Pictured with his wife and the Sam Maguire Cup

Never was Doherty's role as an architect of victory better illustrated than in the 1961 All-Ireland Final against Offaly when three balls from him led to superb goals. The first led to possibly the best score ever taken at Croke Park as James McCartan rose, fielded the ball and beat the goal-keeper in one bnlliant move.

Paddy's second cross found Sean O'Neil1, who rounded 'his man and nearly burst the net; and finally P.J. McElroy broke down the ball into the path of Brian Morgan to snap an opportunist goal.

Shrugging off his own vital role in so many Down victories Paddy said that any one of the six forwards could have won a game on their own. There was no selfishness nor greed. They played for each other and had great reserves.

Despite the defeat by Galway in the 1959 semi-final the Mourne squad came back with a vengeance. beating Kerry in the National League semi-final and went on to win the title with a handsome victory over Cavan, which was repeated in the Ulster Final.

So Down faced Offaly in the All-Ireland semi-final, one of the best games ever played by the Ballykinlar man at Croke Park, scoring one goal and seven points. The goal arose from a controversial penalty awarded to James McCartan.

"Mo" had the nightmare task of taking that crucial spot-kick, which would have brought the sides level. Cool as a cucumber he put the ball well clear of the goalie.

Paddy Doherty on the pitch during the All-Ireland final

With Offaly beaten in the replay tremendous interest was focussed on the men in red and black, with tickets at a premium and "everybody was your friend." Paddy recalled that, en route to Dublin, the Down party got an RUC escort to the border.

The atmosphere was very tense in the dressing-room, and during the pre-match parade he was afraid to lift his eyes from the ground. And nerves caused him to miss an open goal when Patsy O'Hagan put him clean through in the opening minutes. He described the ball as "red-hot," and said that a "big tear" had rolled down his cheek in mortification.

But he went on to play a great game, as usual scoring from a penalty.

Runnning the gauntlet of the ecstatic fans was a major problem and the triumphant journey was fantastic, as was the entry into Newry where he estimated that about 40,000 people had gathered from all over the north.

A year later it was Paddy's turn to lead the team behind the Artane Boys Band and then ascend to the rostrum of the Hogan Stand where he received the Sam Maguire Cup from President De Valera. Next Spring came the double as they collected the National League title, just a few days before setting off for a fabulous American tour.

But disaster was to mark their return home, when they lost the All-Ireland crown, being knocked out by Cavan in the Ulster Final.

"That Down team should have won at least four or five Am Ireland titles," he said, describing how they were "practically shooting in" against Galway in the 1963 All-Ireland semi-final, but simply could not score.