Billy Morgan (Gaelic footballer)
Encyclopedia
Billy Morgan is a former Irish
Gaelic football
er. In a career that spanned three decades from the early 1960s to the early 1980s he played football at club level with University College Cork
and Nemo Rangers
, at inter-county level with Cork and at inter-provincial level with Munster
. Morgan is known for his successes at all levels; most notably captaining both his club and his county to respective All-Ireland titles in 1973. In 2010 he was inducted into the MBNA Kick Fada Hall of Fame, honouring his five decade-long involvement with Cork and cementing his reputation as one of his county's greatest-ever football servants.
Morgan began his career as a centre-forward on the Cork minor football team in the early 1960s before moving onto the county's senior team in 1966 where he was moved back to his preferred position in goal. Over the next fifteen years he won one All-Ireland
title, five Munster
titles and one National League
title. Morgan began his club football career with University College Cork before becoming an integral part of the Nemo Rangers team in the 1970s that secured two All-Ireland
titles, four Munster
and five Cork titles. As a member of the Munster inter-provincial team he won four Railway Cup titles as first-choice goalkeeper.
Morgan became player-manager of the Cork senior football team in his final years as a player in the late seventies. After an unsuccessful first tenure and a brief hiatus he returned to the position of manager in 1986 and brought the team back-to-back All-Ireland titles, seven Munster titles and one National League title over the course of the next decade. In 2003 Morgan was tempted back for a third stint as manager, however, his final term was not as successful. He did guide the team to a Munster title, however, his third term ended controversially following an All-Ireland final drubbing by arch-rivals Kerry
in 2007.
tradition. Both his parents hailed from Galway
and, from an early age, Morgan’s dream was to play hurling for Cork. Over time, however, he became interested in Gaelic football
. Morgan was educated at the famous Coláiste Chríost Rí school and later attended nearby University College Cork. Here Morgan made a name for himself as a good goalkeeper and established himself as a key member of the university’s football team. In 1966 he won a coveted Sigerson Cup
winners’ medal as UCC defeated University College Galway (UCG) in the inter-varsities tournament. A second consecutive defeat of UCG in 1967 gave Morgan a second Sigerson Cup title.
Morgan later worked as a secondary school
teacher, before travelling to New York University
in the early 1980s to complete a masters degree in physical education
. He also ran a pub in the centre of Cork city for a period and he currently works as a financial adviser with his son Brian Morgan and with his nephew William Morgan. Both of these younger Morgan’s have followed in Billy’s football footsteps and have enjoyed much success with Nemo Rangers
. Morgan’s second son, Alan Morgan, also plays football with the club.
club and enjoyed much success. He lined out in his first senior county championship final in 1970, however, Muskerry
defeated Nemo in their first final appearance. Two years later in 1972 Morgan was captain of the team when he captured that elusive county winners' medal when Nemo Rangers defeated UCC
. Nemo's march to success continued later in the year as the club captured the Munster
club title before Morgan lined out in the All-Ireland final. St. Vincent's of Dublin provided the opposition, however, a late Jimmy Keaveney
point forced a draw and a replay. First-half goals in the replay by Jimmy Barrett
and Billy Cogan were followed by two more Liam Goode and Séamus Coughlan
goals in the second-half. The final score of 4-6 to 0-10 gave Morgan a first All-Ireland
club winners' medal and the honour of collecting the cup on behalf of his club.
Two years later in 1974 Morgan added a second county championship winners' medal to his collection. A second Munster club title quickly followed, before Nemo booked their place in another All-Ireland final. UCD
provided the opposition on that occasion, however, Morgan’s side were defeated by 1-11 to 0-12. 1975 saw Morgan capture a third county title. A third Munster club winners' medal soon followed, however, Nemo were trounced in the subsequent All-Ireland semi-final.
After surrendering their county title in 1976, Nemo were back the following year with Morgan picking up a fourth county winners' medal. A fifth county championship of the decade followed in 1978 before Morgan collected a fourth Munster club title. The subsequent All-Ireland final pitted Nemo against Scotstown of Monaghan. Snow hampered the game, however, Cogan proved the hero as Nemo won the game by 2-9 to 1-3. It was his second All-Ireland club winners' medal and his last major victory with Nemo.
Morgan remained as a non-playing substitute with Nemo Rangers, as the club secured further county and provincial titles throughout the 1980s.
in the 1963 Munster minor final.
Morgan later joined the county’s under-21 team, where he was installed in his favoured position of goalkeeper. He won a Munster
title in this grade in 1965, however, Cork were later shocked by Kildare
in the All-Ireland final. A 2-11 to 1-7 win for the 'Lilywhites' resulted in Morgan ending up on the losing side.
Following the county under-21 campaign in 1965 Morgan was invited to join the Cork senior football panel. He was the sub-goalie for the 1965-66 National Football League
and made his senior debut in the Munster Championship
in 1966. He won his first senior Munster title that year as Cork defeated a Kerry team attempting to capture a record-breaking ninth consecutive provincial title. Cork were subsequently defeated in the All-Ireland semi-final by eventual champiosn Galway
.
In 1967 Morgan secured a second Munster winners' medal as Kerry were defeated by a single point in the provincial decider. Cork went one step further this year and reached the All-Ireland final. Meath
were the opponents on that occasion. Cork led by 0-3 to 0-1 after a terrible first-half of football; however, Meath's Terry Kearns scored a key goal for 'the Royals' after the interval. At the long whistle Meath were the champions by 1-9 to 0-9.
After losing their provincial title over the course of the next few years Cork were back in 1971. A 0-25 to 0-14 trouncing of back-to-back All-Ireland champions Kerry gave Morgan a third Munster winners' medal. Cork, however, were later defeated by eventual champions Offaly
in the All-Ireland semi-final.
Two years later Morgan beca,e the first Nemo Rangers man to captain the Cork senior football team. That year he secured his fourth and final Munster winners' medal. The 5-12 to 1-15 defeat of arch-rivals Kerry showed the traditional football powers that Cork were coming. The subsequent All-Ireland final pitted Cork against Galway
. Teenager Jimmy Barry-Murphy
scored the first of his two goals after just two minutes before scored a third for Cork after switching to left wing-forward. At full-time Cork were the champions by 3-17 to 2-13. This victory gave Morgan a coveted All-Ireland
winners' medal while he also became the first Cork man since 1945 yo lift the Sam Maguire Cup
. He was later presented with the coveted Texaco Footballer of the Year
award. Morgan remains the only goalkeeper to be presented with that award.
In 1974 Cork proved that their success was not a flash in the pan. A 1-11 to 0-7 defeat gave the county a second consecutive Munster title. It was Morgan’s fifth provincial winners’ medal in all. A certain amount of over-confidence crept into the side as Cork were subsequently defeated by eventual champions Dublin
in the All-Ireland semi-final.
The next seven years saw Morgan’s side lose every Munster final to a Kerry team widely regarded as the greatest of all-time. There was some consolation towards the end of his career as Cork won a National League title in 1980. Morgan retired from inter-county football in 1981.
in the inter-provincial football competition and enjoyed much success over the course of a decade. He first lined out with his province in 1967, however, Munster were defeated by Connacht
on that occasion. It was the first of four consecutive years of defeats for Morgan and for Munster. After losing his plac on the team to Kerry’s Johnny Culloty
in 1971, Morgan was back the following year. That year he won his first Railway Cup winners' medal as Leinster
were accounted for after a replay. After defeat in 1973 and the loss of his place on the team in 1974, Morgan returned to win a second Railway Cup title in 1975. He was a non-playing substitute as Munster when Munster made it two-in-a-row in 1976. Morgan was back as the first-choice goalkeeper for two more Railway Cup wins on 1977 ad 1978.
Five year later in the autumn of 1986 Morgan was appointed Cork manager for a second time. The task ahead was enormous as Cork’s nearest neighbours, Kerry, had won eleven of the last twelve Munster titles and had put Cork to the sword on most of those occasions. In his first year in charge Morgan worked the oracle. The traditional Munster final between Cork and Kerry ended in a draw, however, Cork triumphed over the four-in-a-row hopefuls by 0-13 to 1-5. Cork subsequently qualified for the All-Ireland final with Meath providing the opposition. Mid-way through the first-half Cork had a goal chance blocked by Mick Lyons
when Jimmy Kerrigan
looked to be through for a seven-point lead. Instead, it was Meath who led by 1-6 to 0-8 at half-time, courtesy of a Colm O'Rourke
goal. Cork’s Larry Tompkins
’s radar was also off course as he missed six out of eight free-kicks. At the full-time whistle Meath were the winners by 1-14 to 0-11.
In 1988 Morgan’s team retained their Munster title before a second All-Ireland final appearance beckoned. Meath provided the opposition once again as Cork got off to a good start with a Teddy McCarthy
goal. By the end of the game Cork led by a point, however, Brian Stafford
scored the equaliser. The replay was a controversial affair. Meath’s Gerry McEntee
was sent-off after just seven minutes. In spite of being reduced to fourteen men, Meath hung on for a narrow 0-13 to 0-12 victory. It was Morgan’s second consecutive defeat as manager.
A third consecutive Munster title was secured in 1989 and, once again, Cork qualified for a third consecutive All-Ireland final. Mayo
were the opponents on this occasion and the game was a close affair for much of the opening half. An Anthony Finnerty goal after thirty-eight minutes gave Mayo a brief lead, however, the Connacht champs failed to score for the last nineteen minutes. Teddy McCarthy took control and Cork secured victory by 0-17 to 1-11. It was Morgan’s first All-Ireland title as manager and Cork’s first since 1973, when Morgan was captain.
In 1990, while still under Morgan’s guidance, Cork made it a remarkable four Munster titles on the trot. A fourth consecutive All-Ireland final appearance quickly followed, with old rivals Meath providing the opposition. Cork suffered a blow in the first-half when Colm O'Neill
was sent off; however, Shay Fahy was playing a blinder at midfield. In spite of only having fourteen men Cork won the game by 0-11 to 0-9. It was a second consecutive All-Ireland title for Morgan, the first time that Cork had achieved the feat. This victory was all the more special as the Cork hurling team had already won their respective All-Ireland
title a fortnight earlier. It was the first time in the modern era that a county had won the hurling and football ‘double
’.
In 1991 Cork lost their provincial crown to Kerry and Morgan faced a year of difficulties with the Cork County Board. For a period it looked as if he might resign, however, he stayed on only to face defeat again in 1992. Once again the knives were out for him, however, Cork won back to Munster title in 1993. Cork subsequently qualified for the All-Ireland final, with Derry
providing the opposition. Things did not go to plan as 'the Rebels' were reduced to fourteen men when Tony Davis
was harshly red-carded. Séamus Downey scored the winning goal as Derry secured their first All-Ireland with a 1-14 to 2-8 victory.
In 1994 Morgan managed Cork to a second consecutive Munster winners' medal following another convincing victory over Tipperary
. Cork, however, were later defeated by eventual champions Down
in the All-Ireland semi-final.
In 1995 Morgan’s Cork won a third consecutive Munster title, a record-breaking seventh in nine seasons, as Kerry fell in the provincial decider. Once again Cork were subsequently defeated by eventual All-Ireland champions Dublin
in the All-Ireland semi-final.
In 1996 the old order in Munster was restored. Kerry defeated Cork by 0-14 to 0-11 in the Munster final, taking their first provincial title since 1991 in the process. This defeat saw Cork exit the championship and effectively brought Morgan’s ten-season tenure as manager to an end.
. Nemo later represented Cork in the provincial club championship and even reached the final of that competition. A 0-11 to 0-7 defeat of Glenflesk
gave the club another Munster club winners' medal. Morgan subsequently guided his team to a foot-and-mouth delayed All-Ireland club final, with Mayo’s Crossmolina providing the opposition. Nemo looked to be in the driving seat, however, a second-half comeback, inspired by Kieran McDonald, saw the momentum switch to the Mayo side. A late Colin Corkery
goal narrowed the deficit to one point, however, Morgan’s side were eventually and narrowly defeated by 0-16 to 1-12.
In 2001 Morgan coached Nemo to a second county championship title as the club trounced Bantry Blues
in the final. A second Munster club winners’ medal was quickly captured, after a 1-11 to 0-10 defeat of Fethard
. Morgan’s side subsequently lined out in his second All-Ireland club final, this time with Ballinderry providing the opposition. The championship decider was switched to Semple Stadium
because of the reconstruction of Croke Park
, however, a change of venue did not suit Nemo. Goals by Gerard Cassidy and Declan Bateson gave the Derry side a comfortable 2-10 to 0-9 victory. It was a second consecutive All-Ireland defeat for Nemo.
2002 saw Nemo becoming the first team in nearly sixty years to win three county championship titles in-a-row. A third consecutive Munster club title quickly followed for Morgan’s team, as Nemo trounced Monaleen of Limerick by 4-15 to 0-6. For the third successive year Rangers subsequently lined out in the All-Ireland club final, however, the club faced the unpalatable prospect of becoming three-in-a-row losers. Crossmolina provided the opposition for the second time in three years and the game was a close affair. It was played in Croke Park on St.Patrick's day. Colin Corkery scored six points to give Nemo a merited 0-14 to 1-9 victory. At the third time of asking Morgan had finally guided his club to a coveted All-Ireland club winners’ medal.
, Cork wer unceremoniously dumped out of the championship by Roscommon
in the first-round of the All-Ireland qualifiers.
In 2005 Morgan guided his young, new Cork team to a first Munster final appearance under his tenure. Reigning All-Ireland champions Kerry provided the opposition, however, Cork were still off the mark. The 1-11 to 0-10 defeat was not the end of the road as Cork still had another chance to claim the All-Ireland title. Because of the structure of the championship Cork and Kerry met for a second time in the All-Ireland semi-final. That game turned into a rout as Kerry trounced their greatest rivals by 1-19 to 0-9.
In 2006 Morgan’s side lined out against Kerry in the Munster final once again. That game ended in a 0-10 apiece draw. The replay saw a much fresher Cork team defeat Kerry by 1-12 to 0-9. James Masters
proved the hero of the day, as he scored 1-7. Morgan had finally secured a Munster winners’ medal with his new team. The quirks of the championship saw Cork face Kerry again in the subsequent All-Ireland semi-final for the second year in-a-row. In a similar pattern to the two previous encounters Cork failed to beat Kerry at Croke Park. A 0-16 to 0-10 resulted in Morgan’s side being dumped out of the championship.
In 2007 Morgan’s Cork narrowly lost their Munster crown to Kerry. In spite of the 1-15 to 1-13 defeat Cork still had another chance to claim the All-Ireland title. Cork later did well in the All-Ireland series and finally qualified for the championship decider. It was the seventh time that Morgan was aiding a Cork team in an All-Ireland final, either as a player or as a manager. Kerry, however, were the opponents. While the first-half was played on an even keel, 'the Kingdom' ran riot in the second-half and a rout ensued. At the full-time whistle Cork were trounced by 3-13 to 1-9. Morgan subsequently stepped down as Cork football manager.
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...
er. In a career that spanned three decades from the early 1960s to the early 1980s he played football at club level with University College Cork
UCC GAA
UCC is a football and hurling club associated with University College Cork. UCC teams play in the Cork Senior Football Championship and Cork Senior Hurling Championship as well as the two main third-level competitions namely the Sigerson Cup in football and the Fitzgibbon Cup in hurling...
and Nemo Rangers
Nemo Rangers GAA
Nemo Rangers Hurling and Football Club is a Cork-based Gaelic Athletic Association club on the southside of Cork city, Ireland. The club was founded in 1922 and is primarily concerned with the game of Gaelic football, though interest in hurling has escalated in recent years.-History:Nemo Rangers...
, at inter-county level with Cork and at inter-provincial level with Munster
Munster GAA
The Munster Council is a Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, rounders and handball in the province of Munster.-Constituent counties:*Cork*Clare*Kerry*Limerick*Tipperary*Waterford-Honours:...
. Morgan is known for his successes at all levels; most notably captaining both his club and his county to respective All-Ireland titles in 1973. In 2010 he was inducted into the MBNA Kick Fada Hall of Fame, honouring his five decade-long involvement with Cork and cementing his reputation as one of his county's greatest-ever football servants.
Morgan began his career as a centre-forward on the Cork minor football team in the early 1960s before moving onto the county's senior team in 1966 where he was moved back to his preferred position in goal. Over the next fifteen years he won one 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...
title, five 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...
titles and one 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...
title. Morgan began his club football career with University College Cork before becoming an integral part of the Nemo Rangers team in the 1970s that secured two All-Ireland
All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football tournament run since 1971, played between the thousands of senior football clubs in Ireland. The current champions are Crossmaglen Rangers of Armagh, who defeated St. Brigid's of Roscommon on March 17, 2011 to win their...
titles, four Munster
Munster Senior Club Football Championship
The Munster Senior Club Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football tournament played between the hundreds of senior football clubs in Munster. The winners will represent Munster in the All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship. East Kerry were the first winners of the Munster senior...
and five Cork titles. As a member of the Munster inter-provincial team he won four Railway Cup titles as first-choice goalkeeper.
Morgan became player-manager of the Cork senior football team in his final years as a player in the late seventies. After an unsuccessful first tenure and a brief hiatus he returned to the position of manager in 1986 and brought the team back-to-back All-Ireland titles, seven Munster titles and one National League title over the course of the next decade. In 2003 Morgan was tempted back for a third stint as manager, however, his final term was not as successful. He did guide the team to a Munster title, however, his third term ended controversially following an All-Ireland final drubbing by arch-rivals 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...
in 2007.
Biography
Billy Morgan was born in Douglas on the south side of Cork city in 1945. He was born into a household that, ironically, had a strong hurlingHurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
tradition. Both his parents hailed from Galway
County Galway
County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...
and, from an early age, Morgan’s dream was to play hurling for Cork. Over time, however, he became interested in Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
. Morgan was educated at the famous Coláiste Chríost Rí school and later attended nearby University College Cork. Here Morgan made a name for himself as a good goalkeeper and established himself as a key member of the university’s football team. In 1966 he won a coveted Sigerson Cup
Sigerson Cup
The Sigerson Cup is the top division of Higher Education Gaelic football in Ireland, It is administrated by the Higher Education committee which is part of the Gaelic Athletic Association...
winners’ medal as UCC defeated University College Galway (UCG) in the inter-varsities tournament. A second consecutive defeat of UCG in 1967 gave Morgan a second Sigerson Cup title.
Morgan later worked as a secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
teacher, before travelling to New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
in the early 1980s to complete a masters degree in physical education
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
. He also ran a pub in the centre of Cork city for a period and he currently works as a financial adviser with his son Brian Morgan and with his nephew William Morgan. Both of these younger Morgan’s have followed in Billy’s football footsteps and have enjoyed much success with Nemo Rangers
Nemo Rangers GAA
Nemo Rangers Hurling and Football Club is a Cork-based Gaelic Athletic Association club on the southside of Cork city, Ireland. The club was founded in 1922 and is primarily concerned with the game of Gaelic football, though interest in hurling has escalated in recent years.-History:Nemo Rangers...
. Morgan’s second son, Alan Morgan, also plays football with the club.
Club
Morgan played his club football with the famous Nemo RangersNemo Rangers GAA
Nemo Rangers Hurling and Football Club is a Cork-based Gaelic Athletic Association club on the southside of Cork city, Ireland. The club was founded in 1922 and is primarily concerned with the game of Gaelic football, though interest in hurling has escalated in recent years.-History:Nemo Rangers...
club and enjoyed much success. He lined out in his first senior county championship final in 1970, however, Muskerry
Muskerry GAA
Muskerry GAA is a Gaelic football and Hurling division located in the in the middle region of County Cork, Ireland. It is one of eight divisions of Cork GAA County Board. The division includes clubs from the western parts of Cork city to the county bounds with Kerry...
defeated Nemo in their first final appearance. Two years later in 1972 Morgan was captain of the team when he captured that elusive county winners' medal when Nemo Rangers defeated UCC
UCC GAA
UCC is a football and hurling club associated with University College Cork. UCC teams play in the Cork Senior Football Championship and Cork Senior Hurling Championship as well as the two main third-level competitions namely the Sigerson Cup in football and the Fitzgibbon Cup in hurling...
. Nemo's march to success continued later in the year as the club captured the Munster
Munster Senior Club Football Championship
The Munster Senior Club Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football tournament played between the hundreds of senior football clubs in Munster. The winners will represent Munster in the All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship. East Kerry were the first winners of the Munster senior...
club title before Morgan lined out in the All-Ireland final. St. Vincent's of Dublin provided the opposition, however, a late Jimmy Keaveney
Jimmy Keaveney
James "Jimmy" Keaveney is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played Gaelic football with his local club St. Vincents and was a member of the Dublin senior inter-county team from 1965 until 1978. Keaveney is regarded as one of Dublin's greatest-ever players.-Club:Keaveney played his club football...
point forced a draw and a replay. First-half goals in the replay by Jimmy Barrett
Jimmy Barrett (Gaelic footballer)
Jimmy Barrett is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played Gaelic football with his local club Nemo Rangers and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1970 until 1978.-Club:...
and Billy Cogan were followed by two more Liam Goode and Séamus Coughlan
Séamus Coughlan
Séamus Coughlan is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played Gaelic football with his local club Nemo Rangers and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1973 until 1978.-References:...
goals in the second-half. The final score of 4-6 to 0-10 gave Morgan a first All-Ireland
All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football tournament run since 1971, played between the thousands of senior football clubs in Ireland. The current champions are Crossmaglen Rangers of Armagh, who defeated St. Brigid's of Roscommon on March 17, 2011 to win their...
club winners' medal and the honour of collecting the cup on behalf of his club.
Two years later in 1974 Morgan added a second county championship winners' medal to his collection. A second Munster club title quickly followed, before Nemo booked their place in another All-Ireland final. UCD
UCD GAA
UCD GAA or University College Dublin Gaelic Athletic Association club is a Dublin based Gaelic games club in University College Dublin. The UCD hurling club was founded in 1900 and boasted the motto's "Ad Astra" and "Cothrom Féinne". The first team was an amalgamation of students from UCD and...
provided the opposition on that occasion, however, Morgan’s side were defeated by 1-11 to 0-12. 1975 saw Morgan capture a third county title. A third Munster club winners' medal soon followed, however, Nemo were trounced in the subsequent All-Ireland semi-final.
After surrendering their county title in 1976, Nemo were back the following year with Morgan picking up a fourth county winners' medal. A fifth county championship of the decade followed in 1978 before Morgan collected a fourth Munster club title. The subsequent All-Ireland final pitted Nemo against Scotstown of Monaghan. Snow hampered the game, however, Cogan proved the hero as Nemo won the game by 2-9 to 1-3. It was his second All-Ireland club winners' medal and his last major victory with Nemo.
Morgan remained as a non-playing substitute with Nemo Rangers, as the club secured further county and provincial titles throughout the 1980s.
Inter-county
By the early 1960s Morgan was a key part of Cork’s inter-county set-up and was playing on the county’s minor team as an outfield player. He lined out at centre-forward on the Cork team that was beaten by 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...
in the 1963 Munster minor final.
Morgan later joined the county’s under-21 team, where he was installed in his favoured position of goalkeeper. He won a Munster
Munster Under-21 Football Championship
The Munster Under-21 Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for players aged between 18 and 21 in the game of Gaelic football played in the province of Munster, in Ireland....
title in this grade in 1965, however, Cork were later shocked by 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...
in the All-Ireland final. A 2-11 to 1-7 win for the 'Lilywhites' resulted in Morgan ending up on the losing side.
Following the county under-21 campaign in 1965 Morgan was invited to join the Cork senior football panel. He was the sub-goalie for the 1965-66 National Football 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...
and made his senior debut in the Munster Championship
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...
in 1966. He won his first senior Munster title that year as Cork defeated a Kerry team attempting to capture a record-breaking ninth consecutive provincial title. Cork were subsequently defeated in the All-Ireland semi-final by eventual champiosn 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,...
.
In 1967 Morgan secured a second Munster winners' medal as Kerry were defeated by a single point in the provincial decider. Cork went one step further this year and reached the All-Ireland final. 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 that occasion. Cork led by 0-3 to 0-1 after a terrible first-half of football; however, Meath's Terry Kearns scored a key goal for 'the Royals' after the interval. At the long whistle Meath were the champions by 1-9 to 0-9.
After losing their provincial title over the course of the next few years Cork were back in 1971. A 0-25 to 0-14 trouncing of back-to-back All-Ireland champions Kerry gave Morgan a third Munster winners' medal. Cork, however, were later defeated by eventual champions 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...
in the All-Ireland semi-final.
Two years later Morgan beca,e the first Nemo Rangers man to captain the Cork senior football team. That year he secured his fourth and final Munster winners' medal. The 5-12 to 1-15 defeat of arch-rivals Kerry showed the traditional football powers that Cork were coming. The subsequent All-Ireland final pitted Cork against 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,...
. Teenager Jimmy Barry-Murphy
Jimmy Barry-Murphy
James "Jimmy" Barry-Murphy is a former Irish hurler, Gaelic footballer and association footballer and is the current manager of the Cork senior hurling team...
scored the first of his two goals after just two minutes before scored a third for Cork after switching to left wing-forward. At full-time Cork were the champions by 3-17 to 2-13. This victory gave Morgan 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 while he also became the first Cork man since 1945 yo lift 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...
. He was later presented with the coveted Texaco Footballer of the Year
Texaco Footballer of the Year
The Texaco Footballer of the Year is a Gaelic football award, created in 1958, that honours the achievements of a footballer of outstanding excellence...
award. Morgan remains the only goalkeeper to be presented with that award.
In 1974 Cork proved that their success was not a flash in the pan. A 1-11 to 0-7 defeat gave the county a second consecutive Munster title. It was Morgan’s fifth provincial winners’ medal in all. A certain amount of over-confidence crept into the side as Cork were subsequently defeated by eventual 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...
in the All-Ireland semi-final.
The next seven years saw Morgan’s side lose every Munster final to a Kerry team widely regarded as the greatest of all-time. There was some consolation towards the end of his career as Cork won a National League title in 1980. Morgan retired from inter-county football in 1981.
Inter-provincial
Morgan also lined out with MunsterMunster GAA
The Munster Council is a Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, rounders and handball in the province of Munster.-Constituent counties:*Cork*Clare*Kerry*Limerick*Tipperary*Waterford-Honours:...
in the inter-provincial football competition and enjoyed much success over the course of a decade. He first lined out with his province in 1967, however, Munster were defeated by Connacht
Connacht GAA
The Connacht Council are a Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, rounders and handball in the province of Connacht.-Constituent counties:*Galway*Leitrim*Mayo*Roscommon*Sligo-Special counties:...
on that occasion. It was the first of four consecutive years of defeats for Morgan and for Munster. After losing his plac on the team to Kerry’s 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...
in 1971, Morgan was back the following year. That year he won his first Railway Cup winners' medal as Leinster
Leinster GAA
The Leinster Council is a Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, rounders and handball in the province of Leinster. The Leinster Council has been partnered with the European County Board to help develop Gaelic Games in Europe...
were accounted for after a replay. After defeat in 1973 and the loss of his place on the team in 1974, Morgan returned to win a second Railway Cup title in 1975. He was a non-playing substitute as Munster when Munster made it two-in-a-row in 1976. Morgan was back as the first-choice goalkeeper for two more Railway Cup wins on 1977 ad 1978.
Cork: 1986-1996
Morgan first got a taste of inter-county managerial experience in his last championship season when he was player-manager with Cork. His period in charge ended with defeat in the Munster final of 1981.Five year later in the autumn of 1986 Morgan was appointed Cork manager for a second time. The task ahead was enormous as Cork’s nearest neighbours, Kerry, had won eleven of the last twelve Munster titles and had put Cork to the sword on most of those occasions. In his first year in charge Morgan worked the oracle. The traditional Munster final between Cork and Kerry ended in a draw, however, Cork triumphed over the four-in-a-row hopefuls by 0-13 to 1-5. Cork subsequently qualified for the All-Ireland final with Meath providing the opposition. Mid-way through the first-half Cork had a goal chance blocked by Mick Lyons
Mick Lyons (Gaelic footballer)
Mick Lyons is a former Gaelic footballer who played for Summerhill and Meath. He won two All Ireland medals with Meath in 1987 and 1988 and has also won two All Star awards. He won the Meath Senior Football Championship with Summerhill in 1986. He has generally played at the full-back position...
when Jimmy Kerrigan
Jimmy Kerrigan
Jimmy Kerrigan is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played Gaelic football with his local club Nemo Rangers and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1978 until 1990. Kerrigan is one of the most decorated inter-county club footballers of all-time...
looked to be through for a seven-point lead. Instead, it was Meath who led by 1-6 to 0-8 at half-time, courtesy of a Colm O'Rourke
Colm O'Rourke
Colm O'Rourke is a retired inter-county Irish Gaelic footballer for County Meath in Ireland, a columnist with the Sunday Independent and a panellist on The Sunday Game on RTÉ Television....
goal. Cork’s Larry Tompkins
Larry Tompkins
Larry Tompkins is a retired Irish Gaelic football manager and former player. He played football at various times with his local clubs Eadestown in Kildare and Castlehaven in Cork. He also played football with both the Kildare and Cork senior inter-county teams throughout the 1980s and 1990s...
’s radar was also off course as he missed six out of eight free-kicks. At the full-time whistle Meath were the winners by 1-14 to 0-11.
In 1988 Morgan’s team retained their Munster title before a second All-Ireland final appearance beckoned. Meath provided the opposition once again as Cork got off to a good start with a Teddy McCarthy
Teddy McCarthy
Teddy McCarthy is a retired Irish dual player. He played hurling with his local club Sarsfield's and with the Cork senior inter-county team from 1986 until 1996. McCarthy also played Gaelic football with his local club Glanmire and with the Cork senior inter-county team from 1987 until 1995...
goal. By the end of the game Cork led by a point, however, Brian Stafford
Brian Stafford
Brian Stafford is a retired inter-county Irish Gaelic footballer for County Meath in Ireland. He enjoyed much success play inter-county football in the 80's & early 90's on the Meath teams managed by Sean Boylan. For Meath he usually played at Full Forward. He played club football for Kilmainhamwood...
scored the equaliser. The replay was a controversial affair. Meath’s Gerry McEntee
Gerry McEntee
Gerry McEntee was the manager of the 2008 Dublin minor football team and is a retired inter-county Irish Gaelic footballer for County Meath in Ireland. He enjoyed much success playing inter-county football in the Eighties & early Nineties on the Meath teams managed by Sean Boylan, for whom he...
was sent-off after just seven minutes. In spite of being reduced to fourteen men, Meath hung on for a narrow 0-13 to 0-12 victory. It was Morgan’s second consecutive defeat as manager.
A third consecutive Munster title was secured in 1989 and, once again, Cork qualified for a third consecutive All-Ireland final. 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:...
were the opponents on this occasion and the game was a close affair for much of the opening half. An Anthony Finnerty goal after thirty-eight minutes gave Mayo a brief lead, however, the Connacht champs failed to score for the last nineteen minutes. Teddy McCarthy took control and Cork secured victory by 0-17 to 1-11. It was Morgan’s first All-Ireland title as manager and Cork’s first since 1973, when Morgan was captain.
In 1990, while still under Morgan’s guidance, Cork made it a remarkable four Munster titles on the trot. A fourth consecutive All-Ireland final appearance quickly followed, with old rivals Meath providing the opposition. Cork suffered a blow in the first-half when Colm O'Neill
Colm O'Neill (born 1964)
Colm O'Neill is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played Gaelic football and hurling with his local club Midleton and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county football team from 1984 until 1991....
was sent off; however, Shay Fahy was playing a blinder at midfield. In spite of only having fourteen men Cork won the game by 0-11 to 0-9. It was a second consecutive All-Ireland title for Morgan, the first time that Cork had achieved the feat. This victory was all the more special as the Cork hurling team had already won their respective All-Ireland
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in Ireland....
title a fortnight earlier. It was the first time in the modern era that a county had won the hurling and football ‘double
The Double (Gaelic games)
The Double is a term in Gaelic games that refers to a county winning the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship and the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship in the same year. Other major trophies won in combination in the same year at minor or under-21 levels are also often referred to as...
’.
In 1991 Cork lost their provincial crown to Kerry and Morgan faced a year of difficulties with the Cork County Board. For a period it looked as if he might resign, however, he stayed on only to face defeat again in 1992. Once again the knives were out for him, however, Cork won back to Munster title in 1993. Cork subsequently qualified for the All-Ireland final, with 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...
providing the opposition. Things did not go to plan as 'the Rebels' were reduced to fourteen men when Tony Davis
Tony Davis (Gaelic footballer)
Anthony 'Tony' Davis is a former Irish sportsperson. He played senior football with Cork in the 1980s and 1990s..-Early & private life:...
was harshly red-carded. Séamus Downey scored the winning goal as Derry secured their first All-Ireland with a 1-14 to 2-8 victory.
In 1994 Morgan managed Cork to a second consecutive Munster winners' medal following another convincing victory over Tipperary
Tipperary GAA
The Tipperary County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or C is one of over 30 regional executive boards throughout the world. These executive boards are known as County Boards even though some no longer correspond to the area under the jurisdiction of the counties from which their names...
. Cork, however, were later defeated by eventual champions 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...
in the All-Ireland semi-final.
In 1995 Morgan’s Cork won a third consecutive Munster title, a record-breaking seventh in nine seasons, as Kerry fell in the provincial decider. Once again Cork were subsequently defeated by eventual All-Ireland 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...
in the All-Ireland semi-final.
In 1996 the old order in Munster was restored. Kerry defeated Cork by 0-14 to 0-11 in the Munster final, taking their first provincial title since 1991 in the process. This defeat saw Cork exit the championship and effectively brought Morgan’s ten-season tenure as manager to an end.
Nemo Rangers: 2000-2003
Morgan has been involved in coaching various Nemo Rangers teams at all levels; however, in the late 1990s he took charge of the club’s senior football team. In 2000 Nemo Rangers broke back after a six year absence and won the county senior championship following a ten-point defeat of divisional side CarberyCarbery GAA
Carbery GAA are a divisional team from the south-west division of County Cork, Ireland, in ancient Carbery. They compete in the Cork Senior Football Championship. They competed in the Cork Senior Hurling Championship up to and including 2010. They did not enter a hurling team in 2011...
. Nemo later represented Cork in the provincial club championship and even reached the final of that competition. A 0-11 to 0-7 defeat of Glenflesk
Glenflesk GAA
Glenflesk is a Gaelic Athletic Association club from County Kerry, Ireland.-Honours:* East Kerry Senior Football Championship 6: 1988, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2001* Kerry County Club Championship 1: 2000...
gave the club another Munster club winners' medal. Morgan subsequently guided his team to a foot-and-mouth delayed All-Ireland club final, with Mayo’s Crossmolina providing the opposition. Nemo looked to be in the driving seat, however, a second-half comeback, inspired by Kieran McDonald, saw the momentum switch to the Mayo side. A late Colin Corkery
Colin Corkery
Colin Corkery is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played Gaelic football with his local club Nemo Rangers and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1993 until 2004.-Club:...
goal narrowed the deficit to one point, however, Morgan’s side were eventually and narrowly defeated by 0-16 to 1-12.
In 2001 Morgan coached Nemo to a second county championship title as the club trounced Bantry Blues
Bantry Blues
Bantry Blues is a Gaelic football club based in Bantry, County Cork, Republic of Ireland. The club is affiliated with Cork GAA and to the Carbery division. The club has always been primarily a Gaelic football club, but has fielded hurling teams also...
in the final. A second Munster club winners’ medal was quickly captured, after a 1-11 to 0-10 defeat of Fethard
Fethard GAA
Fethard GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association gaelic football club located in the village of Fethard, South Tipperary in Ireland. The club is part of the South Division of Tipperary GAA...
. Morgan’s side subsequently lined out in his second All-Ireland club final, this time with Ballinderry providing the opposition. The championship decider was switched to Semple Stadium
Semple Stadium
Semple Stadium, located in Thurles, North Tipperary, Ireland, is the home of hurling for Tipperary GAA and for the province of Munster. It is the second largest stadium in Ireland with a capacity of 53,500....
because of the reconstruction of Croke Park
Croke Park
Croke Park in Dublin is the principal stadium and headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association , Ireland's biggest sporting organisation...
, however, a change of venue did not suit Nemo. Goals by Gerard Cassidy and Declan Bateson gave the Derry side a comfortable 2-10 to 0-9 victory. It was a second consecutive All-Ireland defeat for Nemo.
2002 saw Nemo becoming the first team in nearly sixty years to win three county championship titles in-a-row. A third consecutive Munster club title quickly followed for Morgan’s team, as Nemo trounced Monaleen of Limerick by 4-15 to 0-6. For the third successive year Rangers subsequently lined out in the All-Ireland club final, however, the club faced the unpalatable prospect of becoming three-in-a-row losers. Crossmolina provided the opposition for the second time in three years and the game was a close affair. It was played in Croke Park on St.Patrick's day. Colin Corkery scored six points to give Nemo a merited 0-14 to 1-9 victory. At the third time of asking Morgan had finally guided his club to a coveted All-Ireland club winners’ medal.
Cork: 2003-2007
In late 2003 Morgan was coaxed back to managing the Cork senior football team, however, his third time in charge saw Cork enjoy some mixed results. Beginning with his first season back, Cork were humiliated in the championship. After exiting the Munster championship at the hands of football minnows LimerickLimerick 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...
, Cork wer unceremoniously dumped out of the championship by 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...
in the first-round of the All-Ireland qualifiers.
In 2005 Morgan guided his young, new Cork team to a first Munster final appearance under his tenure. Reigning All-Ireland champions Kerry provided the opposition, however, Cork were still off the mark. The 1-11 to 0-10 defeat was not the end of the road as Cork still had another chance to claim the All-Ireland title. Because of the structure of the championship Cork and Kerry met for a second time in the All-Ireland semi-final. That game turned into a rout as Kerry trounced their greatest rivals by 1-19 to 0-9.
In 2006 Morgan’s side lined out against Kerry in the Munster final once again. That game ended in a 0-10 apiece draw. The replay saw a much fresher Cork team defeat Kerry by 1-12 to 0-9. James Masters
James Masters (Gaelic footballer)
James Masters is an Irish sportsperson. He plays Gaelic football with his local club Nemo Rangers and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 2005 until 2010.-Biography:...
proved the hero of the day, as he scored 1-7. Morgan had finally secured a Munster winners’ medal with his new team. The quirks of the championship saw Cork face Kerry again in the subsequent All-Ireland semi-final for the second year in-a-row. In a similar pattern to the two previous encounters Cork failed to beat Kerry at Croke Park. A 0-16 to 0-10 resulted in Morgan’s side being dumped out of the championship.
In 2007 Morgan’s Cork narrowly lost their Munster crown to Kerry. In spite of the 1-15 to 1-13 defeat Cork still had another chance to claim the All-Ireland title. Cork later did well in the All-Ireland series and finally qualified for the championship decider. It was the seventh time that Morgan was aiding a Cork team in an All-Ireland final, either as a player or as a manager. Kerry, however, were the opponents. While the first-half was played on an even keel, 'the Kingdom' ran riot in the second-half and a rout ensued. At the full-time whistle Cork were trounced by 3-13 to 1-9. Morgan subsequently stepped down as Cork football manager.