Gerry O'Malley RIP

Post date: Jan 11, 2016 8:28:03 PM

Four Roads Hurling Club would like to extend its sincerest sympathy to the family and friends of the late Gerry O'Malley. Gerry played for our club and Roscommon (both hurling and football) for many years. The following tribute was published by the county board

The term "Legend" has become devalued in modern times, being bestowed on far too many people far too easily. However, in an age when it did hold value, Gerry O'Malley attained the status of legend through his exploits on the playing fields of Ireland and humility off them.

Few of the people that read this tribute will have seen him play however many will have heard the stories handed down through generations of the "lion-heart" , "colossus" and "gentleman" that represented his Club, County and Province in a playing career that spanned throughout three decades.

At Club level Gerry represented Four Roads Hurling Club (winning his first Senior County Championship with them in 1945) and St. Patricks of Knockcroghery, prior to the establishment of St Brigid's Gaa Club Kiltoom in the parish of his native Brideswell and he helped the newly formed Club to win their first ever Senior County Championship in 1953.

He represented Roscommon GAA at adult level from 1946 to 1965 - winning numerous titles with the highlight being an All-Ireland Junior Hurling medal in his last game. He was also one of the few players to play on both the Connacht GAAFootball and Hurling Teams in the Railway Cup Competitions.

One of his most renowned displays was in the 1962 Connacht Senior Football Final; the match commonly referred to as the "game of the broken crossbar" . Galway were leading the game when the incident occurred but the Rossies regrouped and used the break in play to change tactics. Gerry was switched to midfield, where he drove the team forward and the rest, as they say, is history with Roscommon taking the title and reaching the All-Ireland Final. Unfortunately Gerry suffer an injury in the first half of the All-Ireland Final and Roscommon were defeated.

Although living in Dublin for many years his love for his Clubs and County remained and he regularly attended matches. In recent years he was inducted into the Roscommon GAA Supporters Club Hall of Fame (in 2009) and served a term as County Board President.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.