Footballers with potential but never quite made it

[illdecide]

Simon Crozier is the most talented player I have ever laid eyes on. Could do anything with a ball.

Still only a young man but has hero status in Derrymacash

[DownFanatic]

Any Down posters recall an Aidan Lester from Warrenpoint?

Eoin McCartan was supremely talented. Just a pity injury curtailed his career.

[superblues]

Any Down posters recall an Aidan Lester from Warrenpoint?

Eoin McCartan was supremely talented. Just a pity injury curtailed his career.

yeah i remember lester think he is in san fran now was a good player ok but liam howlett was a far better player also from the point got very bad injury's that put an end to him

[isourboydownyet]

remember a kerry lad in the early 90's from dingle,fintan ashe,brillant minor

[tyroneman]

Cookstowns Raymond Mulgrew.

Fantastic Minor, some sublime senior scores but never made it. Still on the Senior panel but time ticking away..

[oakleafgael]

Conleth Gilligan and Eamon Burns are two who never fulfulled the potential in the county colours that they showed at either club or underage level. Mark Lynch is heading that way to I fear.

[Jinxy]

Was there a Cassidy playing corner forward on the Derry u-21 team that beat Meath years ago?
Blondie lad.
He was class.
Himself and Muldoon ran the show.

[oakleafgael]

Was there a Cassidy playing corner forward on the Derry u-21 team that beat Meath years ago?
Blondie lad.
He was class.
Himself and Muldoon ran the show.

Joe Cassidy. He showed glimpses of his potential in the run to the All Ireland Semi final in 1998 that they threw away against Galway. He had a very bad run with injuries, seen him get a very bad concussion in Celtic Pk and he looked delerious that say. He quit county football at around 24/25 and played away with Bellaghy, his injuries cost him the bit of pace he had but he was still deadly at club level.

[Hoof Hearted]

What about John Mulholland, Belllaghy legend !

[oakleafgael]

What about John Mulholland, Belllaghy legend !

He had potential alright HH, what that potential was for wasnt to be a top class footballer!

[imtommygunn]

Beano McDonald.

One of the best minor displays I ever saw was by a Greenlough fella called Garret O'Neill in Celtic park (if I remember correctly Paddy Bradley was also minor the same year). I'm not sure he ever played senior - best display of fielding I ever saw though.(I think some McCanns from Greenlough showed similar promise)

Daisy McDermott also for his promise has done nothing.

Brian Mallon for me showed lots of promise but has been poor enough at senior too.

[seafoid]

Simon Crozier is the most talented player I have ever laid eyes on. Could do anything with a ball.

Still only a young man but has hero status in Derrymacash

And that is what the GAA is all about. I saw a Joe Cooney Laochra Gael clip on youtube last night. Every boy in his parish plays hurling and JC is the inspiration. Pure class. 

[Lar Naparka]

Dermot Washington (Roscommon)
James Gill (Mayo)

Washington was a class minor alright but he failed to develop his potential and if I remember correctly, he faded from the scene soon after moving up to u21.
Some Rossie friends told me that he wasn't big enough or strong enough to mix it at that level-especially since he was a always going to be singled out for rough treatment.  Don't know if he ever played senior but I had been expecting great things from him and I was sorry when he failed to make it.
On the other hand, James Gill had plenty of chances at senior level but he blew hot and cold and could never hit a consistent run of form.
It's a b it odd that  Mayo had a good few players like Gill who were equally talented but were missing the vital bit of self-confidence or whatever it takes to make it at top level. Marty McNicholas was one and so was Ronan Golding. We had Austin O'Mallley , Alan Roche and Alan Costello who were in the same boat.

[boojangles]

Cillian Sheridan- Cavan.Best fielder of a ball I seen at Minor but his Soccer ambitions robbed us of a fine midfielder.
John Tierney and Paddy Brady are others I would put in the same bracket. Paddy travelled Down Under to represent Irelands U-17s in 2001 with his club mate Mark Mc Keever, picked up a knee injury and was never the same player again. Hasn't kicked a ball in years which is very sad.

Eoin Mc Cartan had some potential around the same time.

[Eddie Stobart]

Beano McDonald.

Very true,one of the best talents I have ever seen,such a shame he didn't fulfill his potential.
In fact Laois more than any other county in Ireland has had more talented footballers who never reached their potential.
I would have loved some of them to be playing for Carlow,really Laois should have won at least 1 All Ireland from 2003 - 2007.