Messages

1991- being on hill 16 to see down win the all-ireland, what a day.
1994- derry v down in celtic park, best match i was ever at.
1994- seeing down beat the dubs in their own back yard to win the AI.
1990- ireland v romania penalty shoot out.
1988- ireland v england in stuttgart
1989- everton v liverpool fa cup final
1986- maradona in the world cup, unreal.
1985- taylor v davies in world snooker final
2002- ireland in world cup, saipan and all that
2012- katie taylors olympic gold
1994- ireland v italy in giants stadium

I remember all of them, the hill in 91 being the best

Why what did it say about the atmosphere in the Meath dressing room?

Is there any word of the u21 panel yet with championship next week?

Each County panel should have a liaison person to give the County supporter info
on how each of our Teams are going.Special Branch secrecy prevails.

Agreed, anyone know how they have been doing in friendlies?

Not a lot to be happy about at the moment, how are the minors and u21's I reason to believe if either of them teams will do well this year?

Ref is doing us no favours but Donegal do look better in the first half, we have to up the pace after the break

what do you make of McKay from Burren in middle of the park? Big Man with some great skill, excellent fielder of the ball

Agree but thought O'sullivan had a great game for Down and deserved MOM for his incisive balls into the half forward line. McGovern showed up well too but I think that Benny when he comes back should inject a bit of thrust into the half back line.  A big  role for him but if he can produce the form he showed in 2010 I don't think Down will be too far away come September!

Who is O'Sullivan?

Thanks Mourne man, that is a good few, is madine also playing for UUJ?

Hi Mourne man who was playing for queens? I see clarke was.

Anyone know if down men were planning for uuj?

Yes it's been very quite regarding the McKenna cup squad, has anyone heard anything?

+3

He is a natural scoring forward, something that dublin teams usually lack

Great footballer

Agreed red eye

Hope he comes back this year

It's whoever is going the best on the team that is going the furthest.

James O Donoghue one year.

Michael Murphy another.

Diarmuid Connolly another.

You d have to go back to mid 90's to get a player that was 'carrying' a team. Peter Canavan. By the mid 00s he was the cherry on the top of a fine cake. Murphy had likes of Durcan, Gallagher, Lacey, McGlynn, McGee and McFadden at times, being top class as well.
Connolly and O'Donoghue as well have considerable cavalry in support. In fact you could make a case for more important players on both those sides.

In fairness if carrying a team is the requirement it's got to be Niall McNamee and Emlyn Mulligan.

Yeah. Add in likes of Peter McGinnity, O Hara, Declan Browne, Mickey Kearins, Dessie Barry, Kevin O Brien, Mattie Forde, in the past.

But Canavan was the alpha player for Tyrone in mid 90s. Got within dodgy reffing of an AI with a welter-weight midfield. The 80s team had great big All Time Great  players like McGuigan and Eugene McKenna. Then you had likes of Plunkett Donaghy, O Hagen and McCabe as well in those 80s teams. Some of the 90s Tyrone did last until the AIs. Everybody remembers Colm O Rourke saying that Tyrone would nt win an AI with likes of Dooher in the team. I thought that was silly at the time myself.

Anyway, what I m saying is, that Peter Canavan has been the most important individual player that I ve seen in a team at the highest level.

Totally agree with this, that's why I think Canavan is the best player I have ever seen

The Meyler incident is crazy. In my opinion he altered his run at the last minute as it looked like Kieran Hughes was going to continue with his run straight through Conor Meyler. It looked to me like Meyler was protecting himself.

Imagine this.....

Jack Mc Caffrey breaks out of the Dublin defence in the All Ireland final (a la Conor Meyler v Monaghan), Sean Cavanagh sprints across the field to tackle him (a la Kieran Hughes v Tyrone). Mc Caffrey pops off a handpass before colliding with Cavanagh (exactly as the incident involving Meyler and Hughes) and as the ref awards a free to Tyrone and a black card to Mc Caffrey the RTE cameras show a laughing Sean Cavanagh. JUST IMAGINE THE UPROAR!!!!

I am no fan of tyrone but fully agree with this about Meyler - don't understand why so few see it like this! I can understand why the ref made the decision as it was a split second interpretation but looking back not a black at all.

Totally agree with your comment here and can't really understand why more people don't see it like this, felt sorry for Meyler

What McCann did in this game was disgraceful, he is not the first player to do something like this Shields was a joke this year as well, and I remember mcGuigan in an ulster final years  getting McCartan send of for having the ball thrown at him.

But at some point in time the GAA has to take a stand it can't keep letting this happen or else we go the way of soccer

I would not be surprised if they make an example of McCann and think it would be good if they started banned players for diving 

Cluxton - Did not revolutionize the position like some think he did but he is easily the GoAT at this position.

Marc O'Se - I'm most iffy on this position - I went with the player I feel is the best footballer here.
Neil McGee
Keith Higgins

Tomas O'Se
Kieran McGeeney
Karl Lacey

Darragh O'Se
Aidan O'Shea - Very young for this list but absolutely immense in the air.

Paul Flynn
Sean Cavanagh
Ciaran McDonald

Peter Canavan
Michael Murphy
Colm Cooper

Michael Donnellan (and pointedly not Joyce) would be the player I'd feel worst about leaving out.

This team is probably close to mine, the problem with these discussions is the cut off, ie if you played in these years should you be counted even though your best years were before this period

Also positions are an issue as some players especially in today's game did not play set positions

Main changes I would make is SM Lockhart into the fullback line

I would put Benny coulter in the forwards probably in front of Flynn

And can't believe I am leaving out, Joyce, donnellan, McDonnell 3 of my all time favorites

I do be a bit biased by the compromise rules series, I know it's a different game and suits more physical players, but I also think it's a great leveller as to who are really great players as opposed to being part of great teams, and coulter and Lockhart were 2 of the all time greats in my opinion in them series and that is part of the reason I think they have to be in this team