Paudie Sheehy

Sheehy played with the John Mitchels club during a golden era for the Tralee side. He played in his first Kerry Senior Football Championship final in 1949, but was on the losing side to Killarney.

He was part of the lineup in a second final in 1951 in another Tralee versus Killarney clash. This time Sheehy faced Dick Fitzgeralds but again lost out.

They returned to the final again in 1952 when they faced the Kenmare divisional side. In the end, a 3–06 to 0–06 win saw the first title for Sheehy.

The rest of the 50's would see little success for him. However, there was much success to come for the Tralee players.

By the 1959 championship, Paudie was joined by his younger brothers Niall, Seán Óg and Brian. Mitchels returned to the final for the first time since 1952, where they faced the North Kerry divisional team, Feale Rangers. It was Paudie's brother, Niall who saved the Tralee side with a late goal, and earned a 1–09 to 2–06 draw. In the following April, Mitchels had too much for the North Kerry side as they won out on a 3–09 to 1-10 scoreline. This gave Paudie his second county title.[2]

Mitchels were back in the final in 1960, and they again faced a divisional team, this time in the shape of West Kerry. The men from the West were hot favourites to take the title. However, the sides ended level and a replay was needed for the second year in a row, similarly to the year before, and the final was not played until April 1961. It was to be a disappointing game, despite an outstanding display from Paudie, as the second title in a row went to the Tralee side on a 1–11 to 0-03 scoreline. It was the third medal for Paudie, and he also had the honour of being the team's captain.

Paudie played in a third final in a row and second in 1961, including the delayed 1960 final, in a first all Tralee clash since 1936 with Kerins O'Rahilly's. Goals were the difference in the end as a 2–09 to 0-08 score resulted in the third title in a row and fourth overall for Paudie.

Once again, the Mitchels were in the final in 1962, and for the third time in four seasons, their opponents were a divisional team in a repeat of the 1960 final where they had faced Feale Rangers. As in 1960, the sides couldn't be separated, despite Mitchels being ahead going into added time, as a late score by Rangers saw the sides finish level on a 2–08 to 1-11 scoreline. In the replay, Sheehy and his team made history as the title came to Tralee for the fourth year in a row and Paudie won his fifth medal.

In 1963, the Mitchels juggernaut powered on as they qualified for a fifth final in a row. They faced Kerins O'Rahilly's in an all Tralee clash like in 1961. Having already made history with four in a row, a fifth title on the bounce came after a 4–04 to 2–03 win. It was Paudie's sixth and final medal - a record that stood until 2017.

During his college days, he played with University College Cork. He won two Sigerson Cup titles during his time with the Cork side. In 1951–52 and again in 1952–53 as the team's captain.

Sheehy first lined out with Kerry at minor level in 1949. He won a Munster Minor Football Championship medal after win final win over Cork.[3] Sheehy's side later qualified for the All-Ireland Minor Football Championship where they faced Armagh. A 1–07 to 1–05 win seen the title go to the Orchard County.

Sheehy played with the Kerry minor team again in 1950. He won a Munster Minor Football Championship medal after win final win over Limerick.[3] Sheehy's side later qualified for the All-Ireland Minor Football Championship where they faced Wexford. A 3–06 to 1–04 win over Wexford seen Sheehy pick up a winners medal.[4]

He also played hurling with Kerry at minor level.

[5]

Sheehy went straight into the Kerry in 1951. He made his debut in the Munster Senior Football Championship final win over Cork.[6] He was named at Left Half Forward for the All-Ireland semi-final replay with Mayo, a game Kerry would lose.[7]

He played in all of Kerry's 1951–52 National Football League games scoring an impressive 1–15 in six games as Kerry lost the Division 3 final to Cork.[8]

He later made his first Munster Senior Football Championship start at Left Half Forward, where he scored four points in a 0–14 to 1–07 win over Waterford. He kept his place for the final against Cork. It was a disaster at the Cork Athletic Grounds as the holders crashed out on a 0–11 to 0-02 scoreline. Despite failing to score in the final he was still Kerry's second highest scorer in the championship.[9]

His form kept up during the 1952–53 National Football League. He played in all of Kerry's games as they lost out in the semi-final to Cavan. He ends the campaign as Kerry's top scorer with 1-21.[10] Despite being just 21 years old, Sheehy was made the side's captain. He hit the ground running by hitting 3–03 in a 6–10 to 0-02 semi-final win over Clare. Despite being held to a single point in the final against Cork, his side did enough to take the title on a 2–07 to 2-03 scoreline. This gave Sheehy his second Munster Senior Football Championship medal as well as being the side captain. In the All-Ireland semi-final Kerry faced Leinster champions Louth. Another good display from Sheehy, as he scored two points, in a 3–06 to 1–06 win. Kerry were to face Armagh in the final. However, there was a depute as to whether Sheehy would make the starting line up for the final. Things were made more complicated as Sheehy's own father John Joe was one of the team's selectors. At the selection meeting before the All-Ireland final, John Joe excused himself from the room when they reached Paudie's position; by the time he returned, his son had been dropped.Jas Murphy would go on the lead Kerry to a seventeenth title on a 0–13 to 1-06 scoreline. Despite being the side's captain at the start of the campaign and their top scorer Sheehy failed to make an appearance during the game.

Despite only scoring in two of the five games he played in during the 1953–54 National Football League, he still finished as Kerry's third highest scorer with 1-05.

He began the championship in good form with two points in a 3–10 to 1-02 Munster semi-final with over Waterford. He lined out in his fourth Munster Senior Football Championship final when Kerry again faced Cork. Three points from Sheehy seen his side take the title on a 4–09 to 2-03 scoreline and a third Munster medal for Paudie. His contribution of 1–01 in the All-Ireland semi-final with Galway proved to be the difference in a 2–06 to 1–06 win. After the disappointment a year before Sheehy got his chance to line out in a senior final as Kerry squared off with Leinster champions Meath. It wasn't a good day for the Tralee man however, as he failed to score and Kerry lot out on a 1–13 to 1-07 scoreline.

He played in all of Kerry's 1954–55 National Football League games but his side failed to make the knockout stages.

For the second season in a row, Kerry accounted for Waterford in the Munster Senior Football Championship. It was Cork again in the final. It was a game that cemented Sheehy as one of the games' top forwards as he hit five points in a 0–14 to 2–06 win and a fourth Munster title. Kerry faced Cavan in the All-Ireland semi-final. In a game where he failed to score the sides ended level. In the replay, two points from Sheehy helped his side make no mistake with a 4–07 to 0–05 win. The win seen Kerry qualify for a third All-Ireland Senior Football Championship in a row. In Sheehy's second final Kerry faced hot favorites Dublin. Dublin had drawn much attention to themselves by dismantling the reigning All-Ireland champions Meath in the final of that year's Leinster Senior Football Championship in what was a twenty-point win, with Kevin Heffernan in fine form. Sheehy only managed a single point, as Jim Brosnan, scored two crucial second-half points, he flown home from New York for the final, where he had been studying medicine. After the disappointment of missing out on the 1953 win, Sheehy had his first All-Ireland Senior Football Championship medal following in his father John Joe's footsteps.

The next few seasons would see little in terms of success for Sheehy and Kerry. A Munster Senior Football Championship final loss after a re-play was his lot in 1956. Things got a whole lot worse in 1957 as Kerry suffered a shock loss to Waterford in the Munster Senior Football Championship semi-final.

In 1958, after a few poor seasons Kerry returned to the Munster Senior Football Championship final after a win over Tipperary in the semi-final. In the final, they again faced Cork. A point from Sheehy helped him to a fifth Munster title in a 2–07 to 0-03 sin. In the All-Ireland semi-final, Sheehy and co-faced Derry. The Oak Leaf County had won its first Ulster Senior Football Championship a few weeks and were big underdogs going into the game. Despite two points from Sheehy, it wasn't enough as Kerry lost out by a single point on a 2–06 to 2-05 scoreline.

During the 1958–59 National Football League Sheehy really showed his class as he played in and scored in all seven of Kerry's games, a total of 2–16, as The Kingdom overcame Derry in the final to give Sheehy his first league winners medal.

After overcoming Tipperary for the second year in a row it setup another Munster Senior Football Championship final with old foes Cork. Sheehy helped himself to 1–01 in Killarney as a 2–15 to 2-08 see him win his sixth Munster title. He put in a five star display in the All-Ireland semi-final as his three points helped his side get the better of Dublin on a 1–10 to 2-05 scoreline. Kerry did enough to take the title on a 3–07 to 1-04 scoreline. It was a second title for Sheehy and he was also joined by his younger brother Niall.

In 1960 for the second time, Sheehy was named as Kerry captain. While he was a mere novice in 1953 he was now one of the side's veterans. For the third year in a row Tipperary were overcome, in a game where he helped himself to four points, to set up a novel Munster Senior Football Championship final with Waterford. He led by example with his contribution of 1-04, a personal best in a Munster final, helping his side to a 3–15 to 0–08 win. It was Sheehy's seventh Munster title and second as the side's captain. In a repeat of the previous All-Ireland final Sheehy and co overcame Galway on a 1–08 to 0-08 scoreline. In the final Kerry faced first timers Down. The Mournemen brought a new style of play with six inter-changeable forwards who introduced off-the-ball running that was no match for the Munster men's traditionalist style and they stormed to a 2–10 to 0–08 win and saw Sheehy as an All-Ireland Runner-up for the second time.

He was again in good form during the 1960-61 National Football League scoring 2–06 in six games up to the semi-final replay win over Roscommon. He played no part in that summer's championship.

How in the twilight of his career he returned for the 1962 championship. In what was to be his last Munster Senior Football Championship final at the Cork Athletic Grounds he won his eighth Munster title. He hit two points as Kerry got the better of Dublin in the All-Ireland semi-final. The All-Ireland against Roscommon was to be a special day for Sheehy and his family. He again lined out with his younger brother Niall and another brother Seán Óg was the side's captain. In what was the first game to be broadcast live on TV Sheehy hit two points as he won a third and final All-Ireland medal after a 1–12 to 1–06 win.

The 1962 final was Sheehy's final game with Kerry. Between 1951 and 1962 he played 35 championship games scoring 6-56. He won eight Munster Senior Football Championship titles, one National Football League and three All-Ireland Senior Football Championship titles.