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GAA Discussion => Local GAA Discussion => Down => Topic started by: downboy2011 on December 08, 2011, 10:05:24 AM

Title: Down's greatest ever player?
Post by: downboy2011 on December 08, 2011, 10:05:24 AM
Who do you think has been Down's greatest ever player?

I know there will be the responses of Sean O'Neill and the likes but many people has forgot about the brilliance of Austin in the centre of the field. He was a complete unsong hero and imo never got the praise he fully deserved. He was a fantastic fielder of the ball and had a sweet right boot on him too. Just my opinion though.
Title: Re: Down's greatest ever player?
Post by: umpire on December 08, 2011, 10:35:05 AM
Tom O'Hare of Mayobridge
Title: Down's greatest ever player?
Post by: 5 Sams on December 08, 2011, 10:40:04 AM
Quote from: downboy2011 on December 08, 2011, 10:05:24 AM
Who do you think has been Down's greatest ever player?

I know there will be the responses of Sean O'Neill and the likes but many people has forgot about the brilliance of Austin in the centre of the field. He was a complete unsong hero and imo never got the praise he fully deserved. He was a fantastic fielder of the ball and had a sweet right boot on him too. Just my opinion though.

Sorry Downboy...he wouldnt make the top 10...O'Neill, Blaney, Linden, Doherty, Wee James, Oul James, Tom O'Hare were all streets ahead...good enough player but spent too much time on his arse to be honest.
Title: Re: Down's greatest ever player?
Post by: amallon on December 08, 2011, 10:43:33 AM
I'd have Benny in the top 10.  He carried a poor down team for the guts of a decade.  Imagine he had been full forward during the early 90's.
Title: Re: Down's greatest ever player?
Post by: downboy2011 on December 08, 2011, 10:54:36 AM
imo people completely underrated austin. Saw his son play for point minors in chship final too. Class act also.
Title: Re: Down's greatest ever player?
Post by: RGU08 on December 08, 2011, 11:12:17 AM
Quote from: amallon on December 08, 2011, 10:43:33 AM
I'd have Benny in the top 10.  He carried a poor down team for the guts of a decade.  Imagine he had been full forward during the early 90's.

We might not have beaten Kerry in the semi-final if that was the case!!! :o
Title: Re: Down's greatest ever player?
Post by: one day on December 08, 2011, 12:44:38 PM
Peter Rooney   Warrenpoint
Title: Re: Down's greatest ever player?
Post by: pointman129 on December 08, 2011, 02:58:30 PM
Mickey Linden class act for club and county
Title: Re: Down's greatest ever player?
Post by: umpire on December 08, 2011, 03:22:46 PM
I have sent this message below last year on gaaboard,  i have changed to included last year's players.

In my experience following the Down teams from 1960 era , these are my selection of fine players who play for Down Senior Football team.

1. Neil Collins, Carryduff
2. Tommy McGovern, Burren
3. Leo Murphy, Lisnarcree
4. Tom O'Hare, Mayobridge
5. Cathal Digney, Saval
6. Dan McCartan, Glenn
7. Joe Lennon, Aghaderg
8. Colm McAlarney, Liatroim
9. Jarlath Carey, Dundrum
10. Ambrose Rodgers, (Sen) Longstone
11. Greg Blaney, Carryduff
12. Paddy Doherty, Ballykinlar
13. Mickey Linden, Mayobridge
14. Sean O'Neill, Newry Mitchels
15. Benny Coulter, Mayobridge

My second selection

1.Micheal McVeigh
2.Brendan Sloan, Atticall
3.Conor Deegan, Downpatrick
4. Barry Breen, Downpatrick
5. Pasty O'Hagan, Clonduff
6. Paddy O'Rourke, Burren
7. DJ Kane, Newry Shamrocks
8. Liam Austin, Rostrevor
9. Brendan Toner, Castlewellan
10. Ross Carr, Clonduff
11. James McCartan, (Sen) Glenn
12. James McCartan (jun), Tullylish
13. Peter Rooney, Warrenpoint,
14. John McCartan, Glenn
15. Martin Clarke An Riocht.

Others players who have also played well.
Geogre Lavery, Kilwarlin
Pat Rice, Castlewellan,
Kevin Mussen, Clonduff
Tony Hadden, Newry Shamrocks
Breen Morgan, Annaclone
Willie Doyle, Liatroim
James Milligan, Ardglass
Micheal Cole, Rostrevor
Micheal Cunningham, Bryansford
Cecil Ward, Bryansford
Adrain McAuilfield, St Michael
Mark Turley, Glenn
Paddy Kennedy, Glenn
Brendan McGovern, Burren
Jim McCartan, Glenn
Donal Bell, Tecounnagh
Brendan Mason, Loughinisland
Paul Higgins, Ballymartin
Gregory McCartan, Ballymartin
Eamon Burns Bryansford.
Gary Mason. Loughinisland
Brendan McVeigh, An Riocht
Dan Gordon, Loughinisland.
Daniel Hughes, Saval
Best match
1994 in Celtic Park Derry, Down v Derry in Ulster Championship

Best individual performance
Tom O'Hare, Mayobridge in 1968 All Ireland Semi-final against great Galway side who have won three in row 64,65 and 66.

Top Ten players
1.   Sean O'Neill
2.   Tom O'Hare
3.   Colm McAlarnery
4.   Paddy Doherty
5.   Mickey Linden
6.   Greg Blaney
7.   Benny Coulter
8.   Leo Murphy
9.   Tommy McGovern
10. Joe Lennon

Best Down Club Player
Shorty Treanor Burren,
never made any impact on Down Senior team., should have been good enough for Down on 91 and 94 teams.
Best Manager, Peter McGrath, Rostrevor.

Dalsey Mooney Clonduff and  Brian Conlon, Newry Mitchels were brilliant young players and they could have been really outstanding players of all time for Down but they had to retired early due to serious injuries.
Title: Re: Down's greatest ever player?
Post by: downtothecore on December 10, 2011, 06:55:57 PM
Greg Blaney...3 all stars....
Title: Re: Down's greatest ever player?
Post by: Leo on December 13, 2011, 12:24:53 AM
Quote from: downtothecore on December 10, 2011, 06:55:57 PM
Greg Blaney...3 all stars....

No arguement
No Blaney? - no All-Irelands since 1968
Real stuff
Title: Re: Down's greatest ever player?
Post by: 5 Sams on December 13, 2011, 12:36:44 AM
Quote from: Leo on December 13, 2011, 12:24:53 AM
Quote from: downtothecore on December 10, 2011, 06:55:57 PM
Greg Blaney...3 all stars....

No arguement
No Blaney? - no All-Irelands since 1968
Real stuff
V Hard to disagree with that!
Title: Re: Down's greatest ever player?
Post by: turkey+ham on December 13, 2011, 11:01:40 PM
In my time watching Down, it has to be:

1. Greg Blaney
2. Mickey Linden
3. James McCartan
4. Benny Coulter
5. Gregory McCartan
Title: Re: Down's greatest ever player?
Post by: Leo on December 21, 2011, 02:38:15 AM
An absolute  joy to see McAlarney featuring here - a swashbucling elegant athlete who adorned GAA.
But you can't discuss the best ever Down player without mentioning a McCartan  - and the best McCartan ever was Greg Blaney (which is why he never played for Armagh).
Title: Re: Down's greatest ever player?
Post by: Aristo 60 on November 23, 2012, 01:54:12 PM
1) Linden
2) Blaney
3) Coulter
4) Clarke
5) Wee James

(in my time)
Title: Re: Down's greatest ever player?
Post by: seafoid on November 23, 2012, 02:37:41 PM
You'll never get agreement in terms of footballing skill but for sheer balls and audacity the players of the 1960 all Ireland team set the template for the teams  that followed.  The impact of a team from the occupied 6 going to Dublin and beating Kerry in an all Ireland- ni bheidh a leithéid aris ann.

The first Sams for Derry, Armagh and (finally) Tyrone were all magical  but Down were the trailblazers.
It is hard to imagine Mickey Harte emerging in the 00s if Ulster had stayed in the pre 1960 state when only Cavan won anything.   

I wonder as well what sort of an impact 1960 had on the consciousness of nationalists up North.
Title: Re: Down's greatest ever player?
Post by: ballela-angel on November 23, 2012, 05:59:21 PM
I wonder as well what sort of an impact 1960 had on the consciousness of nationalists up North

In my opinion, the impact was massive, and that, coupled with the education of Catholics was the Genesis of the Civil Rights Movement - Both led Catholics to believe for the first time in a generation that they were as Irish as anyone in the South and deserved to be treated fairly by a "Protestant parliament for a protestant people"
Title: Re: Down's greatest ever player?
Post by: seafoid on November 23, 2012, 09:21:10 PM
Quote from: ballela-angel on November 23, 2012, 05:59:21 PM
I wonder as well what sort of an impact 1960 had on the consciousness of nationalists up North

In my opinion, the impact was massive, and that, coupled with the education of Catholics was the Genesis of the Civil Rights Movement - Both led Catholics to believe for the first time in a generation that they were as Irish as anyone in the South and deserved to be treated fairly by a "Protestant parliament for a protestant people"
Is there anywhere to read a bit more on that?
Title: Re: Down's greatest ever player?
Post by: ballela-angel on November 23, 2012, 11:36:20 PM
Is there anywhere to read a bit more on that?
The influence of an educated Catholic population on the Civil Rights movement has been mentioned in many publications and I suspect a search of the Internet will find many references - The influence of the Down win has been mentioned in a few publications, but  I have never seen any in-depth discussion of it - If you can find any, I'd like to read them - I can tell you that at least two of the Civil Rights leaders in South Down/South Armagh, Sean Hollywood and Paddy O'Hanlon have both told me that Down's win in '60 and '61 greatly influenced their self-esteem as regards being Irish  - I can also tell a story about Breen Morgan (left full forward on the Down '60 and '61 teams) that he told me he would not have done before winning 2 All-Irelands - Breen grew up in Annaclone and "courted" and later married a girl from Dromore - As a result he was often on the road between the two places and one night he was stopped close to his Annaclone home by the B-Specials - Despite having been in the media from the 2 wins, the Specials did not recognise him and Breen had no identification with him - So Breen was told that he would have to accompanied by one of the Specials and brought to a police sation to be identified so he opted for Katebridge where he was well known and not too far out of his way to Dromore - So Breen headed off with the Special as a passenger in his vehicle with him to be identified in Katesbridge - Breen was immediately recognised in the police station there and was told he could leave and get on his way - When he was getting into his vehicle to leave for Dromore the Special went to get into the passenger seat thinking that Breen would take him back to Annaclone - Breen told him to make his own f***ing way back the 10 miles or so to Annaclone, but that Breen wasn't taking him - Sounds like a small thing now after all these years and the many events that have passed, but in those days, early '60s, that was a big act of defiance and took a lot of courage to defy the rule of the B Specials
Title: Re: Down's greatest ever player?
Post by: Leo on December 09, 2012, 09:35:19 PM
Maybe not Down's greatest ever player, but "the Spirit of Breen Morgan"!!
Title: Re: Down's greatest ever player?
Post by: RedBlackPurpleGold on January 05, 2013, 11:46:20 PM
Best GoalKeeper- Neil Collins
Best Defender- Paddy O'Rouke in the 80's
Best Midfielder- Colm McAlarney
Best Forward- Greg Blaney
Next best, Mickey McVeigh, Paul Higgins, Greg McCartan, Mickey Linden, Wee James McCartan, Benny Coulter and Barry Breen
I didnt see the 60's team.
Title: Re: Down's greatest ever player?
Post by: Leo on January 05, 2013, 11:58:16 PM
Quote from: RedBlackPurpleGold on January 05, 2013, 11:46:20 PM
I didnt see the 60's team.

Obviously.
Title: Re: Down's greatest ever player?
Post by: RedBlackPurpleGold on January 11, 2013, 09:22:18 PM
Quote from: Leo on December 21, 2011, 02:38:15 AM
But you can't discuss the best ever Down player without mentioning a McCartan  - and the best McCartan ever was Greg Blaney (which is why he never played for Armagh).

Greg Blaney is not a McCartan though John,Jim and Mickey McCartans mother was a Blaney
Title: Re: Down's greatest ever player?
Post by: Bridgeman12 on April 25, 2013, 08:36:23 AM
Hard one to choose men.