Video: An Achill man in the Algarve’s song about Achill Rovers is this summer’s ‘Jimmy’s Winning Matches’

It might not appeal to an entire county like Jimmy’s Winning Matches, but they’ll be singing this in Keel and in the surrounding areas for generations to come.

Towards the end of Donegal’s All-Ireland winning Championship campaign two years ago, you could barely walk down the street without hearing ‘Jimmy’s winning matches’, a song by ex-Revs frontman Rory Gallagher and a colleague known as Jimmy from Senegal, the video for which was filmed on a beach in sunny Lanzarote. Sure, didn’t Michael Murphy even give it a mention in his victory speech?

Taking inspiration from that famous ditty, Achill man Gary Hesey, currently working as a performer in the Algarve, has recorded his own version dedicated to his beloved Achill Rovers, who play in the hotbed of competitive football that is the Mayo Premier ‘B’ League.

With the help of a man known as ‘The Cameroon Hammer’, the air and setting for Gary’s song are almost identical to Jimmy’s Winning Matches, but the lyrics are uniquely Achill. Have a listen for yourself below and see what you think…