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1962 ------ Dr Crokes 7th in a Row (without
playing the 1962 Final).
Dr Crokes and Legion
qualified for yet another O’Donoghue Cup final. At the
time Dr Crokes star forward Tom Long was chosen to play
for Kerry in the Grounds Tournament Final against
Dublin. Tom Long informed the County Board that he had
committed himself to play with Dr Crokes in the
O’Donoghue Cup final. However the County Board realised
later in the week that games involving five of the Kerry
team in three District Boards would weaken their squad
for the Tournament final. The County Board Secretary,
Tadhg Crowley, sent a telegram to Tom Long who was
residing at the time in New Street, Killarney. The
telegram stated that the O’Donoghue Cup final was put
back and that he was now free to play with Kerry(the
telegram arrived on the Friday evening before the game).
However the Legion were naturally
none toohappy with that arrangement, claiming that it
was too late to call off the match, and on the day the
final was fixed for they went to the Fitzgerald Stadium,
togged out and claimed the game.
The whole affair was the subject of
several subsequent East Kerry Board meetings, whose
minutes record the feelings of both clubs. Michael
O’Connor(Dr Crokes) pointed out that Tom Long was high
on the list for the Caltex Trophy that year, the highest
accolade for an individual player, and his club acceded
to the decision of the County Board that he play with
Kerry once the East Kerry final was postponed. Murt
Galvin(Dr Crokes) seconded the proposal of Michael
O’Connor that the referee’s report should not be
adopted. Bernie O’Connor(Legion) proposed an amendment
seconded by Gerald O’Sullivan, voting for the amendment
4 and for the proposal 4.
It was decided to bring the County
Board officers in to clarify the whole affair. At the
following East Kerry Board meeting the game was awarded
to the Legion. Dr Crokes appealed to the County Board
and that body ordered a replay. The Legion appealed to
the Munster Council but without success as they upheld
the County Board’s decision in favour of a replay.
The game was refixed for April 1963
but the Legion refused to play and consequently Dr
Crokes were awarded the game and a seventh title in a
row.
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