Leinster 25 - Football

[Lone Shark]

Since I've a few minutes to kill and that's what this board is all about....

Ye've probably seen the competition that's running on the Leinster GAA website at the moment - nominate ye're best fifteen from the last twenty five years. So let's see how we do. I'm going to give explanations on mine, but it's up to ye if ye want. Apologies for the schyte formatting but this bleddy format keeps abbreviating the spaces and won't let you tab either.

• 1 FERGAL BYRON Laois/STEPHEN CLUXTON Dublin/MICHAEL McQUILLAN Meath/JOHN O'LEARY Dublin
  
  2 DAVY DALTON Kildare 3 DARREN FAY Meath 4 TERRY FERGUSON Meath
  CATHAL DALY Offaly GERRY HARGAN Dublin JOE HIGGINS Laois
  ROBBIE O'MALLEY Meath HUGH KENNY Wicklow JOHN KEANE Westmeath
  MARK O'REILLY Meath MICK LYONS Meath MICK KENNEDY Dublin
  
  5 PAUL CURRAN Dublin 6 KEITH BARR Dublin 7 COLM BROWNE Laois
  KEVIN FOLEY Meath FINBARR CULLEN Offaly MARTIN O'CONNELL Meath
  LEIGHTON GLYNN Wicklow LIAM HARNAN Meath ANTHONY RAINBOW Kildare
  TOM KELLY Laois GLENN RYAN Kildare PADDY REYNOLDS Meath
  
  8 DERMOT EARLEY Kildare 9 LIAM HAYES Meath
  GERRY McENTEE Meath JOHN McDERMOTT Meath
  SÉAMUS O'HANLON Louth CIARÁN McMANUS Offaly
  CIARÁN WHELAN Dublin RORY O'CONNELL Westmeath
  
  10 DAVID BEGGY Meath 11 TOMMY DOWD Meath 12 PAUL BARDEN Longford
  ALAN BROGAN Dublin DESSIE FARRELL Dublin DESSIE DOLANWestmeath
  JOHN DOYLE Kildare TREVOR GILES Meath KIERAN DUFF Dublin
  BARNEY ROCK Dublin JOHNNY NEVIN Carlow TOM PRENDERGAST Laois
  
  13 DESSIE BARRY Longford 14 GRAHAM GERAGHTY Meath 15 VINNY CLAFFEY Offaly
  OLLIE MURPHY Meath KEVIN O'BRIEN Wicklow BERNARD FLYNN Meath
  COLM O'ROURKE Meath BRIAN STAFFORD Meath MATTY FORDE Wexford
  CHARLIE REDMOND Dublin JASON SHERLOCK Dublin STEFAN WHITE Louth

[Lone Shark]

Anyway, for me it's....

1 Mick McQuillan. I'd actually have picked Gary Connaughton here if he was an option, but McQuillan was rock solid.

2 Robbie O'Malley. Daly's star burned brighter but also faster - O'Malley was sustained class.
3 Darren Fay. Bit of a Meath thing going on here but I couldn't look past the Trim man. Just as hard as Lyons with twice as much footballing skill.
4 John Keane. Hate going for a Westmeath lad, but he's just too good, too often.

5 Kevin Foley. Shocking bad selection here. I don't rate Kelly, Ferguson wasn't that good and Paul Curran was a tramp, leaving me with Foley. Give me John Kenny or any one of the four lads nominated for left wing back over this lot.
6 Finbarr. Close call between him and Harnan, but wins it for me.
7 Colm Browne. Fantastic player who really deserved better than to be born in Laois.

8 Dermot Earley. I haven't really seen enough of Seamus O'Hanlon to judge, so Earley sneaks it.
9 John McDermott. Another two horse race but much and all as I'd love to side with Ciarán, John McDermott was just too impressive for me.

10 John Doyle. Close call again over David Beggy for me, but gets the nod.
11 Trevor Giles. Nothing close about this one.
12 Kieran Duff. One of those ridiculously contrived ones but he gets it over Dessie for me, 50% for not having the choking tendency and 50% for being an actual half forward.

13 Ollie Murphy. Controversial choice over O'Rourke maybe, but Murphy was perhaps the greatest pure goalscorer I ever saw. I'm probably wrong, but feck it.
14 Kevin O'Brien. only saw him a couple of times but he was ridiculously impressive. Brian Stafford for freetaking surely, but if you have Giles, not really needed.
15 Vinny. Might be a bit of local bias here, but I'm actively trying not to. Still would have him over Flynn in a heartbeat while Forde's dark side knocks him out for me.

[azoffaly]

I saw this in the program on Sunday alright. I didn't really think too much about it, and I may revise again, but here's my first pass.

1 FERGAL BYRON Laois - Harsh on O'Leary, but I think Byron had it all as a keeper. Shotstopper, kickout, big man.

2. ROBBIE O'MALLEY Meath - I'd love to say froggy, but in fairness, O'Malley was one of the greats.
3. Darren Fay Meath - Again Hargan would have his followers, as would Lyons obviously, but Lyons just gets pipped by Fay's better football. Hugh Kenny is a great shout as well by the way.
4. John Keane Westmeath. - A battle of two newbies, but I just pipped Higgins on the basis that Keane has had a couple more good seasons than Higgins.

5. Tom Kelly Laois - I';ll never give Paul Curran anything, and I couldn't have another Meathman. I think Leighton Glynn is a better forward.
6. Tough call. I have great regard for all 4, but while he may not be the most successful, Glenn Ryan of Kildare gets it from me.
7. Millenium Man Martin O'Connell Meath

8. Gerry McEntee by a country mile.
9. John McDermott, as a pure midfielder. Hayes was good, but I can't vote for him, while Mac is not a 'midfielder' in my opinion.

10. Different types of players here, but Barney Rock is probably the best. Johnny Doyle would be a more natural inside man, while Beggy was more a runner than anything else. Alan Brogan again I would consider a corner forward.
11. Trevor Giles - MEath. Great playmaker, great scorer. Best player in MEath's second coming with Geraghty.
12. What a weak position this is. If McManus was here I'd give it to him. Tom Prendergast was a class act in his own way, but I think I'd have to give it to Dessie.

13. Unlucky Dessie Barry, to be in the same corner as O'Rourke.
14. Kevin O'Brien, a fantastic footballer, and would have been a multiple All Ireland winner with Meath or Dublin
15 Pure bias I'll say Vinny, although obviously Flynn is hard to overlook.

[azoffaly]

Jaysus Lone Shark, nearly a 'Snap', apart from the few places you're wrong of course Actually, not that close to snap, but the ones you did pick the same, seemed to be for the same reasons!

[Lone Shark]

Jaysus Lone Shark, nearly a 'Snap', apart from the few places you're wrong of course

Me?? Wrong?? Surely not!!

I guess we'll see who the majority weighs in behind. You might get more calls on McEntee all right on reflection, but I'm hoping for an anti-Westmeath push to keep Dessie out....

[Yoougeen]

How good was Tom Prendergast lads? You say no.12 is a very weak position on this team but I know lads across the border who would say Tom Prendergast was the best player they have ever seen. These lads are not hype merchants either but I've never seen him play so cant judge.

[Heshs Umpire]

How good was Tom Prendergast lads? You say no.12 is a very weak position on this team but I know lads across the border who would say Tom Prendergast was the best player they have ever seen. These lads are not hype merchants either but I've never seen him play so cant judge.

He was unreal. Best I've ever seen and was unlucky not to pick up a provincial medal.
Dessie will get that spot - it'll be a balancing act, just like the All Stars.

7 Colm Browne. Fantastic player who really deserved better than to be born in Laois.

Doubt if Colm ever wished he was born anywhere else. A proud Portlaoise man with a National League and All Ireland club medal in his back pocket.

As regards the rest of the positions, I'd like to eliminate some of the less savoury characters such as Curran, Geraghty, Forde and Flynn.
Vinny Claffey was some corner forward and I'd have him every time at 15, O'Rourke at 13 and the Wickla man at full.

[Treasurer]

Anyway, for me it's....
7 Colm Browne. Fantastic player who really deserved better than to be born in Laois.

I'll pass that one on, I doubt he'll agree

[Lone Shark]

Doubt if Colm ever wished he was born anywhere else. A proud Portlaoise man with a National League and All Ireland club medal in his back pocket.

Anyway, for me it's....
7 Colm Browne. Fantastic player who really deserved better than to be born in Laois.

I'll pass that one on, I doubt he'll agree

His stoicism in the face of adversity only makes him all the more impressive.

[True Red]

1. Mickey McQuillan - rock solid,good kickout which gives him the nod over o'Leary as he was wayward enough at times. Byron and Cluxton dont have any All-Irelands so they are precluded on that basis for me.
2. Robbie O'Malley - tenacious,teak tough tackling and born winner.a good footballer as well.
3. Mick Lyons - The hardiest of them all. His block in the All Ireland final of '87 has been a staple of coaching video's ever since.Could play a bit of ball when he wanted to as well.
4. Joe Higgins - the quintessential corner back. Pace,dexterity,wiry strength.Consistent performer
5. Kevin Foley - A machine on the half back line.fit as a fiddle and scored possibly one of the best goals of all time in 1991.
6. Finbarr Cullen - Consistency personified.Devoted himself to the county cause.
7. Martin O'Connell - One of the best footballers of all time and he could have played in any position such was his ability and athleticism
8. Gerry McEntee -an excellent passer with a huge workrate.
9. John McDermott - Strength,fitness,fetching and footballing ability.A leader of men that even the Aussies found too hot to handle
10. Barney Rock - a sweet footballer who never put a foot wrong.
11. Trevor Giles - sublime passer of the ball and dead eye from a placed ball.Excellent
12. Kieran Duff - could run as fast with the ball as he could without it.consistent scoregetter also
13. Colm O'Rourke - had to wait until he was 30 for his 1st All Ireland but he was a constant presence on Meath scoresheets for the guts of 15/16 years
14. Kevin O'Brien - Gave barry Malone a roasting in croke park one day that defied belief. He was a class act.
15. Vinny Claffey - Who would argue?

[Phoenix]

Controversial selections below


1 JOHN O'LEARY Dublin - maybe because he was such a strong character but O'Leary stands out for me. Cluxton maybe has a better record though.

2 ROBBIE O'MALLEY Meath - classy corner back. Edges it over Cathal Daly.
3 DARREN FAY Meath - during his peak he was the best although he dropped off in the latter stages of his career.
4 JOHN KEANE Westmeath - the foundation of Westmeath's success over the last 10 years, a pity he wasn't born a few km south.

5 PAUL CURRAN Dublin - have to give it to him from that four, notwithstanding the Parnell Park incident. Had that touch of pace.
6 GLENN RYAN Kildare - hate to give it to him over Finbarr Cullen but he was a great-hearted player, drawing a veil over the tackle on Tom Coffey
7 ANTHONY RAINBOW Kildare - for pure athleticism and lung-bursting ground-covering

8 DERMOT EARLEY Kildare - for me he edges it over Gerry McEntee
9 JOHN McDERMOTT Meath - awesome force at his peak

10 BARNEY ROCK Dublin - important to his team, good from play and dead balls. Just ahead of John Doyle in my book. Alan Brogan's not bad.
11 TREVOR GILES Meath - a no-brainer
12 KIERAN DUFF Dublin - one of the few Dublin players you could describe as under-rated

13 COLM O'ROURKE Meath - stood out before Meath were any good and continued to contribute when Stafford and Flynn arrived
14 KEVIN O'BRIEN Wicklow - glad he got some success at club level
15 BERNARD FLYNN Meath - for me he was un-markable and very consistent in points-scoring. The best of that great Meath full forward line. Matty Forde and Vinny Claffey were great also.


I haven't seen enough of the likes of Tom Prendergast, Colm Browne, Seamus O'Hanlon, Stefan White to make a definitive judgement.

[sparklin]

1 FERGAL BYRON Laois
STEPHEN CLUXTON Dublin
MICHAEL McQUILLAN Meath
JOHN O'LEARY Dublin

2 DAVY DALTON Kildare 3 DARREN FAY Meath 4 TERRY FERGUSON Meath
CATHAL DALY Offaly GERRY HARGAN Dublin JOE HIGGINS Laois
ROBBIE O'MALLEY Meath HUGH KENNY Wicklow JOHN KEANE Westmeath
MARK O'REILLY Meath MICK LYONS Meath MICK KENNEDY Dublin

5 PAUL CURRAN Dublin 6 KEITH BARR Dublin 7 COLM BROWNE Laois
KEVIN FOLEY Meath FINBARR CULLEN Offaly MARTIN O'CONNELL Meath
LEIGHTON GLYNN Wicklow LIAM HARNAN Meath ANTHONY RAINBOW Kildare
TOM KELLY Laois GLENN RYAN Kildare PADDY REYNOLDS Meath

8 DERMOT EARLEY Kildare 9 LIAM HAYES Meath
GERRY McENTEE Meath JOHN McDERMOTT Meath
SÉAMUS O'HANLON Louth CIARÁN McMANUS Offaly
CIARÁN WHELAN Dublin RORY O'CONNELL Westmeath

10 DAVID BEGGY Meath 11 TOMMY DOWD Meath 12 PAUL BARDEN Longford
ALAN BROGAN Dublin DESSIE FARRELL Dublin DESSIE DOLANWestmeath
JOHN DOYLE Kildare TREVOR GILES Meath KIERAN DUFF Dublin
BARNEY ROCK Dublin JOHNNY NEVIN Carlow TOM PRENDERGAST Laois

13 DESSIE BARRY Longford 14 GRAHAM GERAGHTY Meath 15 VINNY CLAFFEY Offaly
OLLIE MURPHY Meath KEVIN O'BRIEN Wicklow BERNARD FLYNN Meath
COLM O'ROURKE Meath BRIAN STAFFORD Meath MATTY FORDE Wexford
CHARLIE REDMOND Dublin JASON SHERLOCK Dublin STEFAN WHITE Louth

[The Biff]

1 JOHN O'LEARY Dublin

2 ROBBIE O'MALLEY Meath 3 DARREN FAY Meath 4 JOE HIGGINS Laois

5 TOM KELLY Laois 6 FINBARR CULLEN Offaly 7 MARTIN O'CONNELL Meath

8 DERMOT EARLEY Kildare 9 JOHN McDERMOTT Meath

10 JOHN DOYLE Kildare 11 TREVOR GILES Meath 12 PAUL BARDEN Longford

13 COLM O'ROURKE Meath 14 KEVIN O'BRIEN Wicklow 15 MATTY FORDE Wexford

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I wish I could have picked less Meath men, but they fairly dominate that nomination list

[the bare biffo]

1 JOHN O'LEARY Dublin
2 ROBBIE O'MALLEY Meath
3 DARREN FAY Meath
4 JOE HIGGINS Laois
5 PAUL CURRAN Dublin
6 GLENN RYAN Kildare
7 COLM BROWNE Laois
8 DERMOT EARLEY Kildare
9 LIAM HAYES Meath
10 BARNEY ROCK Dublin
11 TREVOR GILES Meath
12 DESSIE DOLANWestmeath
13 COLM O'ROURKE Meath
14 KEVIN O'BRIEN Wicklow
15 MATTY FORDE Wexford

[bula bula]

1 Cluxton Dublin
2 Daly Offaly
3 Fay Meath
4 Higgins Laois
5 Curran Dublin
6 Ryan Kildare
7 O Connell Kildare
8 McEntee Meath
9 McDermott Meath
10 Brogan Dublin
11 Giles Meath
12 Dolan Westmeath
13 Murphy Meath
14 Geraghty Meath
15 Claffey Offaly