Laochra Gael - Stevie McDonnell

[Redhand Santa]

Would be hard to pick a combined 15 between those Tyrone Kerry and Armagh teams from 02 to 09. The football and rivalry at the time didn't get the credit it deserved with far too much talk of puke football and northern tactics.

I could pick my defence ok from the period:

Mark ose
Moynihan
Gormley
Tomas ose
Mcgeeney
Jordan

Half back line easy but Ricey very unlucky not to make full back line and if Cormac had got longer would have been a shoe in.

Midfield would probably be dara ose and cavanagh but very hard to leave out McGrane.

Up front hard to fit in:
Dooher
Mcguigan
Oneill
Canavan
McDonnell
Declan o'sullivan
Gooch

Not sure who'd make way there. Likes of Clarke McConville mugsy mcginley and galvin would just miss out.

[Taylor]

Would be hard to pick a combined 15 between those Tyrone Kerry and Armagh teams from 02 to 09. The football and rivalry at the time didn't get the credit it deserved with far too much talk of puke football and northern tactics.

I could pick my defence ok from the period:

Mark ose
Moynihan
Gormley
Tomas ose
Mcgeeney
Jordan

Half back line easy but Ricey very unlucky not to make full back line and if Cormac had got longer would have been a shoe in.

Midfield would probably be dara ose and cavanagh but very hard to leave out McGrane.

Up front hard to fit in:
Dooher
Mcguigan
Oneill
Canavan
McDonnell
Declan o'sullivan
Gooch

Not sure who'd make way there. Likes of Clarke McConville mugsy mcginley and galvin would just miss out.

McDonnell better than McConville??
Give me a break.

MConville did it for club and county for many many years

[nrico2006]

Would be hard to pick a combined 15 between those Tyrone Kerry and Armagh teams from 02 to 09. The football and rivalry at the time didn't get the credit it deserved with far too much talk of puke football and northern tactics.

I could pick my defence ok from the period:

Mark ose
Moynihan
Gormley
Tomas ose
Mcgeeney
Jordan

Half back line easy but Ricey very unlucky not to make full back line and if Cormac had got longer would have been a shoe in.

Midfield would probably be dara ose and cavanagh but very hard to leave out McGrane.

Up front hard to fit in:
Dooher
Mcguigan
Oneill
Canavan
McDonnell
Declan o'sullivan
Gooch

Not sure who'd make way there. Likes of Clarke McConville mugsy mcginley and galvin would just miss out.

McDonnell better than McConville??
Give me a break.

MConville did it for club and county for many many years

I didn't think you would find many arguing that McConville was better than McDonnell.  McDonnell was a different class.

[Walter Cronc]

Best performance I ever saw McDonnell give was a qualifier match against Dublin. Think Cluxton was sent off that day? He virtually beat the Dubs single handed. Great player. Talks some dung on twitter though. Liverpool fan which explains a lot

[StGallsGAA]

McDonnell was probably Armagh's most gifted forward ever. I've often heard it said that his biggest regret was that he wasn't born in Tyrone.

[seafoid]

Why armagh only won the one is one of the great mysteries, second only to why Mayo won none 

[Fuzzman]

Missed the show and like a lot on here thought Stevie McD was Armagh's best forward for years.
Always was surprised how so many Armagh ones thought Oisin was better than him. Yes he was excellent from frees and was a good forward but no where near SmD level.
I remember him scoring an amazing point in the 2003 final when both Cormac and I think Ricey were double teaming him yet he still collected a high ball in near the end line and scored an amazing point.
He seemed quite quiet and humble lad or at least you never heard him chat much.

[tonto1888]

Unbelievable at times. Definitely better than McConville - though that's not a slight on Oisin

[armaghniac]

Missed the show and like a lot on here thought Stevie McD was Armagh's best forward for years.
Always was surprised how so many Armagh ones thought Oisin was better than him. Yes he was excellent from frees and was a good forward but no where near SmD level.

Oisin provided tremendous leadership and was important to the team for that reason in addition to taking frees.

I remember him scoring an amazing point in the 2003 final when both Cormac and I think Ricey were double teaming him yet he still collected a high ball in near the end line and scored an amazing point.
He seemed quite quiet and humble lad or at least you never heard him chat much.

I recall this point, from a ridiculous angle, and commented to the person beside me that there was hope while such a man was on the team and indeed only the famous "block" prevented Stevie from having a critical impact in that game.

[Taylor]

McConville's roll of honour & match winning scores throughout his career would say different about who was best.
Neither lace the boots of PTG mind you - a true genius

[general_lee]

McConville's roll of honour & match winning scores throughout his career would say different about who was best.
Neither lace the boots of PTG mind you - a true genius

So if stevie was from Cross and took the frees? Who'd be better?

[Over the Bar]

Stevie was from Killeavy!

[Clov]

Best performance I ever saw McDonnell give was a qualifier match against Dublin. Think Cluxton was sent off that day? He virtually beat the Dubs single handed. Great player. Talks some dung on twitter though. Liverpool fan which explains a lot

Yes, i remember that day. Armagh were well down at half time and then came out and completely bossed the 2nd half.
The greatest performance i ever saw him give was against Wexford in the national league final. He was untouchable that day, kicking from either feet from every possible angle.

[illdecide]

What about the qualifier in Roscommon against Limerick in 03 (i think) McDonnell scored 3-04 i think...

Having marked both men they both had their own qualities. Believe it or not McDonnell wasn't the quickest (Wasn't slow either) but his turn was 2nd to none, the man could turn on a sixpence. Like an eel he was, Oisin had a bit more craft than Stevie and was very accurate (i could even call him sneaky without insulting the man) but to compare one against the other is not right and at their peak i couldn't pick between the two. Was just glad they played on the same team.

[armaghniac]

So if stevie was from Cross and took the frees? Who'd be better?

If Cross was in Dublin they would have "signed" him and won all before them.