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 Cork County Team, and later managed it.

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 County Galway who had played hurling at junior level with the county.

He came to prominence with Coláiste Chríost Rí before 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 Munster 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.

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 County 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.

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.

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.

He lined out in his first senior county championship final in 1970, however, Muskerry defeated Nemo in their first final appearance.

Two years later in 1972 Morgan was captain of the team when he captured that elusive county winners' medal when Nemo Rangers defeated UCC.

Nemo's march to success continued later in the year as the club captured the Munster club title before Morgan lined out in the All-Ireland final.

St. Vincent's of Dublin provided the opposition, however, a late Jimmy Keaveney point forced a draw and a replay.

First-half goals in the replay by Jimmy Barrett and Billy Cogan were followed by two more Liam Goode and Séamus Coughlan goals in the second-half.

The final score of 4–6 to 0–10 gave Morgan a first All-Ireland club winners' medal and the honour of collecting the cup on behalf of his club.

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.

Two years later in 1974 Morgan added a second county championship winners' medal to his collection.

A second Munster club title followed, before Nemo booked their place in another All-Ireland final.

UCD provided the opposition on that occasion, however, Morgan's side were defeated by 1–11 to 0–12.

1975 saw Morgan capture a third county 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.

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.

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

Morgan played his club football with Nemo Rangers club.