5 Great GAA footballers who never won an All-Ireland

[Ciarrai_thuaidh]

A good few lads like Coulter, Meehan,  Treanor , etc,  etc had a chance of winning an AI because of the team/county they were with...it didn't happen for one reason or another. The unfortunate lads are the ones who never had a chance in hell of ever winning one. The lads who because of where they were born would never win an All Ireland but who were as good as any player that ever won one. Declan Brown, Matty Forde, Paul Barden, Peter McGennity, John Galvin.

Understand the point you're making but on John Galvin I have heard he was actually born in Kerry and his family moved over the border to Limerick when he was a young lad. Not 100% - anyone heard anything similar?

Himself and Darragh O'Se as a midfield would have been some pairing.

No, John Galvin Senior comes from Kerry alright, but John Galvin Junior is Limerick born and bred I'm fairly sure. There was an attempt made to lure him back to his Dad's old club (Finuge) at one stage but I'm fairly sure it was never much of a real possibility.

[Walter Cronc]

Not sure if he's been mentioned but I'd suggest Enda Muldoon. He can console himself with a A.I club medal mind you.

[blanketattack]

Best player not to win an All-Star (for whom the All-Stars existed for most if their career)?
Michael Meehan, John Galvin, Paul Barden

[tbrick18]

Dermot Earley -- Close the thread now!!

From my own county its hard to be believe Paddy Bradley and Enda Muldoon never won an all-ireland,
Great players in a wrong era from a Derry point of view, Doherty and Lynch will likely follow them

Sean-Marty Lockhart....one of the best defenders of the past 20 years in my opinion.

[moysider]

Keith Higgins has 3, hopefully he'll have a 4th and a celtic cross before he hangs up his boots

Eugene McKenna also has 3 - in 3 different positions. One of the best I ve seen, with or without an AI medal.

[Canalman]

%s show the vast majority of the best players to have played the game never won an AI medal .

For me the standouts that come to mind having seen them play a fair bit are Anthony Rainbow, Padraic Clancy, Brian Roper, Anthony Lynch and Kevin O'Brien.

Many many more I could mention. Plenty of lads with AI medals in their front (just to be different) pockets not fit to lace their boots.

[lenny]

Dermot Earley -- Close the thread now!!

From my own county its hard to be believe Paddy Bradley and Enda Muldoon never won an all-ireland,
Great players in a wrong era from a Derry point of view, Doherty and Lynch will likely follow them

Sean-Marty Lockhart....one of the best defenders of the past 20 years in my opinion.

Agree about Lockhart, superb player. He always marked the best forwards, was never found wanting and didn't have to resort to dirt or sledging.

[Club Rossa]

Frank McGuigan,Eugene McKenna,Nudie Hughes,Dermot Earley.

[Bingo]

Nudie in a popular shout out.

A better question is great teams that never won an All-Ireland.

The Monaghan team from 1985 where very unlucky, Kerry just had too much for them that year in the Semi. A year or two later and it might have been different. Same as Tyrone the following year in the final. Maybe it was the lack of belief that Ulster teams suffered from at the time......whatever happened that 

[muppet]

Keith Higgins has 3, hopefully he'll have a 4th and a celtic cross before he hangs up his boots

Considering he is usually marking The Gooch, James O'Donohue or Micheál Meehan etc in the big games, that is some return.

[OakleafCounty]

Sean-Marty Lockhart....one of the best defenders of the past 20 years in my opinion.

This. I can't think of a single defender who was better at defending.

Attacking wise I'd say Ciaran McDonald.

[brianboru00]

from my own county Dermot Earley without question. a complete footballer.
Gerry O'Malley from the previous generation.
Tony McManus - slow as Christmas but boy could he play.

From those I can actually remember playing though (Along with some subs)

1 . Damien Sheridan (Longford)     

2.  Sean Martin Lockhart(Derry)      Kenneth Mortimer (Mayo)
3.  Barry Owens (Fermanagh)          Seamus Quinn (Leitrim)
4 . Keith Higgins (Mayo)

5 . Tom Kelly (Laois)                       
6 . Glen Ryan (Kildare)                    Seamus Quinn ( Leitrim)
7 . Anthony Rainbow (Kildare)

8 . Eamon O'Hara (Sligo)       Kevin O' Brien (Wicklow)           Niall Buckley (Kildare)
9 . Dermot Earley  (Kildare)    John Newton(Roscommon)

10. Willie Joe Padden (Mayo)   James Horan (Mayo)
11. Val Daly (Galway)              Liam McHale (Mayo)
12. Paul Barden (Longford)      Derry Foley ( Tipperary)

13. Mattie Forde (Wexford)                     Brendan Devanny (Donegal)
14. Michael Meehan (Galway)
15. Declan Browne (Tipperarry)              Tony McManus (Roscommon)


   

[5 Sams]

from my own county Dermot Earley without question. a complete footballer.
Gerry O'Malley from the previous generation.
Tony McManus - slow as Christmas but boy could he play.

From those I can actually remember playing though (Along with some subs)

1 . Damien Sheridan (Longford)     

2.  Sean Martin Lockhart(Derry)      Kenneth Mortimer (Mayo)
3.  Barry Owens (Fermanagh)          Seamus Quinn (Leitrim)
4 . Keith Higgins (Mayo)

5 . Tom Kelly (Laois)                       
6 . Glen Ryan (Kildare)                    Seamus Quinn ( Leitrim)
7 . Anthony Rainbow (Kildare)

8 . Eamon O'Hara (Sligo)       Kevin O' Brien (Wicklow)           Niall Buckley (Kildare)
9 . Dermot Earley  (Kildare)    John Newton(Roscommon)

10. Willie Joe Padden (Mayo)   James Horan (Mayo)
11. Val Daly (Galway)              Liam McHale (Mayo)
12. Paul Barden (Longford)      Derry Foley ( Tipperary)

13. Mattie Forde (Wexford)                     Brendan Devanny (Donegal)
14. Michael Meehan (Galway)
15. Declan Browne (Tipperarry)              Tony McManus (Roscommon)


   

What did Benny Coulter do on you BB? 

[oakleaflad]

from my own county Dermot Earley without question. a complete footballer.
Gerry O'Malley from the previous generation.
Tony McManus - slow as Christmas but boy could he play.

From those I can actually remember playing though (Along with some subs)

1 . Damien Sheridan (Longford)     

2.  Sean Martin Lockhart(Derry)      Kenneth Mortimer (Mayo)
3.  Barry Owens (Fermanagh)          Seamus Quinn (Leitrim)
4 . Keith Higgins (Mayo)

5 . Tom Kelly (Laois)                       
6 . Glen Ryan (Kildare)                    Seamus Quinn ( Leitrim)
7 . Anthony Rainbow (Kildare)

8 . Eamon O'Hara (Sligo)       Kevin O' Brien (Wicklow)           Niall Buckley (Kildare)
9 . Dermot Earley  (Kildare)    John Newton(Roscommon)

10. Willie Joe Padden (Mayo)   James Horan (Mayo)
11. Val Daly (Galway)              Liam McHale (Mayo)
12. Paul Barden (Longford)      Derry Foley ( Tipperary)

13. Mattie Forde (Wexford)                     Brendan Devanny (Donegal)
14. Michael Meehan (Galway)
15. Declan Browne (Tipperarry)              Tony McManus (Roscommon)


   

Paddy Bradley and Benny Coulter are at least as good as any of those inside forwards. That's a good list mind you.

[nrico2006]

from my own county Dermot Earley without question. a complete footballer.
Gerry O'Malley from the previous generation.
Tony McManus - slow as Christmas but boy could he play.

From those I can actually remember playing though (Along with some subs)

1 . Damien Sheridan (Longford)     

2.  Sean Martin Lockhart(Derry)      Kenneth Mortimer (Mayo)
3.  Barry Owens (Fermanagh)          Seamus Quinn (Leitrim)
4 . Keith Higgins (Mayo)

5 . Tom Kelly (Laois)                       
6 . Glen Ryan (Kildare)                    Seamus Quinn ( Leitrim)
7 . Anthony Rainbow (Kildare)

8 . Eamon O'Hara (Sligo)       Kevin O' Brien (Wicklow)           Niall Buckley (Kildare)
9 . Dermot Earley  (Kildare)    John Newton(Roscommon)

10. Willie Joe Padden (Mayo)   James Horan (Mayo)
11. Val Daly (Galway)              Liam McHale (Mayo)
12. Paul Barden (Longford)      Derry Foley ( Tipperary)

13. Mattie Forde (Wexford)                     Brendan Devanny (Donegal)
14. Michael Meehan (Galway)
15. Declan Browne (Tipperarry)              Tony McManus (Roscommon)


   

Paddy Bradley and Benny Coulter are at least as good as any of those inside forwards. That's a good list mind you.

I would be putting Enda Muldoon in there too.