Padraic Joyce has retired

Rudi · November 30, 2012, 12:47:40 PM

Very good footballer. But think he should have retired from county football about 4 years ago. Was at the qualifer game in Sligo in 2009 between Galway and Donegal and he was a total passenger in that game and pretty much has been since. Got the feeling talented up and coming footballers in Galway were becoming supressed by his continued influence on the Galway team. He was like Valdermama on the Columbian soccer team, everything had to go through PJ and he seemed to lose the head a bit with other players when moves broke down. He had the odd off day aswell. I would personally prefer to have MacDonald on my side.

When I re-read that it sounds a bit critical, sorry for that PJ. He was a serious bit of stuff probably the best scoring forward in Connacht since the Galway team of the sixties.

muppet · November 30, 2012, 12:48:46 PM

If Ciarán McD was my favourite Connacht player for the last 20 years, PJ was the best. McD could do stuff no one else could but if it came down to picking one man to drag you over the line, it has to be Padraic Joyce. I remember Tom Nallen (!) marking him out of it in McHale Park leaving us a point up with the 70 minutes gone. PJ then engineered and scored two points in injury time to win it for Galway. Even on a bad day he could turn the game around.

Unreal servant for his county. A very long nightmare for Connacht defenders has finally come to an end. Phew!

the Deel Rover · November 30, 2012, 01:34:13 PM

Great to see ya back muppet. As for Joyce a legend and a gentleman to boot .

Fear ón Srath Bán · November 30, 2012, 02:43:22 PM

A player of true class, the very best to him.

RedandGreenSniper · November 30, 2012, 04:01:44 PM

It was a pleasure to watch him in action, even when he was taking Mayo down. I remember David Heaney and Tom Nallen doing better than most in marking Joyce but you never had him out of a game.

If we had him in Mayo ...

Hardy · November 30, 2012, 04:52:54 PM

Hey, Muppet.

Paul Callanan · November 30, 2012, 04:53:20 PM

Some brilliant posts on here from all over the country for one of the all - time greats.
The Americans always talk about clutch players in their sports. Joyce was the clutchest player around. I remember the '00 semi-final also against Kildare when Joyce engineered a late comeback and after each score he was pointing at his chest ad shouting at his outfield players to keep giving him the ball. He's as good as I've ever seen.

seafoid · November 30, 2012, 06:12:37 PM

It's great to see the Muppet back and on such an ecumenical thread as well about a Gaillimheach started by a Mayo man.

5 Sams · November 30, 2012, 06:15:39 PM

Quote from: Paul Callanan on November 30, 2012, 04:53:20 PM
Some brilliant posts on here from all over the country for one of the all - time greats.
The Americans always talk about clutch players in their sports. Joyce was the clutchest player around. I remember the '00 semi-final also against Kildare when Joyce engineered a late comeback and after each score he was pointing at his chest ad shouting at his outfield players to keep giving him the ball. He's as good as I've ever seen.

You've said all there Paul. I've seen him up close in league games down through the years and he was virtually uinstoppable when in the mood.

Wildweasel74 · November 30, 2012, 06:47:38 PM

Great footballer, and one of the best Galway have had, fairly clean honest player, but not the best forward to come out of Galway fore-by Connacht unlike what someone had said earlier.

GalwayBayBoy · November 30, 2012, 06:56:44 PM

Quote from: Wildweasel74 on November 30, 2012, 06:47:38 PM
Great footballer, and one of the best Galway have had, fairly clean honest player, but not the best forward to come out of Galway fore-by Connacht unlike what someone had said earlier.

The only realistic competition he has for the title of best Galway footballer ever is from the late Sean Purcell and Purcell is one of the all time greats in the game itself let alone just Galway.

I didn't see Purcell play but by all accounts he was more of all-rounder who literally could play anywhere whereas PJ was always an out and out forward.

I don't even think there was anyone on the Galway 3 in a row side to compare with Joyce (Purcell of course wasn't on those teams which is often forgotten).

Farrandeelin · November 30, 2012, 07:23:39 PM

Pretty much everything has been said about Joyce at this stage. He'd give you the shivers any time he'd get the ball. That was indeed one of the best forward lines when you think of it; Joyce, Donnellan, Savage, Fallon etc. Unreal players the lot of them. It's a pity Mayo didn't/don't have the calibre of forwards I mentioned there.

Wildweasel74 · November 30, 2012, 07:27:56 PM

Purcell was who i was thinking of, but by all accounts he could play anywhere from fullback up. Frank Stockwell the other great player from that era, the late 50`s, together they were famously named the terrible twins!

Syferus · November 30, 2012, 09:59:13 PM

In all honesty I've always rated Michael Donnellan above Joyce. It's really about how you judge players - Donnellan's star undoubted burned brighter at its peak, for the All-Ireland chasing years he was quite literally the most devastating player in the country, but his career tailed off with injuries before its natural end.

Joyce's great achievement was his sheer consistency, never really the best player in the country at any one time, but always near the top of everyone's list. I think people forget Joyce was just a rookie in 1998 and was little more than 'another guy' on a very good team, people have associated that first All-Ireland in particular far too much with him simply because he's been the highest profile link to that team for so long.

I just value the short period of utter brilliance even more when it comes as the heartbeat of multiple All-Ireland winning team.

I still feel Galway could have won those All-Irelands without Joyce, but that there was no way on earth they could have without Donnellan - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw2a7Ej_NU - and for that reason I'll forever be the odd man out when it comes to Joyce's ultimate place in Galway and Connacht's history.

sans pessimism · November 30, 2012, 11:06:58 PM

Quote from: Syferus on November 30, 2012, 09:59:13 PM
In all honesty I've always rated Michael Donnellan above Joyce. It's really about how you judge players - Donnellan's star undoubted burned brighter at its peak, for the All-Ireland chasing years he was quite literally the most devastating player in the country, but his career tailed off with injuries before its natural end.

Joyce's great achievement was his sheer consistency, never really the best player in the country at any one time, but always near the top of everyone's list. I think people forget Joyce was just a rookie in 1998 and was little more than 'another guy' on a very good team, people have associated that first All-Ireland in particular far too much with him simply because he's been the highest profile link to that team for so long.

I just value the short period of utter brilliance even more when it comes as the heartbeat of multiple All-Ireland winning team.

I still feel Galway could have won those All-Irelands without Joyce, but that there was no way on earth they could have without Donnellan - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw2a7Ej_NU - and for that reason I'll forever be the odd man out when it comes to Joyce's ultimate place in Galway and Connacht's history.

The truth always comes out in the end