Offaly 1960 minor football captain eventually got his hands on Leinster Cup

Pat Heffernan, left, after being presented with the 1960 Leinster MFC Cup, three weeks late

placeholder image — Pat Heffernan, left, after being presented with the 1960 Leinster MFC Cup, three weeks late

1959 champions Dublin had not returned the cup when Offaly won the 1960 Leinster MFC title but the captain was formally presented with it three weeks later

ONE of Tullamore's and Offaly's favourite sons, Pat Heffernan was the captain of the second Offaly team to win the Leinster Minor Football Championship in 1960.

A very solid, tough and highly rated defender, the late Pat Heffernan led by example from centre half back as Offaly recorded a comprehensive 1-12 to 1-5 win over Louth in the 1960 Leinster final.

Unfortunately, he didn't get to receive the cup on the steps of the Hogan Stand as the 1959 champions, Dublin hadn't returned it, leading to an official protest by the Offaly GAA County Board.

It was a great day for Offaly as they won their first ever Leinster Senior Football Championship title, sparking a tremendous era for Offaly football as they won three All-Ireland senior football titles from then until 1982.

Offaly also beat Louth in the 1960 senior football final, their first ever, and at the victory reception that night in Lucan's Spa Hotel, the absence of the minor cup was the only downer on an occasion of unbridled joy. The County Board chairman Fr Edmund Vaughan referred to it in his address to the packed gathering, remarking: “I protest to the highest authority in the GAA for this oversight and discourtesy to the young lad.”

The cup of course eventually made its way to Offaly and Pat Heffernan's home. He is pictured here with a fine collection of cups in 1960 with the minor on the left while part amends was made at the All-Ireland semi-final three weeks later when he was called up and given a delayed presentation of the cup.

He was pictured with officials at the presentation, which was on the day of Offaly's 2-12 to 2-3 defeat by Galway in the 1960 All-Ireland minor semi-final- Offaly drew with Down after it in a famous All-Ireland senior football semi-final, losing out agonisingly in the replay as the Ulster side went on to bring the Sam Maguire Cup across the border for the first time.

SEE NEXT: 1960 – when Offaly football was on the rise and Louth was heading for the doldrums

The 1960s was a great era for Offaly football and they again competed in both Leinster senior and minor finals in 1961. They retained their senior crown with a win over Dublin but lost to Dublin in the minor. Incidentally, the finals were played in Portlaoise, despite objections from Dublin about Croke Park not being the venue – Pat was overage in 1961 and made a handful of appearances for Offaly seniors in 1964 and 1965.