GAA Hard men (all counties)

[Mayo4Sam]

Well Staunton and Butler for a start, but we're getting into the "what makes a hard man" , Staunton and Butler would go through walls etc. and front up toe to toe. Rambo was the type of guy that wouldn't give you that chance as you'd have been taken out by a cheap shot to the ceann while your back was turned. I've seen him do this, both in his Ardagh incarnation and  Knockmore. Good footballer mind you, destroyed us in a junior championship game quite a few years back.


I'd never have really have classed Liam McHale as a 'hard man' , he'd mix it up with the best of him if they came looking but he never really went out of his way to flatten some fella who was wide open for a fair but killer shoulder or anything. Whereas DB in the same position would try and make sure that they'd have to scrape the man off the ground

Not that Liam McHale, he would hardly be classed in that category, i was talkin about Liam McHale senior from knockmore

[Mid Mon]

Quote from: Border Fox on January 17, 2007, 05:54:52 PM
Hardest Monaghan Man:  - Not a noted race of hard men

Gerry McCarville perhaps?



Nah, Fergus Caulfield. When he hit you, you lay down and didn't get up.

Did Hugo not show us last year in the "Battle of Blackhill" that he is Monaghans Hardest.

[The Iceman]

Geezer is scary - I don't think there is a footballer in Ireland who doesn't respect him on the field and flinch when he tackles.

During the aussie rules he roled a guy on the ground and had him in an unbreakable head lock - the guy didn't give anyone any shit for the rest of the game.

Geezer is a machine

[laughinpaddy]

the Grimleys play for nigh on twenty years, and they never run from anyone, ever, and they were up against the odds plenty of time!

I would have to agree with that. The stick them boys took was unreal - they had to be hauled to the ground to get a free.

But then the game is full of hard men if we're being honest. The difference between being hard and dirty is that one commands respect and the other will ensure the complete opposite.

Paul is a Brother but he played for the Pearse OGs and Not the Harps so it culd not have been him!!

[Six Inch Nail]

Martin Gavigan anyone?  A seroiusly tight individual.

PS - it was Paul Grimley who hit Lynch, brother of Mark and John who was in the crowd that day and fairly close to the tunnel in order to make an attack.

[maddog]

the Grimleys play for nigh on twenty years, and they never run from anyone, ever, and they were up against the odds plenty of time!

I would have to agree with that.  The stick them boys took was unreal - they had to be hauled to the ground to get a free.

But then the game is full of hard men if we're being honest.  The difference between being hard and dirty is that one commands respect and the other will ensure the complete opposite.

The Grimleys werent hard, they were the dirtiest pair of c*nts Ive ever seen. When they met anyone near their own size they werent long quietening down.

You cant have seen them play too often then.

[laughinpaddy]

the Grimleys play for nigh on twenty years, and they never run from anyone, ever, and they were up against the odds plenty of time!

I would have to agree with that.? The stick them boys took was unreal - they had to be hauled to the ground to get a free.

But then the game is full of hard men if we're being honest.? The difference between being hard and dirty is that one commands respect and the other will ensure the complete opposite.

The Grimleys werent hard, they were the dirtiest pair of c*nts Ive ever seen. When they met anyone near their own size they werent long quietening down.

read any match program were Jarleth Burns was asked who he had the most difficulty marking, he could have said any body from all over Ireland such as Darragh o'se Anthony Tohill Brian Mcgilligan but he always said Mark Grimley, and Jarleth is no slouch either at 6'2"!

[laughinpaddy]

I always thought the Grimleys were more dirty than hard. They never had much footballing ability other than their size.

Mark in his time was classed as one of the top mid-fielders of his time.  His fielding ability was second to none although his distribution at times left a lot to be desired.  John on the other hand was versatile he played in many positions such as full back, full forward corner forward midfield.  They also represented Ireland in the Compromise rules tour of Australia with the likes of McCartan so they obviously were not bad footballers!

[Candyman]

mess with him and u'll get this...

[Handball Ace]

Bernard Morris from Cavan. Strong bastard

[Rufus T Firefly]

I always thought the Grimleys were more dirty than hard. They never had much footballing ability other than their size.

Can I suggest that you limit your thinking then! I would expect such a suggestion from someone who knows nothing about football - take of your blinkers please and don't trot out the usual stereotypes! 

[5 Sams]

Somebody mentioned Gay O'Driscoll and the Doc earlier in this thread.....while on that subject you should also include Robbie Kelleher and Pat O'Neill....tough c***ts to man those Dubs but these particular lads would have cut you in two with the Doc leading the charge

[the green man]

Why oh, why oh, why, has no one mentioned Pat O'Byrne from Wicklow. The man took out seven parishes after a championship apparently!

[Rufus T Firefly]

I always thought the Grimleys were more dirty than hard. They never had much footballing ability other than their size.

Can I suggest that you limit your thinking then! I would expect such a suggestion from someone who knows nothing about football - take of your blinkers please and don't trot out the usual stereotypes! 

Nothing blinkered about my thinking, the Grimleys were 2 big lads who could catch a highball, nothing more. Other than their size and their brute force and ignorance they had nothing much to offer. One earlier poster said they were on the Compromise Rules team, that is the sort of football that suits their skills. Incidentally what did Armagh win while they were playing? Exactly!!!
This isnt one of my usual anti-Armagh posts. Its just my opinion on their limited footballing ability.

What have Down won since Benny Couter has been playing with them?

Exactly - it thus follows that Benny has limited footballing ability - according to your logic that is! 

Allow me to finish, by amending a line provided by your good self - 'Other than your ignorance, you have nothing much to offer.' 

[the green man]

Lads, lads, lets not drags this down to which county is tougher than the rest. Every county has their fair share of hard men. As for me? The oul fella sparked out McGilligan cold, the grandda kicked O Dea so far up the hole in 47, he never sat down again, and I'm just a dweeb who lives of the other two!