Billy Morgan (Gaelic footballer)

William Morgan (born 2 February 1945) is an Irish former Gaelic football manager who played as goalkeeper at senior level for and, later, managed the Cork county team. His five-decade-long association with the team has led to him being regarded as one of the most iconic figures within Cork football.

Born in Cork, Morgan was introduced to Gaelic games by his father, a native of Galway who had played hurling at junior level with the county. He came to prominence with Coláiste Chríost Rí before later winning back-to-back Sigerson Cup medals with University College Cork. A two-time All-Ireland medallist with the Nemo Rangers senior team, Morgan also won four Leinster medals and seven championship medals.

Morgan made his debut on the inter-county scene at the age of eighteen when he first linked up with the Cork minor team. He enjoyed an unsuccessful tenure in this grade, and was later an All-Ireland runner-up with the under-21 team. Morgan made his senior debut during the 1966 championship. He went on to play a key role for Cork as a goalkeeper during a successful era, and won one All-Ireland medal, five Munster medals and one National Football League medal. An All-Ireland runner-up on one occasion, Morgan captained the team to All-Ireland victory in 1973.

As a member of the Munster inter-provincial team, Morgan won four Railway Cup medals. Throughout his inter-county career he made 40 championship appearances. Morgan retired from inter-county football following the conclusion of the 1981 championship.

Morgan has enjoyed success at all grades as a coach and selector with Nemo Rangers and University College Cork, however, it was as manager of the Cork senior team that he enjoyed his greatest triumphs. As manager on three separate occasions he guided Cork through a period of unprecedented provincial and national dominance, winning fourteen major honours. These include two All-Ireland Championships, the first time Cork claimed back-to-back titles, eight Munster Championships, two National Leagues, including one league-championship double, and two McGrath Cups.

Biography

Billy Morgan was born in Douglas on the south side of Cork city in 1945. He was born into a household that, ironically, had a strong hurling tradition. Both his parents were from Galway and, from an early age, Morgan's dream was to play hurling for Cork. Over time, however, he became interested in Gaelic football. Morgan was educated at the Coláiste Chríost Rí school and later attended University College Cork. Here Morgan made a name for himself as a goalkeeper and became a key member of the university's football team. In 1966 he won a Sigerson Cup winners' medal as UCC defeated University College Galway (UCG) in the inter-varsities tournament. A second consecutive defeat of UCG in 1967 gave Morgan a second Sigerson Cup title.

Morgan later worked as a secondary school teacher, before travelling to New York University in the early 1980s to complete a master's degree in physical education. He also ran a pub in the centre of Cork city for a period and he currently works as a financial adviser with his son Brian Morgan and with his nephew William Morgan. Both of these younger Morgan's have followed in Billy's football footsteps and have had successes with Nemo Rangers. Morgan's second son, Alan Morgan, also plays football with the club and regularly comes off the bench.

According to Colm O'Rourke in his ''Sunday Independent'' column of 15 November 2020, Morgan had recently been seriously ill after contracting COVID-19.

Playing career

Club

Morgan played his club football with Nemo Rangers club. He lined out in his first senior county championship final in 1970, however, Muskerry

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