Cavan's Top 3 GAA Players

[Celt_Man]

I know he is with the lough B team but was wondering is he on the Cavan over 40's

Oh right, wouldn't know much about them to be honest

[Dougal]

Hey, I'm not getting down on Phillip Smith, I quite like a guy with a temperament on the edge. I remember along time ago Cavan played Kildare in the league in Kingscourt. I remember Smith reaching over the refs shoulder to box a Kildare fella minutes after being booked. He was a hot head but a tough footballer. Amazing he is still playing. Is he playing with the Cavan masters.

as far as i know,he is.

he was also playing for the 1st team against ballinagh in the relegation final,and had a good enough game.was giving gaynor some abuse,was surprised gaynor didnt deck him,i know i would have.

[Celt_Man]

Hey, I'm not getting down on Phillip Smith, I quite like a guy with a temperament on the edge. I remember along time ago Cavan played Kildare in the league in Kingscourt. I remember Smith reaching over the refs shoulder to box a Kildare fella minutes after being booked. He was a hot head but a tough footballer. Amazing he is still playing. Is he playing with the Cavan masters.

as far as i know,he is.

he was also playing for the 1st team against ballinagh in the relegation final,and had a good enough game.was giving gaynor some abuse,was surprised gaynor didnt deck him,i know i would have.

I think Gaynor can be selective about who he decks at times... and Smith wouldn't be easily decked!!

[Dougal]

Hey, I'm not getting down on Phillip Smith, I quite like a guy with a temperament on the edge. I remember along time ago Cavan played Kildare in the league in Kingscourt. I remember Smith reaching over the refs shoulder to box a Kildare fella minutes after being booked. He was a hot head but a tough footballer. Amazing he is still playing. Is he playing with the Cavan masters.

as far as i know,he is.

he was also playing for the 1st team against ballinagh in the relegation final,and had a good enough game.was giving gaynor some abuse,was surprised gaynor didnt deck him,i know i would have.

I think Gaynor can be selective about who he decks at times... and Smith wouldn't be easily decked!!

i suppose he has a bit of sense when it comes to deckin lads

anyway back to the main topic,surely declan mccabe is up there with the best.

[Main Street]

Charlie Gallagher
Ray Carolan (How come nobody mentions him?)
Stephen King

A black hole in the memory
or the Cavan posters haven't got a clue?

[Dougal]

saw the 1st part of the top 125 players of all time in the indo today.pj duke was at 124,gabriel kelly at 122 and ray carolan at 119.today was from 125-101,its being continued tommorow.

[BallyhaiseMan]

Charlie Gallagher
Ray Carolan (How come nobody mentions him?)
Stephen King

A black hole in the memory
or the Cavan posters haven't got a clue?

Nearly every poster on here is too young and has never seen Ray Carolan.Incase you havent noticed we have been naming the best players we have SEEN play for Cavan.
Ray Carolan is by far the best Cavan midfielder of all time,hes a legend and would be  known as one of the greatest midfielders in GAA History only the great Cavan teams of the 60's failed to win Sam.

[Main Street]

In case you havent noticed we have been naming the best players we have SEEN play for Cavan.

Charlie Gallagher has been mentioned by the first few.

Seen or unseen?

[mylestheslasher]

I believe Anglocelt saw him play but we are unsure of how he managed it exactly 

[anglocelt39]

Saw Charlie, Ray and Gabriel Kelly but it was only on one or two occassions. My earliest memory is of the Ulster Final in 69 when we hockeyed down, Reigning All Ireland champions by 2-13 to 2-6. A 19 year old lad by the Name of Gene Cusack from Crosserlough bagged two goals that day. Christ Jelly would never have coped with the hero worship young Gene was getting. I remember him lining out in St Annes Park in the Killinkere Gold Watch Tournament (8 County champions in knockout, serious stuff at the time). The line of hunters for Gene's autograph was out onto the road. Different days. He never realised his potential really, sound familiar.

So saw them but couldn't judge. My three were Texas, Jim Reilly and Dermot McCabe

[Main Street]

I saw then both a few times including those semi finals in 1969.
Charlie was a class act but Ray was the man.
Cavan have won (almost) feck all since.
Ray Carolan was immense, one of the top players in the country for years.

[Lar Naparka]

Saw Charlie, Ray and Gabriel Kelly but it was only on one or two occassions. My earliest memory is of the Ulster Final in 69 when we hockeyed down, Reigning All Ireland champions by 2-13 to 2-6. A 19 year old lad by the Name of Gene Cusack from Crosserlough bagged two goals that day. Christ Jelly would never have coped with the hero worship young Gene was getting. I remember him lining out in St Annes Park in the Killinkere Gold Watch Tournament (8 County champions in knockout, serious stuff at the time). The line of hunters for Gene's autograph was out onto the road. Different days. He never realised his potential really, sound familiar.

So saw them but couldn't judge. My three were Texas, Jim Reilly and Dermot McCabe

If the question was about the three best players of any given era, then you have the only answer worth considering here.
You undoubtedly have had good players since but never three who played together to match Gallagher, Carolan and Gay Kelly. You just don’t produce their likes any more!

[boojangles]

Saw Charlie, Ray and Gabriel Kelly but it was only on one or two occassions. My earliest memory is of the Ulster Final in 69 when we hockeyed down, Reigning All Ireland champions by 2-13 to 2-6. A 19 year old lad by the Name of Gene Cusack from Crosserlough bagged two goals that day. Christ Jelly would never have coped with the hero worship young Gene was getting. I remember him lining out in St Annes Park in the Killinkere Gold Watch Tournament (8 County champions in knockout, serious stuff at the time). The line of hunters for Gene's autograph was out onto the road. Different days. He never realised his potential really, sound familiar.

So saw them but couldn't judge. My three were Texas, Jim Reilly and Dermot McCabe

If the question was about the three best players of any given era, then you have the only answer worth considering here.
You undoubtedly have had good players since but never three who played together to match Gallagher, Carolan and Gay Kelly. You just don't produce their likes any more!

Although a little older Jim McDonnell would have still played with them 3 men. He has to go down as one of the greatest players not to win an All-Ireland medal. They still talk about his display in the All-Ireland Semi of 1955 against Kerry.

[Celt_Man]

Charlie from Cootehill comes in at 94 in Independent's 125 greatest stars of the GAA

94 Charlie Gallagher (Cavan) Gallagher's time with Cavan came after their All-Ireland successes but he nevertheless helped them to three Ulster titles with a prolific scoring return, topping the scoring charts in 1965 (123 points) and 1967 (109 points).

[lynchbhoy]

Aidan connolly
Anthony Gaynor
Fast Eddie/Larry Reilly

(think yous can see what I am looking for in a player - not just skill/talent!)

honourable mentions to Dermot McCabe , Sourpuss Damien oreilly and Bernard Morris who played Kerry on his own in 97.
Also special mention for Fintan cahill who was the best cavan post game stripper with a few drinks in him !