IN MEMORIAM
1958 CUP WINNERS
Dundalk’s 1958 FAI Cup winning side. Niall McGahon is in the front row on the left while Tommy Kerr is second from left in the back row
The club, and indeed the local community, was saddened to hear of the passing of two members of our 1958 FAI Cup winning team last week, Niall McGahon and Tommy Kerr. Niall was one of three locals, alongside Joe Ralph and Ken Finn, to pick up a cup winners medal after the 1-0 win over Shamrock Rovers in the final. His father was a club director for 13 seasons and medical officer for 25 and Niall’s early football years were spent in the local minor leagues with Castle Rovers and Spurs, along with junior club AOH. After a campaign playing with UCD in the Leinster Senior League, the right-winger transferred to Dundalk at the
end of the 1956-57 season, hoping to get a few tail-end Reserve games. Instead, he found himself on first-team duty, playing in the last two League games and scoring on his debut against Shelbourne at Oriel Park, shortly after his 18th birthday. Leo McDonagh opened the 1957-58 season in his favoured right-wing spot but after two games switched to right-half, where he would remain for the rest of his Dundalk career. Niall took over on the wing and goals in each of his first three outings secured an eight-match run in the side before he lost his place to Mick Murray. However, on the strength of his Reserve performances, he 18
was back in March and became an ever-present to the end of that season, sharing in the glory of the club’s third FAI Cup success, contributing with a goal in the 3-0 second-round replay victory over Limerick. Only George Toner exceeded his tally of nine goals for the season and in his two campaigns at Oriel Park he recorded an exceptional strike rate for a winger of 10 goals in just 22 first-team games. Niall returned to play with UCD for another six seasons and enjoyed further success in the Dundalk and District League with St Patricks. His love of football, and of the club, saw him turn out regularly with the reserves until the 1966-67
