National Forum

Greatest Lost Talents In Your County

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I'll start with Kerry and probably go with Paddy Curran from Waterville. 8 points in All Ireland minor final and three years at minor but knee injuries ruined the lad.

From outside Kerry, was such a shame that Colm O'Neill didn't get a chance to show his full range of talents. An unbelievable player on his day before the injuries took so much from him.

macruiskeen (UK) - Posts: 37 - 13/11/2019 09:04:48    2249366

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Killian Sheridan for ourselves, better known as a soccer player/ instagram comedian nowadays. but he was an exceptional player, played minor at u16 and u17 before going to celtic. easily the best minor cavan ever had and perhaps one of the best in the country

theweanling (Cavan) - Posts: 414 - 13/11/2019 09:41:11    2249375

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Replying To macruiskeen:  "I'll start with Kerry and probably go with Paddy Curran from Waterville. 8 points in All Ireland minor final and three years at minor but knee injuries ruined the lad.

From outside Kerry, was such a shame that Colm O'Neill didn't get a chance to show his full range of talents. An unbelievable player on his day before the injuries took so much from him."
Ya paddy had great potential also lost Barry john Walsh Tommy's brother, he was lethal.

But our biggest loss of all is Mark O'Connor who is in Australia he had it all and it's no surprise he's one of geelong s top men and he helped them to a semifinal in his first full season.

Also Stefan Okunbar is a serious loss.

KingdomBoy1 (Kerry) - Posts: 14092 - 13/11/2019 10:09:35    2249382

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Jim Stynes

AFL Legend

Dublin GAA's loss but he made a great life for himself and achieved something no other Irish sportsman had done before.

An exceptional talent.

RIP

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20600 - 13/11/2019 10:29:11    2249387

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Most recent that comes to mind would be James Loughrey when love took him to Cork.

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 13/11/2019 10:55:04    2249392

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Mark davoren

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13650 - 13/11/2019 11:45:07    2249399

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Kevin Moran what a no 6 and huge loss for Dublin in the 70's/80/90s.

Two year Dublin career and two All Ireland's won in 76 &77.

TheUsername (Dublin) - Posts: 4445 - 13/11/2019 11:49:10    2249400

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Shane O' Rourke was a big loss to Meath, injury meant he never truly reached his potential. Brian Sheridan (brother of Joe) showed loads of promise at underage and Hogan Cup level but never really made it at senior level. I suppose every county would have a good few players who for one reason or another under achieved.

The Laois minor team of 2003-2004 period were exceptional and defeated a really strong Dublin team in a replayed all-ireland final in 2003 and most of the Laois team were underage again the following year but unfortunately senior success didn't follow for a number of reason. Begley, Quigley, Rogers, Tierney, Kelly, Donie Brennan...I expected them all to be household names but some of them only had very short senior careers.

Thunderstruck (Meath) - Posts: 467 - 13/11/2019 11:54:35    2249402

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Replying To theweanling:  "Killian Sheridan for ourselves, better known as a soccer player/ instagram comedian nowadays. but he was an exceptional player, played minor at u16 and u17 before going to celtic. easily the best minor cavan ever had and perhaps one of the best in the country"
Jasus thats an interesting one, i didnt know Sheridan played much football. what club was he and what position mainly?

Tyrone seem to have had a lot of underage prodigies that didnt tranfer to senior for some reason or another.

In Meath i think Conor Gillespie is our biggest loss recently, he was just starting to show his talent and becoming a top midfielder. Tall athletic, a good fielder and well able to play football. We were at the the time and still are desperate for an all rounder midlfielder who can dominate games.

Conor Nash who went to Austalia looks like another massive loss, He went at 19 so hard to know if he would have walked into inter county at midfield and made an impact straight away. He won two senior championships with his club simonstown and was outstanding at midfield. Incredibly fast, good fielder and a skillful footballer we would love to have him as a partner for Menton at the minute.

Going back 15 years or so two lads from Navan O'Mahonys looked set to be superstars but injuries robbed us of their true talents.
Barry Regan and David Murtagh both won Hogan cups with St Pats and played International rules underage. They were as good underage players as i seen since maybe Geraghty, unfortunately injuries hampered both. Murtagh emigrated i think and Regan was on Meath senior squads briefly but never fulfilled his potential. Both won senior championships with Navan but i thought both would go on to be household names around the country.

Meathmaverick (Meath) - Posts: 106 - 13/11/2019 11:55:40    2249403

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Replying To macruiskeen:  "I'll start with Kerry and probably go with Paddy Curran from Waterville. 8 points in All Ireland minor final and three years at minor but knee injuries ruined the lad.

From outside Kerry, was such a shame that Colm O'Neill didn't get a chance to show his full range of talents. An unbelievable player on his day before the injuries took so much from him."
In a way very few players ever rach their full potential for onr reasons or another.

As you say Colkm O Neill, while he did win an All-Ireland and All-Star injuries robbed him of much of his best years.

Michael Donnellan is another for me. Was very good between 1998 and 2001, but was retired before he was 30. Michael Meehan would be the same. Quite a few from Galway actually mostly as they were going trough a bad patch during the 2000's post 01.

oneoff (UK) - Posts: 1380 - 13/11/2019 12:02:00    2249404

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Shane long would have to spring to mind, played minor hurling for tipp when he was 16

bostonredsox (Wexford) - Posts: 4368 - 13/11/2019 12:14:28    2249408

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Paul McComiskey and Marty Clarke both Down, Robbie Tasker Armagh, Kyle Coney Tyrone. Galway's terrible twins Michael Meehan and Sean Armstrong never fulfilled their potential at senior either.

gaelicgab (USA) - Posts: 878 - 13/11/2019 12:30:57    2249415

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Replying To waynoI:  "Mark davoren"
Could have been a serious baller.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13704 - 13/11/2019 12:34:25    2249418

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Replying To waynoI:  "Mark davoren"
What ever happened him? I remember he had a bad injury against Meath at Croke Park. Must have never recovered from that?

gaelicgab (USA) - Posts: 878 - 13/11/2019 12:38:40    2249419

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Paul Croft
John O'Brien
Eamonn Fennell

These lads had huge potential
The Basquels would want to be getting in soon or they will join

Liamwalkinstown (Dublin) - Posts: 8166 - 13/11/2019 12:42:55    2249421

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Replying To Meathmaverick:  "Jasus thats an interesting one, i didnt know Sheridan played much football. what club was he and what position mainly?

Tyrone seem to have had a lot of underage prodigies that didnt tranfer to senior for some reason or another.

In Meath i think Conor Gillespie is our biggest loss recently, he was just starting to show his talent and becoming a top midfielder. Tall athletic, a good fielder and well able to play football. We were at the the time and still are desperate for an all rounder midlfielder who can dominate games.

Conor Nash who went to Austalia looks like another massive loss, He went at 19 so hard to know if he would have walked into inter county at midfield and made an impact straight away. He won two senior championships with his club simonstown and was outstanding at midfield. Incredibly fast, good fielder and a skillful footballer we would love to have him as a partner for Menton at the minute.

Going back 15 years or so two lads from Navan O'Mahonys looked set to be superstars but injuries robbed us of their true talents.
Barry Regan and David Murtagh both won Hogan cups with St Pats and played International rules underage. They were as good underage players as i seen since maybe Geraghty, unfortunately injuries hampered both. Murtagh emigrated i think and Regan was on Meath senior squads briefly but never fulfilled his potential. Both won senior championships with Navan but i thought both would go on to be household names around the country."
Played with Bailieborough. He played midfield for Cavan minors against Down in an epic couple of semis. Down had Martin Clarke and won after a replay and extra time. Cavan had Sheridan and Mackey. Down went on to win All Ireland. Sheridan had offers from Australia too but choose soccer instead.

doratheexplorer (Cavan) - Posts: 1467 - 13/11/2019 12:51:51    2249424

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Replying To Liamwalkinstown:  "Paul Croft
John O'Brien
Eamonn Fennell

These lads had huge potential
The Basquels would want to be getting in soon or they will join"
Paul Croft any relation to Robbie?

macruiskeen (UK) - Posts: 37 - 13/11/2019 13:07:31    2249427

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Replying To doratheexplorer:  "Played with Bailieborough. He played midfield for Cavan minors against Down in an epic couple of semis. Down had Martin Clarke and won after a replay and extra time. Cavan had Sheridan and Mackey. Down went on to win All Ireland. Sheridan had offers from Australia too but choose soccer instead."
He was still only 16 at the time too. An absolutely exceptional talent gone before his last year of Minor.



Not mentioned yet, but just how great a career would Cormac McAnallen have gone on to have (on top of his already impressive one).

cavanman47 (Cavan) - Posts: 5010 - 13/11/2019 13:41:29    2249434

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Kevin Nolan man of the match in 2011 and that huge point to level the scores.
Was diagnosed as Coeliac and a diabetic soon afterwards and his days were effectively over with Dublin.

Dubh_linn (Dublin) - Posts: 2312 - 13/11/2019 13:44:44    2249438

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Tipp have lost a number of footballers. Among those are Colin O'Riordan now playing Aussie rules for Sydney Swans. Who was wing back on the Tipp MF team as a 15 year old that beat Dublin in 2011 AI. Colman Kennedy now with Limerick FC was also with that team. He came on as a sub and scored an unbelievable goal that day. https://youtu.be/0enzHAw84fw
In hurling Shane Long won a MF as a 16 year old.

Coopers_Helmet (Tipperary) - Posts: 154 - 13/11/2019 13:50:52    2249440

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