GAA Hard men (all counties)

[realredhandfan]

There was also a very notorious friendly under lights between Armagh and Tyrone where Harry Mc Clure chased the two Grimleys into the dressing rooms.  I can remember Blaney and his cousin Fergal Logan sledging in the 94 Ulster final.  I think even the referee decided to leave them at it... A hard old schooler...
IMHO from the games I watched from a Tyrone perspective:
Hardest Tyrone man: Eugene mc kenna: took the Grimley out
Hardest Armagh man: Keiran Mc Geeney: Put Hub on his arse in 2002
Hardest Donegal man: Adrian Sweeney (took Lawn out of er in Ballybofey.
Hardest  Down man: Greg Blaney: Took the cousin out for a trimming in 94
Hardest Meath man:b Martin O Connell:  declared a one man war on Tyrone in 96, won his war then his all ireland. 
Hardest Dub: Brian Mullins stood all over Donaghy in 84 semi
Hardest Cork man:  Niall Cathalane:  Was targetted by Meath as a cub in 88 stood up to a lot of battering. Lost Cork an All ireland when he woke up Gormley in 1993.
Hardest Derry man: Brian Mc Gilligan (possibly the hardest Ive seen) enuf said
Hardest Kerry Man:  Paidi.  Hard ferocious man for a small man.... still hard as ever.

[Timothy Leary]

was that Dermot Doran?
or his older brother PJ (imo PJ was hardier)
Hardest of all the O'Donoghues was Paddy, but I would still think Phelim Farrell was tougher (Colm wasnt farr off it also).
I think davy Dalton put himself on the line alot - but was easy enough inj - which imo rules him out of being among the 'hardest'

Yer Man Pat Flynn from st. Kevins was a savage too (bernard flynns cousin - all the flynns were from clogherinkoe originally too I believe).
Cloghs Tom doodle Kelly was tough as nails.

Stories were that Ambrose oDonovan of Kerry was the hardiest amongst them in the Kerry golden years

Twas PJ alright, one of the most dogged backs in club football. The rasher was a savage, both on the field and also in the bees knees.

The Flynn's played for the Cloghs with Bernard's father, Noel a handy full forward. A discussion between Cloghs supporters one night ended with a row as to whether Joe Flynn, (Bernards uncle) and Mick Moore (his cousin) were the best ever players for the club. Another Flynn cousin was Gerry Carroll who won an Ireland in '82.

Paddy O'Donoghue taught me maths for the leaving cert, the most useless hoor ever to teach. Football talk start to finish, 'twas a miracle any of us passed.

[cavanmaniac]

..but the stories coming from Gowna way at least were the gunner was tough, but was more inclined to hit you a dirty slap than a manly face to face tussle

Possibly correct alright, I wouldn't know. The opinion of the Joe Soaps is that he was one tough f**ker.

That said, I spoke to Cavan legend Mick Higgins some years ago and the Gunner came up in conversation and he reckoned that alot of the stories going around about his hard man antics were alot of exaggerrated myth-making and the real truth was that was no better or worse on the field than anyone else of his generation. Depends on what you believe I suppose.

Another Cavan player of that generation told me too that possibly the filthiest footballer, in the sneaky sense, that he ever encountered on the pitch was a guy called Red Collier of Meath. Never heard much about this guy tbh but some of the Meath lads might be able to fill us in...although I'd say the history in Meath might be told in a different light to that in Cavan!

[Border Fox]

Hardest Monaghan Man: - Not a noted race of hard men

Gerry McCarville perhaps?

[Croí na hÉireann]

For the size of him John Keane is as tough as they come, yet to see him come out second best in any encounter.

[Uladh]

having meath as my adopted second county, i'd say harnan was the hardest fecker i ever saw.

and it was paul grimley who hit lynch in the tunnel...

[Rufus T Firefly]

I think it was Mark that hit Lynch at half time in the tunnel in 89.  Mc Kenna let him catch the ball at the start of the second half and ran through him,  He didnt want to know after.

There was also a very notorious friendly under lights between Armagh and Tyrone where Harry Mc Clure chased the two Grimleys into the dressing rooms.

Uh oh - red and white tinted glasses alert!

Statement one is factually incorrect and I would take issue with the conclusion, which basically boils down your personal opinion based on what side of the argument you are on!

Statement two is factually incorrect - I wasn't there, but I played and watched the Grimleys play for nigh on twenty years, and they never run from anyone, ever, and they were up against the odds plenty of time!

[AZOffaly]

Based on lads I've seen in the flesh, I'd say that Offaly's two hardest men were probably Sean 'Clocker' Grennan in football, or else perhaps Richie Connor, while the 80's vintage of hurlers had a few lads who weren't behind the door when the physical stuff went on. Probably Padraig Horan as the one with the most bloody tendencies, as befits a good Rynagh's man

[stephenite]

From what i can remember knockmore's hardest man

Hard, or just filthy ? Knockmore have had far harder men over the years than this fella

[harpsman]

the Grimleys play for nigh on twenty years, and they never run from anyone, ever, and they were up against the odds plenty of time!

I would have to agree with that.  The stick them boys took was unreal - they had to be hauled to the ground to get a free.

But then the game is full of hard men if we're being honest.  The difference between being hard and dirty is that one commands respect and the other will ensure the complete opposite.

[Hungry Exile]

I think it was Mark that hit Lynch at half time in the tunnel in 89.  Mc Kenna let him catch the ball at the start of the second half and ran through him,  He didnt want to know after.

I thought it was their cousin Paul who was at Lynch in the tunnel that day

[Mayo4Sam]

From what i can remember knockmore's hardest man

Hard, or just filthy ? Knockmore have had far harder men over the years than this fella

Name one? I'd have him ahead of stanton, peter butler, eugene mchale, liam o'neill, liam mchale

[stephenite]

Well Staunton and Butler for a start, but we're getting into the "what makes a hard man" , Staunton and Butler would go through walls etc. and front up toe to toe. Rambo was the type of guy that wouldn't give you that chance as you'd have been taken out by a cheap shot to the ceann while your back was turned. I've seen him do this, both in his Ardagh incarnation and  Knockmore. Good footballer mind you, destroyed us in a junior championship game quite a few years back.


I'd never have really have classed Liam McHale as a 'hard man' , he'd mix it up with the best of him if they came looking but he never really went out of his way to flatten some fella who was wide open for a fair but killer shoulder or anything. Whereas DB in the same position would try and make sure that they'd have to scrape the man off the ground

[charlie linkbox]

Hardest Monaghan Man: - Not a noted race of hard men

Gerry McCarville perhaps?

Nah, Fergus Caulfield. When he hit you, you lay down and didn't get up.

[john mcgill]

Tommy Corr, the Ireland boxer, played underage for Tyrone and was handy enough on thne pitch