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Fullname: Eamonn McMahon
aka: Eamon McMahon
Born: 16 January 1933
Died: 11 February 2009
Birthplace: Lurgan
Signed: 30 December 1953
Left: 14 May 1955 (free); 4 June 1955 (Glentoran)
Position: Goalkeeper
Debut: Celtic 1-1 Queen of the South, League, 16 Oct 1954
Internationals: none
Biog
Irishman Eamon McMahon was signed by the Bhoys in December 1953 from a Gaelic Football background where he played for Clann na nGael (Lurgan) and Armagh.
McMahon had been part of the Armagh team which reached the 1953 All Ireland final and despite losing at Croke Park to Kerry by 0-13 to 1-6, Eamon made GAA history by being the first keeper to play in every round of the All Ireland without conceding a goal (a record that we believe still stands). This made him look a great prospect for the ‘association‘ game, and convinced Celtic’s Irish scout Peter O’Connor (Glenavon) that this was a man for Celtic
Brought to Parkhead as cover for George Hunter and Johnny Bonnar (who had sustained a collarbone injury), his first team debut came as a 21-year-old in goals as Celtic drew 1-1 in the league at Parkhead with Queen of the South. Eamon was preferred to Andrew Bell and got his start when Bonnar wrenched his arm in training during the previous week.
Despite avoiding defeat in his debut match, he was blamed for the visitors’ goal, and despite his natural ability his confidence suffered a knock:
“I advanced from goal as Black shot from the edge of the penalty box. I had the ball covered low down to my right. As I dived I got both hands to it but to my horror the ball squirmed from my grasp and wriggled over the line. I can still recall the banner headline in one of the Glasgow papers reading ‘Oh Eamon!’. As a young player I was devastated!”
Eamon McMahon quoted in ‘A-Z of the Celts’ book
He was to not play another first team match for Celtic, sadly, so he was never given a chance to rectify for any errors from his debut match. However, he reflected well on his time at Celtic:
“My father had been an Irish League goalkeeper and I must have inherited some of his attributes. I played for Celtic for three years. I only had one game in the first team but I was on great wages and I loved the lifestyle. Before going to Scotland he had been working as a joiner in Lurgan, earning £3.10 shillings a week. My wages jumped to £12 a week with Celtic and I got a £2000 signing -on fee. You could have bought four cars with that amount of money in those days.”
He was released at the end of the season in May 1955 and went on to play for Glentoran, where he had more success (playing in the Irish Cup final in 1956).
Despite the lack of success at Celtic, his connection with the club continued in that he married the daughter of Alex Dowdell who was a long-term trainer & physio at the club.
He retired in 1960 from playing, and then moved into greyhound training, with one of his dogs (Alan’s Judy) winning the Irish St Ledger in 1991.
He passed away in 2009.
Playing Career
| APPEARANCES | LEAGUE | SCOTTISH CUP | LEAGUE CUP | EUROPE | TOTAL |
| 1953-55 | 1 | – | – | – | 1 |
| Shut-outs | 0 | – | – | – | 0 |
Honours with Celtic
None
Pictures
Links
Notes
- *Note: different sources seem to spell his first name with one or two ‘N’s’ at the end of Eamon/Eamonn.
Obituary
The late Eamonn McMahon
12 February 2009
http://www.hoganstand.com/article/index/106877
Armagh GAA is mourning the death of Eamonn McMahon, who was goalkeeper in their 1953 All-Ireland football final defeat to Kerry.Although the Clan na Gael clubman had to go off injured in the final, he played a major part in getting them there by not conceding a goal during the campaign. His performances attracted the interest of Glasgow Celtic’s Irish scout, Peter O’Connor, who persuaded him to sign for the Scottish giants.
After making just one appearance for the Hoops against Queen of the South in a 1-1 draw on October 16, 1954, he returned home to Lurgan in May 1955 and signed for Glentoran the following month. He played in the 1956 Irish Cup final against Distillery and later became a successful greyhound trainer.
Clan na Gael chairman Noel O’Hagan said: “Everyone here is saddened to hear of the death of Eamonn.
“His recent passing after a short illness has brought grief to the entire Clan na Gael club and we pass on our condolences to his friends and family.
Eamon McMahon (Co. Armagh)
Link: http://www.donegalassoc-csc.com/eamonmcmahon.htm
Armagh played Kerry in the All-Ireland Football final on September 27th 1953 and lost 0-13 to 1-6. Before a record crowd of 85,155 Eamon McMahon, between the sticks for the Ulstermen, “gave a great exhibition of goal-keeping”. Although Armagh lost, Eamon is in the Guinness Book of Records as the one and only ‘keeper to play in every round of the All-Ireland tournament without conceding a goal.
As the son of ex-Glenavon goalie, Peter McMahon his pedigree was exceptional and his display at Croke Park convinced Celtic’s Irish scout Peter O’Connor (Glenavon) that this was a man for Parkhead. He was bought as cover for George Hunter after Johnny Bonnar sustained a broken collarbone (26th August 1953) and Bell damaged his shoulder (5th October 1953).
He played his first game at Parkhead versus Raith Rovers reserves on October 17th 1953, but did not the same man as a soccer goalie until Celtic took him to Switzerland for the 1954 World Cup, a trip that seemed to inspire him anew.
He got his first-team chance after Bonnar wrenched an arm in training. This was Queen of the South in a home league game on the 16th of October 1954, but the goal he lost in 32 minutes was a ‘keepers nightmare: “I advanced from goal as Black shot from the edge of the penalty box.
I had the ball covered low down to my right. As I dived I got both hands to it but to my horror, the ball squirmed from my grasp and wriggled over the line. I can still recall the banner headline in one of the Glasgow evening papers reading ‘Oh Eamon!’ As a young player I was devastated!”
Eamon had more success with Glentoran and played in the final of the Irish Cup in 1956. He married the great Alex Dowdell’s daughter, Patricia. He lived in Leicester and travelled to Belfast at the weekends to play for Glentoran. Nuneaton Borough wanted him but Glens were reluctant to let him go.
He joined his father in business in Lurgan in 1960 and today is a greyhound trainer. His dog, Alan’s Judy, won the Irish St.Ledger in 1991.
Appearances:
League Cup: 1 appearance. 0 shutout.
Total:
1 appearance. 0 shutouts.
Career:
Clan Na nGael (Lurgan GAA)
Celtic 30th December 1953/free 14th May 1955
Glentoran 4th June 1955/retired 1960.
GAA – Then and now: A Mahon for all seasons
https://m.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/gaa-then-and-now-a-mahon-for-all-seasons/28121402.html
By Micheal McGeary
Sun 12 May 2002 at 18:00
FROM Croke Park to Parkhead, Eamon McMahon certainly gained more than an insight into life as a ‘dual’ player during the 1950s.
FROM Croke Park to Parkhead, Eamon McMahon certainly gained more than an insight into life as a ‘dual’ player during the 1950s.
It wasn’t a combination of hurling and football that kept Eamon pre-occupied, of course.
The genial Lurgan man guarded the Armagh net in the 1953 All Ireland final against Kerry before subequently transferring his allegiance to Glasgow Celtic with whom he spent “three of the best years of my life.”
It was in 1952 that the Clan na gael clubman made his Armagh debut in a Dr McKenna Cup tie against Donegal in Bundoran and a year later found himself confronting the might of the Kerry attack with ‘Sam’ the prize for the winners.
Unfortunately, Armagh’s cherished dream of capturing the blue riband of gaelic football for the first time was not to be realised on that occasion nor has it been since then – a source of considerable regret to sports-lover Eamon.
“What a thrill to play in Croke Park,” he recalls.
“It was magical. Kerry had a fine team but we were unlucky.”
Much has been made since that ’53 decider of the penalty miss by the late Bill McCorry but Eamon has nothing but the highest praise for his fellow townsman.
“People forget that Bill was a superb motivator and had done a lot to get us into the All Ireland final,” says Eamon.
“I well remember when we were travelling up to our semi-final against Roscommon and several of the players were expressing grave reservations about our chances. Bill just turned round in the taxi and said, ‘Lads, we’ll destroy them’ – and we did.”
It was shortly after the All Ireland final that Eamon travelled to Glasgow to sign on the dotted line for Celtic.
“My father had been an Irish League goalkeeper and I must have inherited some of his attributes.
“I played for Celtic for three years. I only had one game in the first team but I was on great wages and I loved the lifestyle,” reflects Eamon.
Before going to Scotland he had been working as a joiner in Lurgan, earning £3.10 shillings a week.
“My wages jumped to £12 a week with Celtic and I got a £2000 signing -on fee.
“You could have bought four cars with that amount of money in those days,” says Eamon.
On his return he re-joined Clan na gael – and won back his place in the county side.
That meant teaming up again with players such as Jack Bratton, Brian Seeley, Gerry O’Neill and others who had previously taken Armagh tantalisingly close to All Ireland glory.
“It was great to play in goal behind Jack Bratton. Joe O’Hagan, who was full-back then for the Clans, had spoken to Jack when I went into the county side and told him that anything he could not deal with to just leave it to me. It worked a treat with both players for all the time I played along with them,” explains Eamon.
He later joined Glentoran and enjoyed his stint at the Oval before he eventually decided to hang up his boots.
Eamon adds: “I would love to have played both soccer and gaelic simultaneously but, of course, the Ban was then in operation in the 50s and there was no way this was possible.”
