Who's your GAA cult hero?

[johnnycool]

For me the cult hero's aren't the lads who were the teams the best player, or regularly voted the best in the county, or the fellas who had long successful careers, or the popular players.

It's those fellas who were talented, a bit wild, and on any given day could do a bit of damage on the pitch, but who maybe weren't reliable or not as commited as you would want them to be. Enjoyed themselves on and off the pitch. The likes of Geoffrey McGonigle would be my example of a Cult Hero in Derry.

Sambo in Antrim.

Noel O'Leary. Or. Maybe or maybe not lol.

The Galway team of the 80's had plenty hearts to look up to, Brendan Lynskey Ger McInerery being the main two.. football wise Jack O'Shea, and more modern Tohill

From within my own county we'd  Olcan Clute McFetridge or just Clute and being of an age when you actually got to try and mark him in games was a joy!

Michael Coleman better than both. Not a stylist but lean as a greyhound, tough as nails and strong as a horse. When he hit you, you stayed hit. Put up his hand amidst flying hurls and usually claimed the ball. Smoked 30 or 40 a day too.

Loved Michael Coleman myself for the very reasons outlined above.

Never got the credit he deserved.

[seafoid]

Ricey

The Laochra Gael programme on Ricey was excellent

https://www.tg4.ie/en/player/categories/top-documentaries/play/?pid=6133806734001&title=Ryan%20McMenamin&series=Laochra%20Gael&genre=Faisneis&pcode=491082

[GetOverTheBar]

Ricey

The Laochra Gael programme on Ricey was excellent

https://www.tg4.ie/en/player/categories/top-documentaries/play/?pid=6133806734001&title=Ryan%20McMenamin&series=Laochra%20Gael&genre=Faisneis&pcode=491082

Yep but thought Kieran Donaghy's of Kerry has been the best of recent times. All on the TG4 site at moment.

Colm Coopers was also a great one.

[rosnarun]

Mine is Mickey Kearns. A legend of a No.14 and arguably Sligos best ever player(?)... but then went on to become one of Irelands best referees. I have recently taken up the whistle so know how difficult it is.

Best referees, he was shocking, his bias against the Rossies knew no bounds.

Was about to say the same thing about his bias against Mayo.

1989 replay.....2 of the softest penalties I have ever seen in my life awarded to Roscommon  and then disallowed a perfectly legit goal for Mayo to win it in regulation

But jimmy Burke’s majestic touch silenced the rossie roar

greatest goal ever scored in hyde park

[giveballaghback]

All counties have their own favs simply because they have a bias and have watched them on many occasions. Being from a smaller county myself I could nominate many of our own, most of them are mentioned already. My outstanding Rossie would be Harry Keegan a great right corner back. I put him ahead of Enda Colleran, any of the O Sheas from Kerry and many more great corner backs I have seen. When asked to nominate his most difficult opponent the great John Egan RIP from Kerry said Harry was the best he had played against. 3 time all star Harry only played in 1 all Ireland final and held John Egan scoreless that day.
My non Rossie nomination would be jinking Joe Corcoran, sweet silky skills he was absolite class in everything he did, he never got credit for it but he was as good a forward as ive ever seen. His only fault was he played with our greatest football enemies.

[Mano]

Johnny Kenny of Shamrock Gaels and Sligo.

Seriously a fella who hardly played for the county, who chose soccer over GAA. 

[magpie seanie]

Johnny Kenny of Shamrock Gaels and Sligo.

Seriously a fella who hardly played for the county, who chose soccer over GAA. 

I remember him for a few performances where he nearly turned games for us against Mayo. He was unique. Liked the cut of his jib. No big deal.

Obviously have been better players and servants of the county but not sure that's what this thread was for?

[APM]

To me the cult hero is someone that captured the imagination of supporters.  Maybe they were a bit raw, a bit elusive or there was something different about them: 

Francie Bellew, John Corvan, the Grimley twins

[bannside]

It's been a while since I heard John Corvans name mentioned. Class act, did he go to Australia or somewhere? Score Machine!

[APM]

He went to Australia

What did you call the guy that came home from America to play for Galway in the AIF
He wore white gutties - was it Gerry McInerny?

[Maroon Manc]

He went to Australia

What did you call the guy that came home from America to play for Galway in the AIF
He wore white gutties - was it Gerry McInerny?

It was Gerry McIninenry, his son Gearoid played centre half back in the 2017 team. I'm 40 this year so can just about remember that Galway team but it was full of personalities with the likes of Lynskey, Keady and one of dads favourites Slyvie Linnane. Galway threw that All Ireland away in 1990.

[johnnycool]

He went to Australia

What did you call the guy that came home from America to play for Galway in the AIF
He wore white gutties - was it Gerry McInerny?

It was Gerry McIninenry, his son Gearoid played centre half back in the 2017 team. I'm 40 this year so can just about remember that Galway team but it was full of personalities with the likes of Lynskey, Keady and one of dads favourites Slyvie Linnane. Galway threw that All Ireland away in 1990.

Against Cork?

Ah dear god, it was all Galway in the first half, Joe Cooney was unplayable and gave the best half of hurling seen in Croke Park.
Cork worked their way back into it and even then were reliant on a goal where Tomas Mulcahy took almost a dozen steps with the ball in his hand to score the goal that won it for Cork.
Heart breaking.

[APM]

Are there any cult figures in today's game?  Maybe its something about getting older, but looking at lads playing senior football now, there are fewer personalities - lots of fancy dans wearing earphones on the bus - all very similar. Hardly speak, when they do they generally don't put a foot wrong. Come across very professional, but will they be remembered as fondly as some of the guys from the 80s and 90s.   

When you think back to some of the characters that stood back in the 80's and 90's. Maybe it was their names, maybe it was their appearance, maybe they were a bit mad / bad, maybe they went missing for months or years at a time and then turned up and worked wonders,

Frank McGuigan, Nudie Hughes, Mick Lyons, Kieran Duff, Willie Joe Padden, Tony Scullion,

[imtommygunn]

No media training back then.

On the subject of it being a bit robotic these days I was reading a twitter thread started by Mossy Quinn where he was being interviewed by his daughter just messing about in the house. Some of the replies were hilarious about Jim Gavin and the process etc. It was all just messing so nothing below the belt but it was just funny with the talk of the process etc these days.

https://twitter.com/mossyquinn/status/1244635070498996224

[BennyCake]

Are there any cult figures in today's game?  Maybe its something about getting older, but looking at lads playing senior football now, there are fewer personalities - lots of fancy dans wearing earphones on the bus - all very similar. Hardly speak, when they do they generally don't put a foot wrong. Come across very professional, but will they be remembered as fondly as some of the guys from the 80s and 90s.   

When you think back to some of the characters that stood back in the 80's and 90's. Maybe it was their names, maybe it was their appearance, maybe they were a bit mad / bad, maybe they went missing for months or years at a time and then turned up and worked wonders,

Frank McGuigan, Nudie Hughes, Mick Lyons, Kieran Duff, Willie Joe Padden, Tony Scullion,

You used to get characters in most sports: snooker, tennis, darts, cricket, etc. It's all blandness and robotic figures now though. Sure they're no craic at all.