brolly was he a good footballer or even the 1st cousin of a footballer

donegal gael · July 25, 2007, 12:53:54 PM

remember it well was right behind it.. big geoff more or less put it on a plate for him any decent corner forward would have finished it.. i also remember him playing against us in the league in ballybofey around 98/99 and he never touched the ball for the whole game barry mc gowan had him in his pocket.. by the way thats the only thing he done in that ulster final..

Maximus Marillius · July 25, 2007, 12:56:20 PM

do ye rememeber the National League final of 96 in Croke Park

donegal gael · July 25, 2007, 01:00:27 PM

naw wasn't at that one.. brolly was good when the intensity of the game and tackling was low but most corner forwards are the same.. he wouldn't lace the boots of canavan, linden, mc cartan, tony boyle fitzgerald or cooper..

full back · July 25, 2007, 01:14:41 PM

Quote from: donegal gael on July 25, 2007, 01:00:27 PM
naw wasn't at that one.. brolly was good when the intensity of the game and tackling was low but most corner forwards are the same.. he wouldn't lace the boots of canavan, linden, mc cartan, tony boyle fitzgerald or cooper..

Ach FFS donegal gael
You make a cnut of your points by mentioning tony boyle in the same company as those other boys

rrhf · July 25, 2007, 01:24:26 PM

Funny now that Mc cartans mentioned. As Mc Cartan got older, did he losse his shooting boots? (Cue Paul Donnelly Jokes) His performances in youth football and 91AIF were that of a top forward. By 2004 all he did was solo in the ball but rarely shot. By 2003 he didnt look like a forward at all. Like an auld boy moved up front. Point being made afaik himself and PTG are of the same age. PTG was still a massive threat scoring goals in AIFs in 2005. Are we right to mention the two in the same breath?

lynchbhoy · July 25, 2007, 01:26:38 PM

how memory fades rapidly
Tony boyle when uninjured was arguably the best scoring forward of the early 90's

vastly under rated by many - esp those who didnt see much of him play live or in full length games on tv (not just highlights)

Brolly was good - but not as good as Linden.
Aidy Morris - the anthisis of joe
a decent footballer who let on he was a hell of a lot tougher than he was (Certainly he wasnt afraid - I knew him well from a summer playing football out in Philly)
Joe was a great footballer who was a hell of a lot weaker and afraid than he showed.

I am possibly hyper critical of Joe - prob expected a lot more off him having watched him develop from minor upwards

orangeman · July 25, 2007, 01:38:54 PM

To be fair Brolly was a fantastic footballer - I hated him blowing kisses all the same.

North Longford · July 25, 2007, 01:58:56 PM

Lucky enough to mark Joe twice in '93 playing for Sligo IT.!!
Managed to hold him scoreless the first day...not the second, he kicked a couple of points. By Jesus was he fast though!!!
Funny chap to mark. He'd be on for a friendlly chat I think he he thought yoiu'd facilitate him.
Second day up in Belfast in Jan or Feb with snow on the ground and the pitch in a mess he queried when the ref. gave us a free after a bit of slobberin went on why he couldn't understand agricultural football and him from Cavan!!!

Glensman · July 25, 2007, 02:19:51 PM

Still playing for St Brigids in Belfast yes. Still got a great left boot, a bit of experience, alot of dediciation and a bit upstairs. He seems to have been a big part of St Brigids move through the ranks but on looking in from the outside its probably a bit strong to say he has "led" them (as Wikipedia does). There are others involved in that place I reckon.

I'd say he would be a funny chap to mark alright...would chat with you till the cows came home but then switch on and score a couple. Not too worried about giving the referee a good rollicking any time I've watched him and gets away with it because of who he is from what I have seen of him.

Not as far off Linden as some have said (to say he couldn't lace his boots is a big call) and I would argue better than McCartan.

As regards the label of being yellow from what I saw of him he probably just looked after himself...he was never going to be a man to throw his (non existent) weight about.

Have heard some funny stories about him and big Geoffrey in the FF line for Dungiven...a comedy double act.

tbrick18 · July 25, 2007, 08:14:15 PM

Quote from: donegal gael on July 25, 2007, 01:00:27 PM
naw wasn't at that one.. brolly was good when the intensity of the game and tackling was low but most corner forwards are the same.. he wouldn't lace the boots of canavan, linden, mc cartan, tony boyle fitzgerald or cooper..

Cooper and (I loathe to say it) Canavan are head and shoulders above all those you mentioned, but I would definately put brolly on a par with the rest.

tbrick18 · July 25, 2007, 08:17:08 PM

Quote from: rrhf on July 25, 2007, 12:39:12 PM
Linden was better but Brolly played a beautiful game for Derry. In fact within that Derry team he was the only forward they had outside their free taker, but as they won sam he was the only one they needed. Class act. That Cork team was done though.

Jesus thats a bit harsh about all-ireland champions...Gormley, Seamus Downey, Joe Brolly, Dermot Heaney...at the time 4 of the best forwards in the country. Cant see how you thought that Cork team were done...apart from the first 10-15 mins of the game Derry were pretty much on top for most of the match. Cahalane should have been sent off...Davis was unfortunate as I think he got sent off as the ref realised he should have sent off Chalane.
The better team won that day no doubt.

Homer · July 25, 2007, 09:07:16 PM

Quote from: Hardy on July 25, 2007, 10:53:34 AM
Quote from: Rick O Shea on July 25, 2007, 10:49:07 AM

Think anyone can contribute to Wikipedia so the information may not be totally accurate!

Indeed they can. Have fun. I've made a tiny start.

Brillant.

hows she cutting · July 25, 2007, 09:16:29 PM

Heaney? come on now. at the time one of the best forwards in the country?

please

Quote from: tbrick18 on July 25, 2007, 08:17:08 PM
Quote from: rrhf on July 25, 2007, 12:39:12 PM
Linden was better but Brolly played a beautiful game for Derry. In fact within that Derry team he was the only forward they had outside their free taker, but as they won sam he was the only one they needed. Class act. That Cork team was done though.

Jesus thats a bit harsh about all-ireland champions...Gormley, Seamus Downey, Joe Brolly, Dermot Heaney...at the time 4 of the best forwards in the country. Cant see how you thought that Cork team were done...apart from the first 10-15 mins of the game Derry were pretty much on top for most of the match. Cahalane should have been sent off...Davis was unfortunate as I think he got sent off as the ref realised he should have sent off Chalane.
The better team won that day no doubt.

Louper · July 25, 2007, 09:55:02 PM

Quote from: Glensman on July 25, 2007, 02:19:51 PM
Have heard some funny stories about him and big Geoffrey in the FF line for Dungiven...a comedy double act.

i remember a match we played up at dungiven. a terrible day with gale force winds and poures the whole time! when the ball was up in their half and we were attacking joe and his marker were standing with their backs to the big wall behind the goals to get a bit of shelter

priceless

tbrick18 · July 26, 2007, 06:02:22 PM

Quote from: hows she cutting on July 25, 2007, 09:16:29 PM
Heaney? come on now. at the time one of the best forwards in the country?

please

Quote from: tbrick18 on July 25, 2007, 08:17:08 PM
Quote from: rrhf on July 25, 2007, 12:39:12 PM
Linden was better but Brolly played a beautiful game for Derry. In fact within that Derry team he was the only forward they had outside their free taker, but as they won sam he was the only one they needed. Class act. That Cork team was done though.

Jesus thats a bit harsh about all-ireland champions...Gormley, Seamus Downey, Joe Brolly, Dermot Heaney...at the time 4 of the best forwards in the country. Cant see how you thought that Cork team were done...apart from the first 10-15 mins of the game Derry were pretty much on top for most of the match. Cahalane should have been sent off...Davis was unfortunate as I think he got sent off as the ref realised he should have sent off Chalane.
The better team won that day no doubt.

If memory serves Heaney scored from play in almost every game he played. He won a lot of ball around the middle third and while not the fastest he had strength and could take on players. Now if a forward on an all-ireland winning team scored as much as he did, why should he not be considered one of the top 4 forwards in the country at that time?