Joe Brolly

[marty34]

I liked the sound of aul Jim. Downey acted the big girl's blouse.
[/quote

Different times - counting the socks and shorts etc.

[rrhf]

What is shocking about that interview is the biggest fake news in the history of the GAA. Pure balder dash that is being pedalled as fact or that that Derry team were destined for 2 or 3 sam maguires. 1/ the county didn't and would never have had the togetherness to hold it together for more than a few months ever without killing one another.. rows were always bubbling - it's just how much weight you put on each one.  2/ from the time there were tales of mad fighting among players as well for all sorts of reasons- easy to blame Mickey Moran for that auld caper perhaps Joe?
That Derry team had  2 great corner backs/ a brilliant 6 a super
Midfield - well tohill had a shocker In the game that lost their title and 2 scoring forwards Brolly And Gormley. Nothing exceptional  about the group but the achievement in winning 1 all Ireland was a great feat for them. It will probably  never happen again for them instead of looking back derry football now needs to look forward..... to the 50 year anniversary. 
3/ Another point I would make is that the hateful blaming  of Moran dosent take away from the fact that against down as holders having the game of his life and a bit of rough moves on to him he stopped playing.. and This great Derry team lost. They were very easy to figure out... This was a great Derry team but down were better and won 2 and no doubt had plenty of tensions to manage also, but compared to the quality of Armagh and Tyrone in the noughties they were not a great team. To sum it up they were a great league team who got it together to win a championship but Coleman or no Coleman row they would not have won any more. That is fact.
4/ a final pick up from the interview is that joe had broken his arm in 1995. He was one of the 2 scoring forwards they had so it's not mickeys fault he had a broken arm. Yet Mickey gets the blame. Jody Gormley marked tohill out of it in 95. That was 2 years in a row that he had a poor day out at his peak. Jody Gormley should not have been for to lace tohills boots... why? Happened again too.
5/ the 90s was an unforgettable glorious era for Ulster football and both Donegal and Derry had their year out of it, but down won 2. They were the best team from Ulster during this period. Ulster team of the decade in my eyes. If joe thinks a One time team like Derry were great then he must have some-admiration for Mickey Harte's Tyrone team of the noughties.....

[Taylor]

Im sure you make plenty of good points rrhf but not easy to start reading that post

[JoG2]

What is shocking about that interview is the biggest fake news in the history of the GAA. Pure balder dash that is being pedalled as fact or that that Derry team were destined for 2 or 3 sam maguires. 1/ the county didn't and would never have had the togetherness to hold it together for more than a few months ever without killing one another.. rows were always bubbling - it's just how much weight you put on each one.  2/ from the time there were tales of mad fighting among players as well for all sorts of reasons- easy to blame Mickey Moran for that auld caper perhaps Joe?
That Derry team had  2 great corner backs/ a brilliant 6 a super
Midfield - well tohill had a shocker In the game that lost their title and 2 scoring forwards Brolly And Gormley. Nothing exceptional  about the group but the achievement in winning 1 all Ireland was a great feat for them. It will probably  never happen again for them instead of looking back derry football now needs to look forward..... to the 50 year anniversary. 
3/ Another point I would make is that the hateful blaming  of Moran dosent take away from the fact that against down as holders having the game of his life and a bit of rough moves on to him he stopped playing.. and This great Derry team lost. They were very easy to figure out... This was a great Derry team but down were better and won 2 and no doubt had plenty of tensions to manage also, but compared to the quality of Armagh and Tyrone in the noughties they were not a great team. To sum it up they were a great league team who got it together to win a championship but Coleman or no Coleman row they would not have won any more. That is fact.
4/ a final pick up from the interview is that joe had broken his arm in 1995. He was one of the 2 scoring forwards they had so it's not mickeys fault he had a broken arm. Yet Mickey gets the blame. Jody Gormley marked tohill out of it in 95. That was 2 years in a row that he had a poor day out at his peak. Jody Gormley should not have been for to lace tohills boots... why? Happened again too.
5/ the 90s was an unforgettable glorious era for Ulster football and both Donegal and Derry had their year out of it, but down won 2. They were the best team from Ulster during this period. Ulster team of the decade in my eyes. If joe thinks a One time team like Derry were great then he must have some-admiration for Mickey Harte's Tyrone team of the noughties.....

Firstly, a very well constructed post. Secondly, the bit in bold, how can your statement possibly be a fact? It's an opinion.

We're talking different era's of football. As a Derry man, you rue those couple of years after 1993. If there had been a back door, who knows? Again, any speculation would be an opinion, not a fact. Derry could maybe have won another, maybe not. This great Tyrone team of the noughties would be sitting with 1 AI if there was no backdoor.

[Estimator]

What is shocking about that interview is the biggest fake news in the history of the GAA. Pure balder dash that is being pedalled as fact or that that Derry team were destined for 2 or 3 sam maguires. 1/ the county didn't and would never have had the togetherness to hold it together for more than a few months ever without killing one another.. rows were always bubbling - it's just how much weight you put on each one.  2/ from the time there were tales of mad fighting among players as well for all sorts of reasons- easy to blame Mickey Moran for that auld caper perhaps Joe?
That Derry team had  2 great corner backs/ a brilliant 6 a super
Midfield - well tohill had a shocker In the game that lost their title and 2 scoring forwards Brolly And Gormley. Nothing exceptional  about the group but the achievement in winning 1 all Ireland was a great feat for them. It will probably  never happen again for them instead of looking back derry football now needs to look forward..... to the 50 year anniversary. 
3/ Another point I would make is that the hateful blaming  of Moran dosent take away from the fact that against down as holders having the game of his life and a bit of rough moves on to him he stopped playing.. and This great Derry team lost. They were very easy to figure out... This was a great Derry team but down were better and won 2 and no doubt had plenty of tensions to manage also, but compared to the quality of Armagh and Tyrone in the noughties they were not a great team. To sum it up they were a great league team who got it together to win a championship but Coleman or no Coleman row they would not have won any more. That is fact.
4/ a final pick up from the interview is that joe had broken his arm in 1995. He was one of the 2 scoring forwards they had so it's not mickeys fault he had a broken arm. Yet Mickey gets the blame. Jody Gormley marked tohill out of it in 95. That was 2 years in a row that he had a poor day out at his peak. Jody Gormley should not have been for to lace tohills boots... why? Happened again too.
5/ the 90s was an unforgettable glorious era for Ulster football and both Donegal and Derry had their year out of it, but down won 2. They were the best team from Ulster during this period. Ulster team of the decade in my eyes. If joe thinks a One time team like Derry were great then he must have some-admiration for Mickey Harte's Tyrone team of the noughties.....

Some fine opinions in there, but that is all they are.
Not sure if the evidence stacks up about Tohill having a shocker in the '94 game and Brolly disappearing after Kelly was taken off.
Some great analysis here - https://dontfoul.wordpress.com/2020/04/23/derry-v-down-1994-ulster/

I'd suggest Brolly only did this interview after seeing the success of Scullion's interview a couple of weeks ago.  One where Scullion refused to be drawn on the fall out after the Coleman saga.  But Brolly sees the controversy and might get some more air time.

I'd say Brian McGilligan's quote is close to how I'd feel about the whole thing - "Any other county would have got their act together.  Too many boys partied, lived the high life and thought it was only a matter of turning up.  We definitely should have won another one. The players were good enough, you can't pinpoint any one thing. It was the perfect storm.  There was a whole lot of things going on behind."

[imtommygunn]

I only read that McGilligan article this morning. Very good.

[Hoof Hearted]

Where can I hear this interview

[thewobbler]

Derry wans wouldn't like to hear this, but their AI winning forward line was probably the weakest forward line to win an All Ireland in my lifetime.

That they managed to win an AI with Heaney, Barton, Cassidy and Downey, all in the one line-up, and barely a threat between them, was quite remarkable.

The reason they didn't win another one was it was 6 or 7 more years waiting for Paddy Bradley to come along, by which time most the 1993 defence and midfield were done.

[JoG2]

Derry wans wouldn't like to hear this, but their AI winning forward line was probably the weakest forward line to win an All Ireland in my lifetime.

That they managed to win an AI with Heaney, Barton, Cassidy and Downey, all in the one line-up, and barely a threat between them, was quite remarkable.

The reason they didn't win another one was it was 6 or 7 more years waiting for Paddy Bradley to come along, by which time most the 1993 defence and midfield were done.

Heaney, Cassidy and Downey all very good footballers, but Barton was a serious footballer, imo or course

[theticklemister]

Derry wans wouldn't like to hear this, but their AI winning forward line was probably the weakest forward line to win an All Ireland in my lifetime.

That they managed to win an AI with Heaney, Barton, Cassidy and Downey, all in the one line-up, and barely a threat between them, was quite remarkable.

The reason they didn't win another one was it was 6 or 7 more years waiting for Paddy Bradley to come along, by which time most the 1993 defence and midfield were done.

Heaney, Cassidy and Downey all very good footballers, but Barton was a serious footballer, imo or course

I never quite seen Barton in his prime. Me da said he was superb. But any time I watched him, he was ordinary. The same must be said of Cassidy. I'm 36 and never missed a match from 92 onwards. Looking back at the 93 final again there, Heaney had a superb game.

I read that interview with McGilligan there now, really enjoyed it. I think Mal did this in 201& and putting it back out now. Derry PRO is doing excellent work at present also.

[Silver hill]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWqDwD00rOA&t=2339s

Wow, explosive stuff, Moran comes out of that really badly. Always thought he had a real sneaky look about him.

On the money Lenny. He's unable to look anyone directly in the eye. Completely judased Coleman in 94 with a supporting cast of Mckeever and Gribben. Tried to slip into the driving seat but was told be the players (well 22 of the players) to sling his hook. Hung on for a year then slopped  off when he finally realised he wasn't wanted. Moran has cleverly crafted this humble, sincere, it's never about me image. He might think he's fooling everyone but he knows what he did in 94 and the players saw his treachery a mile off. No matter how good that team was, it was fatally fractured and the heart belief and together ness that was there under Coleman, was never going to be tolerated by the players. His eyes are the giveaway; the eyes of a troubled man who knows what he's done.

[Angelo]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWqDwD00rOA&t=2339s

Wow, explosive stuff, Moran comes out of that really badly. Always thought he had a real sneaky look about him.

On the money Lenny. He's unable to look anyone directly in the eye. Completely judased Coleman in 94 with a supporting cast of Mckeever and Gribben. Tried to slip into the driving seat but was told be the players (well 22 of the players) to sling his hook. Hung on for a year then slopped  off when he finally realised he wasn't wanted. Moran has cleverly crafted this humble, sincere, it's never about me image. He might think he's fooling everyone but he knows what he did in 94 and the players saw his treachery a mile off. No matter how good that team was, it was fatally fractured and the heart belief and together ness that was there under Coleman, was never going to be tolerated by the players. His eyes are the giveaway; the eyes of a troubled man who knows what he's done.

This is a classic Derry type post.

[BennyHarp]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWqDwD00rOA&t=2339s

Wow, explosive stuff, Moran comes out of that really badly. Always thought he had a real sneaky look about him.

On the money Lenny. He's unable to look anyone directly in the eye. Completely judased Coleman in 94 with a supporting cast of Mckeever and Gribben. Tried to slip into the driving seat but was told be the players (well 22 of the players) to sling his hook. Hung on for a year then slopped  off when he finally realised he wasn't wanted. Moran has cleverly crafted this humble, sincere, it's never about me image. He might think he's fooling everyone but he knows what he did in 94 and the players saw his treachery a mile off. No matter how good that team was, it was fatally fractured and the heart belief and together ness that was there under Coleman, was never going to be tolerated by the players. His eyes are the giveaway; the eyes of a troubled man who knows what he's done.

The problem with Derry is that they are so full of hate that they even hate each other. Moran is a decent man who went on to have plenty of success, there is a generation of Derry players who have a perfect fall guy for their own inadequacies. This revisionism is fine and keeps people like Brolly content with what they have achieved but the rest of the country know that this Derry team didn't have what it needed to win multiple AI titles and once worked out were very one dimensional. Everything went through Tohill and Brolly. Shut them down and you win the game. As mentioned before Jody Gormley easily shut Tohill down on numerous occasions. The Down team of that era were a much, much better outfit, I'm not sure any of Derry's forward line would have replaced any player on the Down forward line. Down will quite rightly go down in history as a great team, Derry won't.

[Angelo]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWqDwD00rOA&t=2339s

Wow, explosive stuff, Moran comes out of that really badly. Always thought he had a real sneaky look about him.

On the money Lenny. He's unable to look anyone directly in the eye. Completely judased Coleman in 94 with a supporting cast of Mckeever and Gribben. Tried to slip into the driving seat but was told be the players (well 22 of the players) to sling his hook. Hung on for a year then slopped  off when he finally realised he wasn't wanted. Moran has cleverly crafted this humble, sincere, it's never about me image. He might think he's fooling everyone but he knows what he did in 94 and the players saw his treachery a mile off. No matter how good that team was, it was fatally fractured and the heart belief and together ness that was there under Coleman, was never going to be tolerated by the players. His eyes are the giveaway; the eyes of a troubled man who knows what he's done.

The problem with Derry is that they are so full of hate that they even hate each other. Moran is a decent man who went on to have plenty of success, there is a generation of Derry players who have a perfect fall guy for their own inadequacies. This revisionism is fine and keeps people like Brolly content with what they have achieved but the rest of the country know that this Derry team didn't have what it needed to win multiple AI titles and once worked out were very one dimensional. Everything went through Tohill and Brolly. Shut them down and you win the game. As mentioned before Jody Gormley easily shut Tohill down on numerous occasions. The Down team of that era were a much, much better outfit, I'm not sure any of Derry's forward line would have replaced any player on the Down forward line. Down will quite rightly go down in history as a great team, Derry won't.

Exactly, Moran foraged a very good managerial career for himself out after Derry and the one thing that is evident under the teams and players he had, is the huge amount of respect and admiration they had for him. Derry don't like introspection, they always want someone or something to blame for their failings and the extent to which they will go to that is as vicious and nasty as it gets.

Brolly is a prime example of that, the 94 game with Down was on there recently, Brolly had an excellent open 25 minutes and then he had a man changed on him, got a little roughed up and he did not want to know about it for the remainder of the match - he disappeared, in the face of adversity. For a man who has questioned Gooch and his inability to do it when the chips were down (quite rightly too), he wasn't much of a leader in troubling times himself. Brolly can talk the talk but unfortunately he didn't walk the walk when he was needed too many times.

But of course it's Mickey Moran's fault.

[Silver hill]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWqDwD00rOA&t=2339s

Wow, explosive stuff, Moran comes out of that really badly. Always thought he had a real sneaky look about him.

On the money Lenny. He's unable to look anyone directly in the eye. Completely judased Coleman in 94 with a supporting cast of Mckeever and Gribben. Tried to slip into the driving seat but was told be the players (well 22 of the players) to sling his hook. Hung on for a year then slopped  off when he finally realised he wasn't wanted. Moran has cleverly crafted this humble, sincere, it's never about me image. He might think he's fooling everyone but he knows what he did in 94 and the players saw his treachery a mile off. No matter how good that team was, it was fatally fractured and the heart belief and together ness that was there under Coleman, was never going to be tolerated by the players. His eyes are the giveaway; the eyes of a troubled man who knows what he's done.

The problem with Derry is that they are so full of hate that they even hate each other. Moran is a decent man who went on to have plenty of success, there is a generation of Derry players who have a perfect fall guy for their own inadequacies. This revisionism is fine and keeps people like Brolly content with what they have achieved but the rest of the country know that this Derry team didn't have what it needed to win multiple AI titles and once worked out were very one dimensional. Everything went through Tohill and Brolly. Shut them down and you win the game. As mentioned before Jody Gormley easily shut Tohill down on numerous occasions. The Down team of that era were a much, much better outfit, I'm not sure any of Derry's forward line would have replaced any player on the Down forward line. Down will quite rightly go down in history as a great team, Derry won't.

Exactly, Moran foraged a very good managerial career for himself out after Derry and the one thing that is evident under the teams and players he had, is the huge amount of respect and admiration they had for him. Derry don't like introspection, they always want someone or something to blame for their failings and the extent to which they will go to that is as vicious and nasty as it gets.

Brolly is a prime example of that, the 94 game with Down was on there recently, Brolly had an excellent open 25 minutes and then he had a man changed on him, got a little roughed up and he did not want to know about it for the remainder of the match - he disappeared, in the face of adversity. For a man who has questioned Gooch and his inability to do it when the chips were down (quite rightly too), he wasn't much of a leader in troubling times himself. Brolly can talk the talk but unfortunately he didn't walk the walk when he was needed too many times.

But of course it's Mickey Moran's fault.

Really? Well if the question is, who was primarily responsible for Eamon Coleman being removed from his job in 1994? The answer is M Moran. After that, if the question is who's fault was it that Derry underperformed in the subsequent years....well if you can't see a correlation in what happened Eamon to the underperformance thereafter....players play for the jersey, themselves and the cause but a massive part of it is playing for the manager. The majority of that squad in 95 didn't want Moran there. Knowing that, it's amazing that we ran Tyrone so close in clones that day given what was going on.