Sky Sports/Today FM 15 for 15

[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.

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.

I have McDonnell and Canavan ahead of him and it's a toss of the coin between McDonnell and Canavan. The thing is none of those players with the exception of Canavan for a large chunk of his career had in anyway the sort of reliance from their county that Bradley had from his. I know it's difficult to measure as Bradley didn't have that many days in Croke Park but he did have many of them in Ulster during his career and in his intercounty career you've had 8 of the 9 Ulster teams make an All Ireland QF (Cavan being the only just to make it the once), 6 of them make the semi-final stage, 4 of them make the final and 3 of them sharing 5 All Irelands and in that time period I would have to say that Bradley was the finest forward in the province. It's not as if Ulster was short of them either.

He was an absolute scoring machine despite the close attention he received and quality of marker he faced on a consistent basis.

[southdown]

Her is my team:

Cluxton

M O'Se
S Moynihan
K Higgins

T O'Se
K McGeeney
P Jordan

D O'Se
S Cavanagh

B Dooher
D O'Sullivan
D Connolly

C Cooper
P Canavan
S McDonnell

A lot of tight calls were based on who had more Celtic crosses in their back pockets.

[Stall the Bailer]

This is my team

Goalkeeper: Stephen Cluxton - Dublin

Right Corner Back: Conor Gormley - Tyrone

Full Back: Seamus Moynihan - Kerry

Left Corner Back: Keith Higgins - Mayo

Right Half Back: Tomas Ó'Sé - Kerry

Centre Half Back: Kieran McGeeney - Armagh

Left Half Back: Philip Jordan - Tyrone

Midfield: Darragh Ó'Sé - Kerry

Midfield: Sean Cavanagh - Tyrone

Right Half Forward: Brian Dooher - Tyrone

Center Half Forward: Colm Cooper - Kerry

Left Half Forward: Declan O'Sullivan - Kerry

Right Corner Forward: Steven McDonnell - Armagh

Full Forward: Stephen O'Neill - Tyrone

Left Corner Forward: Peter Canavan - Tyrone

The ones in bold are my must haves on the team.
Players to miss out only just, were Marc Ó Sé, Karl Lacey, Padraig Joyce, Brian McGuigan.
If the following play well over next 5 years they would probably make the 15 for 20, from Dublin, Flynn, Connelly & Brogan.
And Murphy from Donegal.

[Wildweasel74]

Flynn. Connolly and Murphy are already better than some of those players already in teams

[oakleaflad]

1. Stephen Cluxton

2. S.M.Lockhart
3. Neil McGee
4. Keith Higgins

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

8. Dara O Sé
9. Anthony Tohill

10. Brian Dooher
11. Declan O'Sullivan
12. Diarmuid Connolly

13. Peter Canavan
14. Michael Murphy
15. Colm Cooper


Here is my 15. There hasn't been a bad team picked yet. The two Derry men I picked I genuinely felt were the best in their positions, tried my best to keep bias out of it. Some very close, Sean Cavanagh especially. The likes of Moynihan and Brogan too were hard to omit. 

[Stall the Bailer]

Flynn. Connolly and Murphy are already better than some of those players already in teams

Who do think they are better than and why?

Forgot about SM Lockhart, but feel he would have just missed out as well.
The likes of Tohil and Fitzgearld I believe played their best football in 90's and only played a few games in the last 15 years at the top level.

[Il Bomber Destro]

Surprised by the number of people opting for Jordan ahead of Gormley. Just from a general perception I would gauge that Gormley would be more highly regarded inside Tyrone.

[AZOffaly]

Jordan was a better footballer in my opinion. Gormley was a great stopper, but I'd rate Jordan as a ball player a bit higher.

[The Bearded One]

I'm sorry Oakleaf but picking Tohill over Cavanagh on a team from the last 15 years is a bad call.

If it was a straight shootout between them both across their full careers then I would hold my hands up and say it would be a great argument to have, BUT, this team is based on 2000 - 2015 and there is only 1 winner I am afraid.

[supersarsfields]

Surprised by the number of people opting for Jordan ahead of Gormley. Just from a general perception I would gauge that Gormley would be more highly regarded inside Tyrone.

Not by me I would have to say. Jordan was prob my favourite Tyrone player over the last 15 years. Consistently excellent regardless of the opposition.   

[Stall the Bailer]

Jordan is the type players who was never dropped. I think he held the Tyrone record for the most consecutive starts.
All the players mention here are good players, but to pick the 15 best you really need to look at some of the special things some of them had.
For example Aidan O'Mahony (a very good player) is supposed to be dropped for the match this weekend. The likes of Tomas Ó Sé or Seamus Moynihan would always have started even if only half fit, not dropped. That why the likes them  were on my list as they that bit more special.
And likes Peter Canavan hobbling around injured could still make a big impact in an All Ireland final, says it all.

[Ciarrai_thuaidh]

Jordan is the type players who was never dropped. I think he held the Tyrone record for the most consecutive starts.
All the players mention here are good players, but to pick the 15 best you really need to look at some of the special things some of them had.
For example Aidan O'Mahony (a very good player) is supposed to be dropped for the match this weekend. The likes of Tomas Ó Sé or Seamus Moynihan would always have started even if only half fit, not dropped. That why the likes them  were on my list as they that bit more special.
And likes Peter Canavan hobbling around injured could still make a big impact in an All Ireland final, says it all.

Mahony missed 2 weeks due to his wedding. (planned with the belief he'd be retired now obviously). Management made a call to not start him due to missed time and others doing well in his absence. It's not a selection based on his form or anything.

[Stall the Bailer]

Jordan is the type players who was never dropped. I think he held the Tyrone record for the most consecutive starts.
All the players mention here are good players, but to pick the 15 best you really need to look at some of the special things some of them had.
For example Aidan O'Mahony (a very good player) is supposed to be dropped for the match this weekend. The likes of Tomas Ó Sé or Seamus Moynihan would always have started even if only half fit, not dropped. That why the likes them  were on my list as they that bit more special.
And likes Peter Canavan hobbling around injured could still make a big impact in an All Ireland final, says it all.

Mahony missed 2 weeks due to his wedding. (planned with the belief he'd be retired now obviously). Management made a call to not start him due to missed time and others doing well in his absence. It's not a selection based on his form or anything.

That may be true, or they may think Crowley is better suited for the Tyrone game. Either way, if it had been Seamus or Tomas in Aidan's situation I believe they would have started. Aidan could still start. Just my opinion, you are better placed to say who is better between Aidan and Seamus.

[BennyCake]

Hearty
McMenamin, Moynihan, M O'Se
T O'Se, McGeeney, Lacey
Tohill, D O'Se
C McDonald, Cooper, Fitzgerald
Canavan, Murphy, McDonnell

[ONeill]

Surprised by the number of people opting for Jordan ahead of Gormley. Just from a general perception I would gauge that Gormley would be more highly regarded inside Tyrone.

Not by me I would have to say. Jordan was prob my favourite Tyrone player over the last 15 years. Consistently excellent regardless of the opposition.

Jordan rarely made a mistake. In the '05 final he could easily have been MOTM. Who got it by the way?