Best dead-ball kicker - ever?

[In hiding]

Colin corkery

[From the Bunker]

Colin corkery

We have a WINNER! 

[armaghniac]

couple of good Kerrymen here
Maurice FItz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nT9aEauktzE
Brian Sheehan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5WaNh0a3UI

[APM]

I see some suggestions like Brian Stafford, Colin Corkery etc.  My memory of Stafford was kicking a lot of 21 and 30 yard frees off the ground in front of the post and Ger Canning talking about his clinical finishing. 

Watching Galligan yesterday and Colm Reape today, it occurred to me that the standard of dead ball kicking has never been higher. Some of those guys are capable of scoring from 60 metres which would hardly have been attempted in those days.

I'm not sure who is the best ever, but I'm fairly sure, whoever it is, is either still playing or was playing up to very recently. 

[imtommygunn]

Colin corkery

My thinking too. Did he not go to American football for a bit?

[Blowitupref]

I see some suggestions like Brian Stafford, Colin Corkery etc.  My memory of Stafford was kicking a lot of 21 and 30 yard frees off the ground in front of the post and Ger Canning talking about his clinical finishing. 

Watching Galligan yesterday and Colm Reape today, it occurred to me that the standard of dead ball kicking has never been higher. Some of those guys are capable of scoring from 60 metres which would hardly have been attempted in those days.

I'm not sure who is the best ever, but I'm fairly sure, whoever it is, is either still playing or was playing up to very recently.

Not sure who is the best ever either but I'd think the opposite, the best probably retired and retired long ago.

[Ciarrai_thuaidh]

Discussion around Shane Walsh kicking with both feet (probably going too much on left etc) from frees just brings home how rare it is to see a free taker equally or almost equally adept with both feet. In that regard Maurice Fitz and Colin Corkery are probably the 2 best I've seen.

Strangely enough, maybe being a ciotóg myself, I always thought Enda Gormley had a beautiful technique and a good range off his left back in the day. He could kick them from the left side aswell which is unusual for a leftie. Ross Carr also from same vintage and he had a massive boot aswell.

Have to mention Derek Duggan..that kick from was it 68m? Outrageous!

Don't accept at all the premise that modern kickers have been better off the ground. Yes, there are some excellent strikers of the ball and a lot of them goalies, but as said already you don't see them kicking frees off the ground from all angles. That's my definition of top class free taking. Much and all as I admire the likes of Rory Beggan. And to add, Niall Morgan's kick in the semi final against us was one of the best I've seen in the flesh. It hit the canal end net catcher at a good height aswell. An amazing kick.

[ardtole]

Bryan Sheehan I always remember being very accurate and had an enormous kick as well.

[marty34]

How does one lad kick it so far anyway?

Is it technique or hamstrings?

What's the science behind it?

[Dreadnought]

I see some suggestions like Brian Stafford, Colin Corkery etc.  My memory of Stafford was kicking a lot of 21 and 30 yard frees off the ground in front of the post and Ger Canning talking about his clinical finishing. 

Watching Galligan yesterday and Colm Reape today, it occurred to me that the standard of dead ball kicking has never been higher. Some of those guys are capable of scoring from 60 metres which would hardly have been attempted in those days.

I'm not sure who is the best ever, but I'm fairly sure, whoever it is, is either still playing or was playing up to very recently.

That's my thoughts too. They're far more accurate from distance, with control over the ball to get it over the bar from that far out. I grew up on a diet of being told about these dead eye specialists, who never missed a dead ball. But like anything, it was romanticised. I remember during Covid when some old games were released on YouTube or such, and jeez they weren't as good as we thought. For my own county, they released the 97 Ulster final and AI semi final. I recalled Ronan Carolan barely missing one when I was a kid watching, but he missed loads in those games! Like everything, we think things were better in the past, but they really weren't. Standard of nearly everything is far better now, and that includes free taking. The likes of Galligan, Morgan, and Beggan are some of the best ever I reckon.

[meatsy86]

Gary Mason is another man that has to be up there. Primarily featured in Downs two wins in the 90s because of his place kicking ability.

[thewobbler]

Gary Mason is another man that has to be up there. Primarily featured in Downs two wins in the 90s because of his place kicking ability.

More of the romanticism that dreadnought mentioned. Mason was a good free taker with decent length but he wasn't even the best free taker in his household, or his county, let alone of his era, let alone to be discussed in this thread.

[Brick Tamlin]

Dara O'Cinneide wasnt the worst.
Enda Gormley was goood.
Carolan was standout.
Corkery brilliant.
Oisin McConville didnt miss many (Though alot from the hands)
Charlie Redmond wasnt too shabby
Stafford and Giles.
Dean Rock probably so prominent because sheer exposure and watching him so often cuz the dubs havent been off our screen this last 12 Yrs. But he was/is unreal.
Goalkeepers shouldnt be included until they kick them from all angles/distances.
Anthony Tohill was very good.

[seafoid]

Maurice Sheridan used to kick them over mechanically for Mayo when they were going well in the 90s.

[Armagh18]

Dean Rock got to be up there. Sean O'Shea doesnt miss to many either when he's going well.