Galway three-in-a-row star Seamus Leydon dies aged 81

Galway three-in-a-row All-Ireland winner Seamus Leydon has died at the age of 81.

Leydon, from the famous Dunmore MacHales club, was wing-forward on the Galway side that won three All-Ireland titles on the spin between 1964 and 66.

Previously a member of the 1960 All-Ireland winning minor team, Leydon graduated to the senior grades the following year at a time when Galway football was on the cusp of its greatest era.

Having lost the '63 final to Dublin, Galway bounced back to topple Kerry in the two subsequent deciders before dispatching Meath to complete the three-in-a-row. A flying wing-forward, Leydon was on target in all three victorious finals, racking up 0-06 from play across the 64-66 deciders.

Leydon was latterly included at left corner-forward in the first ever All-Stars team in 1971, after Galway reached another All-Ireland decider but lost to Offaly. He had previously earned Cú Chuillann awards - the forerunner of the All-Stars - at left wing-forward in 1965 and 66.

He retired from inter-county football in 1972 after re-locating to Cork for work reasons. Afterwards, he won back-to-back Cork SFC titles with Nemo Rangers in 1974 and 1975.

In 1999, he was selected on the Galway Team of the Millennium.

The 81-year old, who is survived by his wife Angela, daughter Cliona and son Barry, died in his adopted home county of Kildare.