Tony Haddan tributes paid as Down GAA marks death of All-Ireland winning great with heartfelt tribute

The Newry Shamrocks clubman passed away last week having won two All-Ireland titles with the Mournemen as part of the legendary 1960 and ’61 team

Down GAA has paid tribute to two-time All-Ireland winner Tony Hadden, who passed away last week.

The former Newry Shamrocks star was part of the ground-breaking Down team that won the county’s first All-Ireland in 1960 – becoming the first Ulster champions to do so in the process – and then backed it up by repeating that success in 1961.

He also won four Ulster titles and two National League medals during his inter-county career. In 1961, Hadden also captained the Shamrocks to the Down SFC title, the club’s last senior triumph, and later on he also enjoyed success as a selector with Down at underage and senior level.

He scored 0-2 from corner-forward in both All-Ireland final wins. “Tony Hadden gave great service to his county not just on the field of play, from 1954 to 1963,” read the Down GAA statement.

“In 1977, he was part of the team management that guided Down to a first All-Ireland Minor success with victory over Meath. In 1981, Tony acted as a selector with Joe Lennon as team manager when Down won the Ulster Championship with a memorable win over Armagh.”

Referring to his achievements as a player, the statement added: “In 1960, Tony was joined on the right of the Down attack by Seán Ó Neill and together they formed a partnership that would strike fear into opposing defences, Tony had the ability to roam, to create space and to move out to midfield, when his team needed, all the time playing his part and in doing so making history.

“Tony Hadden was the master of the fisted point and as often said ‘he could fist the ball as far as another man could kick it’ and many times a fisted point, from out the field, was welcomed by a Down team under pressure.

“We, in Down GAA, were privileged to have Tony Hadden in our midst, he was a man who spanned the generations and had a great affinity with people of all ages, he was widely respected throughout the game, always a gentleman, who never forgot his roots, he was a proud Newry Man, a proud Shamrocks man and a proud Down man.”