Greatest forward line ever

[BennyHarp]

After watching Tyrone play most of yesterday basically without a forward line, my mind was cast back to the early to mid 2000s where I have the biased opinion that Tyrone had possibly the best forward unit I've seen in my lifetime. Some teams have 3 or 4 good forwards and carry a few lesser lights but anyone one of Dooher, McGuigan, Cavlan (or McGinley), O'Neill, Canavan and Mulligan would have been an absolute stand out player on yesterday's team. So my question is what is the best group of 6 forwards you have seen play together? I.e. Each player must be a stand out player in their own right.

Notable others (off the top of my head - there may be one or two mistakes)
Meath circa 1988: Beggy, Cassalls, Gillic, O'Rourke, Stafford, Flynn
Down early 1990s: Carr, Blaney, Mason, Linden, Withnall, McCarten
Kerry early 1980s: Ger Power (I think), Ogie Moran, Spillane, Sheehy, Bomber, Egan
Armagh early 2000s: McKeever, McEntee, McConville, McDonnell, Clarke, Marsden

Edit: You could probably pick 6 out of about 10 of the current Dublin selection of forwards.

[Newbridge Exile]

Obviously the Kerry one stands out but the Meath unit of the , late 80s was an exceptional unit (, especially the full forward line )

[Rossfan]

Obviously the Wexford 4 in a row lads.

[Bart McQueen]

Galvin-Dec Sullivan-O'Cinneide
Gooch-Donaghy-Crowley

[maddog]

After watching Tyrone play most of yesterday basically without a forward line, my mind was cast back to the early to mid 2000s where I have the biased opinion that Tyrone had possibly the best forward unit I've seen in my lifetime. Some teams have 3 or 4 good forwards and carry a few lesser lights but anyone one of Dooher, McGuigan, Cavlan (or McGinley), O'Neill, Canavan and Mulligan would have been an absolute stand out player on yesterday's team. So my question is what is the best group of 6 forwards you have seen play together? I.e. Each player must be a stand out player in their own right.

Notable others (off the top of my head - there may be one or two mistakes)
Meath circa 1988: Beggy, Cassalls, Gillic, O'Rourke, Stafford, Flynn
Down early 1990s: Carr, Blaney, Mason, Linden, Withnall, McCarten
Kerry early 1980s: Ger Power (I think), Ogie Moran, Spillane, Sheehy, Bomber, Egan
Armagh early 2000s: McKeever, McEntee, McConville, McDonnell, Clarke, Marsden

Edit: You could probably pick 6 out of about 10 of the current Dublin selection of forwards.

Stephen o' Neill is the best player i ever saw live. Simply awesome. The points he kicked against us were ridiculous. Injuries dampened the flame but when on song i never saw anyone better. Our own Stevie Mc Donnell came close.

[punt kick]

After watching Tyrone play most of yesterday basically without a forward line, my mind was cast back to the early to mid 2000s where I have the biased opinion that Tyrone had possibly the best forward unit I've seen in my lifetime. Some teams have 3 or 4 good forwards and carry a few lesser lights but anyone one of Dooher, McGuigan, Cavlan (or McGinley), O'Neill, Canavan and Mulligan would have been an absolute stand out player on yesterday's team. So my question is what is the best group of 6 forwards you have seen play together? I.e. Each player must be a stand out player in their own right.

Notable others (off the top of my head - there may be one or two mistakes)
Meath circa 1988: Beggy, Cassalls, Gillic, O'Rourke, Stafford, Flynn
Down early 1990s: Carr, Blaney, Mason, Linden, Withnall, McCarten
Kerry early 1980s: Ger Power (I think), Ogie Moran, Spillane, Sheehy, Bomber, Egan
Armagh early 2000s: McKeever, McEntee, McConville, McDonnell, Clarke, Marsden

Edit: You could probably pick 6 out of about 10 of the current Dublin selection of forwards.

Stephen o' Neill is the best player i ever saw live. Simply awesome. The points he kicked against us were ridiculous. Injuries dampened the flame but when on song i never saw anyone better. Our own Stevie Mc Donnell came close.

Also true for Ronan Clarke.

[AZOffaly]

Galway had a very good forward line in the early noughties too. Joyce, Fallon, Donnellan being standouts, but they could all play.

[thewobbler]

Galway had a very good forward line in the early noughties too. Joyce, Fallon, Donnellan being standouts, but they could all play.

Honestly, not even worthy a mention. The likes of Niall Finnegan, Shay Walsh, Paul Clancy, John Donnellan barely register a blip on the memories.

---

The most complete, versatile and well balanced unit I ever saw before the past few years was Kerry in 2009:

Kennelly, O'Sullivan, Galvin
Walsh, Donaghy, Cooper

Tyrone's best 6 of Dooher, McGuigan, McGinley, Canavan, O'Neill, Mulligan would have been at least a match, but that 6 never seeemed to take the field together.


----

But I genuinely doubt any forward line in history would present as many problems individually or work as hard collectively as Flynn, Kilkenny, O'Callaghan, Brogan, Connolly, Rock. Which we might see this year yet.

[tonto1888]

After watching Tyrone play most of yesterday basically without a forward line, my mind was cast back to the early to mid 2000s where I have the biased opinion that Tyrone had possibly the best forward unit I've seen in my lifetime. Some teams have 3 or 4 good forwards and carry a few lesser lights but anyone one of Dooher, McGuigan, Cavlan (or McGinley), O'Neill, Canavan and Mulligan would have been an absolute stand out player on yesterday's team. So my question is what is the best group of 6 forwards you have seen play together? I.e. Each player must be a stand out player in their own right.

Notable others (off the top of my head - there may be one or two mistakes)
Meath circa 1988: Beggy, Cassalls, Gillic, O'Rourke, Stafford, Flynn
Down early 1990s: Carr, Blaney, Mason, Linden, Withnall, McCarten
Kerry early 1980s: Ger Power (I think), Ogie Moran, Spillane, Sheehy, Bomber, Egan
Armagh early 2000s: McKeever, McEntee, McConville, McDonnell, Clarke, Marsden

Edit: You could probably pick 6 out of about 10 of the current Dublin selection of forwards.

Stephen o' Neill is the best player i ever saw live. Simply awesome. The points he kicked against us were ridiculous. Injuries dampened the flame but when on song i never saw anyone better. Our own Stevie Mc Donnell came close.

Agree with this. As much as I tried to dislike him I just could t. Absolutely class player

[Rossfan]

How can a forum mainly populated by people born after 1980 have any vague notion of best forwards EVER!!!
Maybe try last 25 years.

[thewobbler]

How can a forum mainly populated by people born after 1980 have any vague notion of best forwards EVER!!!
Maybe try last 25 years.

Old timers might not like to admit it but a combination of Darwinism, coaching, education and sports science would make it extremely unlikely that the best forward line (back line, midfield, goalkeeper) of all time wasn't from the past few years.

Think about this. Not one Derry forward from 1992 makes the Dublin bench.

[Wildweasel74]

I break it down to meath late 80"s having the best full forward line just in front of the kerry 70's one while flynn kilkenny connolly would been the best half forward line i seen in front of the late 90's galway half forward line.

[mrhardyannual]

How can a forum mainly populated by people born after 1980 have any vague notion of best forwards EVER!!!
Maybe try last 25 years.

Old timers might not like to admit it but a combination of Darwinism, coaching, education and sports science would make it extremely unlikely that the best forward line (back line, midfield, goalkeeper) of all time wasn't from the past few years.

Think about this. Not one Derry forward from 1992 makes the Dublin bench.

Off the top of my head, Mickey Kearns, Dermot Earley Snr, Tony McManus,Val Daly & Mickey Quinn all of whom I've seen play for neighbouring counties would make any team. Anyone who suggests that Darwinism can be seen as a factor in the development of teams over a period of 25 years needs a crash course in primary school science and education. The game may change in style but the great players would adapt to any situation. It is easy to ascribe greatness to any set of six forwards in a winning team  ... harder to recognise it in a fellow holding a poor team together.

[rosnarun]

Greatest forward line ever
andy moran and cillain o connor

[The Hill is Blue]

How can a forum mainly populated by people born after 1980 have any vague notion of best forwards EVER!!!
Maybe try last 25 years.

Old timers might not like to admit it but a combination of Darwinism, coaching, education and sports science would make it extremely unlikely that the best forward line (back line, midfield, goalkeeper) of all time wasn't from the past few years.

Think about this. Not one Derry forward from 1992 makes the Dublin bench.

I'd argue that great natural forwards of the past would be stars in any era, irrespective of developments on the game - players such as Kevin Heffernan, Paddy Doherty, Sean O'Neill, Mattie McDonagh, Mick Higgins, Iggy Jones, Packie McGarty, Sean Purcell, etc., etc., etc.