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Irish Independent Top 20 Players

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Replying To Breezy: "TJ Reid is obviously brilliant but am I the only one who thinks he's not top 20 of the last 50yrs brilliant?" No I agree with you wholeheartedly. Doesn't have the same "wow" factor from open play (in terms of floating over outrageous points from play or producing edge of your seat magic) compared to some of his contemporaries from his own county alone, nevermind the likes of Canning and others. Yes his work-rate is second to none and he sets up a pile of scores, but he is more robotic to watch than some of the true artists of the game and appears easier to "shut out" of games too (Matty O'Hanlon and James Breen, both maligned in Wexford at times, have done excellent man-marking jobs on him recently). Worth remembering too that Richie Hogan could break into the forwards on that awesome Kilkenny team before TJ did, and that he was been the figurehead in a side that have lost two All Ireland finals by what must surely be record margins for Kilkenny (nine and fourteen points). I'd have a peak Richie Hogan ahead of him. beano (Wexford) - Posts: 598 - 04/06/2020 12:40:37 2279876 Link
Replying To Greengrass: "I saw Noel Skehan in every All Ireland final he played from 1972 on . I saw plenty of Damien Fitzhenry and Eoin Murphy . In my opinion and it is only my opinion based on what I saw and what I remember Noel Skehan was a better keeper than either Eoin Murphy or Damien Fitzhenry." I seen some clips of Skehan dropping long range ones into the net. He was no where ear the level of Eoin Murphy in my opinion. tiobraid (Tipperary) - Posts: 2911 - 04/06/2020 17:16:45 2279894 Link
Replying To tiobraid: "I seen some clips of Skehan dropping long range ones into the net. He was no where ear the level of Eoin Murphy in my opinion." Players need to be judged by the standard of their time. A junior B keeper now would probably get in ahead of an all star from the 70s/80s Breezy (Limerick) - Posts: 1106 - 04/06/2020 18:06:15 2279898 Link
Replying To tiobraid: "I seen some clips of Skehan dropping long range ones into the net. He was no where ear the level of Eoin Murphy in my opinion." Skehan was a savage keeper, but had a savage hurl too...he was a fine keeper ide say..Ime not following the whole top 20 thing at all but did I hear that Henry Shefflin got number 1?..an outstanding hurler but is he the best in KIlkenny over the last 20 years, let alone Ireland? I wonder if he was a Waterford player and just didnt get over the line to All Ireland success would he have had as long a career or would he have been the best..i know he could score from play but my instant memory of him is taking frees..I know he had the little touches and all that too and great vision, but all these things work perfect when you have 14 other stars around you on the pitch..other counties might have 4/5 other stars on pitch...as I say Ime not following it and more luck to the winners...best in Ireland over last 20 years though..I dont know about that... Fairplayalways (Offaly) - Posts: 387 - 04/06/2020 18:15:03 2279899 Link
Replying To Breezy: "Players need to be judged by the standard of their time. A junior B keeper now would probably get in ahead of an all star from the 70s/80s" Yes I agree with that too but I from what I seen of skehan, I just don't think he was anywhere near the level of Murphy no matter what era he played in. Most goalies have made errors at some point - Cummins dropping the ball that lead to the 6/7 shots in succession, Fitzhenry letting in Tom Kenny's 25 yard shot straight at him... Two brilliant keepers though. Murphy is just on a whole new level though. I do take your point tho. tiobraid (Tipperary) - Posts: 2911 - 04/06/2020 23:53:45 2279916 Link
Replying To tiobraid: "Yes I agree with that too but I from what I seen of skehan, I just don't think he was anywhere near the level of Murphy no matter what era he played in. Most goalies have made errors at some point - Cummins dropping the ball that lead to the 6/7 shots in succession, Fitzhenry letting in Tom Kenny's 25 yard shot straight at him... Two brilliant keepers though. Murphy is just on a whole new level though. I do take your point tho." Whatever about individuals as a generation the 2 Fitzs, Cummins and Og Cusack were an amazing group of keepers Breezy (Limerick) - Posts: 1106 - 05/06/2020 12:17:21 2279928 Link
Replying To Breezy: "Whatever about individuals as a generation the 2 Fitzs, Cummins and Og Cusack were an amazing group of keepers" A fine list of players, and far better than the RTE All-Stars fiasco. But in my opinion, there's a Kilkenny mid-fielder missing. ...And it ain't Michael Fennelly! It's Frank Cummins. Give a year or two, his career basically covered the same era as his namesake Ray Cummins, and Tony Doran (both excellent operators), but what did either Doran or Ray Cummins do after 1984, the centenary year? Both had retired or almost by then. Yet Frank Cummins was deemed good enough to be included on a centenary panel (named as a sub), when either Tony Doran or Ray Cummins weren't. I saw Ray Cummins, Tony Doran and Frank Cummins play, and Frank Cummins was a far better play than the other two. I know that's just my observation, and not Martin Breheny's. foreveryoung (USA) - Posts: 31 - 05/06/2020 19:50:17 2279957 Link
I can't get over this - Top 20 Players who read the Indo Obviously very few from the north as we all know its a very anti-northern media outlet But to have a list like that and not include in my opinion the greatest half-forward ever in Greg Blaney - he was unreal and played in poor teams and good teams Others such as Tony Scullion Derry Nudi Hughes Monaghan Kieran McGeeney Mickey Linden Stevie McDonald Anthony Tohill But it is a Dublin paper with its own agenda cuchulainn35 (Armagh) - Posts: 1589 - 06/06/2020 19:48:10 2280031 Link
Replying To cuchulainn35: "I can't get over this - Top 20 Players who read the Indo Obviously very few from the north as we all know its a very anti-northern media outlet But to have a list like that and not include in my opinion the greatest half-forward ever in Greg Blaney - he was unreal and played in poor teams and good teams Others such as Tony Scullion Derry Nudi Hughes Monaghan Kieran McGeeney Mickey Linden Stevie McDonald Anthony Tohill But it is a Dublin paper with its own agenda" as we all know its a very anti-northern media outlet In what way? Cockney_Cat (UK) - Posts: 1115 - 07/06/2020 10:47:55 2280048 Link
James McCarthy and Tomas O Se have no business on that list. icehonesty (Wexford) - Posts: 2475 - 07/06/2020 13:38:17 2280061 Link
Replying To cuchulainn35: "I can't get over this - Top 20 Players who read the Indo Obviously very few from the north as we all know its a very anti-northern media outlet But to have a list like that and not include in my opinion the greatest half-forward ever in Greg Blaney - he was unreal and played in poor teams and good teams Others such as Tony Scullion Derry Nudi Hughes Monaghan Kieran McGeeney Mickey Linden Stevie McDonald Anthony Tohill But it is a Dublin paper with its own agenda" More from Ulster than from Connacht to be fair. Anti-Western no? I wouldn't be a fan of the Indo myself to be honest though. I'd have Linden in it myself for Cooper and probably Tohill ahead of Fenton. McGeeney ahead of James McCarthy but its a 50/50 for me. MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13145 - 07/06/2020 15:36:13 2280067 Link
No argument with Jack O but Gooch should be much higher. In hurling, I think Brian Whelahan was a genius. Hard to argue with those above him but he was my number 1 (I have no memory of 70's or early 80's!). Mayonman (Galway) - Posts: 1292 - 07/06/2020 22:57:19 2280083 Link
MesAmis (Dublin)- Blaney played on a Down AI winning team so he had good players with him. In my opinion a good player but there were quite a few as good as him over the years-often seen him played out of a game. Linden was a more difficult player to play against and stood the test of time. Breheny's analysis is poor at the best of time and same as most of these reporters- you would get at least one or two in any pub in the country who would do as good job on Sunday late at night (the more pints the better the analysis). browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2189 - 07/06/2020 23:44:51 2280088 Link
Replying To cuchulainn35: "I can't get over this - Top 20 Players who read the Indo Obviously very few from the north as we all know its a very anti-northern media outlet But to have a list like that and not include in my opinion the greatest half-forward ever in Greg Blaney - he was unreal and played in poor teams and good teams Others such as Tony Scullion Derry Nudi Hughes Monaghan Kieran McGeeney Mickey Linden Stevie McDonald Anthony Tohill But it is a Dublin paper with its own agenda" genuine question as I dont read the indo. In what way is it anti north? in just sport or politics aswell Breezy (Limerick) - Posts: 1106 - 07/06/2020 23:49:56 2280089 Link
I don't buy the Indo paper or online and I know nobody that subscribes to the online version. Not that there mightn't be good reading in it, there is, and not just sport. I used to regularly buy the Sunday Indo for sport and for Colm O'Rourke's column. But it went kinda 'celeb' and pretentious with loads of supplements so I stopped buying it. But reading about the Indo has reminded me of the full Irish breakfast in the Coffee Mill in Maynooth. Great staff, a mighty feed and a hard copy of the Indo to read and while away your breakfast in bliss. Hopefully I'll do the same again soon! GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 5955 - 08/06/2020 05:56:51 2280091 Link
Replying To Breezy: "genuine question as I dont read the indo. In what way is it anti north? in just sport or politics aswell" Anything that doesn't promote everything Ulster is by default anti-Ulster oneoff (UK) - Posts: 402 - 08/06/2020 09:39:01 2280097 Link
Replying To Breezy: "genuine question as I dont read the indo. In what way is it anti north? in just sport or politics aswell" Generally people from the North give out about the Southern Medja and people from outside of Dublin give out about the Dublin Medja and people from Dublin outside of D4 give out about the D4 medja ......how long have u lived in Ireland and not know this!!!! You need a new tin foil hat my son!! Mayonman (Galway) - Posts: 1292 - 08/06/2020 10:01:21 2280098 Link
Replying To Mayonman: "Generally people from the North give out about the Southern Medja and people from outside of Dublin give out about the Dublin Medja and people from Dublin outside of D4 give out about the D4 medja ......how long have u lived in Ireland and not know this!!!! You need a new tin foil hat my son!!" Sorry tis hard to keep up with conspiracy theories these days cause of all the 5g killing my braincells or whatever Breezy (Limerick) - Posts: 1106 - 08/06/2020 13:00:25 2280107 Link
Naturally I'd be more of a hurling man but there's one glaring omission in the football for me. Graham Geraghty. He was a Rolls Royce of a player. Be it wing back, wing forward, centre back as a minor. A huge array of skills. Career began in autumn 1991 and lasted 20 years. Giles got the players of the year awards in 1996 and 1999 and was a great distributor but Geraghty was a better player. Giles was finished after 2004 at 29 too. Geraghty was also sensational at compromise rules. Mickey Linden is another one who probably should be on the list. Is it just my opinion or is Mikey Sheehy very overrated and a certain goal is used to confirm his 'genius'? CC2020 (Kilkenny) - Posts: 46 - 10/06/2020 00:23:57 2280233 Link
Replying To CC2020: "Naturally I'd be more of a hurling man but there's one glaring omission in the football for me. Graham Geraghty. He was a Rolls Royce of a player. Be it wing back, wing forward, centre back as a minor. A huge array of skills. Career began in autumn 1991 and lasted 20 years. Giles got the players of the year awards in 1996 and 1999 and was a great distributor but Geraghty was a better player. Giles was finished after 2004 at 29 too. Geraghty was also sensational at compromise rules. Mickey Linden is another one who probably should be on the list. Is it just my opinion or is Mikey Sheehy very overrated and a certain goal is used to confirm his 'genius'?" Sheehy overrated? He was the top scorer in championship history before the introduction of the qualifiers. cavanman47 (Cavan) - Posts: 4135 - 10/06/2020 12:41:44 2280276 Link