Jim Gavin: 'Aidan O'Shea is the top footballer in Ireland'

[moysider]

Yearra. He ll never pass muster.

[The Hill is Blue]

Trying to plámás us now. Wait till everyone sees his big smarmy smug grin after Dublin win by a point or two.

Only a point or two! The Dubs will be moving out of sight in the last fifteen minutes.

COYBIB

[muppet]

Trying to plámás us now. Wait till everyone sees his big smarmy smug grin after Dublin win by a point or two.

Only a point or two! The Dubs will be moving out of sight in the last fifteen minutes.

COYBIB

Mayo's last 3 defeats in the Championship were to the eventual Champions:

2014 - 3 points after extra-time in a reply in Moyross
2013 - 1 point
2012 - 4 points

If the Dubs are 'out of sight' at the end, fair play to them.

And of course we are unbeaten in CP since 2013. 

[Seamus]

1997 Maurice Fitz carried that Kerry team.

Maurice had a bit more quality around him in 1997 AZ  - the likes of Moynihan, Dara O'Shea, O'Cinneide etc.  He was outstanding in the AIF for sure.

Billy O'Shea was having a "Man of the Match" performance for the twenty or so minutes he was on the field in '97 until Maurice intervened.

[Hardy]

the only team that can be us is ourselves.

It's for insights like this that I read this board.

[Highlander3]

It's whoever is going the best on the team that is going the furthest.

James O Donoghue one year.

Michael Murphy another.

Diarmuid Connolly another.

You d have to go back to mid 90's to get a player that was 'carrying' a team. Peter Canavan. By the mid 00s he was the cherry on the top of a fine cake. Murphy had likes of Durcan, Gallagher, Lacey, McGlynn, McGee and McFadden at times, being top class as well.
Connolly and O'Donoghue as well have considerable cavalry in support. In fact you could make a case for more important players on both those sides.

In fairness if carrying a team is the requirement it's got to be Niall McNamee and Emlyn Mulligan.

Yeah. Add in likes of Peter McGinnity, O Hara, Declan Browne, Mickey Kearins, Dessie Barry, Kevin O Brien, Mattie Forde, in the past.

But Canavan was the alpha player for Tyrone in mid 90s. Got within dodgy reffing of an AI with a welter-weight midfield. The 80s team had great big All Time Great  players like McGuigan and Eugene McKenna. Then you had likes of Plunkett Donaghy, O Hagen and McCabe as well in those 80s teams. Some of the 90s Tyrone did last until the AIs. Everybody remembers Colm O Rourke saying that Tyrone would nt win an AI with likes of Dooher in the team. I thought that was silly at the time myself.

Anyway, what I m saying is, that Peter Canavan has been the most important individual player that I ve seen in a team at the highest level.

Totally agree with this, that's why I think Canavan is the best player I have ever seen

[The Aristocrat]

the only team that can beat us is ourselves.

It's for insights like this that I read this board.

Took me a few hours to come up with that line.

What I really meant was if we play to our best we will beat them even if Mayo play to their best, they are not a better team that Dublin and don't have the better players.

[AZOffaly]

Trying to plámás us now. Wait till everyone sees his big smarmy smug grin after Dublin win by a point or two.

Only a point or two! The Dubs will be moving out of sight in the last fifteen minutes.

COYBIB

Mayo's last 3 defeats in the Championship were to the eventual Champions:

2014 - 3 points after extra-time in a reply in Moyross
2013 - 1 point
2012 - 4 points

If the Dubs are 'out of sight' at the end, fair play to them.

And of course we are unbeaten in CP since 2013. 

Point of order, it was on the posh Ennis Road. If it was in Moyross you'd have lost AND had your bus burned out.

[The Hill is Blue]

Trying to plámás us now. Wait till everyone sees his big smarmy smug grin after Dublin win by a point or two.

Only a point or two! The Dubs will be moving out of sight in the last fifteen minutes.

COYBIB

Mayo's last 3 defeats in the Championship were to the eventual Champions:

2014 - 3 points after extra-time in a reply in Moyross
2013 - 1 point
2012 - 4 points

If the Dubs are 'out of sight' at the end, fair play to them.

And of course we are unbeaten in CP since 2013. 

There's been one big change in Mayo's circumstances since 2014. There is a new management team in charge. From here on they are going to move into uncharted waters (for them). How will the new management cope with the squalls which they will surely face?       

[Syferus]

Trying to plámás us now. Wait till everyone sees his big smarmy smug grin after Dublin win by a point or two.

Only a point or two! The Dubs will be moving out of sight in the last fifteen minutes.

COYBIB

Mayo's last 3 defeats in the Championship were to the eventual Champions:

2014 - 3 points after extra-time in a reply in Moyross
2013 - 1 point
2012 - 4 points

If the Dubs are 'out of sight' at the end, fair play to them.

And of course we are unbeaten in CP since 2013. 

There's been one big change in Mayo's circumstances since 2014. There is a new management team in charge. From here on they are going to move into uncharted waters (for them). How will the new management cope with the squalls which they will surely face?     

By doing the exact opposite to what Horan did, bringing Alan Freeman on.

[INDIANA]

It's whoever is going the best on the team that is going the furthest.

James O Donoghue one year.

Michael Murphy another.

Diarmuid Connolly another.

You d have to go back to mid 90's to get a player that was 'carrying' a team. Peter Canavan. By the mid 00s he was the cherry on the top of a fine cake. Murphy had likes of Durcan, Gallagher, Lacey, McGlynn, McGee and McFadden at times, being top class as well.
Connolly and O'Donoghue as well have considerable cavalry in support. In fact you could make a case for more important players on both those sides.

In fairness if carrying a team is the requirement it's got to be Niall McNamee and Emlyn Mulligan.

Yeah. Add in likes of Peter McGinnity, O Hara, Declan Browne, Mickey Kearins, Dessie Barry, Kevin O Brien, Mattie Forde, in the past.

But Canavan was the alpha player for Tyrone in mid 90s. Got within dodgy reffing of an AI with a welter-weight midfield. The 80s team had great big All Time Great  players like McGuigan and Eugene McKenna. Then you had likes of Plunkett Donaghy, O Hagen and McCabe as well in those 80s teams. Some of the 90s Tyrone did last until the AIs. Everybody remembers Colm O Rourke saying that Tyrone would nt win an AI with likes of Dooher in the team. I thought that was silly at the time myself.

Anyway, what I m saying is, that Peter Canavan has been the most important individual player that I ve seen in a team at the highest level.

Totally agree with this, that's why I think Canavan is the best player I have ever seen

It's  totally subjective and it's gas how you've only named inside forwards

The best individual player I've seen in terms of being absolutely critical to his team is Anthony Tohill. I don't think I've ever seen a player have so much influence on a team then him. He could do everything on a GAA pitch. Ticked every single box. Hasn't been a midfielder like him since until David Moran. Derry would have won nothing without him

Tyrone would have still won 3 all irelands without Canavan ( well the 2 he was involved with)

[armaghniac]

It's  totally subjective and it's gas how you've only named inside forwards

The best individual player I've seen in terms of being absolutely critical to his team is Anthony Tohill. I don't think I've ever seen a player have so much influence on a team then him. He could do everything on a GAA pitch. Ticked every single box. Hasn't been a midfielder like him since until David Moran. Derry would have won nothing without him

Tyrone would have still won 3 all irelands without Canavan ( well the 2 he was involved with)

and Tohill was an astute analyst too in recent years. Too logical for some, no doubt.

[larryin89]

So many ifs .
If Mayo beat Dublin and aido has a stormer , he will be up with the best , if we win the all Ireland and he has another mighty 70 mins , well you may start to plan for the statue .

I honeslty think he's in the zone man, he's unmarkable at full tilt , watching him this year I think there is something added , not the move to ff as such but an extra bite of determination about him . A chairðe, I believe he will drag us over the line .

[omaghjoe]

It's whoever is going the best on the team that is going the furthest.

James O Donoghue one year.

Michael Murphy another.

Diarmuid Connolly another.

You d have to go back to mid 90's to get a player that was 'carrying' a team. Peter Canavan. By the mid 00s he was the cherry on the top of a fine cake. Murphy had likes of Durcan, Gallagher, Lacey, McGlynn, McGee and McFadden at times, being top class as well.
Connolly and O'Donoghue as well have considerable cavalry in support. In fact you could make a case for more important players on both those sides.

In fairness if carrying a team is the requirement it's got to be Niall McNamee and Emlyn Mulligan.

Yeah. Add in likes of Peter McGinnity, O Hara, Declan Browne, Mickey Kearins, Dessie Barry, Kevin O Brien, Mattie Forde, in the past.

But Canavan was the alpha player for Tyrone in mid 90s. Got within dodgy reffing of an AI with a welter-weight midfield. The 80s team had great big All Time Great  players like McGuigan and Eugene McKenna. Then you had likes of Plunkett Donaghy, O Hagen and McCabe as well in those 80s teams. Some of the 90s Tyrone did last until the AIs. Everybody remembers Colm O Rourke saying that Tyrone would nt win an AI with likes of Dooher in the team. I thought that was silly at the time myself.

Anyway, what I m saying is, that Peter Canavan has been the most important individual player that I ve seen in a team at the highest level.

Totally agree with this, that's why I think Canavan is the best player I have ever seen

It's  totally subjective and it's gas how you've only named inside forwards

The best individual player I've seen in terms of being absolutely critical to his team is Anthony Tohill. I don't think I've ever seen a player have so much influence on a team then him. He could do everything on a GAA pitch. Ticked every single box. Hasn't been a midfielder like him since until David Moran. Derry would have won nothing without him

Tyrone would have still won 3 all irelands without Canavan ( well the 2 he was involved with)

Interesting way to look at it Indie, I also have always thought the same the best overall footballers are generally the guys up the middle and in particular midfielders

Tohill for me was a great footballer, he could do pretty much everything on a pitch and how some people put Dara O'Se (a great player too it must be said) ahead of him is beyond me. There is no way tho that he was carrying that Derry team, it had fantastic players all over the pitch with the exception of the FF line.

I always said Tyrone's best footballer is Frank McGuigan but he may not have been as effective as Canavan. Gearad Cavlan would be a more extreme example, in terms of talent and ability he would be in my Tyrone top 5. His effectiveness tho was questionable tho due to various aspects, bit of a renegade, not a leader, hot and cold, character etc.

However the point that I am trying to make is Canavan was by far the most effective footballer for Tyrone, a good part of that was his leadership and ability to make others raise their game.

So in terms of effectivness I would probably have Canavan up there, but in terms of ability as an overall footballer defo not, some skills he had were outstanding and unique for his position but he wouldnt have been that great if you stuck him at CB for example.

I dunno who would be top of my footballing ability chart, but Tohill would be up there.

[orangeman]

1997 Maurice Fitz carried that Kerry team.

Maurice had a bit more quality around him in 1997 AZ  - the likes of Moynihan, Dara O'Shea, O'Cinneide etc.  He was outstanding in the AIF for sure.

Billy O'Shea was having a "Man of the Match" performance for the twenty or so minutes he was on the field in '97 until Maurice intervened.

True.

Maurice done him.