Longford Gaelic Stats

Team of the Millennium

HomeTeam of the Millennium
Longford Gaelic Story (1888-2023)

Team of the Millennium

In early 2000 the Longford Leader newspaper launched a ‘Team of the Millennium’ campaign to assemble the most exceptional fifteen Longford footballers of the past. A coupon was published in the Longford Leader for members of the public to fill out and send in. A total of 1466 completed coupons were returned and were counted with five nominees for each position. The final team selected covered a playing-span of 60 years. Joe Regan at full-forward played for Longford in the 1930’s while Dessie Barry at right corner-forward played until 1999. The father-son combination of Jim and Jimmy Hannify made history by being selected, while first cousins Eamon Meagher and Seán Donnelly were also in the final selection.

The final selection of Longford’s football ‘Team of the Millennium’ was as follows:

  • Goalkeeper: John Heneghan (Ballymahon)
  • Right Corner Back: Seamus Flynn (Clonguish)
  • Full Back: Larry Gillen (Ardagh St. Patricks)
  • Left Full Back: Billy Morgan (Killoe Young Emmets)
  • Right Half Back: Brendan Barden (Clonguish)
  • Centre Half Back: Mick Casey (Cashel)
  • Left Half Back: Eamon Meagher (Drumlish)
  • Midfield: Jim Hannify (Drumlish)
  • Midfield: Jimmy Flynn (Clonguish)
  • Right Half Forward: Jackie Devine (Mostrim)
  • Center Half Forward: Vincent Tierney (St. Marys Granard)
  • Left Half Forward: Jimmy Hannify (Drumlish/Fr. Manning Gaels)
  • Right Full Forward: Dessie Barry (Longford Slashers)
  • Full Forward: Joe Regan (St. Marys Granard)
  • Left Full Forward: Seán Donnelly (Longford Slashers)

An article in the Longford Leader on the presentation of the awards to the Team of the Millennium in April 2000 noted that the following key footballers were nominated but didn’t make the final selection: Liam Tierney, Brendan Smith, Mickey O’Hara and John ‘Speedy’ McCormack, and noted that the only present-day player to make the nominations was Niall Sheridan. The awards were presented by GAA President Seán McCague. Below is shown the selected Team of the Millennium on the left, and the nominees on the right.