Brian Mullins
Encyclopedia
Brian Mullins is a retired Gaelic football
manager
and former player. He played football with his local club St. Vincent's
and was a member of the Dublin
senior inter-county team from 1974 until 1985. Mullins later served as manager of both Dublin and Derry
. He is regarded as one of Dublin's greatest-ever players.
He is a grandson of fomour Kerry
great Bill Casey, who played with Kerry
in the 1930s and 40's.
. Here Mullins completed a Bachelor of Arts
in physical education and Irish
.
Mullins subsequently returned to Dublin where he secured a teaching job in Greendale Community School
in Kilbarrack
on the north side of the city. Here he taught his degree subjects as well history and geography. In 1980 he took eighteen months leave of absence from Greendale to complete a Master of Arts
in athletics administration at New York University
.
When Mullins returned from the United States
he resumed his teaching post at Greendale and stayed there until 1991. That year he was appointed principal of the secondary school in Carndonagh
, County Donegal
.
Mullins returned to Dublin in 2000 to take up his role as UCD Director of Sport.
club in Dublin and enjoyed much success during a career that spanned three decades.
He first came to prominence on the club scene as a member of the senior team in the early 1970s. In 1972 Mullins lined out in his first county championship decider. College side UCD
provided the opposition on that occasion and a close game developed. Key goals by St. Vincent's proved the difference as Mullins's side won by 2-8 to 0-9. It was his first county senior championship winners' medal. St. Vincent's subsequently represented the county in the provincial club series of games and even reached the final. Westmeath champions the Downs were the opponents. The game turned into a complete rout as Mullins's side took complete control. A 6-10 to 2-5 score line gave St. Vincent's a first Leinster
club title. An All-Ireland final against Cork champions Nemo Rangers followed for Mullins. The sides were level six times in that game and a pointed free by Jimmy Keaveney
secured a draw. The replay saw St. Vincent's being completely outclassed as Nemo won by 4-6 to 0-10.
St. Vincent's lost out to UCD in the next two county finals, however, both sides met in the championship decider for a fourth consecutive year in 1975. Mullins's side were awarded the title after the collegians gave them a walkover due to the final clashing with the university exams. A second provincial championship decider quickly followed for Mullins. St. Joseph's provided the opposition, however, the Laois county champions were easily accounted for by 3-9 to 1-8. It was Mullins's second Leinster club winners' medal. A second All-Ireland club final appearance followed with Roscommon Gaels lining out in opposition. The game was a complete mismatch as St. Vincent's secured a huge 4-10 to 0-5 victory. It was Mullins's first All-Ireland
club winners' medal.
Mullins picked up a third county winners' medal in 1976 as St. Vincent's retained their title after a narrow 3-12 to 1-15 victory over UCD. Their provincial run of success came to a halt in the early rounds of that series of games.
In 1977 St. Vincent's made it three-in-a-row with another huge county final victory. It was Mullins's fourth county title. In spite of some great displays in the county champions, St. Vincent's were later defeated by Summerhill of Meath in the Leintser final.
St. Vincent's went into decline for the next few years while Mullins missed the club's county final victory in 1981.
In 1984 Mullins was back in yet another county final. Na Fianna provided the opposition, however, St. Vincent's engineered a win and Mullins added a fifth winners' medal to his collection in that competition. He later collected a third Leinster club winners' medal following a ten-point win over Wicklow champions Tinahely. The subsequent All-Ireland club final pitted St. Vincent's against Castleisland Desmonds
of Kerry. The game has gone down in history as one of the most tense championship deciders of all-time that featured a dramatic finish. With two minutes left Mullins's side had a 0-7 to 1-2 lead. A line ball by Castleisland's Willie O'Connor found Donie Buckley who sent the ball into the net. St. Vincent's had no time to launch a comeback and the Kerrymen secured a remarkable 2-2 to 0-7 victory.
Mullins continued playing with St. Vincent's until his retirement in 1991.
under-21 team in the early 1970s. In 1974 'the Dubs' reached the provincial decider in that grade for the first time ever. Wexford
provided the opposition on that occasion, however, Mullins's side had a relatively easy victory. The 1-10 to 0-8 score line gave him a first Leinster
under-21 title. Dublin were subsequently defeated in the All-Ireland semi-final.
In 1975 Mullins lined out in a second consecutive provincial under-21 final. 'The Dubs' retained their title on that occasion following a 0-12 to 1-6 defeat of Laois
. An All-Ireland final appearance quickly followed for Mullins. Kerry
, a team that he would later become very familiar with, were the opponents. The Munster men made no mistake and secured a 1-15 to 0-10 defeat of Mullins's side.
set out to stop 'the Dubs' claiming a first provincial title since 1965. A new look Dublin under the stewardship of Kevin Heffernan
made no mistake in securing a 1-14 to 1-9 victory. It was Mullins's first Leinster
winners' medal in the senior grade. Dublin later surprisingly defeated All-Ireland title-holders Cork in the semi-final, thus booking a place in the All-Ireland final against Galway
. The men from the west, who had been beaten in two of the previous three championship deciders, took a 1-4 to 0-5 lead at half-time, however, the real turning point of the game came in the 52nd minute. Galway were awarded a penalty which Liam Sammon
stepped up to take. Goalkeeper Paddy Cullen
made no mistake and saved the shot. 'The Dub's' later went on to take the lead as Galway collapsed. A 0-14 to 1-6 score line resulted in a first All-Ireland
winners' medal for Mullins and a first for Dublin in eleven years.
Dublin proved that their success in 1974 was not a flash-in-the-pan by retaining the Leinster title in 1975 after an enormous 3-13 to 0-8 defeat of Kildare
. Mullins's side were the red-hot favourites going into the All-Ireland final against the youngest Kerry teams of all-time. On a rain-soaked day John Egan
and substitute Ger O'Driscoll
scored two goals for Kerry and 'the Dubs' were ambushed by 2-12 to 0-11. It was a bitter defeat for a Dublin team that had expected so much.
Dublin continued their dominance in 1976. After securing the National League
title 'the Dubs' dominated the provincial championship once again. A narrow 2-8 to 1-9 defeat of Meath gave Mullins a third consecutive Leinster winners' medal. Once again it was Kerry who provided the opposition, as one of the great rivalries of football entered a new chapter. Both sides were hoping for success, however, new 'Dub' Kevin Moran was causing havoc with the Kerry defence. Immediately after the game started he careered through the Kerry half-back and full-back lines, however, his shot at goal went wide. This set the pace for the rest of the match. John McCarthy finished a five-man move to score Dublin's first goal of the day. A converted penalty by Jimmy Keaveney
was followed by a third goal from Mullins. A 3-8 to 0-10 score line gave Dublin the title and gave Mullins a second All-Ireland winners' medal. He capped off the year by collecting his first All-Star
award.
The 1977 Leinster final was a replay of the previous year with the result being the same. Meath provided some stiff opposition but fell short, eventually losing the game by 1-9 to 0-8. It was Mullins's fourth consecutive Leinster title. Dublin later took on Kerry for the third consecutive year, however, this time it was in the All-Ireland semi-final. In one of the greatest games of football ever-played 'the Dubs' triumphed and booked a final apot against Armagh
. An eight-goal thriller ensued, with Jimmy Keaveney scored the first of the day after just ninety seconds. He ended the day with a record 2-6 from play. Bobby Doyle soon followed with the first of his two goals while John McCarthy got a fifth. Armagh were awarded two penalties, however, the northerners spurned some golden goal-scoring opportunities. A huge 5-12 to 3-6 victory gave Dublin a second consecutive title and gave Mullins a third All-Ireland winners' medal in four years. He was later presented with a second All-Star award.
1978 saw Mullins add a second National League title to his collection. A fifth consecutive Leinster winners' medal soon followed as Dublin accounted for Kildare. The eleven point victory in this game made Mullins's side the favourites to secure a remarkable third All-Ireland title in-a-row. While the game should have been an historic occasion, a rout ensued. The game is chiefly remembered for Mikey Sheehy
's sensational goal. A free was awarded and the Kerry forward lobbed the ball over the head of Paddy Cullen
, who was caught off his line arguing with the referee. New full-forward Eoin Liston
entered the record books as he scored a hat-trick of goals. Pat Spillane
played all over the field, including goalkeeper after Charlie Nelligan
was sent off. At the full-time whistle Kerry were the winners by 5-11 to 0-9.
Dublin and Mullins secured an historic sixth Leinster title in 1979 after a narrow 1-8 to 0-9 victory over a resurgent Offaly
team. A record sixth consecutive All-Ireland final appearance soon followed, with Kerry providing the opposition for the fourth time in those six years. The reigning champions, however, were handicapped throughout the game. Ger Power
did not start, while John O'Keeffe got injured and Páidí Ó Sé
was sent off during the encounter. Two goals by Mikey Sheehy and a third by John Egan helped 'the Kingdom' to another huge 3-13 to 1-8 defeat of Dublin.
In 1980 Dublin set out to atone for developing a reputation as Kerry's whipping boys. A record seventh consecutive Leinster title looked likely, however, in June of that year tragedy struck. Mullins was driving out the Clontarf Road in Dublin when his Fiat 127
went out of control and collided with a lamp post. The midfielder was lucky to escape with his life, however, it now looked as if the injuries which he sustained would signal the end of his football career. Nothing could be further from Mullins's mind. He completed his studies in the United States while he recovered, a miraculous recovery which saw him return to the Dublin team.
In 1983 Mullins was back as a midfield marshal as 'the Dubs' took on reigning All-Ireland champions Offaly in the Leinster final. A five-point victory on that occasion gave him a seventh provincial winners' medal, a truly remarkable achievement after his accident. A thrilling draw and a replay against Cork allowed Dublin to advance to an All-Ireland final meeting with Galway. Both sides played on a day when the rain spoilt what has gone down in history as the dirtiest championship decider ever played. Barney Rock
scored an opportunist goal ten minutes into the game when a Galway kick-out found him unmarked. Ray Hazley
, Kieran Duff
and Mullins were all sent-off for Dublin while Galway's Tomás Tierney was also dismissed. In spite of this Dublin's 'twelve apostles' hung on to secure a 1-10 to 1-8 victory and a fourth and final All-Ireland winners' medal for Mullins.
Dublin, as reigning champions, entered the centenary year championship of 1984 as favourites to retain the All-Ireland title. This favourites tag was justified as Mullins added an eighth Leinster title to his collection before later lining out in the All-Ireland decider. Kerry, a team that had carved out a reputation as one of the greatest of all-time over the previous decade, provided the opposition and a great game was expected. The spectators were disappointed as Kerry dominated the proceedings and Mullins's side collapsed. Only two of his team mates scored, including a goal from Barney Rock. At the full-time whistle Kerry were the new champions by 0-14 to 1-6.
By 1985 many of the iconic Dublin players from the previous decade had retired from inter-county duty. Mullons, however, was still patrolling the midfield area. He won a ninth Leinster winners' medal that year as Laois
were defeated by 0-10 to 0-4 in the provincial decider. A ninth All-Ireland final appearance beckoned for Mullins, with Kerry providing the opposition for a second consecutive year. Jack O'Shea
got Kerry on the way and scored a key penalty goal after just eleven minutes. By half-time Kerry had stormed into a nine-point lead. 'The Dubs' came storming back with full-forward Joe McNally
scoring two goals. The gap could not be bridged, however, and Kerry won by 2-10 to 2-8. Following this game Mullins decided to retire from inter-county football.
. Meath had been in the GAA wilderness for 16 years so, a loss to Meath in the Leinster final came as a shock.
In 2008, there was speculation that Mullins would succeed Paul Caffrey
as Dublin manager. However, he turned down the job. He had withdrawn his name from consideration on the previous occasion when the post was vacant in 2004 after a breakdown in negotiations with the Dublin County Board. Mullins gave an exclusive interview to Gary Moran of RTÉ Sport for the Sunday Sport programme of Sunday November 21, 2004 in which he explained his decision, including the board's failure to match his ambition for Dublin football and the fact that he had no communication from the County Board for over three months after attending an interview for the post, a period during which the post was offered to at least two other high-profile figures including Mick O'Dwyer.
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 football with his local club St. Vincent's
St Vincents GAA
St Vincents is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Marino, on the northside of Dublin, Ireland. The club was founded in 1931, originally in Raheny, but it moved to its home in Marino in 1987. St Vincents merged with Marino Camogie Club in 1997 to form the St Vincents Hurling, Football and...
and was a member of the 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...
senior inter-county team from 1974 until 1985. Mullins later served as manager of both Dublin and 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...
. He is regarded as one of Dublin's greatest-ever players.
He is a grandson of fomour 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...
great Bill Casey, who played with 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 the 1930s and 40's.
Biography
Brian Mullins was born in Dublin in 1954. He received his primary and secondary education in Dublin before later attending Thomond College in LimerickLimerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
. Here Mullins completed a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in physical education and Irish
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
.
Mullins subsequently returned to Dublin where he secured a teaching job in Greendale Community School
Greendale Community School
Greendale is a Community School, a form of State-sponsored secondary school, in the Northside suburb of Kilbarrack, Dublin, Ireland, located near the boundary with Raheny.-Construction:...
in Kilbarrack
Kilbarrack
Kilbarrack is a residential suburb of Dublin, Ireland, running inwards from the coast, about from the city's centre. Modern-day Kilbarrack is within the jurisdiction of Dublin City Council, with part of its old lands now in Donaghmede, and part in Bayside under Fingal County Council...
on the north side of the city. Here he taught his degree subjects as well history and geography. In 1980 he took eighteen months leave of absence from Greendale to complete a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in athletics administration at 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...
.
When Mullins returned from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
he resumed his teaching post at Greendale and stayed there until 1991. That year he was appointed principal of the secondary school in Carndonagh
Carndonagh
Carndonagh is a town on the Inishowen peninsula in County Donegal, Ireland and is home to the Irish Space Exploration Mission. The town is located near Malin Head, the most northerly point of Ireland and lies close to the shores of Trawbeaga Bay...
, County Donegal
County Donegal
County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...
.
Mullins returned to Dublin in 2000 to take up his role as UCD Director of Sport.
Club
Mullins played his club football with the famous St. Vincent'sSt Vincents GAA
St Vincents is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Marino, on the northside of Dublin, Ireland. The club was founded in 1931, originally in Raheny, but it moved to its home in Marino in 1987. St Vincents merged with Marino Camogie Club in 1997 to form the St Vincents Hurling, Football and...
club in Dublin and enjoyed much success during a career that spanned three decades.
He first came to prominence on the club scene as a member of the senior team in the early 1970s. In 1972 Mullins lined out in his first county championship decider. College side 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 and a close game developed. Key goals by St. Vincent's proved the difference as Mullins's side won by 2-8 to 0-9. It was his first county senior championship winners' medal. St. Vincent's subsequently represented the county in the provincial club series of games and even reached the final. Westmeath champions the Downs were the opponents. The game turned into a complete rout as Mullins's side took complete control. A 6-10 to 2-5 score line gave St. Vincent's a first Leinster
Leinster Senior Club Football Championship
The Leinster Senior Club Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football tournament played between the hundreds of senior football clubs in Leinster. The current holders of the Leinster title are Portlaoise from Laois. Offaly side Gracefield were the first winners of the Leinster senior club...
club title. An All-Ireland final against Cork champions Nemo Rangers followed for Mullins. The sides were level six times in that game and a pointed free by 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...
secured a draw. The replay saw St. Vincent's being completely outclassed as Nemo won by 4-6 to 0-10.
St. Vincent's lost out to UCD in the next two county finals, however, both sides met in the championship decider for a fourth consecutive year in 1975. Mullins's side were awarded the title after the collegians gave them a walkover due to the final clashing with the university exams. A second provincial championship decider quickly followed for Mullins. St. Joseph's provided the opposition, however, the Laois county champions were easily accounted for by 3-9 to 1-8. It was Mullins's second Leinster club winners' medal. A second All-Ireland club final appearance followed with Roscommon Gaels lining out in opposition. The game was a complete mismatch as St. Vincent's secured a huge 4-10 to 0-5 victory. It was Mullins's 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.
Mullins picked up a third county winners' medal in 1976 as St. Vincent's retained their title after a narrow 3-12 to 1-15 victory over UCD. Their provincial run of success came to a halt in the early rounds of that series of games.
In 1977 St. Vincent's made it three-in-a-row with another huge county final victory. It was Mullins's fourth county title. In spite of some great displays in the county champions, St. Vincent's were later defeated by Summerhill of Meath in the Leintser final.
St. Vincent's went into decline for the next few years while Mullins missed the club's county final victory in 1981.
In 1984 Mullins was back in yet another county final. Na Fianna provided the opposition, however, St. Vincent's engineered a win and Mullins added a fifth winners' medal to his collection in that competition. He later collected a third Leinster club winners' medal following a ten-point win over Wicklow champions Tinahely. The subsequent All-Ireland club final pitted St. Vincent's against Castleisland Desmonds
Castleisland Desmonds
Castleisland Desmonds are a Gaelic Athletic Association club in Castleisland, County Kerry, Ireland. The club won its first County Championship in 1950. They won others in 1981 , 1982 and 1984...
of Kerry. The game has gone down in history as one of the most tense championship deciders of all-time that featured a dramatic finish. With two minutes left Mullins's side had a 0-7 to 1-2 lead. A line ball by Castleisland's Willie O'Connor found Donie Buckley who sent the ball into the net. St. Vincent's had no time to launch a comeback and the Kerrymen secured a remarkable 2-2 to 0-7 victory.
Mullins continued playing with St. Vincent's until his retirement in 1991.
Under-21
Mullins first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a member of a very good DublinDublin 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...
under-21 team in the early 1970s. In 1974 'the Dubs' reached the provincial decider in that grade for the first time ever. Wexford
Wexford GAA
The Wexford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Wexford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Wexford. The county board is also responsible for the Wexford inter-county teams.-History:Hurling has been played in...
provided the opposition on that occasion, however, Mullins's side had a relatively easy victory. The 1-10 to 0-8 score line gave him a first Leinster
Leinster Under-21 Football Championship
For information on the latest U-21 championship see: Leinster U21 Football Championship 2007The Leinster Under-21 Football Championship is the Under 21 "knockout" competition in the game of Gaelic football played in the province of Leinster in Ireland...
under-21 title. Dublin were subsequently defeated in the All-Ireland semi-final.
In 1975 Mullins lined out in a second consecutive provincial under-21 final. 'The Dubs' retained their title on that occasion following a 0-12 to 1-6 defeat of 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:...
. An All-Ireland final appearance quickly followed for Mullins. 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...
, a team that he would later become very familiar with, were the opponents. The Munster men made no mistake and secured a 1-15 to 0-10 defeat of Mullins's side.
Senior
By this stage Mullins was carving out a reputation for himself as a midfielder of note on the Dublin senior team. In 1974 he played in his first Leinster final in that grade. Archrivals MeathMeath 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 :...
set out to stop 'the Dubs' claiming a first provincial title since 1965. A new look Dublin under the stewardship of Kevin Heffernan
Kevin Heffernan (Gaelic footballer)
-See also :* List of people on stamps of Ireland*Dublin GAA*Dublin GAA Honours*Dublin Senior Club Football Championship...
made no mistake in securing a 1-14 to 1-9 victory. It was Mullins's first Leinster
Leinster Senior Football Championship
The 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...
winners' medal in the senior grade. Dublin later surprisingly defeated All-Ireland title-holders Cork in the semi-final, thus booking a place in the All-Ireland final 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,...
. The men from the west, who had been beaten in two of the previous three championship deciders, took a 1-4 to 0-5 lead at half-time, however, the real turning point of the game came in the 52nd minute. Galway were awarded a penalty which Liam Sammon
Liam Sammon
Liam Sammon is retired Irish Gaelic football manager and former player. He played football with his local clubs Father Griffins and Salthill-Knocknacarra and was a member of the Galway senior inter-county team from 1966 until 1979...
stepped up to take. Goalkeeper Paddy Cullen
Paddy Cullen
Paddy Cullen is a former inter-county goalkeeper and manager with the Dublin GAA senior football team. During his player career Cullen won three All-Irelands and four all-stars awards....
made no mistake and saved the shot. 'The Dub's' later went on to take the lead as Galway collapsed. A 0-14 to 1-6 score line resulted in a first 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 for Mullins and a first for Dublin in eleven years.
Dublin proved that their success in 1974 was not a flash-in-the-pan by retaining the Leinster title in 1975 after an enormous 3-13 to 0-8 defeat 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...
. Mullins's side were the red-hot favourites going into the All-Ireland final against the youngest Kerry teams of all-time. On a rain-soaked day John Egan
John Egan (footballer)
John Egan is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played Gaelic football with his local club Sneem, his divisional side South Kerry and was a member of the Kerry senior inter-county team from 1975 until 1984.He also played hurling with neighbouring club Kenmare.Born in Tahilla , County Kerry, Egan...
and substitute Ger O'Driscoll
Ger O'Driscoll
Ger O'Driscoll is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Newcestown and has been a member of the Cork senior inter-county team since 2009 due to the 2008-2009 Cork players strike. O'Driscoll won back-to-back Munster minor titles in 2004 and 2005...
scored two goals for Kerry and 'the Dubs' were ambushed by 2-12 to 0-11. It was a bitter defeat for a Dublin team that had expected so much.
Dublin continued their dominance in 1976. After securing the 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 'the Dubs' dominated the provincial championship once again. A narrow 2-8 to 1-9 defeat of Meath gave Mullins a third consecutive Leinster winners' medal. Once again it was Kerry who provided the opposition, as one of the great rivalries of football entered a new chapter. Both sides were hoping for success, however, new 'Dub' Kevin Moran was causing havoc with the Kerry defence. Immediately after the game started he careered through the Kerry half-back and full-back lines, however, his shot at goal went wide. This set the pace for the rest of the match. John McCarthy finished a five-man move to score Dublin's first goal of the day. A converted penalty by 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...
was followed by a third goal from Mullins. A 3-8 to 0-10 score line gave Dublin the title and gave Mullins a second All-Ireland winners' medal. He capped off the year by collecting his first All-Star
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...
award.
The 1977 Leinster final was a replay of the previous year with the result being the same. Meath provided some stiff opposition but fell short, eventually losing the game by 1-9 to 0-8. It was Mullins's fourth consecutive Leinster title. Dublin later took on Kerry for the third consecutive year, however, this time it was in the All-Ireland semi-final. In one of the greatest games of football ever-played 'the Dubs' triumphed and booked a final apot against Armagh
Armagh GAA
The Armagh County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Armagh GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Armagh...
. An eight-goal thriller ensued, with Jimmy Keaveney scored the first of the day after just ninety seconds. He ended the day with a record 2-6 from play. Bobby Doyle soon followed with the first of his two goals while John McCarthy got a fifth. Armagh were awarded two penalties, however, the northerners spurned some golden goal-scoring opportunities. A huge 5-12 to 3-6 victory gave Dublin a second consecutive title and gave Mullins a third All-Ireland winners' medal in four years. He was later presented with a second All-Star award.
1978 saw Mullins add a second National League title to his collection. A fifth consecutive Leinster winners' medal soon followed as Dublin accounted for Kildare. The eleven point victory in this game made Mullins's side the favourites to secure a remarkable third All-Ireland title in-a-row. While the game should have been an historic occasion, a rout ensued. The game is chiefly remembered for Mikey Sheehy
Mikey Sheehy
Mikey Sheehy is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played Gaelic football with his local club Austin Stacks and was a member of the Kerry senior inter-county team from 1974 until 1987. Sheehy is regarded as one of the greatest players of all-time.-Club:Sheehy played his club football with the...
's sensational goal. A free was awarded and the Kerry forward lobbed the ball over the head of Paddy Cullen
Paddy Cullen
Paddy Cullen is a former inter-county goalkeeper and manager with the Dublin GAA senior football team. During his player career Cullen won three All-Irelands and four all-stars awards....
, who was caught off his line arguing with the referee. New full-forward Eoin Liston
Eoin Liston
Eoin 'Bomber' Liston is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played Gaelic football with his local club Beale, his divisional side Shannon Rangers and was a member of the Kerry senior inter-county team from 1978 until 1993...
entered the record books as he scored a hat-trick of goals. Pat Spillane
Pat Spillane
Patrick Gerard Spillane , better known as Pat Spillane, is a retired Gaelic footballer and well known Irish sports pundit. He played Gaelic football with his local club Templenoe and was a member of the Kerry senior inter-county team from 1975 until 1991...
played all over the field, including goalkeeper after Charlie Nelligan
Charlie Nelligan
Charlie Nelligan is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played Gaelic football with his local club Castleisland Desmonds and was a member of the Kerry senior inter-county team from 1976 until 1991.-Club:...
was sent off. At the full-time whistle Kerry were the winners by 5-11 to 0-9.
Dublin and Mullins secured an historic sixth Leinster title in 1979 after a narrow 1-8 to 0-9 victory over a resurgent 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...
team. A record sixth consecutive All-Ireland final appearance soon followed, with Kerry providing the opposition for the fourth time in those six years. The reigning champions, however, were handicapped throughout the game. Ger Power
Ger Power
Ger Power is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played Gaelic football with his local club Austin Stack's and was a member of the Kerry senior inter-county team from 1973 until 1988. Power captained Kerry to the All-Ireland title in 1980.-Early life:Ger Power was born in Annacotty, County...
did not start, while John O'Keeffe got injured and Páidí Ó Sé
Páidí Ó Sé
Páidí Ó Sé is a retired Irish Gaelic football manager and former player. He played football with his local club An Ghaeltacht and was a member of the Kerry senior inter-county team from 1975 until 1987...
was sent off during the encounter. Two goals by Mikey Sheehy and a third by John Egan helped 'the Kingdom' to another huge 3-13 to 1-8 defeat of Dublin.
In 1980 Dublin set out to atone for developing a reputation as Kerry's whipping boys. A record seventh consecutive Leinster title looked likely, however, in June of that year tragedy struck. Mullins was driving out the Clontarf Road in Dublin when his Fiat 127
Fiat 127
The Fiat 127 is a supermini produced by the Italian automaker Fiat between 1971 and 1983. It was introduced in 1971 as the replacement for the Fiat 850...
went out of control and collided with a lamp post. The midfielder was lucky to escape with his life, however, it now looked as if the injuries which he sustained would signal the end of his football career. Nothing could be further from Mullins's mind. He completed his studies in the United States while he recovered, a miraculous recovery which saw him return to the Dublin team.
In 1983 Mullins was back as a midfield marshal as 'the Dubs' took on reigning All-Ireland champions Offaly in the Leinster final. A five-point victory on that occasion gave him a seventh provincial winners' medal, a truly remarkable achievement after his accident. A thrilling draw and a replay against Cork allowed Dublin to advance to an All-Ireland final meeting with Galway. Both sides played on a day when the rain spoilt what has gone down in history as the dirtiest championship decider ever played. Barney Rock
Barney Rock
Barney Rock is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played Gaelic football with his local club Ballymun Kickhams and was a member of the Dublin senior inter-county team from 1980 until 1991. Rock is regarded as one of Dublin's greatest-ever players.Rock was an unsuccessful candidate at the 1991...
scored an opportunist goal ten minutes into the game when a Galway kick-out found him unmarked. Ray Hazley
Ray Hazley
Ray Hazley is a former Gaelic football player for Dublin. He won an All-Ireland Senior Football Championship medal with Dublin in 1983. He is the commercial vice president of the PepsiCo South Eastern Europe Region.-External links:*...
, Kieran Duff
Kieran Duff
Kieran Duff is a former Gaelic football player with Dublin and Fingallians.-Playing career:Duff won the all-Ireland with Dublin in 1983. Kieran has won two All Stars in 1987 and 1988. He won two NFL medals for Dublin in 1987 and in 1991....
and Mullins were all sent-off for Dublin while Galway's Tomás Tierney was also dismissed. In spite of this Dublin's 'twelve apostles' hung on to secure a 1-10 to 1-8 victory and a fourth and final All-Ireland winners' medal for Mullins.
Dublin, as reigning champions, entered the centenary year championship of 1984 as favourites to retain the All-Ireland title. This favourites tag was justified as Mullins added an eighth Leinster title to his collection before later lining out in the All-Ireland decider. Kerry, a team that had carved out a reputation as one of the greatest of all-time over the previous decade, provided the opposition and a great game was expected. The spectators were disappointed as Kerry dominated the proceedings and Mullins's side collapsed. Only two of his team mates scored, including a goal from Barney Rock. At the full-time whistle Kerry were the new champions by 0-14 to 1-6.
By 1985 many of the iconic Dublin players from the previous decade had retired from inter-county duty. Mullons, however, was still patrolling the midfield area. He won a ninth Leinster winners' medal that year as 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:...
were defeated by 0-10 to 0-4 in the provincial decider. A ninth All-Ireland final appearance beckoned for Mullins, with Kerry providing the opposition for a second consecutive year. Jack O'Shea
Jack O'Shea
Jack O’Shea is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played football at various times with his local clubs St. Mary’s in Kerry and Leixlip in Kildare. He was a member of the Kerry senior inter-county team from 1976 until 1992...
got Kerry on the way and scored a key penalty goal after just eleven minutes. By half-time Kerry had stormed into a nine-point lead. 'The Dubs' came storming back with full-forward Joe McNally
Joe McNally (Gaelic footballer)
Joe McNally is a former Gaelic football player for Dublin and St Annes. Joe was awarded an Football All Star in 1983 for his performances with Dublin. He won an All Ireland Minor medal with Dublin in goals in 1982 and a senior medal in 1983. He is the only player ever to win a minor medal and...
scoring two goals. The gap could not be bridged, however, and Kerry won by 2-10 to 2-8. Following this game Mullins decided to retire from inter-county football.
Post-playing career
He retired from inter-county football in 1985, and became the caretaker manager for Dublin although it didn't last long and ended with a disappointing loss to rivals MeathMeath 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 :...
. Meath had been in the GAA wilderness for 16 years so, a loss to Meath in the Leinster final came as a shock.
In 2008, there was speculation that Mullins would succeed Paul Caffrey
Paul Caffrey
Paul Caffrey is a former Dublin Gaelic football Senior manager and a Dublin-based Garda.-Biographical Information:Caffrey grew up on Dorset St. on the Northside of Dublin, where his parents ran a greengrocers' shop...
as Dublin manager. However, he turned down the job. He had withdrawn his name from consideration on the previous occasion when the post was vacant in 2004 after a breakdown in negotiations with the Dublin County Board. Mullins gave an exclusive interview to Gary Moran of RTÉ Sport for the Sunday Sport programme of Sunday November 21, 2004 in which he explained his decision, including the board's failure to match his ambition for Dublin football and the fact that he had no communication from the County Board for over three months after attending an interview for the post, a period during which the post was offered to at least two other high-profile figures including Mick O'Dwyer.