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Of more interest than the Antrim footballers one.

all terrific players,

Quote from: maxpower on November 22, 2006, 09:25:57 AM
all terrific players,

Bloody hell, the scary thing is that I've played against them all barring clute who hurled mostly in Div 2 with Armoy although he took a weakner and played a year for the bodies from Loughgeile and helped them win their last volunteer cup.

I had the pleasure of Eddie Donnelly as a youngster playing against Ballycastle reserves a whole load of years ago and he was no spring chicken then, the man was a monster. I'd loved to have seen him in his prime.

They all were great in different ways, Sambo under a high ball was deadly, Clute was very sharp at the pick, turn and strike, Humpy was a very consistent all round hurler, nothing flash but mightly effective, Pappy was also good under the high ball and finding team mates with hand passes and flicks, the starting point for a lot of Dunloy attacks in their prime, Dessie had spells at both ends of the field and even in nets, a fierce one for moaning in your ear the whole game and a wicked left hand.

You could add Ciaran Barr, Mushy, James McNaughton, Aidan McCarry, Brian Donnelly and a few other hurlers to that list very easily. It was a good time to hurl in Antrim with club hurling being very strong all over, Ballycastle, Cushendall, Dunloy on the rise, Loughgeile with Woody and the Jew and Rossa with big Barr and the mad Ger Rogey, a fine hurler in his own right, give Harry Ryan his fill of it in Dundalk one year. If only club hurling was as strong as that now

Johnny you are 100% right, the times when these boys played was when Antirm could compete at the highest level. I was on the minor team that played the day Rogy marked Harry Ryan in dundalk. I have played against some of these and with Barr and Rogy (guess what club i am from), why are these 2 not part of the poll? in fact why are Jim Fegan, Aiden Hamill and Sean Collins not included?

I've put the players I thought personally were the best I've seen for Antrim. I've not seen Jim Fegan, Aiden Hamill and Sean Collins, that I can think of. though I've heard Hamill was good.

While Ciaran Barr was good, I don't rate him as highly as the others. I've always thought he was overrated.

Ger Rogan was a good servant as well as was James McNaughton, Brian Donnelly, Leonard McKeegan, Beaver, Woody and others.

I always thought Mushy was a class hurler and maybe as good as a few of those in the poll but neve did it enough for Antrim.

Johnny, you're right club hurling was a lot better in those days. I've been an exile for over a decade now and my brother says club hurling in the mid 90's is a lot better than it is now, I think that it was much more competitive in the 80's. Ballycastle, in recent times, are a pale shadow of the team they had in the 70's and 80's.

What about Danny McNaughton, Brian Donnelly , Dessie Donnelly , Leaonard McKeegan, Conor McCambridge, Aiden McCarry !!!!!!!  Would Terence McNaughton even be the greatest Cushendall Hurler never mind Antrim.

Best hurler played against, Clute.
Best hurler I've seen in Antrim was Eddie Donnelly
Best club hurler I've played with Karl Stewart

Quote from: BottleOfStout on November 22, 2006, 02:05:39 PM
What about Danny McNaughton, Brian Donnelly , Dessie Donnelly , Leaonard McKeegan, Conor McCambridge, Aiden McCarry !!!!!!!  Would Terence McNaughton even be the greatest Cushendall Hurler never mind Antrim.

I've added Danny McNaughton in, he was a very good player.

From what I've seen Sambo has been Cushendall's best performer for Antrim.

Dessie Donnelly is already in the poll.

Quote from: BottleOfStout on November 22, 2006, 02:05:39 PM
What about Danny McNaughton, Brian Donnelly , Dessie Donnelly , Leaonard McKeegan, Conor McCambridge, Aiden McCarry !!!!!!!  Would Terence McNaughton even be the greatest Cushendall Hurler never mind Antrim.

No offence but Conor McCambridge isn't in the same league as a lot of the names mentioned.

Of the most recent hurlers still playing Gregory O'Kane is the only one i can think of who would come close to this standard.

would agree with you there, Johnney

Quote from: johnneycool on November 22, 2006, 04:08:57 PM

Quote from: BottleOfStout on November 22, 2006, 02:05:39 PM
What about Danny McNaughton, Brian Donnelly , Dessie Donnelly , Leaonard McKeegan, Conor McCambridge, Aiden McCarry !!!!!!! Would Terence McNaughton even be the greatest Cushendall Hurler never mind Antrim.

No offence but Conor McCambridge isn't in the same league as a lot of the names mentioned.

Of the most recent hurlers still playing Gregory O'Kane is the only one i can think of who would come close to this standard.

if you're gonna mention Dick then surely Ally Elliott must be in there too

Quote from: johnneycool on November 22, 2006, 04:08:57 PM

Quote from: BottleOfStout on November 22, 2006, 02:05:39 PM
What about Danny McNaughton, Brian Donnelly , Dessie Donnelly , Leaonard McKeegan, Conor McCambridge, Aiden McCarry !!!!!!!  Would Terence McNaughton even be the greatest Cushendall Hurler never mind Antrim.

No offence but Conor McCambridge isn't in the same league as a lot of the names mentioned.

Of the most recent hurlers still playing Gregory O'Kane is the only one i can think of who would come close to this standard.

Have to disagree with you johnny, in all my days hurling i would have Ally and Conor in my team long before Gregory any day.

I never saw him in his prime but I do recall Brendan McGarry of Loughgiel blowing the great Ballycastle team away in the final in 1982. He must have been near forty at the time, his heyday was with loughgiel great team of the sixties. By all accounts he was the finest ever to pull on a shamrock jersey which is a fair big claim. Other worthys not mentioned probably due to age were John Butler from Ballycastle and Kevin Armstrong of Rossa from the 1943 team. Obviously I never saw them play but the stories were legendary. There used to be a letter in the Ballycastle clubrooms addressed simply to John Butler, Best midfielder in Ireland, Co antrim. It got delivered some time in the forties.

allways thought Paul McKillen was a great hurler...
He shone even when Antrim were getting hammered in all ireland semi finals by the likes of Killkennt and Tipp etc...

Quote from: Antrim__Lad on November 22, 2006, 05:27:20 PM

Quote from: johnneycool on November 22, 2006, 04:08:57 PM

Quote from: BottleOfStout on November 22, 2006, 02:05:39 PM
What about Danny McNaughton, Brian Donnelly , Dessie Donnelly , Leaonard McKeegan, Conor McCambridge, Aiden McCarry !!!!!!!  Would Terence McNaughton even be the greatest Cushendall Hurler never mind Antrim.

No offence but Conor McCambridge isn't in the same league as a lot of the names mentioned.

Of the most recent hurlers still playing Gregory O'Kane is the only one i can think of who would come close to this standard.

Have to disagree with you johnny, in all my days hurling i would have Ally and Conor in my team long before Gregory any day.

Obviously its only my own personal opinion based on my own experiences, there is no right or wrong answer.

I still feel Conor is short of being viewed in the same company as Sambo, Clute and Co and from the get go I said I'd include Gregory 'at a push' so to speak.

Of the three (Ally, Dick or Monty) and who I'd want on my team I'm sticking by my guns with Dick. I still feel he's the better all round hurler of the three, strong, good in the air, plays intelligent stuff and seldom found wanting when things get tough. Of the three you would have to admit Dick has done most in an Antrim jersey!

Should Brian Donnelly not be in there?

A disgrace that Niall Patterson wasn't nominated.

Quote from: magpie seanie on November 23, 2006, 02:30:59 PM
A disgrace that Niall Patterson wasn't nominated.

It does say greatest ever, not biggest ever!!!

God

all these names bring back so many happy memories, but if you are talking of Antrims greatest ever what about Kevin Armstrong? never seen the man play, but he his held in such high esteem in the Hurling community at large. Was talking to a load of elderly Tip hurlers after the match in 89 and they wouldnt shut up about him, so any discussion about Antrims greatest must include him, even for a passing moment.

Jonnycool, did you play againsh him? ;)

Quote from: Square Ball on November 23, 2006, 07:35:46 PM
God

all these names bring back so many happy memories, but if you are talking of Antrims greatest ever what about Kevin Armstrong? never seen the man play, but he his held in such high esteem in the Hurling community at large. Was talking to a load of elderly Tip hurlers after the match in 89 and they wouldnt shut up about him, so any discussion about Antrims greatest must include him, even for a passing moment.

Jonnycool, did you play againsh him? ;)

No, but me da did :)

Who was your Da Johnnycool?

Quote from: Bacon on November 24, 2006, 09:42:07 AM
Who was your Da Johnnycool?

Johnneycool senior

JC,

did your da ever mention him as a great player? I am sure there were other players from bygone days that may be worthy of a mention here, any others spring to mind?

Your not Bap Armstrong by any chance Square Ball? You've a great interest in Kevin.

Quote from: Square Ball on November 24, 2006, 11:26:49 AM
JC,

did your da ever mention him as a great player? I am sure there were other players from bygone days that may be worthy of a mention here, any others spring to mind?

My da reckoned he was a good hurler but his profile as a footballer pushed him into the reckoning for the likes of teams who never won an All-Ireland which was picked in the centenary year.
He always raved about the bear Donnelly, Wille Richmond, Chris Elliott and Brendan McGarry players from that era.

Bacon

No i am not Bap, mind you i know him (sort of) from spending a lot of nights in the Rossa club many years ago, i knew Kevin as well, a complete gentleman

I have you sussed now Square boy! Are you PH?

So you think I am the ex vice principal of Corpus Christi?

i wonder how you managed to get PH from "from spending a lot of nights in the Rossa club many years ago" :P

Your also involved with Bredagh now, so is he.  How's retirement treating you?

Very wide of the mark mate, do you know PH well? Oh and he isnt involved with Bredagh now

I was sure you were PH because of your advar. PH was always dropping his trousers after a few!

Guillem

sent you a PM

As I come from Mayo I don't claim to know much about hurling, or about Antrim for that matter
However, I did see  some televised matches in the late 80s when Antrim hurling was good and I'd have to say that Cloot was as talented a lad as I have ever seen.
He'd have no problem walking onto any team in the land back then.
Kevin Cashman, who wrote for the Sunday Tribune put him on a par with Nicky English but I'd rate him even higher  as Cloot didn't have the same quality of players around to support him.  From what I have seen since f Ally Elliot I'd rate him highly also.
Mind you, Nially Patterson was another  I'll long remember , even if he wasn't in the same class as the other two but he was some colourful character.

In the 1988 semi big Niall punched Pat Fox, every1 including the ref just laughed. As the commentator said at the time in boxing it would be a heavy weight/ flyweight contest,lol

Quote from: slow corner back on November 24, 2006, 10:10:32 PM
In the 1988 semi big Niall punched Pat Fox, every1 including the ref just laughed. As the commentator said at the time in boxing it would be a heavy weight/ flyweight contest,lol

If I were Babs Keating, I'd of punched Pat Fox as well. why was he standing still long enough for Niall to get a punch on him?

Johnney seeing as you seem the only Down hurling contributor and seem one of the main contributors to this thread who would you put as Down's greatest player?

Down never seemed to threaten pre early nineties (although my history on ulster titles isn't great) but were there players before then who'd be up there with the best?

I'd guess from last fiteenish years I'd have down obviously McGrattan, Sands, maybe Savage even from now, Braniff could be up there with the best of them too and then was your man Marty Mallon not right and good at wing half back too?

It was in the last 10 mins with about 5 points in it. The ball went over the end line and big Niall picked it up to take a quick puck out. As he picked it Fox rattled his knuckles with a flick of the hurl. Big Niall then punched him, not a haymaker but enough to knock him backwards ( there was a major weight difference). The umpire was about 1 foot from the incident when it happened . Ref asked the umpire he told him what happened and ref said fair enough play on, I dont think he booked either of them. Rember the discussion last week about refs in the eighties and nowadays, a classic example of good refereeing, fox acts the maggot, gets punched game carries on. Proper order.

Down produced some great hurlers in the 90s. They were a Div 1 team on merit for about 5 yrs. There have been Very few since.

The Down side of the late early nineties were top class, Gerard and Kevin Coulter anlong with Paddy Braniff were probably the best full back line in hurling for a few years, while Marty Mallon and Paul McMullan in front of them were top class too. The only weakness was they were a bit short of forwards then, if Noel sands did not win it for them they were in trouble.

Eddie was undoubtedly Antrim's finest hurler of the last 50 years - he was at his very best in the mid-70's when he topped the NHL scoring charts for 2/3 years in succession. Played his best hurling for Antrim/Ballycastle/Ulster at centre-half-forward, was as strong as an Ox and a deadly scorer.  Won numerous games for Ballycastle/Antrim with his legendary scoring exploits.

Just want to throw another name into the pot, persoanlly i have never heard of him, but talking about Antrim players to a Glens man the name of Randel McDonald (McDonnell) came up, can anyone enlighten me?

Randell McDonnell played for glenariffe. I remember him playing in the eighties but he was nearly forty by then. At one point himself and his brother charlie lined out for glenariffe along with two sons of Randell and one of Charlies. Never saw them in their prime so it would not be fair to comment any further.

As i am a blow in, i have asked around the academic corridors of power and the surprising answer is SEAN COLINS of ROSSA, people say his all round ability and skill was sublime.

Sean Collins was a classy hurley, there was a great style to his play and he always seemed to have time on the ball but as regards Antrim's best my vote must go to Cloot, a great all rounder and what a goal against Offaly in the 89 final, I've never seen better before or since - coming across his man, jumping high, catching and hitting the ball to the net before his feet touched the ground - different class!

Eddie Donnelly was a fabulous hurler who played in a poor enough Antrim team and has to be up there among the best. His contribution to Ballycastle was immense and he played on well into his 40s. Cloot was probably the most naturally talented hurler Ulster ever produced. It's an awful shame he played most of his club hurling in Div 2 and his career ended far too early.

Aristotle, you are letting urself down a bit there, cloot played  on until he was about 40. He only had about 5 years of intercounty hurling because he did not start until he was 26 and he was plagued with injury, at club level he played for about 25 years.

There's one guy I remember playing in Antrim Hurling and he was the best I seen at the time. 
I was at Queen's at the time and would have attended many of the games played in Belfast during my four years there.  This guy played for St Paul's and he was in mid field for them, he was also very young at the time, for sure, still minor.

I seen him a couple of times, once against St John's and he scored something like nine to ten points and was being lined by Mick Carling and Cut Cunningham at the same time, but they couldn't come even close to stopping him.  Both these St John's guys were both very highly respected Antrim county hurlers.  The other time I seen him play was against Sarsfield's and he took them apart also.  I never seen him play again over the years and I'd asked about him at one of the St Paul's games and I was told he moved down south.

I remember his name was Marshall, I don't know if this was his first name or surname.  Over the four years in Belfast I watched many, senior hurling games, teams from the city and north of the county Antrim and Down  and he was the most impressive hurler I remember, very skilful, very fast, he made everything look very easy indeed.

Shane

Is Kevin Armstrong related to Barry Armstrong who coaches Lamh Dearg hurlers?

No relation afaik. I went to queens with Barry Armstrong and Donal ( Kevins son) was there at the same time. I never thought there was any connection between the two of them.

I'm 35 now and haven't lived at home for 14 years. But the hurlers that stood out most for me most were. Stephen and Peter Boyle Ballycastle. Dessie Donnelly extremely accurate but had very little athleticism great hurler though and could have been better if it wasn't for his legs. Can't comment on Eddie Donnelly because his prime was before my time. Always thought Tony Mc Grath from Dunloy was a class act. Never forget the goal he scored against Glenmore when he threw the ball over his shoulder and doubled it to the net. Ally Elliot. Seamus Mc Mullan, woody Mc Kinley, Shane Elliot, Damian Mc Mullan, Liam Watson, Jim Connolly, Danny Mc Naughton, Cairan Barr, Aiden Mc Carry, magic Mc Fetridge and many more I'm forgetting were all serious talents.

It is important not to let time trick the mine and some times we romantasise the gallant efforts of the 89 team. However if we had a back door then there would have been no final for us. Thats taking nothing from the lads efforts.

A lot of great hurlers slipped through the net at club level and never got their chance to prove themselves for many reasons, retirement, emigration, marriage, alcholism etc. I new quite a few prospects that never fulfilled their potential. Also great players that didn't comity to a senior club or County team and weren't seen on the main stage.

Dunloy has been the greatest hurling parish in Antrim. I would rate Dunloy better than loughiel even though they won the . Beating Athenry, Glenmore, Mountsion, Portumna, drawing with Birr and Sursfields has given Antrim hurling a lot more hope within the County and respect outside the County. Very surprised the poll doesn't have more Dunloy names they got shafted by the Ulster council after the row with lavey and Antrim in 91 and now this poll!! ;)

I was fortunate enough to play with and against most opf the players mentioned here, but I have no doubt that Eddie Donnelly was the best hurler in the last 50 years.For club county and provence he was exceptional,in railway cup games he regularly chiped in with 2-5, 3-4 etc playing on a team that was being well beaten and marked by on of the countrys best full backs. He was also a gentleman on and off the field.

Have to agree I think Eddie Donnelly the best I ever seen but often heard my Father speak of Stout McDonald who I think played for Rossa as one of the all time greats.

A name I always hear is Bobby Mc Mullan. Hes in his early eighties now, but heard stories about him keeping Christy ring scoreless a few times when both were at their peak. He originated from Glenariff, but had relations in Loughgiel and would have gone there to work for the full summer months and played most of his hurling there.

Might have to ask your parents or even grandparents about him though.

For me Eddie Donnelly, Mick O Connell, Ciaran Barr, Clute and yes Sean Collins in midfield for rossa was a class act.

Shane Mc Naughton was heading that way too but emigrated, and a young Brian Donnelly was unstoppable.

When I started to follow hurling closely Eddie Donnelly was I suppose coming towards middle/end of his career but I still rate him as the best player I've seen in an Antrim shirt.  As bannside says, a young Brian Donnelly was a joy to watch.  My father still says that Kevin Armstrong was the best "dual" player he's ever seen (from any county).

Hurler on the Bitch was the best Antrim poster of his time. Is fada ó bhí sé thart ar an mbaile seo.