The Greatest Down Hurler of the last 50 years

[Bacon]

My vote goes to Noel Keith. During 80s/90s he was one of the best goalkeepers in the country playing for an unfashionable county.

[Sky Blue]

I wouldn't have expected there to be so many options!

[Flat Hedgehog]

Down had their strongest ever team in the 1990s so its no surprise that most of the candidates come from that team.

[thewobbler]

Where is Magic? He gets my vote anyway.

[maxpower]

always heard great things of danny hughes, few people i know place him as one of ulsters best ever. 

of the players i seen and played against i always thought noel sands was a special player

[Guillem2]

There's some good one there alright. I'd have to go for Danny the Hogg. He's still going strong at 40+. And a real gentleman off the field as well.

[johnneycool]

The Hogg's biggest asset was his athleticism and catching. His passing on the run and shooting were always notoriously bad. He'd run through you rather than round you which IMO is a strength, just ask Shiner Brennan who got magged over in Nowlan Park the day Down beat Kilkenny and relegated them. The Hogg set the precedent that day.

Noddy was a very strong runner and his low centre of gravity made him hard to shake off the ball. His first instinct was to go for goal almost always and he got quite a few against very good defenders when Down were making a decent fist of the Div 1 NHL in the early 90's. Suffered a bit from poor quality ball into the forwards from the Hogg and very reliant on his right side but deadly accurate from it.
Wee Noel also played u-21 championship football for Down even though he never played club football on the say so of Pat O'Hare who taught him in the red high.

Ger McGrattan greatest asset was that he could strike the ball at full sprint, left or right without breaking stride and he could shift but the ACL operation certainly took a yard of pace off him when he was still in his prime and from what I hear he's had to hang up the boots due to injury this year.


Kirby (Noel Keith) was a deadly shot stopper and very good under a high ball. He won Ballycran more championships than anyone else. He was worth a 2 goal start to them. He had good accuracy to his puck outs and clearances and in his latter days he'd the ability to umpire as well as do nets. He holds to the dubious record of being the first Ballycran man to receive a yellow card, something Mick Braniff isn't too pleased about

I've seen most of those listed at close quarters and I'd have to say the best hurler I've come across was Marty Mallon. His early tutelage in Ballygalget must of stood by him. He had tremendously fast wrists and was a great reader of the game and I can't remember him under pressure when playing against the better teams. He was a great striker of the ball but did lack a bit of aerial prowess which he coverd up well with his sweeping up. The closest Down ever came to producing a Brian Whelahan.


All the older hurlers reckon that Paud Braniff (Dules auld Fella) was the best hurler to come out of Down but as I never seen him play I can't comment.

[Dubh driocht]

Pretty much agree with JC
1.M Mallon 2.Hughes 3.Mc Grattan 4.Sands5.Keith

[weeman]

Having watched Down a number of times this year, I reckon Danny Hughes could still play for Down and he's 45! - you couldn't say that about the other names in the field

[Ballybredagh]

Danny Hughes is still a superb athelete at the ripe old age of 54, but I agree with JC, his shooting wasn't his strong point.

[theskull1]

Danny Hughes is still a superb athelete at the ripe old age of 54, but I agree with JC, his shooting wasn't his strong point.

Ballybredagh? mmmmmmmmmm

are you sure you're not talking about yourself there

[Colonel Cool]

You'd need to be in your 70s to be able to compare players over a 50 yr period. Even then, the game has changed and time plays tricks with your memory. My auld fella always rated Hugh Dorrian very highly. Hard as nails and skillful with it. He was playing for the county as a very young teenager and keep going into his 40s. Like others, I'm surprised Noddy Sands isn't included in the poll. Of the players I've seen I reckon McGrattan was the best. Unfortuantly his career was hampered by injury. Marty Mallon would be a close second IMO. With all the talent they've produced in Portaferry  (and transferred in  ) over the years its surprising they haven't won more.
Has anyone heard any word on Dule Braniff? I heard he was going in for exploritory surgery. I hope he get some good news. He's been desperatly unlucky with injury.

[Ballybredagh]

Danny Hughes is still a superb athelete at the ripe old age of 54, but I agree with JC, his shooting wasn't his strong point.

Ballybredagh? mmmmmmmmmm

are you sure you're not talking about yourself there

Def not Danny; not even from Down and never anywhere near as good as the Hog.

Think Danny would dispute the age "54" quoted for him.