AROUND 90 footballers are set to come out of retirement this weekend to tog out and play in the ‘Together For Ger’ exhibition match in Claremorris tomorrow (Saturday) afternoon at 3pm.
The game is being organised as ‘a show of support’ to Ger Brady from Claremorris, who was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease last August.
Ger (44) was an outstanding forward with Claremorris for many years and also represented Mayo at minor, Under-21 and senior level.
This weekend’s game will see a Mayo selection lining up against a Claremorris selection — with both squads comprised almost entirely of players who hung up their boots many years ago.
Among those in the Mayo squad are All Stars Keith Higgins, Andy Moran, Kevin O’Neill, Alan Dillon and Conor Mortimer while former Mayo managers James Horan, John Maughan and Noel Connelly have also pledged their support on the day.
Claremorris have also managed to tempt some big names out of retirement, with two-time All Star Kenneth Mortimer and former Mayo defender Alan Roche from Davitts both offering their services, along with the likes of Gary Mullins, Mickey Mullins, Johnny Commins, Kevin Beirne, Karl Boyle and the Costello brothers from Hollymount/Carramore, Dermot and Kevin.
The Mayo selection was rounded up by Ger Brady from Ballina Stephenites, a former Mayo minor team-mate of his namesake from Claremorris.
“My job was to put together a former Mayo players’ team, guys that Gerry would have played with during his Mayo days at minor level and also lads who would have played for Mayo at senior level from all over the country,” he explained.
“They’ve all put their hands up and said, ‘Yeah, we’ll be there’.
“We’re all there to support Ger, his wife Karen and baby Dylan. . . And have a bit of fun as well.
“That’s a big part of what we’re doing on Saturday. We’re there to tog out, put on the boots again and put a smile on Ger’s face.
“A few of us haven’t put the boots on for a long time so there may be a few people there who aren’t as mobile as people remember us,” laughed Ger.
“But we’re coming!! And we’ll have a bit of craic.”
“Ger Brady is known throughout the county as a footballer so the obvious thing to do was have a match,” explained Pauric Ring, who has been recruiting Claremorris players in recent weeks.
“There are a load of old team-mates from Ger’s days with St Colman’s too, lads from Garrymore, Davitts and Hollymount-Carramore, a few from Aghamore. .
“Everyone just wants to be part of the day. Lads just want to get on the pitch for five or ten minutes. It just goes to show what people in the local community think of Ger Brady.
“He’s held in high esteem around the place, and that’s shown by the number of people who want to pull on the boots on Saturday.
“He seemed to rise to the big occasion for us all the time, and we’d have been lost in Claremorris without him. There’s no doubt that a lot of us piggy-backed off Ger Brady for years because it was him that got us over the line, more often than not.”
“The weather is promised good, there’ll be an ice-cream truck there for the kids, and let’s get a big crowd there to show Ger our support because he means the world to everyone and we need to show him that on Saturday,” added Pauric, who played with Ger Brady all through their careers with Claremorris.
Entry to tomorrow’s exhibition match at Canon Gibbons Memorial Park in Claremorris is free.
MAYO SQUAD
James Horan, John Maughan, Conor Mortimer, Mickey Conroy, Keith Higgins, Trevor Mortimer, James Gill, Kevin O’Neill, David Brady, Alan Dillon, Ger Brady, Pat Kelly, Brian Maloney, John Madden, Andy Moran, Noel Connelly, Ray Connelly, Declan Sweeney, Enda Lavelle, Alan Costello, Colm Reilly, Greg Mulkerrins, Fintan McHale, Paul Navin, Niall Dunne, John Feeney, Kieran Kilkenny, David Lynch, Brendan Prendergast.
CLAREMORRIS SQUAD
Johnny Cummins, Martin McNamara, Dave Kilkenny, Patrick Finnegan, Alan Roche, Gary Mullins, Kevin Beirne, Aidan Butler, Richie Bell, Sean Prendergast, Martin Maloney, Dermot Costello, Kenneth Mortimer, Pat Grogan, Paul Navin, Brian Brogan, Pauric Ring, James O’Boyle, Shane Prendergast, Mikey Gallagher, Carlos O’Gara, Kevin Costello, Eoin Waldron, Greg Mulkerrins, Karl Boyle, Danny Broderick, John Connolly, James Shaughnessy, Brendan French, Conor O’Boyle, Ciaran O’Harte, Shane Meehan, Mark Reapy, Cathal Heneghan, Mark O’Brien, Shane Crowe, Barry O’Neill, Gary Gallagher, Micky Mullins, Brian Naughton, Paul Ryan, Tomas Reilly, Anthony Joyce, Vinnie Joyce, Rory Charles, Noel Doherty, Aidan Brogan, John Sheridan, Peter O’Dwyer, Mark Walsh, Pete Walsh, Daire Egan, Ernie Lynn, Enda Nolan, Ogie Horgan, Paddy Travers, Tadhg Boyle, Padraig Reilly, Ferghal Carroll.