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Andy Gallagher, the first manager to bring the Liam MacCarthy Cup home to Offaly, has died. Offaly GAA paid tribute to one of their greatest ever servants.
Andy Gallagher, the first manager to bring the Liam MacCarthy Cup home to Offaly, passed away on Monday evening. Offaly GAA paid tribute to one of their greatest ever servants and the first ever manager to deliver the All-Ireland senior hurling title.
The former dual county player was goalkeeper for the Offaly hurlers. He took over as county manager in time for the 1977 season and remained until the end of the 1982 season. In that time Offaly won the Leinster title for the first time in 1980. A year later, with Gallagher in charge, they won their first All-Ireland senior hurling crown.
Offaly GAA noted his extraordinary achievements and enormous medal haul with his club Tullamore in both hurling and football. In all, he won six county medals, split equally between football and hurling. The statement also thanked him for his service to the wider GAA, including over 50 years in administrative roles. The statement said he wore the green, white and gold of Offaly with pride as a minor in both codes during 1953 and 1954.
He played junior football for the county, but hurling was his first love. He hurled with the Offaly seniors from 1955 up until the spring of 1969. He wore the No 1 jersey on 61 occasions and also lined out at corner forward twice in the League, against Meath in 1959 and Clare in 1962. In 1967 he won a Railway Cup hurling medal with Leinster.
When his playing days were over, he immersed himself in administration and team management. His first sojourn into administration was with his club, where he filled the roles of Treasurer and Secretary. That experience stood to him as he moved to county level, where he firstly served as Assistant Secretary. In 1993 he took on the role of Treasurer, a position he held until 2009, and then served as Assistant Treasurer from 2009 until 2014.
During this time he was also Offaly's delegate to Leinster Council, a position he held from the mid-1970s to 2009. In 1979, as Leinster Council delegate, he successfully championed the case for the introduction of an open draw in the Leinster SHC, as opposed to the traditional seeded draw.
The fruits of his labour and lobbying were evident in 1980, when he managed Offaly, under the captaincy of Padraig Horan, to become Leinster Senior Hurling champions for the first time ever. A year later he guided the same group of players to win the Liam MacCarthy Cup for the first time. He was Offaly senior hurling manager from 1977 to 1982 inclusive. Offaly contested every senior provincial final between 1980 and 1990.
Andy was a selector for further All-Ireland senior titles in 1985, when Pat Fleury was captain and Dermot Healy was manager, and again in 1994, when Martin Hanamy was skipper and Eamon Cregan was manager. He was also a selector for two of Offaly's Leinster U-21 hurling final victories. After his direct involvement with the GAA ceased, Andy was an ever-present at games around the county and seldom missed a game in O'Connor Park, right up until recent months.
An inductee into the Offaly GAA Hall of Fame in 2009, there can be no doubt that Andy Gallagher was a proud son of the Faithful County, whose contribution is immeasurable and whose legacy will live long into the future. To his immediate family and many friends, we extend our heartfelt sympathy. Andy will be sadly missed and fondly remembered by everyone at Offaly GAA.
IrishTimes
The42_ie:This story was compiled and edited by the HeadTopics newsroom and HT AI from the reports above.
Hurling-Championship Andy Gallagher Offaly GAA All-Ireland Hurling Liam Maccarthy Cup Tullamore
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