Seamie Granaghan - the only man to score in every game in Ulster finals of 1972 and '74

There were no yellow or red cards back when Donegal won their first Ulster title in 1972 which made life much more difficult for a forward.
Just try to visualise how difficult it was for a 10 stone corner-forward, who was being marked by corner-backs who may not have been that fast, but it was important that you stayed clear of them.
Seamie Granaghan had just turned 28 when Donegal defeated Tyrone in the 1972 Ulster final and was fairly accustomed to being a marked man. From his senior debut in 1965 until he bowed out in 1977, Granaghan was one of the great marksmen of the team, and it would be interesting to see just how much he scored.
He has the distinction of being the only player who scored in every game in the championship winnings seasons of 1972 and 1974, scoring 1-5 in '72 and 0-6 in '74 - and all of his scores were from play.
In some ways the Bundoran man was a late developer, having not played minor for Donegal. He remembers playing for the U-21s against Derry in Ballyshannon in 1965 and scoring two goals, but overall his memories of the early days are vague.
And Gaelic football wasn't his only niche as he hurled with Aodh Ruadh and alongside Des Houlihan for the Donegal juniors.
Renowned for his speed, he says he usually wore the No 13 jersey in his early days.
"I played sometimes out the field but mostly at corner forward. And you were told to stay in."
It was not a place for the fainthearted, but in those days the strength and conditioning was done in your everyday work.
"I was used to physical work, working outside. I was just looking at one comment in a cutting of a match which said 'what he lacked for in height, he made up for in speed'."
It was that aspect of Granaghan's game which made him one of the top forwards during that time.
"I did train hard. And I couldn't understand players coming along and they were just going through the motions and not putting the effort in. And it would tell then on the match day.
"There were too many out of the county at the time. We would have had six or seven fellas coming from Dublin and they wouldn't have been in the same condition as the fellas at home who were training under the direction of the manager or selectors. That's what I found anyway," says Granaghan, who pointed out that there were also some great competition at club level at the time with St Joseph's.
"There were great battles with St Eunan's at the time with the likes of (Sean) Ferriter and McEntee, Joe Winston and the Gallaghers. The games were always close."
When Donegal's breakthrough came in 1972, it owed much to Granaghan, who got the vital goal when they met Down in the opening game in MacCumhaill Park. The goal came just after half-time after Down led 4-3 at the break.
"I remember it well, it was a bad kick out. I just happened to be a wee bit faster than the guy that was marking me. Then I had to go past McCartan. I was lucky to get past him and I happened to hang her in the side corner of the net.
"Down were some outfit at that time. Big McAlarney was there then, a marvellous footballer."
Donegal went on to beat Cavan (after a replay) and meet Tyrone in the decider. Granaghan has one great memory of the night before the final.
"I remember one incident, God rest him, Alan Kane; I was rooming with him. We were staying in the Creighton Hotel in Clones. It was right on the corner and we were trying to get to sleep, chatting about what was going to happen the next day.
"We just couldn't get to sleep with this noise outside, a few boys had a lot of beer in them. Alan said we'll soon get rid of these boys. There was a big jug there for washing your hands or your face. He filled it full of water and opened the window and poured it down. That surely got rid of them.
"I don't think we slept that much anyway that night, our first Ulster final. It was a nervous time."
As for the game itself, he recalls one score: "I remember one particular score that stands out, was the high ball that Seamus Bonar kicked in. And I couldn't see how it went between the goalkeeper, because he was a big man. It was a slippy day."
He also remembers how much the victory meant to some Donegal supporters with pandemonium on the pitch afterwards and grown men crying.
"We went to Donegal Town that night and I remember going around the county. I remember going to Kilcar and someone's car breaking down. There was an SOS out for a few of the lads," said Granaghan, who was buddies with Alan Kane, who was not a big man for drinking either.
The pair were roomed together for the All-Ireland semi-final against Offaly and there was another sleepless night in Dublin.
"What kept us awake that night was there were bins left open at the back of the hotel and the seagulls kept us awake, battering away and chirping away. It was like that film 'The Birds'.
"We could have beaten Offaly but they had the experience of being there before.
"We had a good enough team to beat them but a lot of us wouldn't have played much in Croke Park."
Asked about team captain, Frankie McFeely, Granaghan was a huge admirer.
"He would never abuse or never give out to you. If you did something wrong, he would say 'you'll do better the next time'.
"He was the kind of a fella, the complete opposite of the fella that would be shouting and roaring in the dressing room, a gentle voice. Never raised his voice or cursed, that was the type of man he was," said Granaghan.
The Donegal team had former Cavan great Mick Higgins involved as a trainer for part of 1972 and Granaghan would have had liked to have him longer.
"It was all new to us. He was the kind of man you looked up to and you did what you were told. He had some great ideas, but he wasn't long enough with us."
Training was always in MacCumhaill Park. "Afterwards it was a sandwich and tea or coffee in Charlie Sproule's beside the Butt Hall."
There was no mileage to training with Brian McEniff providing the transport with Granaghan sometimes having to get someone to take over his milk run and drop all to head for training.
"He (McEniff) was keen. He kept every man in tow and it wasn't easy. He nearly always got the best out us."
After 1972 came the infamous first round game against Tyrone in Ballybofey in 1973 when Neilly Gallagher was carried off after an unsavoury incident.
"It could have been the three in-a-row but for what happened."
There was a trip to the US after the 1974 Ulster win and one of the great memories for Granaghan of the era was playing in Wembley in 1973 and scoring a goal. It was one of three scored by Donegal on the day against a British team - Joe 'Dodo' Winston and Mickey Crossan got the other goals in a 3-14 to 1-7 win.
The game was one of three on the day with the Carrolls All-Star football team playing Kerry and the Carrolls All-Star hurling team playing Tipperary. Brian McEniff played in the All-Star game.

The teams in the programme when Donegal played in Wembley in 1973

BEST PLAYERS
Asked who were the best Donegal players he played with, Seamie Granaghan goes for Martin Carney in the forward line.
"For midfield you would have to go for big (Seamus) Bonar. He was savage and I never seen him injured.
"As a defender I'd either go for (Brian) McEniff or Anthony Gallagher. Gallagher was a class player, very sound."
Outside of Donegal Granaghan goes for two Down men, Joe Lennon and Sean O'Neill.
"I played alongside Sean O'Neill for Ulster in 1973. A class player.
"He would be my top player. I watched him from 1960 onwards against the top teams. I was at the 1961 final when Down played Offaly. They won two in-a-row at that time.
"I can remember O'Neill in one instance in that game where he was being tightly marked. And this high ball came in dropping about 21 yards out. He let it hop and I said to myself 'he's missed this'. He turned and got in the ball in behind his man and put it in the net. That's how cute he was."

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MODERN GAME
The Bundoran man is not an admirer of the modern game of Gaelic football and has one word to describe it.
"Terrible. Is that the word. I can't understand boys going in to the '14' around the D and then turning around and don't want to have a shot. Going back out to the '50' and come back in again. Up in to the corner, back out, over to one sideline and back over to the other sideline.
"It would nearly put you off going to matches. And now it seems to be creeping in everywhere."
And is there a solution to it: "Cut out the hand pass. It's handball now," says Granaghan, who feels that there are only a few Donegal forwards who can kick long range points, mentioning Patrick McBrearty and Michael Langan. He also hopes that Oisin Gallen is back soon, a player he likes.
He is also hopeful that Jamie Brennan gets back to full tilt soon as he says: "He is a player who can pass a man," says Granaghan, who brings up the incident which saw him taken out for the penalty in the recent league game against Armagh. "Was it not a red?" he asks.
"I'd like to see big McGonagle back. He is a big miss," says Granaghan. "And he can score as well."
Seamie Granaghan's career was a long and fruitful one, winning eight senior club championship medals in Donegal as well as his two Ulster senior medals. He laughs that it took him 13 seasons to get two Ulster medals while his daughter Coleen's partner Paul Brennan won two Ulsters recently in his first two seasons.
Married to Joan in 1970, Seamie has five daughters - Julie, Jacqueline, Elaine, Lesley and Coleen.
His playing career was cut short after suffering a cartilage injury in 1977 but he battled on to play in and win a county title with Bundoran in 1979 and retired in 1980.
He says he would have loved to play Masters football and even yet looks fit enough to turn out for a game.
On his day Granaghan was a joy to watch, fearless and direct. There may not be much video footage of him around, but if there is maybe it could be used as a template for what the game might look in the future.

The Donegal team pictured in Wembley in 1973