The Greatest Dirtiest Football Team

[GalwayBayBoy]

Sean McCague's Ulster Championship winning Monaghan team of 1979 would be right up there. Of that team, their full back line would have left their mark - Gerry already mentioned elsewhere - but the crowning glory would have gone to Fergus Caulfield - the prince of them all! 

Excellent call. Hard to beat that line.

From personal memory, I would also like to add. Most have already been mentioned though.

John Lynch, Noel McGinn and Sean Donnelly (Tyrone)
The Grimley twins (Armagh)
Danny Quinn and Damien Barton (Derry)
Bernard Morris (Cavan)
Colm Coyle, Kevin Foley, Liam Harnan, in fact basically everyone who played under Sean Boylan.
Padraig Joyce (Galway) - most cynical man still playing the game.

Padraig Joyce??

Renowned dirty footballer and hard man Padraig Joyce.

Admittedly nothing particularly hard about him, but count the number of fouls he commits, the number of sneaky digs he throws, the number of times he play acts to get an opponent booked or win a free.

Then come back and tell me one player who outscores him in any of the three categories I have mentioned. This thread is about dirtiness not hardness.

Whatever it's about. He's certainly not dirty.

[glenullinabu]

Danny Quinn and Damien Barton (Derry)

danny wasnt dirty (except in siegerson final )
barton was treacherous but wasnt in same footballing class of some of otheres mentioned here
monaghan 1885 were no angels either

[heffo]

O'Malley, Giles and Murphy had that Meathness about them though.

I don't think Giles could be described as cynical, dirty or tough or anything approaching it..

[Hardy]

Ollie Murphy? Ollie hadn't/hasn't an aggressive molecule in his body or even anywhere in his vicinity.

[Jinxy]

O'Malley, Giles and Murphy had that Meathness about them though.

I don't think Giles could be described as cynical, dirty or tough or anything approaching it..

Giles was plenty tough.

[Maximus Marillius]

so we now have

Colm Colye Meath
Graham Geraty Meath
John Mc Gurk Derry
Ricey Mc Menamim Tyrone
Sean Doherty Dublin
John Lynch Tyrone
Eamon Heary Dublin
Ciaran Duff Dublin
Paul Donnelly Tyrone
Noel Mc Ginn Tyrone
Gerry Mc Carville Monaghan
Fergus Caulfield  Monaghan
Damian Barton  Derry
Johnny Mc Bride  Derry
The Grimley twins  Armagh
Laim Harnan Meath
Niall Cahalane (spelling anyone?) Cork


Lads Mr Joyce(Galway), Mr Morris (Cavan), Mr Mc Grane (Armagh)and Mr Quinn (Derry) are not dirty footballers, not a country mile!!
No dirty footballers in  kerry or Galway or even Mayo

[Cumah!]

eh... Paul Galvin anyone?

And if we are going to list Paul McGrane for his style of tackling then how can Dara O'Sé be left out, the man throws dirty thumps left right and centre!

[cornafean]

Add Kevin Foley and Francie Bellew to that list. Their infamous hits on Mickey Linden would be enough basis on their own to justify this.

[heffo]

O'Malley, Giles and Murphy had that Meathness about them though.

I don't think Giles could be described as cynical, dirty or tough or anything approaching it..

Giles was plenty tough.

Yeah he was a regular Burt Reynolds

[Jinxy]

He'd burst you.

[Hardy]

Most don't realise Giles was as hard as nails. I think his skill masked his toughness. Very seldom put down and you'd see fellas hopping off him left right and centre without putting him off his stride. But like the old man in A Hard Days Night, he was very clean.

[North Longford]

Indeed Longford aren't awash with dirty players at the moment but some names who have donned the blue and gold that would give a lot of gents a run for their money would include Aiden Keogh, James Keegan and Bernie Connell. Probably not well known outside Longford but would have between them probably amassed suspensions that entire counties would despair at. Poor James is still amassing them now during his time as an U14 trainer!!

[Onion Bag]

ciaran whelan is a dirty arab, should be on the list

[Stevie Nicks]

Mr Bonner from  the capital is also worth a mention

[heffo]

He'd burst you.

Jaysus. Don't tell him what I said so.