Peter Corr

Peter Corr
Peter Corr
1946-47
AppsGoals
League 73
FAI Cup 20
Shield 71
City Cup 51
Leinster Cup 10
Totals 225
Date Of Birth: June 26 1923
Place Of Birth: Dundalk
Date Of Death: June 2001
Total Appearances: 22
Total Goals: 5
Position: OR
Nationality: IRE
Debut: 31-Aug-46, City Cup, (A) v. Drumcondra

Bio:

Peter Corr had the distinction of appearing in two GAA All-Ireland Minor Football Finals with County Louth, in 1940 when Louth defeated Mayo and the following year he collected a runner-up medal after losing to Roscommon.

An ace scorer, he led the County Louth Championship scoring for three consecutive years. Born into a strong GAA family, his trial with Dundalk was incognito to prevent his family’s knowledge of his flirtation with soccer. Dundalk supremo Sam Prole immediately recognised the right-winger’s talents.

He made his debut at the end of August 1946 in a City Cup game against Drumcondra at Tolka Park in a high-scoring 6-4 loss. His displays were soon filling the notebooks of a batch of Cross-Channel scouts.

Selected for both the home and away Inter League fixtures between the League of Ireland and the Irish League, at the end of the Dalymount tie, when he scored in a 2-1 defeat, “delighted supporters carried him shoulder high to the pavilion”.

He had made only 22 Dundalk appearances when he was transferred to Preston North End at the end of April 1947 for a fee of £2,500.

At Deepdale he was understudy to English International Tom Finney and in 12 months made just 3 League appearances. While guesting for Dundalk in an end-season friendly in May 1948 against Everton at Oriel Park, he impressed the visitors, and by the following August he was at Goodison Park, keeping company with fellow-Irishmen Tommy Eglinton, Peter Farrell, Alex Stevenson and Tommy Clinton.

A big hit with the Everton fans, he earned four Irish International caps during his two seasons on Merseyside, one of which came at his home ground Goodison Park in the never-to be forgotten September 1949 2-0 win over England—their first home loss to foreign opposition.

After two seasons with Everton (24 League Apps and 2 goals), Peter became player-manager at Bangor in the Welsh League for a couple of years (1950/51 44 Apps; 1951/52 42 Apps) and finished his playing career with Wigan Athletic in the Lancashire Combination League during the 1952-53 season.

Making 34 appearances and scoring 11 goals he was instrumental in Wigan’s four trophy successes that season when they captured the Lancashire Combination League-Cup double, the Combination Junior Cup and the Makefield Trophy.

Afterwards he returned to Preston, where he was a resident for 50 years, becoming a scout for Everton and managing a newsagents business in partnership with fellow Preston player Frank O’Farrell. Later he ran his own hardware business in the town.

For his contribution to that famous Goodison Park win in 1949 he was inducted into the FAI Hall of Fame. His brother Gerry is the father of the internationally acclaimed group ‘The Corrs’.

What They Said About Him

Everton “”Who’s Who”, Tony Matthews. “At Goodison Park he linked up with fellow-countrymen Peter Farrell and Tommy Eglinton to form an attacking force bursting with ability and flair. He also possessed a great turn of speed, which enabled him to lose his marker."

On his death, Sir Tom Finney said: “I remember him well. We always had a friendly rivalry as there was a very good team spirit at the club. He was a typical Irish lad, very friendly and cheerful. He was a good player and a very good person.”

Honours:

1 Runner Up: Shield 1946-47.

2 League of Ireland Caps