Liam Sammon (born 1946 in Galway) is an Irish former Gaelic football manager, coach, writer and former player.
He played football with his local clubs Father Griffins and Salthill-Knocknacarra and was a member of the senior Galway county team from 1966 until 1979.
Sammon first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a member of the Galway minor football team in the early 1960s.
Galway won the game by 3–9 to 1–13, and Sammon collected a Connacht Under-21 Football Championship title.
Galway beat Cork by 2 points in the All-Ireland semi-final, reaching their fourth consecutive championship final,[2] this time with Meath providing the opposition.
Galway's Mattie McDonagh scored the only goal of the game, when a long clearance found him unmarked at the edge of the Meath square.
Galway did not achieve four-in-a-row the following season, as Sammon's side were defeated in the early stages of the 1967 provincial championship.
There would be no subsequent All-Ireland final appearance as soon-to-be champions Down narrowly defeated Galway in the semi-final.
Sammon's side was back in the provincial final again in 1970, this time with Roscommon providing the opposition in the first eighty-minute decider.
Galway surrendered their provincial title at an early stage in 1972, however, Sammon was appointed captain again in 1973.
The replay was far more conclusive with Sammon collecting a seventh provincial winners' medal after a 1–14 to 0–9 victory.
The Galway revival was short-lived as Sammon's side were subsequently defeated by Dublin in the All-Ireland semi-final.
Sammon began coaching Gaelic football shortly after his debut as a 19-year-old for Galway on the 1966 team that won a third consecutive All-Ireland SFC title.
[1] In September 2007, Sammon was confirmed as the new Galway senior football boss,[4] receiving a three-year term and succeeding Peter Ford in the hot seat.
His appointment meant that Galway had a native in charge of their premier football team for the first time in almost 10 years.
Sammon's backroom team includes former Galway defender Richie Fahey, Dunmore McHales Tom Ryder and another former county player, Jimmy O'Dea, of Tuam Stars.
On 19 May 2008, Galway won Connacht Senior Football Championship first round clash against Roscommon at Pearse Stadium by a comfortable 2–16 to 0–06 scoreline.
[6] Sammon wasn't entirely satisfied with Galway's performance and felt there was plenty of room for improvement ahead of the Connacht final against Mayo.
On 13 July 2008, Galway won their 44th Connacht SFC after beating Mayo by 2–12 to 1–14 in a provincial decider at McHale Park.
[9] Galway then played Sligo in the Connacht SFC semi-final, a game in which only a point from Joe Bergin and a Seán Armstrong goal in injury time separated the sides, as Galway won by a scoreline of 1–13 to 0-12, and advanced to the county's fifth consecutive Connacht SFC final.