most important club to your county

[ONeill]

In terms of establishment of the county as a force you'd be looking at Coalisland and Omagh.

[Crete Boom]

Mayo would probably be the big town clubs of Ballina Stephenites and Castlebar Mitchels. (36 and 27 county titles respectively)

Though it must be noted how much of a sleeping giant Castlebar are in this respect.
They haven't won a title in 20 years, their longest drought since 1903-1930.

Here's hoping we can return to the glory days of 95-07 where the North Mayo trinity of Crossmolina (6), Ballina (4) & Knockmore (2) won 12 out of 13 between them.

Don't mind deelin NBTD    It would have to be ourselves the 1st team to bring Andy Merrigan to the plains of Mayo , throw in 3 connact titles , 6 county championships when the competion was savage ,8 or 9 league titles and the fact that we allways had 4 or 5 players on the county senior panel/team .

Remind me which club set the record for the most amount of county titles won in a row which even the mighty men from Crossmaglen could only equal? I think you'll find we managed an All Ireland too and how come Mayo don't wear the Cross colours if they are the most important team in the county ? Oh the Maroon and white of Mayo just doesn't have the same ring to it  .
Up the Stephenites the heart and soul of the county

[LeoMc]

Cornafean did draw their great teams from neighbouring clubs as there was a rule at the time stipulating you had to play senior club championship to play for Cavan.

The Reds might have a few lads playing Senior Championship next year, if the amalgamations go ahead. Think it will be the only way they will ever win a Senior Championship in the future.

I honestly think that will ruin football in the county if that goes ahead
[/quote]

What is the story there, is it related to the restructuring of the leagues?
I was looking through the Cavan board and could see no discussion on it.

[INDIANA]

St Vincents. But then again I would say that.

But leaving players aside. Without the influence of the likes of Kevin Heffernan, Pat O Neill, Mickey Whelan, Pat Gilroy as managers we'd be nowhere.

Still means every club in Dublin hates us!

[supersarsfields]

Club Tyrone.

[AQMP]

For me it would be clubs like St Enda's, Ardoyne Kickhams, St Patricks Lisburn (and many more) who kept their clubs and the GAA alive in areas when the circumstances were "trying" to say the least.

[Bingo]

In Monaghan, I'd imagine it would be ourselves, Castleblayney Faughs, and Scotstown. In recent years we haven't been as influential with the big players all coming from elsewhere.

Going back years we'd have supplied a fair share of players - Fisher, Mason, Gerry Fitzpatrick, Eamon Tavey, Nudie Hughes, Eamon McEneaney, Declan Loughman, Declan Flanagan been the main ones. The DG himself, Pauric Duffy would be a Faughs man although he lived in Scotstown for years and his son plays there.

Scotstown would be a newer club and had some fierce battles with ourselves over the years for top honours. They'd have had their fair share of players as well - the McCarvilles, Gene Sherry, Caulfields, Ray McCarron and more recently Darren Hughes. Most succesful manager as well and former GAA president was also a Scotstown man - Sean McCauge.

[Fuzzman]

Due consideration to Moy and Clann na Gael who contributed hugely to alot of Tyrone's recent success, often at the expense of their club side.

Fair play to you Trileacman for mentioning that.
For such a small rural club we've done ok providing the county with Patsy Kerlin, Paddy & Danny Ball, Brian Dooher and Stephen O'Neill.

[screenexile]

I would say bellaghy have been the most important. They backboned the county for years, not now but. Now it would be ballinderry, they have been the most consistent club in recent years. In the future itll be magherafelt and glen, they are producing great underage teams.

But the most important place overall will be derry city. There is one senior team and 4 junior teams in a city of 110,000 people. If they can manage to get more players playing here then itll be a huge difference. After derry won sam in 93 it was said derry city was like the ' the untapped oil resources of north russia'. 20 years on they remain untapped. One city player in squad last year, none this year.

Jaysus you better hope tfal doesn't read this thread!!!!

What much more can be done in the City? They've had development officers, urban development programmes, funding ALL OUR COUNTY GAMES etc. and it's still proving unfruitful. In real terms the City are at least 10 years behind South Derry in terms of talent.

Steelstown are making good progress and producing some good players but Cleary and Forrester are good Club players and I can't see them making an impact at Inter County level. Talk of Magherafelt and Glen is slightly premature I would guess but we'll see how it pans out over the next 3/5 years. Kilrea are best placed to make an impact in the short term I think.

[Walter Cronc]

I would say bellaghy have been the most important. They backboned the county for years, not now but. Now it would be ballinderry, they have been the most consistent club in recent years. In the future itll be magherafelt and glen, they are producing great underage teams.

But the most important place overall will be derry city. There is one senior team and 4 junior teams in a city of 110,000 people. If they can manage to get more players playing here then itll be a huge difference. After derry won sam in 93 it was said derry city was like the ' the untapped oil resources of north russia'. 20 years on they remain untapped. One city player in squad last year, none this year.

Jaysus you better hope tfal doesn't read this thread!!!!

What much more can be done in the City? They've had development officers, urban development programmes, funding ALL OUR COUNTY GAMES etc. and it's still proving unfruitful. In real terms the City are at least 10 years behind South Derry in terms of talent.

Steelstown are making good progress and producing some good players but Cleary and Forrester are good Club players and I can't see them making an impact at Inter County level. Talk of Magherafelt and Glen is slightly premature I would guess but we'll see how it pans out over the next 3/5 years. Kilrea are best placed to make an impact in the short term I think.

Perhaps an option could be a city side to compete in the minor A grade at football. I know there are occasions when Steelstown have had good sides capable of competing but maybe an amalgamation could become real challengers. I'm just thinking along the lines of Dublin colleges success in the Leinster schools. Any thoughts tickle and screen??

[EC Unique]

In terms of Tyrone's recent sucess Errigal Ciaran have by far been the most inportant. If Errigals involvment was taken out Tyrone would have zero All-Irelands.

[rodney trotter]

Cornafean did draw their great teams from neighbouring clubs as there was a rule at the time stipulating you had to play senior club championship to play for Cavan.

The Reds might have a few lads playing Senior Championship next year, if the amalgamations go ahead. Think it will be the only way they will ever win a Senior Championship in the future.

I honestly think that will ruin football in the county if that goes ahead

What is the story there, is it related to the restructuring of the leagues?
I was looking through the Cavan board and could see no discussion on it.
[/quote]

I think Tom Reilly the County Chairman has a vision of turning Cavan into Kerry in the Future by replacting their County Championship. It was mentioned back around March/April this year and is going ahead as far as I know.
It will lead to a congested fixture list. The League's started this year back in Feburay, the Division Final is only being played next Sunday.

Divison 1 Senior League will have 10 teams next year. 7 teams were relagated. Senior Championship  will cosist of those teams and a a few amalgamations. 20 teams will play in the intermediate. Some of those will be part of the senior under the amalgamations. Going to be a bit crazy...

[Redhand Santa]

In terms of the recent success it has to be Errigal. Mickey Harte, Peter and Pascal Canavan, Davy Harte, John Devine, Enda McGinley, Mark Harte, Cormac McGinley, Peter Harte and Daisy McDermott amongst many others have played their part in silverware at different levels.

Ardboe seem to provide the mercurial talents in Frank, Brian and Tommy McGuigan as well as the twinkle-toed McConville. The Moy have produced solid All-Ireland performers in Philip Jordan, Sean Cavanagh, Ryan Mellon and Colm Cavanagh - all scorers in All-Ireland finals. And Plunkett.

Collie Holmes also played all his underage football with the Moy and part of his senior career. He along with S Cavanagh, Mellon and Jordan all started the 08 final with Colm coming off the bench. Definitely an achievment for a small enough club.

[Shamrock Shore]

Rather than saying who the most important club in Longford is/was (actually, in my opinion there is no such thing as the Forgneys and Grattans are just as important as the top senior clubs) I could say who thinks that they are the most important.

I am sure the other lads would agree with me if I said Clonguish 

[shawshank]

I would say bellaghy have been the most important. They backboned the county for years, not now but. Now it would be ballinderry, they have been the most consistent club in recent years. In the future itll be magherafelt and glen, they are producing great underage teams.

But the most important place overall will be derry city. There is one senior team and 4 junior teams in a city of 110,000 people. If they can manage to get more players playing here then itll be a huge difference. After derry won sam in 93 it was said derry city was like the ' the untapped oil resources of north russia'. 20 years on they remain untapped. One city player in squad last year, none this year.

Cant disagree with that analysis, but only add that Ballinderrys dominance has resulted in zero returns at county championship level which is a pity considering some of the players they had/have. When you think of Dungiven, Lavey and as you said Bellaghy, when these teams were at the top, our county team prospered, not with Ballinderry, don't really know why either.