, I still have nightmares over that. We still should have won it, but I would say that I suppose,” Pat said.

As well as coaching alongside another adored Kerryman in Kildare, Pat played Championship games for the county too. Although success was hard to come by during his time in a Lilywhite jersey.

Pat McCarthy’s time with both counties has history oozing out of it. An All-Ireland champion, revered from Sallins to Churchill, and even has four Kildare Senior Hurling Championship medals with Ardclough too. The latter of which mean as much to him as almost any due to his family’s connection to the small ball game.

“I loved hurling, there is more hurling history in my family than football. Kerry won one All-Ireland Senior Championship in hurling, in 1891, and my grandfather and my grand-uncle were on that team. Hurling has always meant a lot to me because of that,” Pat explained.

The great man’s favourite way to reflect on all these accomplishments is with friends and some of the people he did it with.
An annual contest in Killarney’s Beaufort Golf Club is one of the greatest venues to reminisce as players compete for the cup named in honour of the 1975 All-Ireland final goalscorer and Kerry Legend, John Egan.

“We go down every year. He passed away some years ago and there was a cup put up in his memory. We work around the days so his son, who plays for Sheffield United, can be there to present it. There are lads from Cork that come up as well and it's a brilliant day out to commemorate the great John Egan.”