Sky Sports/Today FM 15 for 15

[tippabu]

what sort of timescale these teams been picked from, none of them would be an all time team or even a team of the past 25yrs

tis gas how some people romantisise about how great football and hurling was back in the day.

[magpie seanie]

Surprised no-one mentioned Maurice Fitz

Probably wouldn't be in on the basis of it being the last 15 years.

I was about to. Played for Kerry up to 2001 so he qualifies as playing in the era. Had the pleasure of seeing his MOTM display in the Kerry County Final in 2005, will live long in the memory.

[magpie seanie]

Graham Geraghty also.

[JoG2]

what sort of timescale these teams been picked from, none of them would be an all time team or even a team of the past 25yrs

tis gas how some people romantisise about how great football and hurling was back in the day.

it was feckin great ! good honest to god, no diving open football / hurling (still no diving in hurling, well there could be but the Tyrone hurling matches aren't televised) played by the best players in their respective counties. What did we have to compare it to btw?

[Ciarrai_thuaidh]

Have had lots of debate and discussions around this over last week. So many silly teams but a lot of very good debate and teams picked aswell.
Stevie McDonnell put his team up the other day and in fairness there were 13 that I would have little argument with. Wouldn't have McMenamin or McConville on it myself, but they are hardly miles off either in fairness.

For me, you HAVE TO include:
Cluxton, 3 O'Sé's, Jordan, Kavanagh, Dooher, Gooch, Canavan, Bernard Brogan. All have shown sustained excellence over several years and all of them have done the business in the biggest games more often than not.

The half forward line is a nightmare to pick. I'm on record as stating that Brian McGuigan at his peak was one of my favourite players of the era. I probably prefer my centre forward to be more of a McGuigan type than a Declan O'Sullivan type..but, Declan was consistently excellent over a longer period and in fairness, Brian picked up the horrible eye injury which robbed us of seeing more of him at his best. I'm not going to argue much with anyone putting Dec on the wing and Brian at 11 on a team, but I've gone for Declan at 11. Dooher is at 10, and anyone arguing that just has no clue. 12...I've picked Galvin. Biased? Yeah probably. In a year or 2, it's very likely I'll pick Flynn here or Connolly or both of them. Flynn has been consistently very good since 2011, but based on Galvin being at the top of the game from 2004 to 2010 I've included Galvin for now. McConville just loses out as he did a lot of his best work inside. Connolly has only really hit the highest of high levels since 2013. He will be in this team before long though I've no doubt.

Inside line was easy to be honest. Gooch - Canavan - Brogan. Imagine trying to mark that!
When I put my own team into the actual competition I was after a few jars last weekend and I put Maurice Fitz at 14

Fullback is a major issue. Darran Fay would be a shoe-in if this were a 95-2015 team for me, but even though he played up to 2007 or so, he really had done his best work before 2000 and got a lot of trouble off lesser opponents in the latter years.
Seamus Moynihan was excellent at fullback in 2000, 2001 and 2002 (up to the final). Does he merit inclusion based on 2 and a bit years?
Neil McGee is a good defender and has been decent over last 3 or 4 years, but I don't think he's in the same bracket as those 2 above.
I'm willing to accept that I've fudged the issue at fullback somewhat with my selection, but I've been amazed the guy I've picked hasn't been mentioned more as he was a top notch defender. He did also play 3 for a few years and in a lot of big games.
Lacey was an excellent corner man before moving out. McGeeney wasn't a total lock at 6, but he was a huge influence over a number of years in fairness and I couldn't think of anyone I'd include ahead of him.

Anyway, this is what I'd pick as of right now.

1. Stephen Cluxton    (Parnells & Dublin)

2. Marc O'Sé              (An Gaeltacht and Kerry)
3. Tom O'Sullivan       (Rathmore and Kerry)
4. Karl Lacey              (Four Masters and Donegal)

5. Tomás O'Sé           (An Gaeltacht and Kerry)
6. Kieran McGeeney   (Mullaghbawn/Na Fianna and Armagh)
7. Philip Jordan          (Moy and Tyrone)

8. Darragh O'Sé         (An Gaeltacht and Kerry)
9. Seán Kavanagh      (Moy and Tyrone)

10. Brian Dooher        (Clan na Gael and Tyrone)
11. Declan O'Sullivan (Dromid Pearses and Kerry)
12. Paul Galvin           (Finuge and Kerry)

13. Colm Cooper        (Dr. Crokes and Kerry)
14. Peter Canavan      (Errigal Ciarán and Tyrone)
15. Bernard Brogan    (Oliver Plunketts/Eoghan Ruadh and Dublin)

[magpie seanie]

This is tough. Not really entirely happy with my team but this is the best I can come up with:

                         S. Cluxton

SM Lockhart       B. Owens      K. Higgins 

T O'Sé               C. Gormley    K. Lacey 

           D. O'Sé             S. Cavanagh

B. Dooher         C. McDonald    P. Flynn

P. Joyce            P. Canavan      C. Cooper

So many great players not in that. Changed my mind on one or two while typing, very difficult.

[AZOffaly]

That's a good team. I'd have Declan O'Sullivan instead of Padraig Joyce, but it's a good spread of counties and all. I think I'd have Diarmuid Connolly instead of Paul Flynn too. Your defence looks unreal though.

[magpie seanie]

That's a good team. I'd have Declan O'Sullivan instead of Padraig Joyce, but it's a good spread of counties and all. I think I'd have Diarmuid Connolly instead of Paul Flynn too. Your defence looks unreal though.

Thanks AZ.

Connolly v. Flynn was one of the tough calls I made and I just went with Flynn on consistency over a longer period of time up to now. Connolly currently in better form and the best player in the country in my view and after both their careers Connolly will probably be regarded as the better player. For now though it's Flynn for me. I'd happily take either.

Hard to argue against Declan O'Sullivan either. I would have had him more as a half forward and just couldn't squeeze him in there. Joyce's 2001 final display sticks with me as iconic. "Kick it in to me" He then carried Galway in leaner times towards the back end of that decade.

Liked the cut of my defense also, some mean fcukers who can play ball.

[rosnarun]

1. Cluxton
2.  Canty
3.  McCarthy
4. Higgins
5. T O'Se
6. Moynihan
7. Lkeegan
8. Darragh O'Se
9. David Moran
10. Maurice fitz
11. Micheal donnellan
12. C mcdonald
13. Canavan
14. A oSE
15. Gooch

[muppet]

This is tough. Not really entirely happy with my team but this is the best I can come up with:

                         S. Cluxton

SM Lockhart       B. Owens      K. Higgins 

T O'Sé               C. Gormley    K. Lacey 

           D. O'Sé             S. Cavanagh

B. Dooher         C. McDonald    P. Flynn

P. Joyce            P. Canavan      C. Cooper

So many great players not in that. Changed my mind on one or two while typing, very difficult.

Yea i like this team, but Maurice Fitz qualifies and he goes on at 15 with Gooch switching, and I would have Glen Ryan or the Pony ahead of Gormley. Very hard to leave Joyce & Murphy & Stevie from Killeavey out though. Limerick's John Galvin might put both of those midfielders under pressure.

Michael Donnellan is another I would like to put in.

So in conclusion I can't pick a team and limit it to 15.

[Syferus]

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.

[Highlander3]

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 

[magpie seanie]

This is tough. Not really entirely happy with my team but this is the best I can come up with:

                         S. Cluxton

SM Lockhart       B. Owens      K. Higgins 

T O'Sé               C. Gormley    K. Lacey 

           D. O'Sé             S. Cavanagh

B. Dooher         C. McDonald    P. Flynn

P. Joyce            P. Canavan      C. Cooper

So many great players not in that. Changed my mind on one or two while typing, very difficult.

Yea i like this team, but Maurice Fitz qualifies and he goes on at 15 with Gooch switching, and I would have Glen Ryan or the Pony ahead of Gormley. Very hard to leave Joyce & Murphy & Stevie from Killeavey out though. Limerick's John Galvin might put both of those midfielders under pressure.

Michael Donnellan is another I would like to put in.

So in conclusion I can't pick a team and limit it to 15.

Good points and all tight calls for me too.

Maurice is probably my favourite footballer ever so I can't believe I left him out. I just felt he didn't play enough in 2000 to 2015 but if I'm honest that day in Killarney that I saw him in the Kerry county final was enough on its own. Awesome in every way imaginable.

Considered both Glen Ryan and Moynihan for centre back and for much the same reason just gave the nod to Gormley. The era covers his whole career whereas Ryan's best days were probably pre-2000. Moynihan played in the FB line later in his career (in this era) and in my selection that probably led to him falling between two stools.

The two midfielders just had to be in for consistency over that period. Others, like Galvin, may have hit even greater heights for shorter spells though. Dermot Early another example. Even a rare day that Darragh came off second best he was good I always felt.

[T O Hare]

I tried to do this and its too hard. There had been some unreal players and especially forwards in the past fifteen years. The all Ireland winners will always into the majority of these fifteens but players like Browne, McDonald ,Doyle, Bradley and especially my club mate Benny Coulter were double and trebled marked for years and still were top class players.

[Syferus]

I tried to do this and its too hard. There had been some unreal players and especially forwards in the past fifteen years. The all Ireland winners will always into the majority of these fifteens but players like Browne, McDonald ,Doyle, Bradley and especially my club mate Benny Coulter were double and trebled marked for years and still were top class players.

It would be interesting to see people name a first team and then a second team. It would throw up many more interesting choices by getting the big names out of the way.