Cortoon is fertile breeding ground for allstars

HERE in Herald Sport after Kerry footballers’ All-Ireland SFC victory, we wrote about the local link with the champions’ brilliant centre half-back Peter Crowley, a 21-year-old pharmacist in Killorglin and a member of the famous Laune Rangers club. And now, as he adds an All-Star award to his Munster and All-Ireland medals, comes news that one of Mayo’s three All-Stars, Colm Boyle, also has local family connections.
It’s Cortoon that’s entitled to be proud of both of them: Peter Crowley is the son of Joseph Crowley, a first cousin of former Cortoon Shamrocks stalwart Eamon Connolly (pronounced Connelly). Joseph Crowley’s mother was the late Eileen Connolly from Cuilbeag, Cortoon and a sister of the legendary Tom Connolly, a driving-force behind the rise of the Cortoon Shamrocks GAA Club.
The dynamic Mayo defender and Davitts clubman Colm Boyle, a Garda based in Clifden, was unquestionably one of the greatest performers in this year’s Championship.
Colm’s mother Teresa is a member of the well-known Concannon family from Meelick, Lavally, including former Cortoon player and a selector for many teams in his club, Michael John Concannon. Teresa’s sister Chrissie Mulryan is the mother of Galway’s 2013 All-Ireland U-21 star Cathal Mulryan and Jimmy Concannon is the father of a very talented young footballer on the rise at senior level, Matthew Concannon.
Colm Boyle is a first cousin of Cathal Mulryan and Matthew Concannon.
Cortoon Shamrocks chairman Pa Quinn says everybody in the club is proud of the local links with these two new All-Stars from other counties. Pa also makes the point that the club already had their own All-Stars pedigree: Tommy Joe Gilmore, Derek Savage, Emer Flaherty (Ladies Football All-Stars in 2003, 2004) and two hurling All-Stars who played their football with Cortoon Shamrocks: Joe McDonagh and Peter Finnerty.
“And I’m confident we will have more All-Stars,” says Pa Quinn. “This year was disappointing for us on the football fields but I’m a great believer in the old saying that the darkest hour is just before the dawn.”