Sky Sports/Today FM 15 for 15

[5 Sams]

I submitted a team, cant remember exactly who all was on it, but the first player I picked was Moynihan. I cant believe how many of youse boys haven't even considered him

[Rufus T Firefly]

I submitted a team, cant remember exactly who all was on it, but the first player I picked was Moynihan. I cant believe how many of youse boys haven't even considered him

One more vote for him 5 Sams. 

Stephen Cluxton

Marc O'Se
Barry Owens
Keith Higgins

Tomas O'Se
Kieran McGeeney
Seamus Moynihan

Darragh O'Se
Paul McGrane

Paul Flynn
Sean Cavanagh
Brian Dooher

Stevie McDonnell
Bernard Brogan
Colm Cooper

[5 Sams]

One of your heroes thinks along the same lines Rufus!

http://www.joe.ie/sport/oisin-mcconvilles-pick-of-the-best-gaelic-football-team-of-the-last-15-years-would-take-some-beating/507884?utm_content=buffer00062&utm_medium=Social+organic&utm_source=Twitter&utm_campaign=Buffer

[GalwayBayBoy]

That's a good team. I'd have Declan O'Sullivan instead of Padraig Joyce

Ara Jaysus. O'Sullivan was a very fine player but he wasn't as good as PJ.

[AZOffaly]

I think he was. He was a scorer, and set up man and a ball winner. He was a vital component on those Kerry teams.

[Ciarrai_thuaidh]

This is one little thing I've noticed with a lot of the debate on this (and also around the time he announced his retirement) that Declan O'Sullivan appears to be very underrated outside of Kerry. I would have thought the 11 jersey was a straight battle between Declan and Brian McGuigan. From 2003 to 2009 (with a bad 2005 final and few bad months in 2006 in the middle) Declan O'Sullivan was a massive influence for Kerry. I could say a lot, but I think a good measure of a player is how they perform under pressure and/or in a losing team. Anyone who can, should go watch Declan's performance in the 2008 Final when flanked by Eoin Brosnan and Bryan Sheehan (who were both useless in the day) he continually carried the game to Tyrone. He was marked by Philip Jordan, who I included in my 15 earlier such is the esteem I hold him in, but that day Declan burned him on several occasions. It was strangely enough, one of the standout memories I have of him.

[AZOffaly]

This is one little thing I've noticed with a lot of the debate on this (and also around the time he announced his retirement) that Declan O'Sullivan appears to be very underrated outside of Kerry. I would have thought the 11 jersey was a straight battle between Declan and Brian McGuigan. From 2003 to 2009 (with a bad 2005 final and few bad months in 2006 in the middle) Declan O'Sullivan was a massive influence for Kerry. I could say a lot, but I think a good measure of a player is how they perform under pressure and/or in a losing team. Anyone who can, should go watch Declan's performance in the 2008 Final when flanked by Eoin Brosnan and Bryan Sheehan (who were both useless in the day) he continually carried the game to Tyrone. He was marked by Philip Jordan, who I included in my 15 earlier such is the esteem I hold him in, but that day Declan burned him on several occasions. It was strangely enough, one of the standout memories I have of him.

What made his evolution so much more impressive for me is how his game changed over the years to suit Kerry. He was the archetype nippy corner forward in his younger days. He changed into this leader, driving at the opposition and laying the ball off or scoring himself, winning dirty ball. He had his faults temperament wise at times, but as a player I thought he was great.

[rrhf]

I submitted a team, cant remember exactly who all was on it, but the first player I picked was Moynihan. I cant believe how many of youse boys haven't even considered him

I have the Pony in at 5.  Certainly despite the roastings he took against Armagh and Tyrone in his last few years he was one of the best footballing half and indeed full backs to watch.

[Zulu]

I submitted a team, cant remember exactly who all was on it, but the first player I picked was Moynihan. I cant believe how many of youse boys haven't even considered him

Agree 100%. Maybe it's a reflection of the age of some of the posters who have submitted teams but Moynihan would have strong claims to be the best defender Kerry have produced which would make him a good shout for best defender ever. Not a man to career up the field for a score very often but as a defender there was few, if any, who were better. Neither Jordan or the two O'Se's were for a start.

[blewuporstuffed]

1. Stephen Cluxton
   
2. Marc O'Sé             
3. Conor Gormley     
4. Keith Higgins       corner back is a tight call between the two in there, SM lockhart & ricey     

5. Tomás O'Sé           
6. Karl Lacey             
7. Philip Jordan         

8. Darragh O'Sé         
9. Seán Kavanagh     

10. Brian Dooher       
11. Declan O'Sullivan
with Mcguigan possibly only losing out because I have a lot of tyrone players in there and he missed a fair bit of football in that period too, honourable mention also for Kieran Mac
12. Paul Galvin        could just as easily have been Paul flynn   
13. Colm Cooper       
14. Peter Canavan     
15. Bernard Brogan   , just shades out micheal murphy, who could well be consider for the next 10 years team


possibly a bit bias, but a lot of them are borderline calls.

certs for me where canavan, gooch,cluxton, Jordan, tomas ose & dooher. Hard to look past that midfield paring either.

Tyrone x 5
kerry x 6
Dublin x 2
Donegal x 1
mayo x 1

in fact, now that I add those up, Mcguigan is in ahead of Osullivan   

[Ciarrai_thuaidh]

1. Stephen Cluxton
   
2. Marc O'Sé             
3. Conor Gormley     
4. Keith Higgins       corner back is a tight call between the two in there, SM lockhart & ricey     

5. Tomás O'Sé           
6. Karl Lacey             
7. Philip Jordan         

8. Darragh O'Sé         
9. Seán Kavanagh     

10. Brian Dooher       
11. Declan O'Sullivan
with Mcguigan possibly only losing out because I have a lot of tyrone players in there and he missed a fair bit of football in that period too, honourable mention also for Kieran Mac
12. Paul Galvin        could just as easily have been Paul flynn   
13. Colm Cooper       
14. Peter Canavan     
15. Bernard Brogan   , just shades out micheal murphy, who could well be consider for the next 10 years team


possibly a bit bias, but a lot of them are borderline calls.

certs for me where canavan, gooch,cluxton, Jordan, tomas ose & dooher. Hard to look past that midfield paring either.

Tyrone x 5
kerry x 6
Dublin x 2
Donegal x 1
mayo x 1

in fact, now that I add those up, Mcguigan is in ahead of Osullivan   

That's one of the more reasonable teams I've seen in fairness!

Fullback is a conundrum and my solution was no better than yours, so can't argu too much. Personally think Anthony Lynch was a better corner back than Higgins and that McGeeney deserves serious consideration aswell (I put Lacey at 4, McGeeney at 6).

Otherwise I entirely agree with the selection.

[barelegs]

Just to throw my tuppence worth into the equation

1. Stephen Cluxton

2. Conor Gormley
3. Seamus Moynihan
4. Marc O Sé

5. Tomas O Sé
6. Kieran McGeeney
7. Philip Jordan

8. Dara O Sé
9. Sean Cavanagh

10. Brian Dooher
11. Padraig Joyce
12. Paul Flynn

13. Bernard Brogan
14. Peter Canavan
15. Colm Cooper

For me the full forward line, midfield, half back line and goal keeper pick themselves.

Centre half forward- There's plenty of choice Brian McGuigan and Declan O'Sullivan are certainly both in the reckoning.

Full back line- I think the two corner back positions are very difficult to select. I couldn't really complain with anyone picking Keith Higgins, Ryan McMenamin or Sean Marty ahead of my selections. Gormley's probably under appreciated outside of Tyrone but he was the heartbeat of the Tyrone team of the 2000s. Set the tone for everyone else.

[Never beat the deeler]

I have thrown a team together, sure I'm missing some absolute greats, but here goes.

As a general principle, I have gone on the level of consistent greatness over the period (so M Fitz doesnt get in, but not due to lack of talent. Similarly, in a few years the team from 2001-2020 might include the likes of A O'Shea, Lee Keegan, M Murphy, D Connolly etc

S Cluxton

K Lacey
S Moynihan
K Higgins

T O'Se
K McGeeney
P Jordan

D O'Se
S Cavanagh

P Joyce
C McDonald
P Flynn

P Canavan
S McDonnell
C Cooper

4 x Kerry
3 x Tyrone
2 x Dublin
2 x Mayo
2 x Armagh
1 x Donegal
1 x Galway


I think that spread is fair, given the All-Irelands won in the period.
It sticks out that Mayo have 2, ahead of Donegal and Galway, but I put this down to two reasons:
1) I'm from Mayo
2) Mayo have had 2 different teams/periods in the 15 years, compared to the other teams spending extended time in the doldrums


Really is a difficult task - if I spent longer at it, I would change it every 5 minutes....

[Il Bomber Destro]

I'm very surprised to be only one to pick Paddy Bradley so far, by the looks of things he is savagely underrated on here, particularly when you consider he broke onto the scene right at the beginning of the 00s. I think the best way to describe him today would be he was throughout his Derry career he was the equivalent to Derry as to what McManus is to Monaghan right now. Unfortunately he didn't get an awful lot of big days out in Croke Park but when he did he was majestic, the 2001 semi-final against Galway, 2004 semi-final against Kerry, 2004 quarter final against Dublin - he was consistently excellent in that period and would definitely be regarded higher in that time period if he had played for one of the more dominant counties back then. What was it he took Dessie Mone for a few years back, 2-08 or something with the bulk of it coming from play?

I would doubt that there would have been any player in that time period who would notch up the tally of scores from play against quality opposition that Bradley did.

Special mention to Muldoon as well, another really underrated player. I also think Dan Gordon is a player who never really got the plaudits he deserved in that time period.

[Ciarrai_thuaidh]

I'm very surprised to be only one to pick Paddy Bradley so far, by the looks of things he is savagely underrated on here, particularly when you consider he broke onto the scene right at the beginning of the 00s. I think the best way to describe him today would be he was throughout his Derry career he was the equivalent to Derry as to what McManus is to Monaghan right now. Unfortunately he didn't get an awful lot of big days out in Croke Park but when he did he was majestic, the 2001 semi-final against Galway, 2004 semi-final against Kerry, 2004 quarter final against Dublin - he was consistently excellent in that period and would definitely be regarded higher in that time period if he had played for one of the more dominant counties back then. What was it he took Dessie Mone for a few years back, 2-08 or something with the bulk of it coming from play?

I would doubt that there would have been any player in that time period who would notch up the tally of scores from play against quality opposition that Bradley did.

Special mention to Muldoon as well, another really underrated player. I also think Dan Gordon is a player who never really got the plaudits he deserved in that time period.

There are some outstanding players that aren't featuring much in the debate.

Paddy certainly was an excellent player and that performance in 2007 when he almost single handedly beat the Dubs was memorable.

But are you picking him ahead of Cooper, Canavan, Brogan, McDonnell in the full forward line for this team? Definitely not IMO.