The Greatest of them all

[ONeill]

Iggy Jones, Eddie Devlin, Frank McGuigan and Peter Canavan (the first 2 from tales).

Almost every county could lay claim to 3-4 players for consideration. 

In my lifetime - Pat Spillane, Mikey Sheehy, Jack O'Se, Colm O'Rourke, Mickey Linden, Matin McHugh, Anthony Tohill, Peter Canavan, Maurice Fitz, Padraig Joyce, Colm Cooper, Dara O Se, Stephen McDonnell, Tomas O Se, Stephen O'Neill and Sean Cavanagh have reached a level that cannot be topped at that particular time.

Some will laugh at this but Phillip Jordan has played faultless games for his county.

[Tony Baloney]

O'Neill had an obvious standout season but can he really be on the same list as the other players who consistently achieved at the highest level.

[ONeill]

O'Neill had an obvious standout season but can he really be on the same list as the other players who consistently achieved at the highest level.

O'Neill was an All-Star in 2001, 4 years before the year you are intimating.

[Minder]

Mc Menamin did not receive an All Star this year, is it a true barometer of "consistency" ?

[ONeill]

Sure he was the reason Tyrone lost to Down!

[Minder]

Sure he was the reason Tyrone lost to Down!

And one of the reasons you beat Kerry !

[ONeill]

Sure he was the reason Tyrone lost to Down!

And one of the reasons you beat Kerry !

Explain.

[Tony Baloney]

O'Neill had an obvious standout season but can he really be on the same list as the other players who consistently achieved at the highest level.

O'Neill was an All-Star in 2001, 4 years before the year you are intimating.

No matter I still think you would be hard pushed to find a man outside Tyrone (a Tyrone man in Antrim doesn't count) to put him on a greatest list. O Se, Tohill etc are a given on almost everyones list.

[Minder]

Sure he was the reason Tyrone lost to Down!

And one of the reasons you beat Kerry !

Explain.

Why?

[kickingmule]

the legend ..who will never be forgotten .... MICK O'CONNELL! and pretenders ... Dara o'se,..Sean purcell,.. Iggy Jones..Noel Tierney .. Peter Canavan .. Sean O'neill .. Gooch Cooper .. Pat Spillane .. Frank Mcguigan ...Jimmy Barry Murphy ... and joining list ... Brian Dooher.

And for me .... recent day players ... Declan O'sullivan, Sean Cavanagh, Eugene Mckenna!

[Tyrones own]

Should the Gallant John Jo get a mention here, Before most of our times of course but
was legendary in his day...
Found this below:


"The Gallant John Joe"


In the month of November on a cold stormy day

I left my old home and to town made my way

I met with a young man on the road I did go

And he told me the news of the death of John Joe



John Joe O'Reilly has left us behind

He was called by the good Lord to his faithful and kind,

He brought him to Heaven, that proud land to show;

A true son of Breffni is the gallant John Joe.



Brave clann O'Reilly, oh proud is your name

You've reared many sons of great honour and fame

But not even the princes of long long ago

Could compare with our sportsman the Gallant John Joe



His record's a proud one without blemish or stain

Since he played his first football with famed Cornafean

Till he's laid in his cold grave where the wild flowers grow

A true son of Breffni is the gallant John Joe.



He led Cavan to victory on that memorable day

In the final against Kerry in New York far away

The next year in Croke Park when our boys beat Mayo

Once again they were led by the gallant John Joe



In each corner of Breifne there's sorrow and pain

Such a true-hearted sportsman we'll ne'er see again

New players may come and old players may go

But we'll ne'er have another like the gallant John Joe.

[kickingmule]

yeah ..John Joe was a class act .... in 40's/50's .... only seen him on footage ..... a legend of cavan football ... and jayas what a side that was, ...cavan were massive right up until the 70's.
but i was fortunate to see ... Mick O'Connell in the flesh, and my god, in my opinion , there's not a player who even comes close!!!

Sean Purcell, Dara O'shea, Peter Canavan ..... were good!

[RedandGreenSniper]

I think its probabaly unfortunate for the likes of Purcell, O'Connell and John Joe that their careers preceded mass media and therefore we've to rely on anecdotal evidence in a lot of cases. Old timers in Mayo could spend all night eulogising about Purcell, whom they called the Master and I've heard O'Connell considered the greatest ever Kerry player ever, no easy accolade to win . . .

[kickingmule]

Its amazing really .... the man trained on his own out there on Valencia island, running with bags of turf, haha! just coming on to the mainland for match day.
Purscell of course was one of the terrible twins, as was Canavan of course .... until  Cush went missing.... who by the way i reckoned was the most gifted!!
Recent day media of course ...believe gaelic football began in 2002!

[heganboy]

well the names that were bandied about by my grandfather who saw them all, were O'Neill, Jones, Purcell and O'Connell and he said O'Connell was the best, the most talented ever to lace a pair of boots though in his book was a certain Frank McGuigan.

Best club team ever was the Cavan kickhams, and that from a Tyrone man