Best gaelic football players from the weaker counties over the last 25 years?

[SidelineKick]

Fergal Doherty the one man who stands out to me.

I mentioned him at the start of this thread bannside and couldn't agree more.  Gets nowhere near the credit he deserves and as hard a player that you will ever come across. Very clean footballer too.

[INDIANA]

dunno az , o brien had no help on that wicklow team and still managed to look like a genius at times. I haven't seen a better forward anywhere in the country in the last 25 years bar maybe maurice.

[Gaaman]

Big Francie Bellew stood out for me

[muppet]

Big Francie Bellew stood out for me

Me too. Saw him in SuperMacs, really stood out..

[Tyrones own]

Surely Declan Browne has to top that list!

[shark]

Well if its the last 25 years Westmeath definitely qualify as a weaker county as we were a lot worse than weak from 83-94. I nominate Michael 'Spike' Fagan.

[118cmal]

Barry Owens???

[Gaaman]

Mattie Ford would have to be up there.  Great player

[heineken_on_tap]

Francie Grehan - Roscommon. Could of played with any county IMO

[Onion Bag]

Dont get me wrong he is a good footballer, but i think Madden was better, like everything else, both have had good days and bad days. By memory last year, Kelly missed chance after chance against Cavan in the c'ship

Kelly never missed one chance, its Tony Scullion you are thinking of--Madden was ok/good--Kelly is a different class--glides across the turf--if you were playing chasies in the playground you would never touch him--he'd be all-ireland bulldog champion

Jasus do you know something your right, it was scullion,

I obviously havent seen enough of Kelly, seems to be the Dogs Bollocks in Antrim

[NAG]

Kelly is a class act pity we have no one to back him up with his commitment and dedication to being a top class inter county footballer.

On the Madden thing I dont like to be critical of someone from my own county in this type of debate but he was never at the standard of the other players mentioned and I have watched him playing from he was no age. I would say maybe 80-90% of the scores he got were from frees which he cleverly got from referee's. But I think he contribution from open play was never that great in the cold light of day.

Fergal Doc has to be in there!

[saffron sam2]

I left Fergal Doherty out of this thread, becasue I don't consider Derry to be a weaker county.

Notwithstanding the immensely witty thread title, this is where Doherty should be being discussed.

http://gaaboard.com/board/index.php?topic=8333.msg332998#msg332998

[SidelineKick]

I left Fergal Doherty out of this thread, becasue I don't consider Derry to be a weaker county.

Notwithstanding the immensely witty thread title, this is where Doherty should be being discussed.

http://gaaboard.com/board/index.php?topic=8333.msg332998#msg332998

Agreed! And a gentleman into the bargain!

[Denn Forever]

Jim Reilly from Cavan.  Early 80s but a brilliant defender and great Captain.

Only wish he'd been around for the international rules (and now for Cavan).

[BeanPháidín]

Smell the Glove

Tony Boyle? Are you havin a laugh? 2 Ulster, an All-Ireland and played in at least 2 league finals. How did he come to play for a weaker county?