The biggest underachievers - players - Hurling & Football

[The Real SlimShady]

D'ya know something Slim, I agree with you.  I have a great admiration for Crossmaglen given the circumstances they had to endure up there with the Brits.  When they did win the All-Ireland a lot of counties perked up and thought that if Armagh could do it they could.  Yep, take a bow Slim, even though I only had a small bait on and the hook barely in the water I agree with you on a serious note that all the Armagh team that won the AIF have given great service to the county, particularly when a lot of them could have walked away from it last year.

Surprised O'Neill didn't get to the bait before you and tell me Laois never won anything, but there you go.

Jeez man, dont seem so surprised!!

[full back]

Looks like your reputation precedes you Slim

[The Real SlimShady]

full back, good man- worthy contribution. well done.

[full back]

It's because you talk so much sh1te people are suprised if you say anything sensible
Slim will be getting his communion money out-haha-good one
Watch you dont get banned again

[tyroneboi]

I will throw in one for the tyrone ones on the board - Martin Early!

This lad has all the talent of a McGuigan or Mulligan or Stevie O'Neill if not more!!

Should have been a Tyrone regular for the past 6-7 years but wasnt for one reason or another!

[mouview]

That Galway have only won 9 All-irelands from 42 Provincial titles may be as much an indictment of the poverty of the challenge from the other counties in Connacht that they haven;t been able to test them better rather than any of their own shortcomings. (Though I'll admit Galway have been a major 'charity' county when it comes to allowing other counties win AI's.)

Anyway, in terms of underachievement in Galway, Derek O'Reilly of Corofin and John Concannon of Milltown were both tremendous players at underage level but never followed through properly. You could possibly include a large swathe of the Galway hurlers also but the fact is that they have only underachieved at Senior c'ship level (due as much to their reluctance to participate in the other Provincial championships), i.e. many of them have Minor, U-21, club, league medals etc. Does this count?

[tyroneboi]

I don't think so Tyroneboi. I'd put Early in the Brian McGuckin/Damien Gormey/Penrose/McCullagh category - all could be the 6th forward on the Tyrone team and perform adequately, but could never lead the line. Early's problem is that until last year there was never a real dearth of forwards and at 29 odd now is too old.

He is 10 times better than those players that you have just listed. I have seen him play for the last 10 years and i can tell ya he was and still is an awesome talent!! Didnt see any of them lads score 1-7 in a McRory Cup final!

[the colonel]

i have never seen your man play but would take all ireland medals over mcrory cups any day

[tyroneboi]

Yeah same here but as this is a thread about underachieving, i am just outlining the talent that Martin Early has and that he should have been a county regular!

[Stagmeister]

Vinnie Murphy - He was pretty big + I think he underachieved, he was a seriously talented player

[ExiledGael]

Rory and Raymie Gallagher!
Both outstanding at College and Club levels wherever they transfer too, but should have had more impact at intercounty level.
Rory especially should be at the peak of his powers right now but fcuked about from one club/county to another and now can't even be sure of a place in the Cavan team.
The same man who scored 3-9 against Monaghan, paid the price for a questionable attitude

[magpie seanie]

Derek O'Reilly of Corofin and John Concannon of Milltown were both tremendous players at underage level but never followed through properly

Yeah, they were really good players. That Galway '94 minor team was laced with talent. Jayo and the Dubs beat them the day Laythrum got tonked if memory serves.

[stephenite]

Derek O'Reilly of Corofin and John Concannon of Milltown were both tremendous players at underage level but never followed through properly

Yeah, they were really good players. That Galway '94 minor team was laced with talent. Jayo and the Dubs beat them the day Laythrum got tonked if memory serves.

Was Concannon the one nicknamed Scan?
Seriuosly talented player that was touted as the next big thing in Galway

[belleaqua]

Joe Rabbitte for failing to win a senior intercounty medal despite winning 3 All Ireland club medals. The amount of punishment that man took!!

[GalwayBayBoy]

Derek O'Reilly of Corofin and John Concannon of Milltown were both tremendous players at underage level but never followed through properly

Yeah, they were really good players. That Galway '94 minor team was laced with talent. Jayo and the Dubs beat them the day Laythrum got tonked if memory serves.

Was Concannon the one nicknamed Scan?
Seriuosly talented player that was touted as the next big thing in Galway

Scan was an unbelievable talent. I played against him a few times when I was at St Mary's. Found a small piece on him.

However, it being Gaelic football ...it being dis Great Assooosheeeayshun Of Ours ... controversy is never very far from the door. And so it is, too, in the case of the proposed Jarlath's All Stars. A past pupil of the school, has sent AFR the following angry missive and he reproduces it here in full:

"I hear that down in Galway they're all up in arms about this Saint Jarlaths All-Star team.

The controversy is based on the omission of star 1990s player, John 'Scan' Concannon. Concannon was regarded by many as one of Jarlath's greatest players at Senior A. He scored 3-1 on his championship debut at the age of fourteen and was the outstanding player in colleges football for at least two years. His performance in the 1994 Hogan Cup Final was mesmerizing. The thing that set 'Scan' apart from most was his unbelievable skill and free taking. He had a great eye for the post and could jink past any player. Alas, he never followed through after college although he scored an amazing goal against Sherlock's Dublin minors in 1994 in Croke Park.

Jarlaths said that they were to pick the best team ever, based on the colleges players, but have clearly gone out and chosen a list of nominations that, when published by the national news papers, will be instantly recognisable - o the rest of the country can gush at how well the ex- Jarlaths lads did at intercounty level. It's sad, very sad, I'm afraid. But very, very, very unfair and totally unacceptable. This is what's causing trouble in Galway these days. I'm a former student and deeply ashamed at my old school's obvious arrogance in trying to look great in front of the country. Stinks!'

Now, the above could a Machiavellian plot to influence the reverend selectors in a certain direction. Or it could be a genuine cri de coeur from a disinterested past pupil. We believe it to be the latter. Even the former college coach, Joe Long, has expressed his dismay at Concannon's absence.