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Michael Cusack's GFC San Francisco crest
Michael Cusack's GFC San Francisco

The Michael Cusacks Football Club was founded in San Francisco in early 1989 by: Dermot Keating (Kerry), David Nagle (Kerry), Mike Casey (Kerry) and Niall Flynn (Kerry). This self described ‘bunch of rejects’ from other teams decided that the only way that they could go from being “benchwarmers” to actually playing was to start a team of their own. The personable Casey, in the face of ridicule, was the driving force rounding up a team of men some of whom possessed more prowess at the counter than on the playing field.Their early outings were memorable for all the wrong reasons and they suffered some major hammerings and were shown little mercy by some of the more established teams in San Francisco.

The 1991 season began with a renewed sense of purpose. The prevailing belief was that the team possessed the talent but lacked the discipline to get to the next level. Armagh's Hugh Duggan joined the team as coach. He was to bring much discipline to the team and was to be the catalyst to an unbelievable rise in the fortunes of the mighty Cusacks (despite the Sunday nights in the Abbey)! Finally succeeding in defeating their longtime nemesis, The McDermott’s, in the St. Patrick’s Day Cup, the Cusacks won every game that summer and were crowned San Francisco Junior Champions. At the NAB finals in Boston, they were convincing winners of the Junior Championship, with Tommy McKenna as captain lifting the cup.

1994 was the pinnacle year for the club. Gaelic Park, Chicago was the perfect scene for the 1994 NAB Finals. St. Brendan’s, local champions, were overwhelming favorites for their seemingly academic semi-final against the Cusacks. St. Brendan’s team was a powerful, expensive outfit led by their star player, Anthony Tohill, and coached by his Derry manager, Eamon Coleman. The Cusacks raced to a seven point lead but Brendan’s clawed their way back to within a few points. It made for a nerve racking final couple of minutes before the final whistle and a win for the underdogs.

The final against Donegal Philadelphia was an even tougher game as they strived for their 3rd Senior Championship in a row. The Cusacks were not to be denied with Ali Downey and Brendan Searls sailing over late points to win the Senior Football Championship for the first time ever by a West Coast team. There was almost a sense of disbelief amongst players and supporters, as the little team from the West Coast wilderness of Gaelic football had won the ultimate prize.

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