Originally Posted by
geysir
It must have been his last season with Dundalk, I remember I was brought to a league game after Christmas at Tolka, v Shels. Ben had had been caught offside about 15 times and the slagging from the Shels fans just got more vociferous with each offside call, sure enough with 10 minutes to go, Ben trapped a high ball on his chest, swiveled 180 degrees and hit the winner on the turn into the corner, Ben just stood there on the spot, turned and gave the Shels fans his trademark raised armed salute. He was transferred to Rovers a few months later. I went along to his debut at Milltown, a B league game against Limerick (but with Kevin Fitzpatrick in goals). A few hundred of the Rovers' 'ultras' turned up also to welcome Ben and he scored all three goals. The 'ultras' packed in behind the goal were singing "Ben Hannigan" over and over. I didn't see Ben play after that, Rovers had a formidable group of forwards at that time with Eric Barber, Mick Leech, Mick Lawlor and Big Ben.