Trevor Watson
THEY say nostalgia isn’t what it used to be. But, for this writer, this week symbolises a nostalgic look at a group of men who created history in the small South Mayo town of Ballinrobe.
Not men, but giants. As children we looked up in awe and admiration at this group. And as the sands of time moved, some of us were lucky enough to progress to become team-members with some of the group and with some more, very close friends.
I am, of course, referring to the Ballinrobe RFC Junior cup winning teams of 1990 and 1991. Men who now have legendary status in Ballinrobe rugby circles.
Exaggeration was a word never entertained when describing their feats. It was said that Samson himself, hair or no hair, wouldn’t dream of packing down against Mick Walsh or Arthur O’Connor in the front row. And what about Walsh’s try against Athlone? That run must have been at least 100 yards, he must have beaten at least 12 men to score.
‘Big Tom’ Heneghan, (no relation to the country and western singer) and Pat Nalty could move mountains in the second row and Satan himself wouldn’t even dream of making a blind side break in case he ran into any one of the back row trio of Pat Burke, Gerry Madden and Brian O’Connor.
It was often said about that back row that whichever one of them hit you, you’d wish it was one of the other two!
Kieran Biggins also featured prominently in that back row, starting in 1991 against Loughrea. He was a line-out supremo, and very fit around the park.
Scrum half, Pat Malone, was at his fiery best behind this monstrous pack, sniping at pace, kicking brilliantly, tackling everything that moved above the level of the grass.
The backs had unique mixture of pace, footballing skill and sheer power.
Eddie Gibbons was possibly the best built of the backline and probably the biggest back any of us kids had ever seen. We thought he was phenomenal.
Adrian Garvey had a strike of a ball so sweet it would make angels dance. “Do ya remember the time he kicked the penalty from half way? Do ya remember the day he dropped a goal from his own half, with his bad foot, in 10 inches of mud, and he injured?” The stories were relentless and we loved every single one of them.
Not caring, as children, what percentage of each one was actual fact. That didn’t matter. What mattered was that to us, they were heroes.
In John Malone and JJ Gorham, Ballinrobe had two very intelligent footballers which were crucial to their side’s success. Maurice Mellotte and Philip Clesham brought huge pace and power and John Power and Maut Gannon were solid at the back.
So here it is, twenty years on, reunion time. Nostalgia time. This group of men have been bonded together by a special event. It is something they will never forget.
The trouser sizes may have gone up an inch or two, and there probably isn’t as much need for hair gel as there once was, but this coming weekend sees a special group reunited to commemorate a very special achievement.
For me, they are legends. And they always will be.
