The Irish News - your county's top 15 players ever

Caid · February 09, 2009, 09:57:40 PM

I understand that the Irish News is doing a feature about the top fifteen players to play for each County ever. Readers must vote for each County's Top 15.

The 30 players from each County with the most votes are then put forward for selection in the 125 greatest players from Ulster ever.

So who makes your county's top 15? (There is a risk that this will get corrupted by myopic fans - although then again a Tyrone team that won three All-Irelands or an Armagh team that won seven Ulster titles in ten years warrants a fair representation).

For what its worth I had a stab at picking 15 Fermanagh stalwarts (some of whom are listed on reputation only as i'm too young to have seen them play!):

Peter McGinnity
Barry Owens
Martin McGrath
Tommy Durnien
Colin Curran
Rory Gallagher
Raymond Gallagher
PT Treacy
Mick Brewster
Paul Brewster
Tom Brewster
Ryan McCluskey
Stephen Maguire
JJ Treacy
Ciaran Campbell

That's three from the 1959 All Ireland Junior Football Championship winning team, two from the Ulster Finalists of 1982, four from the All Ireland B Championship side of 1996, five from the All ireland Semi Finalists of 2004 and Tommy Durnien, the first Fermanagh man to win a Railway Cup medal.

A pretty fair representation of the glory days of Fermanagh football

5 Sams · February 09, 2009, 10:17:16 PM

I see Armagh are first up......

Will anyone be able to get to 15?

AZOffaly · February 09, 2009, 10:19:57 PM

What might be more interesting is if people not from those counties voted for the best 15 in each. It always is interesting to see how others view your players.

For example, if everyone apart from Armagh people voted for Armagh's best XV, and so on.

Minder · February 09, 2009, 10:22:16 PM

Quote from: 5 Sams on February 09, 2009, 10:17:16 PM
I see Armagh are first up......

Will anyone be able to get to 15?

Will Tyrone be able to stop at 15?

ONeill · February 09, 2009, 10:25:07 PM

Peter Canavan
Frank McGuigan
Iggy Jones
Eugene McKenna
Frankie Donnelly
Sean Cavanagh
Stephen O'Neill
Jody O'Neill
Conor Gormley
Kevin McCabe
Plunkett Donaghy
Thaddy Turbett
Phillip Jordan
Eddie Devlin
John Lynch

Caid · February 09, 2009, 10:26:39 PM

No Dooher O'Neill?

ONeill · February 09, 2009, 10:29:07 PM

Quote from: Caid on February 09, 2009, 10:26:39 PM
No Dooher O'Neill?

Difficult. On sheer effort alone he'd be top. Top 15 footballers the county produced....I wouldn't include him. Struggled with the last one...McGinley, McGarvey, Ricey, Mugsy at his best, etc.

ONeill · February 09, 2009, 10:31:50 PM

Quote from: 5 Sams on February 09, 2009, 10:17:16 PM
I see Armagh are first up......

Will anyone be able to get to 15?

Of the modern generation:

McGeeney
McConville
McDonnell
J McEntee

I'm sure Moriarty and Kernan will be included and yer man who missed the penalty.

C_Berg_316 · February 09, 2009, 10:37:52 PM

For Mine ill select it based on 1-15 - after all its a Team game

1. Finbar McConnell
2. Ricey
3. Cormac McAnallen (RIP)
4. Fay Devlin
5. John Lynch
6. Conor Gormley
7. Phillip Jordan
8. Eugene McKenna
9. Sean Cavanagh
10. Brain Dooher
11. Brian McGuigan
12. Iggy Jones
13. Peter Canavan
14. Frank McGuigan (Snr)
15. Kevin McCabe

5 Sams · February 09, 2009, 10:38:51 PM

You're a nasty hoor O'Neill......there's two McEntees you know...and they're both brilliant...some boy from Cross told me that $:-\$

ONeill · February 09, 2009, 10:40:08 PM

Quote from: hardstation on February 09, 2009, 10:26:46 PM
I'll take Saffron Sam's 15 from a while back on the Antrim thread.

Surely the 1911/1912 team will dominate the Saffron selection. Wasn't there an oul fella Sheehan (Harry?) in goal? Then Kevin Armstrong and Joe McCallin from the 40s. Mickey McCallin, McGrogan and Aidan Hamill? The B championship side of '99? Maybe Sean Kelly of recent vintage.

passedit · February 09, 2009, 10:43:55 PM

Quote from: ONeill on February 09, 2009, 10:31:50 PM
Quote from: 5 Sams on February 09, 2009, 10:17:16 PM
I see Armagh are first up......

Will anyone be able to get to 15?

Of the modern generation:

McGeeney
McConville
McDonnell
J McEntee

I'm sure Moriarty and Kernan will be included and yer man who missed the penalty.

Marsden, Clarke and Mc Grane ahead of all but the first named.
Add Brian Mc Alinden, Paddy Mo, Colm Mc Kinstrey, Jimmy Smith, Joe Kernan, Martin Mc Quillan, John Corvan, Mc Nally? (st pauls).

Thats fifteen i tink

ONeill · February 09, 2009, 10:45:25 PM

Quote from: C_Berg_316 on February 09, 2009, 10:37:52 PM
For Mine ill select it based on 1-15 - after all its a Team game

1. Finbar McConnell
2. Ricey
3. Cormac McAnallen (RIP)
4. Fay Devlin
5. John Lynch
6. Conor Gormley
7. Phillip Jordan
8. Eugene McKenna
9. Sean Cavanagh
10. Brain Dooher
11. Brian McGuigan
12. Iggy Jones
13. Peter Canavan
14. Frank McGuigan (Snr)
15. Kevin McCabe

I'd debate a couple of those. Stephen O'Neill in '01 and '05, as well as underage, was on a different planet to anything McCabe produced. McAnallen only played 4 championship games at full back, albeit a decent midfielder. You'll not be far away though. We've 9 players the same.

Puckoon · February 09, 2009, 10:45:46 PM

Does ever include the future?

ONeill · February 09, 2009, 10:48:17 PM

Quote from: passedit on February 09, 2009, 10:43:55 PM
Quote from: ONeill on February 09, 2009, 10:31:50 PM
Quote from: 5 Sams on February 09, 2009, 10:17:16 PM
I see Armagh are first up......

Will anyone be able to get to 15?

Of the modern generation:

McGeeney
McConville
McDonnell
J McEntee

I'm sure Moriarty and Kernan will be included and yer man who missed the penalty.

Marsden, Clarke and Mc Grane ahead of all but the first named.
Add Brian Mc Alinden, Paddy Mo, Colm Mc Kinstrey, Jimmy Smith, Joe Kernan, Martin Mc Quillan, John Corvan, Mc Nally? (st pauls).

Thats fifteen i tink

Really? I'd have thought McConville over Clarke and McDonnell over Marsden on the big stage. John McEntee was a fabulous county footballer.