Football team of the 80s?

[easytiger95]

As always I'm sticking up for my county men - I'd say a team that won an All Ireland in 83 and contested the next two finals deserves more than O'Leary and Drumm - toss up for me between Mullins and McEntee (even a Mullins after the accident) Tommy Drumm for 83 alone is worth a shout against the Horse and we might have found some space for Duff, consistently through the 80s one of the best forwards around (no matter what happened against Galway).

Let the stoning commence....

[moysider]

Just wondering to myself how that team would have fared against the 'real' team of the 80's. Probably very well. While the non winners 15 has more counties to pick from, the 'real' 15 came from fewer counties but these counties probably dominant because of ambitious managers and better fitness and preparation as much as anything else.

As well as Roscommon the Eighties were mostly dominated by Kerry, Offaly, Dublin, Cork and Meath.

What am I missing here? Roscommon only won 1 Connacht title during the 80's and that was at the very beginning in 1980. Galway won 5 and Mayo 4.

You re missing my attempt at a bit of irony.

[Farrandeelin]

Proves what I always say - 1 Ros man = 4 Rhus or 5 Herrins 

Proves what you always say can be stupid.

[Captain Obvious]

The players were chosen on how they performed in that time and not just measured by what their county teams won. Colm Browne (Laois) Peter McGinnity (Fermanagh) Kevin O'Brien (Wicklow) didn't win any county provincial titles during the 80s.

[Don Corleone]

I'm new here and probably aren't allowed an  at the nomination of Sean Lowry at 6....
An half-decent footballer (possibly) but hardly a nominee for best 6 in Offaly on a good day....**

** As a nod to Syferus here: The outstanding c/h/b of my time has been Gerry O'Malley of Roscommon.
Possibly different styles and expectations, but O'Malley subjugated the greatest ever, Purcell, on any occasion their roles clashed. O'Malley was in fact indominatable in his great days.

It takes a lot for me to say Purcell was holdable, but O'Malley, while unable to outfield him, could battle him on breaking ball and was more aggressive in the ensuing scramble for possession.

This post in no way detracts from the genuine attributes of Sean Purcell. Purcell had done it all by that time, the greatest ever.

[moysider]

Wasn't going to bother getting involved in the discussion about the team Breheny and the rest of those idiots picked (although I would say I think Val Daly was criminally overlooked) but now that someone has moved it on to an ACTUAL team of the 80s...

Thread should be re-named football stars of the 80s that didn't win the All Ireland then it would save some of the confusion. The actual team as you call them have All Ireland medals & the team those idiots named is to acknowledge the other stars of the 80s.

For the craic  (without naming any rossies) the stars of the 90s that didn't win the All Ireland.

Finbar McConnell (Tyrone)
Kenneth Mortimer (Mayo)
Dave Dalton (Kildare)
Fay Devlin (Tyrone)
Glenn Ryan (Kildare)
James Nallen (Mayo)
John Finn (Kildare)
Liam McHale (Mayo)
Dermot Earley (Kildare)
Peter Canavan (Tyrone)
Ciarán McDonald (Mayo)
Val Daly (Galway)
Colin Corkery (Cork)
Ger Houlahan (Armagh)
Declan Browne (Tipperary)

Have probably missed out on loads of top players Peter Canavan the only one of the 15 to later win All Ireland(s)  i wanted to included Mickey Quinn or Seamus Quinn from Leitrim,Dermot McCabe Cavan.Paul Taylor Sligo,Kevin O'Brien Wicklow,Martin Lynch, Niall Buckley Kildare etc though its hard to drop any of the above.

Selections like this is a lot personal choice and I m sure those that are selected by a panel will have been completed after a lot of horse trading.

Sorry Ross4life but I could not include a Rossie. On the other hand I think Mayo are under represented on your selection. I mean likes of James Horan is a gimmie. For me to choose a 90 team of losers without Mayo men would be a waste of time because Mayo were the biggest losers about - and a top 2 team 96-99. Still that is a top team you ve picked - as I say personal preference.

For the craic I ll run with the following.

Finbar McConnell
Ken Mortimor
Séamus Quinn
Dermot Flanagan
Connie Murphy
Glen Ryan
James Nallen
Liam McHale
Niall Buckley
Paul Taylor
Ciarán McDonald
James Horan
Colin Corkery
Kevin O Brien
Declan Browne

[moysider]

I'm new here and probably aren't allowed an  at the nomination of Sean Lowry at 6....An half-decent footballer (possibly) but hardly a nominee for best 6 in Offaly on a good day....**

** As a nod to Syferus here: The outstanding c/h/b of my time has been Gerry O'Malley of Roscommon.
Possibly different styles and expectations, but O'Malley subjugated the greatest ever, Purcell, on any occasion their roles clashed. O'Malley was in fact indominatable in his great days.

It takes a lot for me to say Purcell was holdable, but O'Malley, while unable to outfield him, could battle him on breaking ball and was more aggressive in the ensuing scramble for possession.

This post in no way detracts from the genuine attributes of Sean Purcell. Purcell had done it all by that time, the greatest ever.

You re allowed a lot of latitude on here Don but those rolly eyes won t help your credibility. We were picking a 6 of the 80 s - not somebody that was on the same park as Purcell and O'Malley ffs. Catch a grip. Lowry's rivals were likes of Counihans and Kennelly - hard, inspirational and effective but hardly a Purcell or O Malley!

Lowry won AIs in 72 and 83 at no.6. He also had enough quality to play 14 for his county and was a top freetaker. I had the privalige to see him play for Crossmolina at the end of his career when he was still a class act.

He won 2 All- Stars as well and you call him a half-decent footballer!!! You either have very high standards or you haven t got a clue.

As you re new here and haven t posted a lot I would suggest you feck off and form a new account and be more respectful to other posters and especially the reputation of players like Lowry.

[Wildweasel74]

Tommy Drumm probably is the best player round the early `80s at no.6 when i actually thought about it

[moysider]

Tommy Drumm probably is the best player round the early `80s at no.6 when i actually thought about it

Of course you could make a case for Tommy Drumm. Top player and had class about him. I would have no problem somebody wanting Drumm for 5 or 6 (he went to 6 after Moran went abroad if my memory serves me correctly).

[Donnellys Hollow]

Wasn't going to bother getting involved in the discussion about the team Breheny and the rest of those idiots picked (although I would say I think Val Daly was criminally overlooked) but now that someone has moved it on to an ACTUAL team of the 80s...

Thread should be re-named football stars of the 80s that didn't win the All Ireland then it would save some of the confusion. The actual team as you call them have All Ireland medals & the team those idiots named is to acknowledge the other stars of the 80s.

For the craic  (without naming any rossies) the stars of the 90s that didn't win the All Ireland.

Finbar McConnell (Tyrone)
Kenneth Mortimer (Mayo)
Dave Dalton (Kildare)
Fay Devlin (Tyrone)
Glenn Ryan (Kildare)
James Nallen (Mayo)
John Finn (Kildare)
Liam McHale (Mayo)
Dermot Earley (Kildare)
Peter Canavan (Tyrone)
Ciarán McDonald (Mayo)
Val Daly (Galway)
Colin Corkery (Cork)
Ger Houlahan (Armagh)
Declan Browne (Tipperary)

Have probably missed out on loads of top players Peter Canavan the only one of the 15 to later win All Ireland(s)  i wanted to included Mickey Quinn or Seamus Quinn from Leitrim,Dermot McCabe Cavan.Paul Taylor Sligo,Kevin O'Brien Wicklow,Martin Lynch, Niall Buckley Kildare etc though its hard to drop any of the above.

I wouldn't have Dermot Earley ahead of Niall Buckley or Martin Lynch based on 90s form and Anthony Rainbow would be ahead of John Finn too.

[Ciarrai_thuaidh]

Wasn't going to bother getting involved in the discussion about the team Breheny and the rest of those idiots picked (although I would say I think Val Daly was criminally overlooked) but now that someone has moved it on to an ACTUAL team of the 80s...

Thread should be re-named football stars of the 80s that didn't win the All Ireland then it would save some of the confusion. The actual team as you call them have All Ireland medals & the team those idiots named is to acknowledge the other stars of the 80s.

For the craic  (without naming any rossies) the stars of the 90s that didn't win the All Ireland.

Finbar McConnell (Tyrone)
Kenneth Mortimer (Mayo)
Dave Dalton (Kildare)
Fay Devlin (Tyrone)
Glenn Ryan (Kildare)
James Nallen (Mayo)
John Finn (Kildare)
Liam McHale (Mayo)
Dermot Earley (Kildare)
Peter Canavan (Tyrone)
Ciarán McDonald (Mayo)
Val Daly (Galway)
Colin Corkery (Cork)
Ger Houlahan (Armagh)
Declan Browne (Tipperary)

Have probably missed out on loads of top players Peter Canavan the only one of the 15 to later win All Ireland(s)  i wanted to included Mickey Quinn or Seamus Quinn from Leitrim,Dermot McCabe Cavan.Paul Taylor Sligo,Kevin O'Brien Wicklow,Martin Lynch, Niall Buckley Kildare etc though its hard to drop any of the above.

Selections like this is a lot personal choice and I m sure those that are selected by a panel will have been completed after a lot of horse trading.

Sorry Ross4life but I could not include a Rossie. On the other hand I think Mayo are under represented on your selection. I mean likes of James Horan is a gimmie. For me to choose a 90 team of losers without Mayo men would be a waste of time because Mayo were the biggest losers about - and a top 2 team 96-99. Still that is a top team you ve picked - as I say personal preference.

For the craic I ll run with the following.

Finbar McConnell
Ken Mortimor
Séamus Quinn
Dermot Flanagan
Connie Murphy
Glen Ryan
James Nallen
Liam McHale
Niall Buckley
Paul Taylor
Ciarán McDonald
James Horan
Colin Corkery
Kevin O Brien
Declan Browne

I'm no Cork fan (obviously) but Ciarán O'Sullivan simply has to be included. Absolutely outstanding player throughout the 90s and a better player than Connie Murphy or James Nallen for certain I would say. I don't think Anthony Lynch won a celtic cross in 2010, so he could come into contention for a spot also.
Martin Daly from Clare was a class act from a lesser county..maybe not seen enough I suppose. Cathal Daly from Offaly was an excellent corner back. Was a big admirer of Ger Houlihan, but that full forward line Moysider picked is hard to argue with! All outstanding players. Joe Kavanagh has to be there somewhere. Brilliant player. Derek Duggan mightn't have had the consistency of some of the above, but deserves a mention. Was still playing great stuff up to 1999. Here's my effort anyway.

1. Peter Burke
2. Kenneth Mortimer
3. Anthony Lynch
4. Dermot Flanagan
5. Ciarán O'Sullivan
6. Glen Ryan
7. James Nallen
8. Niall Buckley
9. Liam McHale
10. Kevin O'Brien
11. Joe Kavanagh
12. James Horan
13. Ciarán McDonald
14. Colin Corkery
15. Declan Browne

Could be some glaring omissions..will obviously be told if so!

[North Longford]

Anybody ever hear of a gent by the name of dessie barry....

[Billys Boots]

Anybody ever hear of a gent by the name of dessie barry....

Just the two of us NL.

Glad to see Kevin O'Brien in there - best forward I've ever seen in action, dragged some very poor Wicklow sides to results they didn't deserve, single-handedly. 

[AZOffaly]

Dessie Barry was class. As was Kevin O'Brien. And whoever was saying Sean Lowry was barely good enough for Offaly on a good day is pig ignorant. Lowry was a great, and versatile, player.