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So to rate the 5.

Much as at annoys me that Tyronnies overrate their players, Brian McGuigan is probably my favourite footballer  ever (apart from David Clifford). His peak years coincided with the best era of football ever seen - better conditioned, smarter and more ruthless than their predecessors, but not robotic - and he was the high conductor of the best team I've ever watched.

Paudie Clifford comes next and he will likely overtake McGuigan in the coming years. He was clearly more gifted than the rest during the defensive  implosion of our game. Then, what he did this season, in the knockout games was many level above. A rare combination of athleticism and genius. He's extraordinary.

Kilkenny for me should have been the best player of all time. He's perfect. But he's so perfect that he always put winning over winning with distinction. And that's a paradox. I've seen him do the most exceptional things but my overarching memory of him is playing it safe. It's a shame. I don't want him to be Kieran McDonald and all style over substance. But all my life I've been waiting for the game where he just shows off.

Giles and O'Sullivan are joint 4th. Both were a joy to watch. Energy, intelligence, will to win.  But they're  not quite at the level of the lads above. It's small margins, but it's all time greats against generational greats and something has to give.

2 sets of forwards and Ciaran MacDonald not mentioned yet. Hang your heads

McGuigan
Giles
O'Sullivan
Clifford
Kilkenny

All 5 were better playmakers than McDonald.

Nobody in the history of the game could kick the ball as high or arcing as Kieran.

Difference is that those 5 all know it looks good, but produces little.

Re these 4, it's a really interesting discussion.

I don't think Galway - as talented as they were - could have won an AI without their spearhead in Joyce.

Tyrone needed O'Neill so often, but won a couple of AI finals with him at half mast.

Connolly is, as previously described, the maverick of the group and being a few years younger had the misfortune of running into prime Lee Keegan in most his big games.

McDonnell was one of the best players I've seen for consistency, but perhaps in part due to Armagh's tactical approach during his peak years, might have needed the perfect foil (Ronan Clarke) to see out the bigger games.

So I'm going Joyce at 1, and a joint second place for the other 3.

One of the primary functions of GAABoard is in full flow on this thread:

Regardless of how highly someone might rate any given footballer, Tyrone-based posters must unanimously and vociferously rate one of their own as a better player.

It's just a wee self defence mechanism.

Once your team reaches a high stakes game, what comes with it is a high chance that will end in failure.

Many people are unwilling to accept that this might be because they weren't good enough to win the match, and will arrive it pre-loaded with excuses should an under par performance prevail.

Cause it aint that smart lol. Channels should be around the 700 region, if u got a aerial previous which picked up rte.

Ha ha! I live on the border and have always been able to pick up all the Irish channels through my aerial. Nothing doing this time. I'm still able to access them through my dvd box so at least I have that workaround. Not ideal though.

Re tune your tv and select it as being in the Republic of Ireland.

It's Lee Keegan and by a distance for me; the best defender in the history of the game.

James McCarthy the only one who'd match him in the halfback line.

That's not dismissing McCaffrey, Jordan or O'Se by the way. Fabulous, brilliant players.

Keegan and McCarthy (Cluxton and Clifford) is where I'd start the best team I've ever seen.

A question for Donegal men on here.
Was Mc Brearty better than Colm Mc Fadden ?

He never had a flawless season like McFadden did in 2012.

I think he was more consistent over his career than McFadden though.

I would agree with this. Paddy a level above because he delivered relatively consistently over 14 years. Colm Anthony had several solid years and one exceptional one.

Colm McFadden was an exceptional winter footballer throughout his career, but only became a proper championship game winning forward towards the end of it.

Paddy would shade that one for me.

It's very easy to take sides, keep sides, dig your heels in.

But apart from those who profit  immensely from being in Trump's inner circle, there cannot be many left - not even the whitest and dumbest of MAGAs - taking any sense of pride or enjoyment from watching and listening to Trump.

He's got to be at the point that if he were to happen upon a bullet, there'd be no uprising, no madness. Just an acceptance.

if you think it is h=just the losing then there isnt much more can be said to you

Here's how I see it as someone with genuinely no axe to wield or cross to bear.

Celtic fans would like to follow a club that's capable of attracting top tier talent, top drawer managers, and delivering European success.

(The more vocal) Celtic fans are simultaneously unaware that the club currently  exists in a paradox. 

This paradox being that the only way the interest of the general (worldwide) public in Scottish football will increase, is if it becomes more competitive. And when people aren't interested, sponsors aren't interested. And when sponsors aren't interested, the media aren't interested. And if the media aren't interested, the higher strand of players and managers from other nations won't be interested. Then sponsorship declines further. Then media declines further. That's the circle of descent Scottish football has been on for 30 years.

(the more vocal) Celtic fans seem to believe the opposite is true i.e. that if their board sloshes PL type money around then the domino effect of that would be that other high level players would come on board, suffer living in a dirty and cold city, join in on a 40 week procession through domestic competitions, then come alive on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in Autumn and Spring. And if those players can't do this, then move them on at a loss and bring in even more expensive ones. Rinse and repeat. Spend more, earn more. You know, the strategy that took Rangers apart.

I'm not saying (the more vocal) Celtic fans are deluded. But I do get the sense that their board of directors are actually aware that this paradox exists.

It must be weirdly awful living in a world where anything other than complete success is absolute failure. A place where 4 titles in a row is sack the board territory.

Or maybe it's just a crutch you folks need in life... ie in a tough and unpredictable world your one constant pleasure is that Celtic win every week.

Well done Scotstown. Very impressed with how positive they were both directions in ET. Ryan O'Toole would have been my motm, and nos. 4 and 5 put in some serious shift while Conor McCarthy coming on was fundamentally the difference. Beggan's place kicking was immense but I'm really not sure any keeper should win a motm award for freetaking when their kickouts are off the boil.

Kilcoo are some team. They were like rabid dogs when out of possession for 80 mins, which compensated for having an off day when shooting. Thought Miceal Rooney and Ryan and McEvoy outstanding. I do wonder if they'll ponder their recycling tactics in the first half a little. A few piercing breaks against the breeze would have told.

Those giving off about timewasting from Scotstown really need to consider that Kilcoo spent 20 mins of the first half going around in circles to kill the clock. Same thing.

Daft comment FFS. That's ball in play. Scotstown were trying to waste time with the ball dead. Perfectly within in their rights to do so, but nobody can complain when the ref pulls them on it and adds more time. Comments like "no doubt Hurson was playing for the draw" are just lazy nonsense from idiots with no interest in watching what's actually happening in the game.

See this is perception Gallsman.

One of them was handling the ball with absolutely no intent of playing football. One of them was lying on the ground with no intent on playing football.

The big difference is context. The former were playing against the breeze in the first half and clock killing by any means necessary.

They're both timewasting. Both a blight on the game. One shouldn't be considered a skill or a right.

Yes, but only in one of those instances can the other team do anything about it. Pretending slow, anti-football, shite to watch tactics are in any way the same thing as trying to kill the clock with the ball out of play is utter twattery.

It may well be twattery.

Focusing on all your ire on a timewasting occurrence in the last minute while ignoring any timewasting (by either side) prior, is simpleminded.

Those giving off about timewasting from Scotstown really need to consider that Kilcoo spent 20 mins of the first half going around in circles to kill the clock. Same thing.

Daft comment FFS. That's ball in play. Scotstown were trying to waste time with the ball dead. Perfectly within in their rights to do so, but nobody can complain when the ref pulls them on it and adds more time. Comments like "no doubt Hurson was playing for the draw" are just lazy nonsense from idiots with no interest in watching what's actually happening in the game.

See this is perception Gallsman.

One of them was handling the ball with absolutely no intent of playing football. One of them was lying on the ground with no intent on playing football.

The big difference is context. The former were playing against the breeze in the first half and clock killing by any means necessary.

They're both timewasting. Both a blight on the game. One shouldn't be considered a skill or a right.

Strangely entertaining game of football.

Those giving off about timewasting from Scotstown really need to consider that Kilcoo spent 20 mins of the first half going around in circles to kill the clock. Same thing.

Hurson has been okay. Some tough calls to make. He wants it be hard hitting and free flowing and it's mostly been that way.

Should Kilcoo win this, which they will, Scotstown really need to ask why in holy sweet f**k they kicked 95% of their restarts to left sideline on that second half. They've a clear aerial advantage on Kilcoo, but the presence of the sideline allows Kilcoo to box players in, so if it's not a clean catch you're not getting out. Absolute madness.