All time Connacht fuball 15

[seafoid]

Inspired by Syfin on the Gerry O'Malley (RIP) thread

"Same bracket as Sean Flanagan, Sean Purcell, the best there ever have been from Connacht"

Apart from those 3 and Dermot Earley, who else would make it ?

[Blowitupref]

Enda Colleran,Tommy Langan,Packy McGarty

[seafoid]

Enda Colleran,Tommy Langan,Packy McGarty

At least one of the Donnellans but not sure which

[moysider]

Enda Colleran,Tommy Langan,Packy McGarty

At least one of the Donnellans but not sure which

Oh Christ!!! Why did you do that for?!

Not sure about the Donnellans.

Mickey Kearins deffo and I would have O Hara.

Willie Casey was on AI team of the century so.....

The Flying Doctor would have to be considered.

Of those still playing Keith Higgins is probably closest to greatness.

But it's an impossible exercise really considering how so many things have changed.

[seafoid]

Enda Colleran,Tommy Langan,Packy McGarty

At least one of the Donnellans but not sure which

Oh Christ!!! Why did you do that for?!

Not sure about the Donnellans.

Mickey Kearins deffo and I would have O Hara.

Willie Casey was on AI team of the century so.....

The Flying Doctor would have to be considered.

Of those still playing Keith Higgins is probably closest to greatness.

But it's an impossible exercise really considering how so many things have changed.

Enda Colleran. Michael Donnellan. Maybe Declan Darcy?

[Blowitupref]

Enda Colleran,Tommy Langan,Packy McGarty

At least one of the Donnellans but not sure which

Oh Christ!!! Why did you do that for?!

Not sure about the Donnellans.

Mickey Kearins deffo and I would have O Hara.

Willie Casey was on AI team of the century so.....

The Flying Doctor would have to be considered.

Of those still playing Keith Higgins is probably closest to greatness.

But it's an impossible exercise really considering how so many things have changed.

Enda Colleran. Michael Donnellan. Maybe Declan Darcy?

The Quinns Mickey,Seamus before Declan Darcy.

[Lar Naparka]

Best I can do is nominate the 3 best players, IMHO, from each county in the province and I'm limiting myself to those I have seen in action. (Some I can't truthfully remember but I saw them in action and I recall what others had to say about them.)
Sligo; Ray Tully, Mickey Kerins, Paul Taylor.
Leitrim: Packy McGarty, Cathal Flynn, Mick Quinn
Roscommon: Gerry O'Malley, Aidan Brady, Dermot Earley,
Galway: Mattie McDonagh, Sean Purcell, Padraig Joyce
Mayo: Ciaran McDonald, Keith Higgins, Joe Corcoran

[moysider]

Best I can do is nominate the 3 best players, IMHO, from each county in the province and I'm limiting myself to those I have seen in action. (Some I can't truthfully remember but I saw them in action and I recall what others had to say about them.)
Sligo; Ray Tully, Mickey Kerins, Paul Taylor.
Leitrim: Packy McGarty, Cathal Flynn, Mick Quinn
Roscommon: Gerry O'Malley, Aidan Brady, Dermot Earley,
Galway: Mattie McDonagh, Sean Purcell, Padraig Joyce
Mayo: Ciaran McDonald, Keith Higgins, Joe Corcoran

I think Eamonn O Hara was on reflection 'better' than Taylor or Kearins. The drive, bravery, athleticism and leadership of the man was something else. And he was technically brilliant as well. He was inspirational and I d have him in any team. If he was in Kerry in 70/80s he'd have as many AI medals and All Stars as any of them.

Compare his longevity as well to maybe Michael Donnellan. MD was a brilliant footballer, but there were 4/5 top players in his team as well. O Hara was the main man for Sligo for 15 years in a position that might not have been his best. In Kerry/ Dublin/ Mayo he would have been a 5,6 or 10 and God knows what he could have done? 

[Shrewdness]

Good idea for a thread Seafoid. From my own county, you'd have to consider the likes of Dermot Earley, Harry Keegan, Pat Lindsay and Tony Mc Manus..

[magpie seanie]

Best I can do is nominate the 3 best players, IMHO, from each county in the province and I'm limiting myself to those I have seen in action. (Some I can't truthfully remember but I saw them in action and I recall what others had to say about them.)
Sligo; Ray Tully, Mickey Kerins, Paul Taylor.
Leitrim: Packy McGarty, Cathal Flynn, Mick Quinn
Roscommon: Gerry O'Malley, Aidan Brady, Dermot Earley,
Galway: Mattie McDonagh, Sean Purcell, Padraig Joyce
Mayo: Ciaran McDonald, Keith Higgins, Joe Corcoran

I think Eamonn O Hara was on reflection 'better' than Taylor or Kearins. The drive, bravery, athleticism and leadership of the man was something else. And he was technically brilliant as well. He was inspirational and I d have him in any team. If he was in Kerry in 70/80s he'd have as many AI medals and All Stars as any of them.

Compare his longevity as well to maybe Michael Donnellan. MD was a brilliant footballer, but there were 4/5 top players in his team as well. O Hara was the main man for Sligo for 15 years in a position that might not have been his best. In Kerry/ Dublin/ Mayo he would have been a 5,6 or 10 and God knows what he could have done?

That's a tough one. Eamonn did it for much longer (certainly than Paul) and was a leader of men in the traditional sense but the other two were absolute geniuses in their pomp. Obviously I'm too young to have seen anything but old videos of Micheál but Paul Taylor was simply astounding until injuries slowed him. I had the misfortune of coming up against him and Eastern Harps at underage and one county minor championship final in particular he destroyed us. Even when he left the county team and basically couldn't move he was getting crazy tallies in club games. He'd just stand there, stand there, stand there, then eventually shuffle one way and end up with the ball,,,,over the bar. I used to go to watch him in his later career specifically because I couldn't understand how he was still getting scores in senior football. His 9 points in a losing effort in Markievicz against Roscommon stick in my mind (it was a replay after the big lead was fcuked away the first day in the Hyde - hope my memory is right).

Interesting discussion.

[Shrewdness]

Your memory is spot on Seanie. The year was 1998. Sligo were leading by 7 points with about 10 mins to go. Roscommon then scored 2-2, before a late Taylor free (i think) drew the match. Ros could have won the Drawn Connacht Final against Galway, only for a pathetic refereeing display.

[Hound]

Your memory is spot on Seanie. The year was 1998. Sligo were leading by 7 points with about 10 mins to go. Roscommon then scored 2-2, before a late Taylor free (i think) drew the match. Ros could have won the Drawn Connacht Final against Galway, only for a pathetic refereeing display.

Jayz, a Kildare v Roscommon All Ireland final in 1998 would have been great gas!

[magpie seanie]

Your memory is spot on Seanie. The year was 1998. Sligo were leading by 7 points with about 10 mins to go. Roscommon then scored 2-2, before a late Taylor free (i think) drew the match. Ros could have won the Drawn Connacht Final against Galway, only for a pathetic refereeing display.

Yes, 1998. I remember us jibing some Rossies who were leaving. It was a late 45 by Brian Walsh I think that actually salvaged the draw for us. Ros were much better in the replay but Taylor scored from all angles and kept us hanging in there until the end. Ye won by a point I think.

[Rossfan]

. Ros could have won the Drawn Connacht Final against Galway, only for a pathetic refereeing display.

Effin Prior

[mouview]

The Galway 98-01 team contained at least 5-6 of the best players I've seen play in the maroon. Tomas Mannion was a fine player whose career was curtailed occasionally by injury - this plus the fact that his sheer versatility meant that he played in many positions for the county and is thus not recognised entirely as on 'out-and-out' CHB for e.g. Had he been settled more in one spot, a-la Sean De Paor, he'd surely be a candidate for the XV. Kevin Walsh, again had many injury disruptions, was a really terrific midfielder - great at fetching and a superb user and distributer of the ball. Ja and PJ were brilliant forwards, the latter probably the best I've seen for Galway, and if I was to nominate just one player, it would be he.

Michael Donnellan was outrageously the most physically talented player I've seen in maroon. Had vision, could pass, kick left or right with equal ease, score, field, defend, had astonishing pace. Once again, injury and maybe a lack of total application meant his career didn't have the longevity of others, as referred to above. But the light that shines twice as bright, burns half as long. I've love to see another.