Joe Brolly

[Baile Brigín 2]

Koeman keeping the seat warm for Jimmy

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/why-do-you-say-that-jose-mourinho-was-only-an-assistant-joe-brolly-on-why-jim-mcguinness-could-manage-barcelona-35898159.html

Well that didn't age well.

[BennyCake]

More than a tad OTT. Cassidy and Barton would have been unused subs for Down of the same era, while only one of Brolly or Gormley would have started.

Or are you going to tell me that one or more of Carr, Blaney, Linden and McCartan would have made room, or that one of your four was a full forward (at that time)?

No Derry forward would have shifted any of those four. Blaney was the best CHF in Ireland during that period. Linden was unmarkable at times, and a flyer, and McCartan was immense. Watched the 1991 final recently, and he was outstanding, and only 20 years old. I'd forgotten how good he was.

[lenny]

More than a tad OTT. Cassidy and Barton would have been unused subs for Down of the same era, while only one of Brolly or Gormley would have started.

Or are you going to tell me that one or more of Carr, Blaney, Linden and McCartan would have made room, or that one of your four was a full forward (at that time)?

No Derry forward would have shifted any of those four. Blaney was the best CHF in Ireland during that period. Linden was unmarkable at times, and a flyer, and McCartan was immense. Watched the 1991 final recently, and he was outstanding, and only 20 years old. I'd forgotten how good he was.

Blaney, linden and mccartan would automatically be in a Derry/down combined forward line. In fact they are 3 of the top forwards in the modern era, all superb players. Carr wasn't really at that type of level even though he was a good player. Barton or Cassidy would have been around the same level. I would go for a combined forward line of mccartan, blaney, Cassidy, Brolly, linden and Gormley.

[imtommygunn]

I was watching back ai gold with down too. McCartan at 19/20 was phenomenal. He probably wasn't as good at an older age. Power, balance, speed, comfidence - he had the lot. Linden, him and Blaney would have graced any forward line in their day. Brilliant.

Mckeever, scullion, Downey and tohill were the big Derry names. Less so forwards. I would say gormley would be in a combined forward line but not convinced anyone else would fit.

[sid waddell]

Yes but that cork team was too old to play in an all Ireland final. Down lifted that era. The other 3 teams including Dublin were scrappy stuff but fair play. The 96 Meath team had forwards and midfield and defence as well

Cork had 7 players under 25 in their starting line up.
Derry had 7 players under 25 in their starting line up.

Cork had 1 outfield player 30+ in their starting line up.
Derry had 2 outfield players 30+ in their starting line up.

Derry had been building steadily since '91, were ravenous for success and came through a very difficult path to reach the final, while Cork came through a much easier path to reach that final having been out of the picture the previous two years after losing to a poor Kerry team twice

Cork had some excellent young players like Colin Corkery, Joe Kavanagh and Ciaran O'Sullivan but after a good showing in the first half they faded out

They had lost some experienced heads from the '89/'90 teams - Dave Barry, Paul McGrath, Mick Slocum etc. Danny Culloty was a sub and the always under rated (both as player and manager) Conor Counihan was at the tail end of his career and only saw a few minutes I think

And crucially, Larry Tompkins was injured and ruled out - he was a massive loss

Teddy McCarthy didn't have a good match

Tony Davis was a much bigger loss than Niall Cahalane would have been, he was playing well while Cahalane was having a stinker and the Gormley incident affected him for the rest of the match I think and fired Gormley up no end

That Cork team of '93-'95 was a bit of a mix 'em match 'em type outfit which probably underachieved, they threatened but ultimately flattered to deceive, and didn't have that hard edge that the '89/'90 team developed

Derry also wore Cork down on fitness, they were definitely fitter

[sid waddell]

More than a tad OTT. Cassidy and Barton would have been unused subs for Down of the same era, while only one of Brolly or Gormley would have started.

Or are you going to tell me that one or more of Carr, Blaney, Linden and McCartan would have made room, or that one of your four was a full forward (at that time)?

No Derry forward would have shifted any of those four. Blaney was the best CHF in Ireland during that period. Linden was unmarkable at times, and a flyer, and McCartan was immense. Watched the 1991 final recently, and he was outstanding, and only 20 years old. I'd forgotten how good he was.

Blaney, linden and mccartan would automatically be in a Derry/down combined forward line. In fact they are 3 of the top forwards in the modern era, all superb players. Carr wasn't really at that type of level even though he was a good player. Barton or Cassidy would have been around the same level. I would go for a combined forward line of mccartan, blaney, Cassidy, Brolly, linden and Gormley.

There were distinct similarities between that Down six and the Galway six of 1998-2001

Both were very much focussed on a trio - Down with Blaney-McCartan-Linden and Galway with Fallon-Donnellan-Joyce

Ross Carr and Paul Clancy were both fine players in the half forward lines

Gary Mason and Niall Finnegan were well capable of chipping in too and reliable free takers

Galway had Derek Savage who wasn't as good as some of the others but still decent enough, Joe Bergin contributed well in 2001, Shay Walsh and Tommie Joyce were making up the numbers

I'd give the nod to Down as Peter Withnell and Aidan Farrell who were each the "sixth" Beatle in '91 and '94 respectively were well capable of contributing, and did

Also I think Carr and Mason were slightly better than Clancy and Finnegan

Very hard to separate the star trios however

[Estimator]

https://amp.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/joe-brolly-set-for-tv-return-for-this-years-championship-39472206.html?__twitter_impression=true

[GetOverTheBar]

Will be interesting to see Joe back on TV. I will tune in for his first effort anyway.

[BennyCake]

That's BBCNI's coverage fecked then.

Oisin and Marty Clarke are very good pundits and very easy to listen to. All we need now is thon bollix in to feckin' ruin it.

[6th sam]

That's BBCNI's coverage fecked then.

Oisin and Marty Clarke are very good pundits and very easy to listen to. All we need now is thon bollix in to feckin' ruin it.

Would agree Oisín and Marty both top drawer, Joe would need to be on his game to
Match them in terms of knowledge of the modern game.

[BennyCake]

That's BBCNI's coverage fecked then.

Oisin and Marty Clarke are very good pundits and very easy to listen to. All we need now is thon bollix in to feckin' ruin it.

Would agree Oisín and Marty both top drawer, Joe would need to be on his game to
Match them in terms of knowledge of the modern game.

To be honest, I couldn't care less about Brolly's knowledge of the modern game. I just don't want to see him or listen to him. Especially on a show that already has two very good pundits. He'll take over the show and make it all about him.

[thewobbler]

I'm happy with this.

Oisin is my favourite pundit but things do tend to be a bit sombre and real when he's around. Joe lightens proceedings (which, in Ulster football, is sometimes much needed) and he'll throw out plenty of opinions for McConville and Clarke to dismiss.

Sidey might be the big loser in all this. He's grown into a solid and amiable presenter, but Joe will want to own the lighter side of things.

[DuffleKing]

Inevitably Oisin and Marty will have minimal opportunity to contribute, never mind refute.

Surprised at BBC. They'd worked hard to develop an informed analysis but this is very much headlines over substance.

[Angelo]

McConville and Marty Clarke are good pundits.

I don't mind McHugh either.

Brolly will just try and take over and make it all about him, I'd echo those saying that it's a backward move.

[smelmoth]

Inevitably Joe will say something stupid after a while but he will throw a few gems in along the way.

He at least is prepared to verbalise his thoughts. If a player or manager is behaving like a sc**bag they deserve to be called a sc**bag. Maybe Joe's presence will trigger the others to be a bit more honest and forthright