A rugby XV of GAA players

theticklemister · April 26, 2012, 11:26:11 PM

Right lads if ye had to pick a rugby xv of GAA footballers what would it be?

I'll start off here and give it a lash........................

1. Neil McGee - Solid as a rock. He would hold the scrum well.

2. Ciaran McKeever - Good hands for the line out; and would be strong for scrum time.

3. Paul Durcan - Huge size of a man, would take some muscling to knock him over at scrum time!!

4. Peirce O'Neill - Would bring the Cork midfIeld partnership to the second row with O'Connor. His added dynamism would bring a lot to the pack.

5. Alan O'Connor - Work horse in the second row. Would do all the donkey work for the backs.

6. John Galvin - Been about for a while so knows all the tricks. His strength would bring a lot to the pack and also his height a great advantage in the line-out.

7. Sean Cavanagh - His athleticism would bring a lot to the pack and he would no doubt help himself to a few tries in the process.

8. Fergal Doherty - Still playing club football for Bellaghy. He would be the battering ram at the back of the scrum and would take some stopping when running with ball in hand.

9. Stephen Cluxton - The ultimate man to get the backs going with his great passing and intelligent play

10. Pauric Joyce - Good job he is still playing as their is no one about who could fill this berth as well. No problem for the oul penalties; 3 points in the bag every time. He kicking from hand would put the team in great positions all day long.

11. Darran O'Sullivan - Quick as lightning and very elusive on the wing. Would score try after try

12. Eamonn O'Hara - Mightn't have the legs anymore but his strength in the tackle and intelligence would prove the midfield hard to break through. He is a crafty oul sort too so no doubt will steal a few balls in the ruck!

13. Bernard Brogan - Had to fit in somewhere; and I think he would do a better job than BOD if he put his mind to it!

14.Dennis Glennon - Quick as can be and his the physique to brush off the would be tacklers.

15. Benny Coulter - great under high ball and his speed could definitively cut holes in the opposition defences.

Syferus · April 26, 2012, 11:29:07 PM

No Joe Sheridan?

theticklemister · April 26, 2012, 11:32:07 PM

Quote from: Syferus on April 26, 2012, 11:29:07 PM
No Joe Sheridan?

He could player hooker as he is great at 'throwing the ball'!!lol!

Aye Big Joe would be a ready and willing sub, he is just back from the USA so ill give him time to settle in first. Anyway Meath men are not as hard as they use to be!!!! (i would never say that to Big Joe now!!)

trileacman · April 26, 2012, 11:38:45 PM

I would put Niall Sheridan and Rory Woods to the panel.

eviemonkey · April 26, 2012, 11:48:08 PM

Big Joe Sheridan has to be an automatic selection, a great man to finish off a move.

Darren Sweetnam (Cork hurler) is with the Munster u-19 rugby academy. Who knows what sport he will prioritize in the next year or two?

Diarmuid O'Sullivan is still playing rugby I believe for Highfield. Usually plays as a winger surprisingly enough, not sure what that says about rugby wingers at club level but there you go.

Didn't one of the Meath lads, David Beggy maybe, play rugby? Pushing on a bit now granted but you could see how he would have been effective as a speedy winger.

Stephen Kelly (Limerick) has played club rugby to a high level.

Tomas O'Leary is from the same club as myself, was a great hurler at under-21 level, a chip off the old block. We are still waiting for him to pack up the silly oval ball game and go back to the hurling again.

Donnellys Hollow · April 26, 2012, 11:57:42 PM

I think Anthony Rainbow played for the Leinster u20s. Also Brian Lacey played on the same Clanwilliam team as Alan Quinlan. His brother John played on that great Shannon team about ten years ago.

Crete Boom · April 27, 2012, 12:09:15 AM

In Mayo we've had a few who played both,
Gavin Duffy current Connacht capt, played midfield in minor for mayo who were runners up in the to Down that year
James Gill partnered Duffy in midfield in that team and also played on strong Irish youths (U19) Ireland rugby team at no.7 or no.8.
Peter Durcan formerly of Connacht and now laRochelle in France was on a Mayo minor team captained by Colm Boyle.
Ger Brady starred against the New Zealand with Jeremy Staunton at U21 world cup for Ireland at fullback before starring for the Stephenites and Mayo in Croker.
Big Brother DB played AIL division 2 at 18 on the wing for Ballina RFC making a fool of a certain Dominic Crotty in one game who went on to star for Ireland and Munster, and Liam Brady played AIL division 4 for Ballina RFC ,the same level as the Rock for Highfield.
The Rossies have a couple of the best young Connacht and Irish rugby prospects in Daniel Qualter and Shane Layden who both played minor football for their county. Nearly forgot Connor Finn, Connacht and Ireland U20 international , don't know if he played any football but being a Rossie I'd say there's a good chance he did.

Crete Boom · April 27, 2012, 12:13:33 AM

Quote from: Donnellys Hollow on April 26, 2012, 11:57:42 PM
I think Anthony Rainbow played for the Leinster u20s. Also Brian Lacey played on the same Clanwilliam team as Alan Quinlan. His brother John played on that great Shannon team about ten years ago.

John Lacey is now a professional rugby referee who has reffed Heineken Cup games the last two seasons and will be promoted to international level next season. Great back three player and unlucky with injuries or would surely have had a better shot with Munster.

Ciarrai_thuaidh · April 27, 2012, 07:09:30 AM

Good thread for a bit of craic OP (doubt if most Ulster posters will agree though!), there's not even much need to indulge in fantasy given the fact there's so many GAA players who have actually played rugby. I'll throw this out off the top of my head.

Shane McGrath (Tipperary hurler) Brilliant schools full back.
Seán Armstrong (Galway) has played AIL with Shannon.
Stephen Kelly (Limerick) Has played for Munster at A level.
Conor O'Mahony (Tipperary hurler) Excellent centre at Junior level for Newport.
Darran O'Sullivan (Kerry) An excellent winger in his school days.
Darren Sweetnam (Cork hurler) Current senior hurler, star out half for Munster U-19s.
Mark Vaughan (Dublin) Brilliant rugby and soccer player for Blacrock college.
Diarmuid O'Sullivan (Cork hurler) Has played with Highfield RFC.
Denis Bastick (Dublin) Played schools for Terenure.
Brian Begley (Limerick hurler) Played with Garryowen & Munster U-20's
Ger Brennan (Dublin) Played on a decent Belvedere College schools team at 6.
Niall Corkery (Dublin) Was a highly rated flanker for Blackrock College.
Eoghan O'Gara (Dublin) Played with Terenure College in Leinster schools.

Obviously there's more that I didn't think of. Rugby is of little use to Gaelic players skill wise (as opposed to vice versa), but its great to toughen young lads up and get them used to physical contact. Great for discipline too.

P.S: I can probably guess the answer, but have any GAA heads in Ulster tried their hand at rugby?

rrhf · April 27, 2012, 07:17:18 AM

Big oz

sheamy · April 27, 2012, 07:24:40 AM

Quote from: Ciarrai_thuaidh on April 27, 2012, 07:09:30 AM
but have any GAA heads in Ulster tried their hand at rugby?

Not sure if Connacht's (ex-Ulster) fly-half Niall O'Connor played for Derry minors but I know his brother Mark (was also Ulster Academy) did. Them Drumsurn men are big into the egg-chasing.

Dinny Breen · April 27, 2012, 07:51:57 AM

Quote from: Donnellys Hollow on April 26, 2012, 11:57:42 PM
I think Anthony Rainbow played for the Leinster u20s. Also Brian Lacey played on the same Clanwilliam team as Alan Quinlan. His brother John played on that great Shannon team about ten years ago.

Rainbow played Irish u/18s - he was in the Leinster system but Micko came calling and the rest as they say is history.

Michael Duignan won a Towns Cup Medal with Naas and played u/20 with Connacht.

Have never seen him play rugby but seemingly Joe Canning could have been a rugby super-star.

Ja Fallan and Ger Farragher recently went toe to toe in the recent Connacht J2 league final when Tuam beat OLBC with Ja scoring the winning try, OLBC had 7 Castlegar players..

brokencrossbar1 · April 27, 2012, 08:43:38 AM

Aaron Kernan played for Banbridge for a few months one unusual winter that Cross had no games, he definitely played on the seconds team and may even have pushed it to the firsts.

AZOffaly · April 27, 2012, 09:18:28 AM

Ciaran McManus from Offaly played rugby as did Mick Devine. Mick was full back for Offaly for a while, and also played with Buccs. He is Shannonbridge.

trileacman · April 27, 2012, 10:27:24 AM

Leinster and Ireland hooker Sean Cronin has a Limerick SFC medal. Also think Sean O'Brien played GAA up to his late teens. Rob Kearney was a Louth minor too if I'm not mistaken. Tommy Bowe- Monaghan minor at MF. Trying to think of Ulster GAA lads who dabbled with rugby, not many spring to mind.