Leinster 25

[LilySavage]

Agree that Geraghty was a vastly superior player to either Forde or O'Brien. Barden doesnt come close and should not be on this team. I'd like to know who compiled the categories, Eugene mcGhee have an input maybe as a Longford man. The no.12 spot was particularly weak, you could have had Early or Buckley from Kildare, Geraghty, Alan Brogan, Vinny Claffet or indeed O'Brien if u so wished. (Look how they accomadated some of the guys on the hurling team-and rightly so).

[AZOffaly]

Lads, Graham Geraghty was a great player, but he was not a better player than Kevin O'Brien.

[meathie]

Started a topic on this about a month ago. Then some rediculous comments came in that Martin O Connell should never had been on the team of the millenium never mind this! gave up after that really 

From the Indo:

CAN it really be 25 years since the GAA celebrated its centenary, an occasion marked by various 100-year team selections which generated enough energy to heat the country's clubhouses?

Now, as part of the GAA's 125th anniversary celebrations, teams of the last 25 years are being chosen, which will prove both interesting and divisive in equal measure. The Leinster Council has already nominated 120 players for their 1984-2009 teams, which will be announced at a later date this year.

It's quite a line-up of past and present and there are prizes to be won for members of the public who predict the correct teams. Full details on www.leinstergaa.ie.

The following are the nominations, plus my choices of who should fill the various positions.

No 1: J O'Leary, S Cluxton (Dublin), F Byron (Laois), M McQuillan (Meath).

Choice: O'Leary -- played 70 successive championship games (three with extra time), conceding 51 goals, or one goal every 98 minutes.

No 2: R O'Malley, M O'Reilly (Meath), D Dalton (Kildare), C Daly (Offaly).

Choice: O'Malley -- covered every angle, every opponent, every time.

No 3: D Fay, M Lyons (Meath), G Hargan (Dublin), H Kenny (Wicklow).

Choice: Lyons -- the ultimate antidote to cheeky invaders.

No 4: T Ferguson (Meath), J Higgins (Laois), J Keane (Westmeath), M Kennedy. (Dublin).

Choice: Kennedy -- deserved more than one All Star award.

No 5: P Curran (Dublin), K Foley (Meath), L Glynn (Wicklow), T Kelly (Laois).

Choice: Curran -- the complete wing-back package.

No 6: K Barr (Dublin), F Cullen (Offaly), L Harnan (Meath), G Ryan (Kildare).

Choice: Ryan -- 16 seasons as first-class Lilywhite look-out point.

No 7: M O'Connell, P Reynolds (Meath), C Browne (Laois) A Rainbow (Kildare).

Choice: O'Connell -- chosen on Team of the Millennium, which says it all.

Nos 8 & 9: L Hayes, G McEntee, J McDermott (Meath), D Earley (Kildare), S O'Hanlon (Louth), C McManus (Offaly), C Whelan (Dublin), R O'Connell (Westmeath).

Choices: Hayes & McEntee -- one of the most enduring partnerships in football history.

No 10: B Rock, A Brogan (Dublin), D Beggy (Meath), J Doyle (Kildare).

Choice: Rock -- Loved on Hill 16, envied beyond. Acknowledged for his star quality everywhere.

No 11: T Dowd, T Giles (Meath), D Farrell (Dublin), J Nevin (Carlow).

Choice: Giles -- elegant, enterprising, entertaining, effective.

No 12: P Barden (Longford), D Dolan (Westmeath), C Duff (Dublin), T Prendergast (Laois).

Choice: Dolan -- top-class finisher, comes with a versatility bonus.

No 13: O Murphy, C O'Rourke (Meath), D Barry (Longford), C Redmond (Dublin).

Choice: O'Rourke -- how Meath could have done with him against Dublin last Sunday at Croke Park.

No 14: B Stafford, G Geraghty (Meath), K O'Brien (Wicklow), J Sherlock (Dublin).

Choice: O'Brien -- one of the best players never to win provincial or All-Ireland honours at senior county level.

No 15: V Claffey (Offaly), B Flynn (Meath), M Forde (Wexford), S White (Louth).

Choice: Flynn -- fetch, turn, kick, score. Made it all look so simple.

[INDIANA]

Lads, Graham Geraghty was a great player, but he was not a better player than Kevin O'Brien.

How is Bernard Flynn not there? Still in the top 3 corner forwards I ever saw.

[man in black]

1 John O'Leary. Solid and composed

2 Robbie O'Malley. Meath can produce annoying corner backs.
3 Darren Fay. Pure class
4 Joe Higgins. One of the few Laois players I wished was from Kildare
5 Paul Curran. Not everyones cup of team but I'd have on my team every day
6 Glen Ryan. One of the greatest footballers never to win an All-Ireland. Keith Barr would be a close 2nd.
7 Anthony Rainbow. Has played for 18 of those 25 years. Great player.

8 Gerry McEntee. Majestic
9 John McDermott. Just about ahead of Earley

10 John Doyle. Class again last Sunday, a shining light in a bad team the last 6 years
11 Trevor Giles. Always a fan and an absolute gent to boot
12 Dessie Dolan. Westmeaths John Doyle

13 Colm O'Rourke, always had a great attitue and poxy knee bandage
14 Kevin O'Brien. Up there as another great not to win an All-Ireland
15 Matty Forde. Just oozes class, White is probably unlucky and I just can't stand Flynn

6 Meath
3 Kildare
2 Dublin
1 Laois
1 Wicklow
1 Westmeath
1 Wexford

The 2 of Kildare lads are probably all in ahead of 2 Dubs Barr and Rock and Rainbow is probably in ahead of a Meath man, overall I think a fair reflection of the last 25 years where Meath were the most dominant side bar the last few years in Leinster.

Matty forde is a kn**ker. I couldnt pick a player that would stamp on another lads head. Charlie Redmond would go in that slot for me.

[Billys Boots]

Well, out of what was on offer, I picked Barden at #12 - on current performance it might look wrong, but in his pomp the guy was unstoppable.  He missed an Aussie Tour (through illness) when he was at his best that might have cemented him there in most people's eyes.

The three moments (that probably few other than Longford folk (and Westlucan/Wexford/Down people) saw) that probably put him there were:
(a) the impossible point off his left in the O'Byrne Cup final 2000 against Westmeath - even Longford people around me said that it couldn't have gone over the bar,
(b) the point in the pissing rain in New Ross in the championship, clipped it into his hand off the ground at full pace and popped it over off his left to earn Longford an unlikely draw, and
(c) the 'winning' point against Down in 2002 (well the one that dropped the Down heads finally), where he collected the ball in his own square and ran and ran and ran before popping it over (and receiving resussicitation).

And Kevin O'Brien is easily the best #14 I've ever seen anywhere.

[Shamrock Shore]

Frank Roche in today's Herald reckons Barden's picking is tokenism.

Well I'd have him over the other three tbf but I spose I am biased so we'll leave it at that

[Billys Boots]

Who is Frank Roche - and what's his argument (apart from being stupid)?

[Billys Boots]

Yup, as I thought, Roche whines about tokenism for Barden by claiming he doesn't deserve one because while it was an individual award, his team didn't win anything and Dessie Dolan's/Ciarán Duff's teams did.  Go figure.

[lynchbhoy]

my selection would be

1 JOHN O'LEARY Dublin

2 GERRY HARGAN Dublin
3 MICK LYONS Meath
4 MICK KENNEDY Dublin

5 PAUL CURRAN Dublin
6 LIAM HARNAN Meath
7 MARTIN O'CONNELL Meath

8 GERRY McENTEE Meath
9 SÉAMUS O'HANLON Louth

10 TOMMY DOWD Meath
11 TREVOR GILES Meath
12 DESSIE DOLANWestmeath (Dessie and JOHN DOYLE Kildare are not half forwards) 


13 MATTY FORDE Wexford
14 KEVIN O'BRIEN Wicklow
15 BERNARD FLYNN Meath

whoops
thanks Billy, included the competition line by mistake when cut and pasting...edited that now !

[Billys Boots]

What are ye on about Lynchie? - the competition's over and the results have been announced. 

[INDIANA]

barden wasn't a better player than Duff. No way. I don't think Dolan was better than Duff either. Dessie Barry though should have been on it in my view.

[Donnellys Hollow]

Can't believe people are questioning Kevin O'Brien's inclusion. The guy was an absolute class act and if he'd been from Dublin or Meath he'd probably have a rake of All-Ireland medals and All-Stars. I wouldn't have many issues with the selection but Paul Barden does appear to be something of a political inclusion. Always thought that Padraic Davis was a more dangerous forward on the same Longford team.

I'd have had Higgins ahead of Keane, Rainbow ahead of Curran, and Earley ahead of Whelan. The Kildare bias is probably surfacing there a bit though!

[Billys Boots]

Always thought that Padraic Davis was a more dangerous forward on the same Longford team.

Dessie Barry though should have been on it in my view.

Both great lads to take their scores, but not as good as Barden who was a threat wherever he got the ball.

[North Longford]

Would definitely have Barden well ahead of Davis (not knocking Davis ability but Barden had a few exceptional years and his overall abilty was ahead of Davis).
Barry is just unforetuneate with the competition for his place. Would have him up with Barden from a Longford perspective and in indeed up with the very best in his position.
I would wonder at those who reckon Barden should be nowhere near the team how often they might have seen him play.
He's been selected to play for his country at least twice and has been on the Leinster team for years........this being despite the fact that he plays for a shite county that win nothing!!!