Mayo's (Where football is life) 3 greatest players

[rosnarun]

2)aidan o shea

Thats a joke

no joke this guy is the real deal . he has the attitude the skill and is a natural footballer and can Lead mayo to another level.
Despite all the fine players we've had down the years there not many you could say that about
bookmasrk this page and tell me in 5 years im wrong

[AbbeySider]

2)aidan o shea

Thats a joke

no joke this guy is the real deal . he has the attitude the skill and is a natural footballer and can Lead mayo to another level.
Despite all the fine players we've had down the years there not many you could say that about
bookmasrk this page and tell me in 5 years im wrong

What has he ever won or achieved?
Cop yourself on...

[AbbeySider]

I would be looking at All-Stars to find the greatest...

1967
Seamus O'Connor
Joe Langan

1971
Johnny Carey

1979
Joe McGrath

1985
Dermot Flanagan
Willie Joe Padden
Kevin MsStay

1989
Gabriel Irwin
Jimmy Browne
Dermot Flanagan
Willie Joe Padden
Noel Durkin

1992
T.J.Kilgallon

1993
Kevin O'Neill

1996
Kenneth Mortimer
Pat Holmes
James Nallen
Liam McHale
James Horan

1997
Kenneth Mortimer
Pat Fallon

1999
James Horan

2004
James Nallen
Ciarán McDonald

2006
Alan Dillon
Conor Mortimer


Reflecting in that list, you have to respect each player for being one of the best of their era...

Top 5... no particular order...

Willie Joe Padden
James Nallen
Kenneth Mortimer
James Horan
Ciaran McDonald


After that, to narrow it down, you would be looking at the most influencial, and who performed on the big days...

[magpie seanie]

David Brady
Tom Parsons
Kevin McStay

[AbbeySider]

David Brady
Tom Parsons
Kevin McStay

Stick to Sligo football Seanie

[Lar Naparka]

Sean Flanagan
Tommy Langan
Ciaran McDonald

I can't believe people are leaving out Sean Flanagan and Tommy Langan. That'd be someone leaving Christy Ring out of the top 3 Cork hurlers, just because they hadn't seen him play.

You could be right about Sean Flanagan and Tom Langan but I doubt many here could go on anything other than hearsay.  If you were to consider them as candidates you could consider Padraig Carney from that era also. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame for his contribution to the GAA and I have never heard dissent from anyone who knew him from that time no matter where they hailed from.
Me oul' fella often told me Patsy Flannelly from the 30s- 40s era was untouchable and he also had the greatest of praise for Purty Kelly and Gerard Courell. His view was shared by just about all of his contemporaries that I spoke to.
I am surprised that Kevin Cahill hasn't turned up on anyone's list. We still have come nowhere close to finding someone to fill his boots.

[AbbeySider]

Sean Flanagan
Tommy Langan
Ciaran McDonald

I can't believe people are leaving out Sean Flanagan and Tommy Langan. That'd be someone leaving Christy Ring out of the top 3 Cork hurlers, just because they hadn't seen him play.

You could be right about Sean Flanagan and Tom Langan but I doubt many here could go on anything other than hearsay.  If you were to consider them as candidates you could consider Padraig Carney from that era also. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame for his contribution to the GAA and I have never heard dissent from anyone who knew him from that time no matter where they hailed from.
Me oul' fella often told me Patsy Flannelly from the 30s- 40s era was untouchable and he also had the greatest of praise for Purty Kelly and Gerard Courell. His view was shared by just about all of his contemporaries that I spoke to.
I am surprised that Kevin Cahill hasn't turned up on anyone's list. We still have come nowhere close to finding someone to fill his boots.

I dont know is it hearsay Lar, players from the 1950 and '51 team defiantly deserve a mention.

Two Mayo players from that era made it onto the
"GAA team of the Millennium", which is no small feat.

Left Corner Back - Sean Flanagan - Mayo/East Mayo/UCD
Full Forward - Tommy Langan - Mayo & Ballycastle

I suppose they would have to make the top three greatest list...
Flanagan also made it into the Tribune, GAA 125 most influential people list...
here is his piece:

47 Seán Flanagan, Ill See You When Ive The Sam Maguire

In 1949, after another All Ireland semi-final defeat, the Mayo County Board abandoned the tradition of county champions automatically assuming the county captaincy. If Mayo were to win an All Ireland, Seán Flanagan from Ballaghadereen had to be captain. The first thing Flanagan did upon receiving the honour was to tell the county chairman that he was to keep the rest of the board away from the team until he had collected the Sam Maguire. Once, when the boards reverend president strode into the teams training camp while the players were having lunch, Flanagan told him, "Get out Father and Ill see you when Ive the Sam Maguire." Which he duly lifted the following September and the September after that again. Left corner-back on the Team of the Millennium, he would bring the team over to watch Arsenal and their counter-attack –"the first pass out of defence is king; make it long, fast and accurate; the space is there" – and the shadowing skills of Joe Mercer.

Just because Kerry were winning All Irelands every few years, he fundamentally differed with Dr Eamonn OSullivans gospel of zonal, catch-and-kick football, and, as Raymond Smith put it, "lashing the ball in the air, waiting for the roar of the crowd"; possession was king. A lawyer, he would later serve as a member of cabinet in successive Jack Lynch governments. (1922-1993)

[GBXII]

no joke this guy is the real deal . he has the attitude the skill and is a natural footballer and can Lead mayo to another level.
Despite all the fine players we've had down the years there not many you could say that about
bookmasrk this page and tell me in 5 years im wrong
[/quote]

Joke of the day...

[AbbeySider]

In relation to the 1951 team, I had the pleasure of having a few pints with Paddy Prendergast around March/April this year.

Being a fellow clubman, he is somebody who I always wanted to meet, just to shake the hand as it were. He is a true hero and living legend, and since he is in his early 80's now (I think), I was really glad to have met him.

He is one of the strongest, fittest men for his age I have seen. I couldnt believe the strong hearty handshake, his energy and his general health.

He told some great stories about the players from the AI winning team of '50-'51. He described Flanagan, Carney and Langan as simply majestic and he really idolised them.

He had stories of grown men balling crying on the pitch after the 1950 final and how he met people after the game that had cycled from Belmullet to Balla to get the train to Dublin for the match.

[cornafean]

Willie Joe
Kevin O'Neill
Ciarán McDonald

[GBXII]

From what I have seen and remember..so the last 10 years or so...

Ciaran McDonald
Alan Dillon
David Brady

[ballinaman]

Sean Flanagan
Tommy Langan
Ciaran McDonald

I can't believe people are leaving out Sean Flanagan and Tommy Langan. That'd be someone leaving Christy Ring out of the top 3 Cork hurlers, just because they hadn't seen him play.

You could be right about Sean Flanagan and Tom Langan but I doubt many here could go on anything other than hearsay.  If you were to consider them as candidates you could consider Padraig Carney from that era also. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame for his contribution to the GAA and I have never heard dissent from anyone who knew him from that time no matter where they hailed from.
Me oul' fella often told me Patsy Flannelly from the 30s- 40s era was untouchable and he also had the greatest of praise for Purty Kelly and Gerard Courell. His view was shared by just about all of his contemporaries that I spoke to.
I am surprised that Kevin Cahill hasn't turned up on anyone's list. We still have come nowhere close to finding someone to fill his boots.

Unfortunately never had the chance to see Gerald Courell play but he is regarded as one of the all time Mayo GAA greats, both on and off the field.

Gerald Courell(co trainer aka manager of the 50 and 51 team also), along with Paddy Moclair deserve a mention. Both captained Mayo for 3 years apiece of the 6 in a row league team in the 30's.

[Eastern_Pride]

Geez, that's an impossible one to answer!
I think it all depends on when I saw them in action and on how I was feeling at the time. You'd then have to think of their inspirational effect on those around them as well as their actual level of football skill.
I know I'll never settle on any three (or 33) but I'll nominate:

Joe Corcoran
Willie Joe Padden
Ciaran McDonald

Dosen't Lar Naparka seem fair wise just because of his picture...jaysus i'd listen to anything he has to say

[Farrandeelin]

I've been following Mayo football since Summer of 1995. When I was 7.

3 best I've seen are McDonald, Nallen in his heyday, McHale.

Awful pity we 'lost' O'Neill for his peak years.

[Lar Naparka]

Geez, that's an impossible one to answer!
I think it all depends on when I saw them in action and on how I was feeling at the time. You'd then have to think of their inspirational effect on those around them as well as their actual level of football skill.
I know I'll never settle on any three (or 33) but I'll nominate:

Joe Corcoran
Willie Joe Padden
Ciaran McDonald

Dosen't Lar Naparka seem fair wise just because of his picture...jaysus i'd listen to anything he has to say

Janey, you seem to be following me about; I thought only Tubberman and Rossfan did that!