the irish independent top 125 football and hurling stars

[cornerback]

How can a man who is the biggest scorer in the history of the Ulster championship and the most important player on the greatest (debatably) club team ever be deemed to be no 100 on that list??

Er, he wasn't.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/low/northern_ireland/the_championship/7329996.stm

Bit of a stretch with the Glenullen thing too.

I think there is a difference between the two statements:

"No player has scored more in Ulster championship history" (McConville)
and "all-time Ulster hot-shot" (Bradley).

[ross matt]

A winter filler to keep Breheny in a job. What criteria for the rankings?
So Jimmy Deenihan is  a better footballer than Dermot Early Senior?

[Rudigar]

A winter filler to keep Breheny in a job. What criteria for the rankings?
So Jimmy Deenihan is  a better footballer than Dermot Early Senior?

It's all about opinions. One man's meat is another man's screensaver.

[saffron sam2]

How can a man who is the biggest scorer in the history of the Ulster championship and the most important player on the greatest (debatably) club team ever be deemed to be no 100 on that list??

Er, he wasn't.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/low/northern_ireland/the_championship/7329996.stm

Bit of a stretch with the Glenullen thing too.

I think there is a difference between the two statements:

"No player has scored more in Ulster championship history" (McConville)
and "all-time Ulster hot-shot" (Bradley).

I hate pedantic feckers.

I think you know what I mean and I would suspect that mackers may be looking at it from my point of view as well. Any list I have seen includes AI and qualifer scores. It may, therefore, be helpful if you could fire up the stats for Ulster Championship only.

[southsidejohnny]

Great to be paid to pass the time like that. The country has gone belly up and we are being presented with a list of players, some whom nobody living today has ever seen. What a laugh and load of dung.

[Rudigar]

Great to be paid to pass the time like that. The country has gone belly up and we are being presented with a list of players, some whom nobody living today has ever seen. What a laugh and load of dung.

Part of the 125 celebrations, what's the problem?

[cornerback]

I hate pedantic feckers.

I think you know what I mean and I would suspect that mackers may be looking at it from my point of view as well. Any list I have seen includes AI and qualifer scores. It may, therefore, be helpful if you could fire up the stats for Ulster Championship only.

I wasn't being pedantic.

It was more a case of pointing out that with careful wording the facts can be "manipulated" to suit the argument.

I don't have any of the stats.

[mackers]

How can a man who is the biggest scorer in the history of the Ulster championship and the most important player on the greatest (debatably) club team ever be deemed to be no 100 on that list??

Er, he wasn't.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/low/northern_ireland/the_championship/7329996.stm

Bit of a stretch with the Glenullen thing too.

I think there is a difference between the two statements:

"No player has scored more in Ulster championship history" (McConville)
and "all-time Ulster hot-shot" (Bradley).

I hate pedantic feckers.

I think you know what I mean and I would suspect that mackers may be looking at it from my point of view as well. Any list I have seen includes AI and qualifer scores. It may, therefore, be helpful if you could fire up the stats for Ulster Championship only.

Er, no I wasn't, he is the highest scorer in ULSTER championship history, you're criticising people for being pedantic when you're doing it yourself. IMO Armagh and Crossmaglen would not have had any AI wins without McConville, plain and simple. For him to be rated behind other players listed inside the top 100 is just wrong in my opinion. This "he's just a freetaker" statement is untrue if you ask me, my personal OPINION is that he was a better all round forward for Armagh in the 99-05 era than McDonnell (not taking away from Stevie).  He had ice running through his veins and just the man to handle a high pressure situation.  Also, you can't ignore the fact that he was such a great freetaker, which is a skill in itself and invaluable to any team, club or county.

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

Just as I suspected Mayo get 3.5 players and no Ciaran MacDonald.

[Farrandeelin]

We got 2 from the 1950/51 team. But Breheny is a Galway f**ker anyway and he's also an idiot.

[TacadoirArdMhacha]

Just as I suspected Mayo get 3.5 players and no Ciaran MacDonald.

Its a anti-Mayo conspiracy. 

Assume Armagh won't have anybody in the top 50 now. Would have 2 or 3 Armagh men ahead of McConville but its all about opinions.

[GalwayBayBoy]

Just as I suspected Mayo get 3.5 players and no Ciaran MacDonald.

Its a anti-Mayo conspiracy. 

Assume Armagh won't have anybody in the top 50 now. Would have 2 or 3 Armagh men ahead of McConville but its all about opinions.

50 martin Furlong (Offaly) Along with Billy Morgan, he is the only goalkeeper to win the coveted Texaco 'Footballer of the Year' award, which underlines his greatness in the position. Played from 1965 to '83, covering Offaly's headline successes.

49 Graham Geraghty (Meath) One of a small group of players to win All Stars in defence and attack, Geraghty has been one of the most natural footballers of the modern era. Sometimes made the game look so easy.

48 Eugene McKenna (Tyrone) An unsung hero in leaner times for Tyrone football, McKenna is considered one of the best footballers never to win an All-Ireland medal. Won All Stars on three different lines of the field in 1984, '86 and '89.

47 Stephen White (Louth) The iconic figure of Louth's 1957 All-Ireland winning effort, White was considered good enough to make the Team of the century in 1984. Won four Railway Cup medals between 1952 and '55.

46 Paddy Kennedy (Kerry) Before Mick O'Connell, Kennedy was considered the supreme Kerry midfielder, winning four All-Ireland medals, including three in succession from 1939 to '41.

45 Ger Power (Kerry) One of the quintet to win eight All-Ireland medals, Power was a wonderful athlete, highly versatile in that he won All Stars as a half-back, half-forward and corner- forward.

44 Tim Kennelly (Kerry) 'Horse' won Man of the match awards in successive All-Ireland finals (1980 and '81) on his way to five All-Ireland medals. As his nickname suggests, strength was a virtue.

43 Sean Cavanagh (Tyrone) In full flight Sean Cavanagh is currently one of the game's most imposing figures and certainly one of the great ball carriers of modern times. Footballer of the Year in 2008, he has four All Stars to add to his three All-Ireland medals.

42 Jim McKeever (Derry) Carried the distinction of being one of the few players to win a Footballer of the year award (1958) without winning an All-Ireland in the same year. The anchor on one of Derry's best ever teams.

41 James McCartan snr (Down) A physically strong footballer renowned for his powerful bursts from centre-forward on the great Down team of the 1960s. Won back-to-back Footballer of the year accolades in 1960 and '61.

40 Sean Walsh (Kerry) Versatility was the key to Walsh, who picked up seven All-Ireland medals, four as Jack O'Shea's midfield partner between 1978 and '81 and another three at full-back (1984-86). Anther hugely physically imposing player.

39 Tomas O Se (Kerry) The second of the O Se brothers is still going strong and this year added a Texaco Sportstar award to his five All Stars, won between 2004 and 2009. One of the game's most accurate passers.

38 Tommy Murphy (Laois) 'The Boy Wonder' made his debut for Laois aged 16 when the county won the first of three successive Leinster championships. A stylish midfielder he was chosen on the Team of the millennium.

37 Jimmy Keaveney (Dublin) To think that Keaveney was all but retired as a Dublin footballer prior to 1974. He went to win two Footballer of the Year awards in 1976 and '77, scoring 2-6 in the '77 All-Ireland final against Armagh.

36 Mick Higgins (Cavan) Winner of seven Ulster championships and three All-Ireland medals with Cavan, New York-born Higgins was considered one of the great centre-forwards. Captained Cavan to their last All-Ireland title in 1952.

35 Joe Keohane (Kerry) Joe Keohane was still a minor when he won the first of his five All-Ireland medals in 1937. In the 'catch-and-kick' era, he was one of the great full- backs, and played in eight All-Ireland finals. Named at full-back on the Team of the millennium.

34 Martin O'Connell (Meath) Holder of three All-Ireland medals, O'Connell was a high-class performer with wonderful fielding ability and anticipation. He was named Footballer of the Year in 1996, eight years after he claimed Man of the match in the All-Ireland final replay against Cork.

33 Maurice Fitzgerald (Kerry) A more graceful presence on a football field there may not have been, Fitzgerald's tour de force was the 1997 All-Ireland final against Mayo when he kicked 10 points. Deceptively strong, his timing coincided with a dip in Kerry football in the early 1990s.

32 Sean Murphy (Kerry) The Team of the Century and Team of the millennium half-back enjoyed the high point of his career in 1959 when fine performances against Dublin and Galway in the All-Ireland semi-final and final saw him named Footballer of the Year.

31 Billy Morgan (Cork) Revolutionised goalkeeping in the 1960s with his use of possession and direction of kick-outs. A man ahead of his time, he was one of only two goalkeepers to win a coveted Footballer of the Year award in 1973 after his only All-Ireland success.

30 Paddy Doherty (Down) Figured on arguably the best half-forward line in gaelic football history (along with Sean O'Neill and James McCartan) Doherty was a supreme scorer, racking up 15-159 in championship games between 1954 and '71. His 1-5 against Kerry in the 1960 All-Ireland final stands out.

29 John O'Leary (Dublin) For consistency and longevity in the position, O'Leary stands the test of time, playing 70 successive championship games between 1980 and 1997. He won his second All-Ireland medal in 1995, conceding just three goals in five championship games that season.

28 John Egan (Kerry) On a team of so much talent, Egan always seemed to shine, his eye for goal setting him apart as one of the game's great predators. Finished with six All-Ireland medals.

27 Mattie McDonagh (Galway) The only Connacht player to win four All-Ireland football medals, he won his first in 1956 as a 19-year-old midfielder. Had a bustling powerful presence that made him one of the Galway three-in-a-row team's most fearsome competitors.

26 Paidi O Se (Kerry) Enjoyed a stellar career at wing-back and later at corner-back on his way to an unsurpassed eight All-Ireland medals. Renowned for his toughness and absolute devotion to Kerry football

25 Enda Colleran (Galway)

24 Paddy O'Brien (Meath)

23 Darragh O'Se (Kerry)

22 Sean Flanagan (Mayo)

21 Colm O'Rourke (Meath)

20 Colm Cooper (Kerry)

19 Eoin Liston (Kerry)

18 John O'Keeffe (Kerry)

17 Mickey Kearins (Sligo)

16 Tom Langan (Mayo)

15 Dan O'Keeffe (Kerry)

14 Kevin Heffernan (Dublin)

13 Mick O'Dwyer (Kerry)

12 Larry Tompkins (Kildare and Cork)

11 Brian Mullins (Dublin)

10 Seamus Moynihan (Kerry)

9 John Joe O'Reilly (Cavan)

8 Matt Connor (Offaly)

7 Mike Sheehy (Kerry)

6 Pat Spillane (Kerry)

5 Sean O'Neill (Down)

4 Mick O'Connell (Kerry)

3 Peter Canavan (Tyrone)

2 Sean Purcell (Galway)

1 Jack O'Se (Kerry)

[muppet]

These lists are only for minor entertainment/discussion value and while Mayo might feel aggrieved over McD I'd be shaking my head also over the omission of Padraic Joyce & Eamon O'Hara. When you consider G Geraghty is no. 43 (great player don't get me wrong) while those three are left out, it seems odd.

The other main talking point would be Mossie Fitz at 'only' number 33. Surely he is top 5 material?

[Dougal]

These lists are only for minor entertainment/discussion value and while Mayo might feel aggrieved over McD I'd be shaking my head also over the omission of Padraic Joyce & Eamon O'Hara. When you consider G Geraghty is no. 43 (great player don't get me wrong) while those three are left out, it seems odd.

The other main talking point would be Mossie Fitz at 'only' number 33. Surely he is top 5 material?

id say ciaran mc should be in top 125.and fitz should be higher,top 15 maybe.top 5?not just that good in my opinion.

[TacadoirArdMhacha]

The one that strikes me from my own county is that Dara Ó Sé is 23rd while Paul McGrane didn't make the 125. Was Ó Sé that much of a better midfielder than McGrane? I'd argue McGrane was at least as good.

Agree with muppet about Joyce and O'Hara. Particularly Joyce.