Favourite GAA Pundit

yellowcard · June 01, 2010, 01:39:23 PM

Most informed pundits would be Tohill, Flynn, O'Rourke and O'Cinneide.

Most entertaining would be Brolly and Spillane (even though I can't stand the man). Spillanes lack of knowledge however is astounding considering his standing in the game.

Senan Connell is very good but needs to slow down a bit and Oisin McConville is good but his monotone voice would send you into a coma.

McStay, Lyons and McHugh are the 3 worst for me. McHugh always likes to portray himself as having inside knowledge of the goings on within counties and always likes to have an unconventional opinion just to be different. McStay is a moajor annoyance especially when co-commentating and Tommy Lyons is just Tommy Lyons.

The hurling analysis on the whole is very good with Loughnane, Farrell and Duignan being especially good.

Zulu · June 02, 2010, 03:31:57 PM

I'm surprised at the views on the hurling analysts as most of them are rubbish. Loughnane is a complete spoofer, Mulcahy and Cyril 'as such' Farrell are poor and Finnerty is simply awful.

Canavan is head and shoulders above the other pundits for my money with Tohill and O'Cinneide the best of the rest. In fairness to all of them I did hear that they are restricted in what they can say and I feel that the discussions could be better directed by Lyster to get lads off topics like the handpass and on to the action just seen.

barelegs · June 02, 2010, 03:54:51 PM

I really enjoyed Canavan when he was with Tv3. I hope he can keep it up at the BBC- though he might feel a little more hamstrung analysing Tyrone matches, given that he knows most of the players. What he does well is to give a meaningful insight into the specifics of team performances. He doesn't get carried away with individual performances good or bad and gives an honest assessment.

In comparison Brolly, Spillane and to a lesser extent O'Rourke talk more broadly about the standard of the game or the referee or the short comings of one particular player. The need to come up with a funny quip or sensationalist story appears to have taken over.

Tohill and O'Cinneide are the pick of the evening presenters. Tohill has improved alot from his earliest performances. Too early to judge McConnville. Im not a big fan of either Flynn or Tony Davis. They're not the worst but they don't really incite any major feelings. I'm not a fan of either Martin Carney or Kevin McStay, especially co-commentating.

seafoid · June 02, 2010, 04:03:05 PM

Tohill is very thin. The rest of the pundits all seem to have filled out since they stopped playing.
I like Tomas Mulcahy. Spillane is a real tool.

seanaglis · June 03, 2010, 01:18:51 PM

Damian McCullagh on 5fm.

The man is a leg-end

Turf Wars · June 03, 2010, 04:13:31 PM

There are only a few good football pundits. Mc Stay is good but his delivery is a bit irritating. John Maughan was a good pundit while he was at it.
Brolly is totally biased and comes across as a smarmy git, while O'Rourke is just boring.

The best by a mile is Anthony Tohill.
Cyrill Farrell is the best for hurling, if only for his wit alone.

Foreverhopeful · June 03, 2010, 04:27:27 PM

michael duignan - hurling.... Top notch
Brolly, O'rourke and spillane are deplorable. Especially brolly. Their actual knowledge is pathethic. They are like women discussing a match. We need proper pundits.

Kerry Mike · June 03, 2010, 09:39:19 PM

Pat Spillane - legend, he has taken the piss out of so many counties at this stage and ye all fall for it year after year.

longrunsthefox · June 03, 2010, 09:51:36 PM

Talking of taking the piss, are youse on a wind up inviting the Queen to the Kingdom?

Kerry Mike · June 03, 2010, 10:00:56 PM

QuoteTalking of taking the piss, are youse on a wind up inviting the Queen to the Kingdom?

The great Spillane himself could not have scripted this one.

It will be great boost for tourism having "herself" over, all the west brits from Dublin and elsewhere will be down to the Kingdom have a good gawk at her and to wave the auld union jack flags that a lot of them still have at home and all yere crowd will be down to protest, the place will be fecking packed and rocking for the weekend. Yerra book the hotels now.........

http://www.chaptersofdublin.com/books/General/victoria.htm

longrunsthefox · June 03, 2010, 10:08:42 PM

Quote from: Kerry Mike on June 03, 2010, 10:00:56 PM
QuoteTalking of taking the piss, are youse on a wind up inviting the Queen to the Kingdom?

The great Spillane himself could not have scripted this one.

It will be great boost for tourism having "herself" over, all the west brits from Dublin and elsewhere will be down to the Kingdom have a good gawk at her and to wave the auld union jack flags that a lot of them still have at home and all yere crowd will be down to protest, the place will be fecking packed and rocking for the weekend. Yerra book the hotels now.........

http://www.chaptersofdublin.com/books/General/victoria.htm

Maybe not you Mike but the greed for money down there knows no boundaries.

Catch the high ball · June 03, 2010, 10:13:54 PM

Last week when commentating on the Cork vs Tipp Munster Championship game, it was Michael Duignan and ?.
Anyway, when the teams lined out there was a bit of argie bargie in the middle of the field.
? - "There seems to be a lot of off the ball striking here, this could get out of control if the ref doesn't act quickly
Michal Duignan - "Ach, its only a bit of horse play, let them get on with it" quickly followed by the throwing in of the ball, you'd think the ref heard him.

Kerry Mike · June 03, 2010, 10:24:15 PM

QuoteMaybe not you Mike but the greed for money down there knows no boundaries.

Always ask for the local menu if eating in Kerry, you wouldn't want to be paying the Cork/Foreign prices now

There'll be many in Killarney at the weekend rubbing their hands and saying "I love the smell of Cork money"

Armaghgeddon · June 04, 2010, 12:18:42 AM

Jarlath Burns is very good at analyzing games. Dara O'Cinnede is brilliant. Pat Spillane is like the uncle you dont want to meet but you have to. Marty McHugh, well gets pretty much everything wrong. Joe Brolly reminds me of the preist in the father ted episode where they are stuck in the lingire section "I believe I have the most boring voice Ted". Oisin has got a one tone voice but like someone said, it is too early to comment. O'Rouke is good with his analysis' and can be funny.

moysider · June 04, 2010, 12:40:41 AM

Quote from: mackers on June 01, 2010, 11:01:18 AM
O'Cinneide and Tohill.........the best by a distance.
Can't stand Kevin McStay.....he's so condescending he's got to be a teacher.
Yes Oisin is very monotoned but his analysis is very good.
Canavan's voice isn't the easiest to listen to either but his analysis is normally excellent.

Not a teacher. Neither is he condescending. In fact he is the least condescending of the whole lot.

Favorite pundit. Jimmy Barry-Murphy. Quit RTE when he was told he needed to rubbish players more. These players are not being paid. Barry-Murphy had cop. The regular RTE afternoon football trio are a disgrace for their treatment of amateur players and an amateur game. A game that players get seriously injured in and even lose their lives.The association is even worse handing over TV rights to this type of treatment. As well you ve got 3 well heeled individuals getting an extra cut to ridicule efforts of players who hardly have a seat in their pants in some instances. RTE need to be told that the GAA players are not pros and to drop the Louis Walsh, Simon ? and Totty X types. In fairness the hurling pundits have not bought into the controversial ratings shite agenda. Rugby punditry on RTE only got a bit vicious in the pro era. These GAA pundits think they can go on the Dunphy/Giles/Hook example. On any given Sunday they are the few that are making a few bob. f**k them. Rant over.