Ooh Aah Paul McGrath and no ordinary Joe

Not since June 14, 1981, have the Mayo League been in this position and it remains the only time until Sunday.

Mayo reached their first-ever Oscar Traynor final 43 years ago after overcoming the Clare League after extra-time in an epic semi-final to set up a decider against the junior powerhouse that was the Leinster Senior League (LSL).

It is quite fitting that Mayo have home advantage for the final this time as they were originally scheduled to have it in 1981 also.

“We were promised the final would be in Celtic Park in Castlebar,” recalls Donal Benson, who was manager of Mayo at the time. “That was promised by the FAI before we played Clare in Ennis.

“Whatever happened in Dublin, the final was changed and moved to Dublin. We had to travel up and stay overnight. If the game was at Celtic Park, it would have been absolutely packed.” 

Despite the change in venue (the match was played at the AIB Ground in Terenure), such was the passion for soccer in Mayo, “there was more Mayo people at the game than Dublin supporters,” says Benson.

Mayo would fall to a 2-0 defeat on the day against LSL. Among the opposition players for LSL that day were Billy and Victor Reid, the father and uncle of future Irish international Andy Reid and a certain defender named Paul McGrath, who was playing junior soccer with Dalkey United at the time.

A year later he would be playing for Manchester United after a stint with St Patrick’s Athletic and McGrath went on to become a legendary figure with United, Aston Villa and, of course, the Republic of Ireland national team. But he would still recall that final against Mayo whenever he met Benson.

“I used to meet him regularly when I was involved with the FAI and he never forgot that match. He always remembered that match. We became quite friendly and he came down to a couple of functions in Mayo over the years. He is a lovely man.” 

The man that Paul McGrath marked that day was Joe Lindsay, who lined out as a centre-forward. The Erris man also has the distinction of being the last Irishman to score a hat-trick at Elland Road, the home of Leeds United FC. He achieved this on September 27, 1987. Incredibly, he wasn’t playing soccer but Gaelic football for Mayo against Dublin in an invitational match.

“That’s my claim to fame!” Lindsay recalls with a chuckle. “At that particular time, we wouldn’t have known anything [about Paul McGrath]. He was playing in the Leinster Senior League.

“Paul stood out. He was accomplished and good on the ball. He was three years older than me, 22 at the time.

“Charlie Walker was manager of St Pat’s at the time. He bought McGrath and Billy Reid to the club and not many months after, he went to Man United. He made a big leap from junior soccer to First Division in a short time.” 

Lindsay added: “I was around 19 at the time and it was all new to us. There would have been a lot of fellas who hadn’t gone past Mullingar at that stage unless you were involved in Gaelic football.

“Leinster were very strong, they could pick five teams as strong as the other. We had a good manager in Donal. He was a great fella and he had a great way with players. He was ahead of his time. We all had great respect for him.

“We had some great players like Fergie McEllin and Greg Earls, Brian Ainsworth and John Byrne. We had real good soccer players.” 

In a fitting tribute, the Mayo squad who reached the 1981 final will be honoured during the half-time interval of this year’s final in Milebush and each player be presented with an engraved plaque.

They will be hoping that this current crop can go one step further than they managed and beat the Waterford & District League. Donal Benson believes a good start will be vital to their chances.

“I would love if Mayo could win, but I would have to make Waterford favourites. They are a very big soccer town and in years to come, they will be one of the stalwarts of the League of Ireland, I have no doubt about that. If they want to win, I think Mayo have to get off to a good start.” 

Benson will be in the Henry Downes Stand cheering this Mayo team on but if he was in the position of manager once again, what would he say to this group?

“The league have waited 43 years to get to another final. Now that we’ve waited for so long, you’ll do for us what needs to be done and that’s win this game. I have no doubt that every one of you will give everything you have to put our name on that trophy which should have been on it many years before now.

“It’s in your heart, and in your body. You go out there saying ‘there’s no way we’re losing this’. We’re going to win. It’s all in your mind how well you’ll do.” 

Like Joe Lindsay said, he has a great way.