<< Back to Legends of Dundalk FC Page   DERMOT CROSS PROFILED BY JIM MURPHY     Before his January 1962 arrival at Oriel Park, Dermot Cross had seen action with four League of Ireland clubs, Bohemians, Transport, Drumcondra and Shamrock Rovers. In addition he had been with Bray Wanderers for the 1955-56 year, when he represented the Leinster Senior League selection in its bi-annual fixture with the Lanarkshire League. Formerly of Rathfarnham, Home Farm and Shamrock Rovers Schoolboys, his scheming and shooting power made an immediate impact when debuting with Bohemians in November 1952. With Drumcondra he was on the 1956-57 panel that was second in the League Championship to Shamrock Rovers and he was their leading League scorer when winning the 1957-58 League pennant, with a squad that also included Willie Coleman, Tommy Rowe, Kit Lawlor, Stan Pownall, Shay Noonan and Johnny Robinson. After a season with Distillery in the Irish League, where he linked up with another ex-Shamrock Rovers player Liam Munroe, he switched to Drum’s arch rivals Shamrock Rovers, being the leading Milltown League scorer in the 1959-60 year. The 1961 St Stephen’s Day loss of the Leinster Cup to Drumcondra was an expensive one for Dundalk after Jimmy Hasty and Liam Munroe had suffered injuries that kept them out until March. Within two weeks Dermot Cross arrived, scoring once and making one on his debut against Cork Hibernians. Playing at inside right, his ball skills, dribbling ability, close passing excellence and his great football brain made him a key member of the 1962-63 League team, bringing the League Championship back to Oriel Park after a lapse of 30 years. His understanding with inside partner Francie Callan and centre forward Jimmy Hasty opened many defences and he contributed 6 goals to the League triumph. In an end of season friendly against Glasgow Celtic he was judged man of the match after inspiring a Dundalk comeback from 4 down to a 4-3 loss. His magnificent display, one of the best ever witnessed at Oriel, attracted the attention of Celtic manager, Jimmy McGrory, who, after the game, expressed an interest in signing Dermot, thinking he was in his teens, only to discover that he was dealing with a player closer to thirty!!     Switching to inside left for the following year, he scored the first goal in the historic away leg victory (2-1) against Zurich in the European Cup, when Dundalk became the first Irish club to secure an away win in European club competition. He finished his club career in style when in the last competition of the 1963-64 season Dundalk prevented Shamrock Rovers from a trophy clean sweep, defeating them in the semi-final of the Top Four Cup before overcoming Limerick in the replayed final. Were it not for a powerful performance that season by the Hoops the Dundalk haul would have been larger—the club had to be content with runner up slots in both the League and Shield. Dermot closed his League of Ireland career with a short spell at Sligo Rovers at the end of the 1964-65 season. In 1958, when he was with Drumcondra, he had been twice honoured with selection for Inter League duty with the League of Ireland, losing unjustly in September to the Scottish League by a single goal at Ibrox Park scored  with less than three minutes remaining, and then defeating the Irish League a month later at Windsor Park. He had also been on the Drums team in 1958 that played Athletico Madrid in the European Cup. With five clubs between 1952-53 and 1963-64, he accounted for 46 League of Ireland goals. But he will be best remembered as a highly skilled playmaker: on his day one of the most talented in the League of Ireland  and is especially remembered by Dundalk fans for his key role in the 1963 League Championship squad, one of the best ‘footballing’ teams to grace Oriel Park. John Murphy, captain of the 1963 League Championship side, described him as “a great footballer with a very positive attitude and a lovely person. He gave the impression of having a devil-may-care attitude about football, but when required he always delivered. I’ll never forget his performance against Celtic in 1963—it was sheer magic.”     << Back to Legends of Dundalk FC Page

 

Dundalk Football Club Oriel Park, Carrick Road, Dundalk Tel: 042 9335894