Forty years on from the famous ‘Frank McGuigan Final’ of ‘84

Alan Rodgers looks back on that iconic day at Clones in 1984

PROGRESS in the 1980s was measured by provincial success for a Tyrone team which was most definitely at a crossroads as they entered the footballing fray for the Centenary Year of 1984.

It had been a frustrating build-up to that historic season. An Ulster Final loss to Armagh in 1980 nevertheless raised hopes of a breakthrough. But the much sought-after consolidation of that provincial final appearance didn’t immediately materialise.

The year 1981 brought a first round loss to Monaghan. Worse was to follow in 1982 when – despite the arrival back from the United States of Frank McGuigan – the Red Hands lost out in the Ulster semi-final to Fermanagh. In 1983, another first round defeat, this time at the hands of Cavan, brought further frustration.

It was against that background that Tyrone, under the management of Art McRory and Donal Donnelly, entered the Centenary Year. However, things were starting to stir and nobody could have anticipated just how important a season was to follow as their campaign gathered pace.

Reflecting on that season, the former selector, Donal Donnelly, saw a number of critical points. The first was a National League victory over Roscommon which earned them a place in Division One. Writing in that year’s Tyrone Gaelic Games Annual, the Omagh St Enda’s clubman, emphasised the importance of this.

“After a league defeat to Galway in the autumn of 1983, a feeling of despair seemed to pervade the camp and doubts about the team’s ability were openly voiced. A meeting of players and officials decided to step up training for the remaining league games and in an all out effort to gain promotion,” he said.

“Problems were argued out and a positive commitment made to longer-term training in preparation for the Championship. Gradually a sense of pride returned to the squad so that by the time we met Roscommon in Coalisland pre-Christmas failures were forgotten. However, if we had lost to Roscommon, we might still be languishing in Division Two and still striving for belief and identity.”

That belief and identity was certainly evident, then, as Tyrone entered the 1984 Ulster Championship with hope rather than expectation of making real progress. At that time, of course, it was straight knock-out so a win over Derry in Ballinascreen was vital. The Oakleafers were confidently dispatched and a semi-final clash against Down at Casement Park was to follow.

A 0-10 to 0-5 win over the Mourne County put Tyrone into the Ulster Final against Armagh on July 15th 1984 – exactly 40 years ago today (Monday 15th). By then, Armagh were the undisputed Kingpins of Ulster, having won the title three times in the previous seven years. But the Red Hands were determined to stop them adding the Centenary Year title to those previously won in 1977, 1980 and 1982.

An attendance of 25,000 packed into Clones for a final which has gone down in history as the ‘Frank McGuigan Final.’ The Ardboe player was captain of the team which had last won the title in 1973, and was back in 1984 after a long sojurn in America, and having returned to the ranks for the shortlived 1982 and 1983 Ulster campaigns.

But his star shone brightest of all on that day of mixed weather in St Tiernach’s Park. From start to finish he dominated and finished with the amazing total of 0-11. Even the statistics from those eleven points had a certain symetery. Five with the left foot, five with the right and one with the fist. From the first in the third minute when he took a pass from Damien O’Hagan to score, to the final one in the 63rd minute, this was a superlative performance.

Afterwards, though, he was typically retisicent about acknowledging his own crucial contribution to the victory. “I’m delighted that we’ve won. It’s something that we’ve worked hard for. I was momentarily worried when Armagh got their goal, but once we got a few points that settled us,” he said.

At the time the band, Frankie Goes to Holywood, held the number one spot in the charts. All of Tyrone, though, hoped, that Frank McGuigan’s days of heading Stateside were over and that he would remain a key figure as the county’s search for a first All-Ireland title gathered pace.

As Red Hand fever caught hold in the county, young players in clubs from Ardboe to Aghyaran attempted to perfect the ‘Frank McGuigan dummy.’ Whatever about their success or failure, that success inspired a new generation of players, including Peter Canavan, to work even harder to make their mark on the footballing scene.

Tyrone’s run in that 1984 season wasn’t over of course. There was real hope as they and Frank McGuigan headed to Croke Park for the All-Ireland semi-final against the All-Ireland champions from Dublin. Amazingly, this was to be a first competitive senior match at Croke Park since a Ceannarus Cup semi-final in 1980. Trips to headquarters were often few and far between in so far off days.

Nine points separated Tyrone from their Dublin opponents on that occasion, but no way were the Dubs nine points the better team. A number of dodgy refeering decisions, including one when Patsy Kerlin was denied a penalty, undermined their challenge. At the other end, the Dubs got two goals, on the way to a second All-Ireland Final and eventual defeat to Kerry in the Sam Maguire showpiece.

Frank McGuigan’s final Croke Park appearance didn’t go to plan either. After the heroics of the Ulster Final, the Dublin defence double-marked Tyrone’s hero, restricting the space available to him. He still scored four points and supporters were left wondering what might have been.

Now, 40 years on, the memories of those days are still fresh and the questions remain about that 1986 All-Ireland Final appearance when the Red Hands led so convincingly against Kerry entering the final quarter.

Approaching Christmas a serious car crash ended McGuigan’ s career. A serious injury to Patsy Kerlin also ruled him out of contention for that 1986 season. One wonders how that 1986 final would have developed if both had been available.

Success eventually came Tyrone’s way in 2003. But for a generation of supporters both young and old who were there in St Tiernach’s Park Clones on July 15, 1984, the performance of Frank McGuigan and his magnificent 11 points in that Ulster Final win over Armagh will live forever in the memory.

Thankfully, too, footage remains of those 11 points from a legendary player whose legacy remains from that marvellous Anglo Celt success.