Should this be on the Mayo thread?

HughHunt24 (Cork) - Posts: 841 - 24/03/2015 21:51:52    1706254

Remarkable record from Cillian O'Connor. Has scored in last 5 Connacht Finals 7-21(50) an average of 10 points a game. Remarkable for player who rarely gets the credit he deserves

HughHunt24 (Cork) - Posts: 841 - 21/07/2015 20:44:59    1757254

One of the reasons his he's been held scoreless from play in both All Ireland Finals and managed only 1-01 from play in 3 semi finals against Kerry in 2011 and then Dublin in 12 and Tyrone in 13. I'm not sure how fully fit he was in some of those games in fairness he was outstanding in the replay against Kerry last August. I'd prefer the likes of McBrearty, McManus and Colm O'Neil over him currently but who knows what the summer will bring.

TheWestIsAwake (UK) - Posts: 529 - 21/07/2015 21:03:50    1757271

Class act but needs to cut out the darkside of his game

HughHunt24 (Cork) - Posts: 841 - 03/09/2015 21:28:39    1781688

Cillian top scorer for the third year in a row. Well done Cillian. He scored 3-34, pipping Sean Quigley's, 2-36 by a point. 1-29 of Cillian's total from dead balls which shows how accurate and important he is to Mayo. I do admit Bernard Brogans 6-21 (6-20 from play) is more impressive and quite simply unreal.

Cillian is a different type of forward to Bernard though so int's not fair to compare both as Bernard has natural speed and turn or pace, Cillian is slower bu ice cool. Not bad for a "non marquee" forward who many on this forum don't rate. Remember still only 23.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11232 - 23/09/2015 08:49:07    1791109

Yew-tree Cillian would be better with better players around him , both himself and Conor McManus if they played for Dublin would be superstars , young lad carrying a weight when he plays , its unfair comparing players as not everythings equal , the support you recieve or not on the pitch is crucial , C Kilkenny had been outstanding for us but he benefits by playing with some of the best forward talent we have ever produced .

Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts: 5193 - 23/09/2015 09:19:47    1791116

So 2_5 from play. Not very impressive. I dont think he would make the Dublin or Kerry starting teams. An average freetaker who spends most games running after the referee crying for frees or looking to have opponents booked.

HEREBENJI (Donegal) - Posts: 422 - 23/09/2015 09:58:10    1791139

HEREBENJI
County: Donegal
Posts: 211

1791139
So 2_5 from play. Not very impressive. I dont think he would make the Dublin or Kerry starting teams. An average freetaker who spends most games running after the referee crying for frees or looking to have opponents booked.


Ridiculous post.

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 7904 - 23/09/2015 10:11:13    1791149

if he wasn't the best free-taker in the country we wouldn't be talking about him. his return from play isn't good enough.

Gavvygavgav (Dublin) - Posts: 383 - 23/09/2015 10:16:30    1791151

HEREBENJI
County: Donegal
Posts: 211

An average freetaker? Now I know there are arguments about his general play (not going to get in to that) but I didnt think anybody would seriously put his free taking in doubt. I'm not sure if you read dontfoul (some excellent GAA statistics on there) but if you read the link you will see Cillian is as good a free taker as there is out there.

https://dontfoul.wordpress.com/category/deadballs/

Doritos (Mayo) - Posts: 64 - 23/09/2015 10:16:33    1791152

Gavvygavgav
County: Dublin
Posts: 78

1791151
if he wasn't the best free-taker in the country we wouldn't be talking about him. his return from play isn't good enough.

Yet!

He's still only 23/24.

At 23/24 where was Bernard Brogan for example?

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13711 - 23/09/2015 10:26:23    1791161

So what, his main job is free taking. He is also involved in setting up alot of Mayo's scores from play. Avergae free taker, come off it man.
Cillian needs more help up front.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11232 - 23/09/2015 10:47:12    1791171

if he had 2 scoring forwards around him then mayo would be a serious team.

Yourjoking (USA) - Posts: 705 - 23/09/2015 10:54:09    1791178

Very good player and is still young but I don't rate him as highly as Mayo people do. His return from semi finals and finals over the last 5 years is poor for a player rated so highly.

TheWestIsAwake (UK) - Posts: 529 - 23/09/2015 11:35:44    1791205

Bernard Brogan is one of the best athletes to have ever played the game, to use him as yardstick here is silly. My point stands, that if O'Connor wasn't an excellent free taker then his stats would show that he only scored 2-5 from play in this years championship, and we wouldn't be having this conversation. That is an average return from an inside forward especially from one in a team like Mayo who will rack up scores in their provincial championship. He can't hold a candle to Conor McManus, nor Brogan, nor even James O'Donoghue who had a quieter season than last years blitz, but still has far more potential as a score-taker than O'Connor. Michael Murphy scored 8, 4 from play when he took the fight to Mayo virtually on his own. I have my doubts if O'Connor was in Murphy's shoes that day he'd have been able to do the same.

All that said he'd currently be a shoo-in into the Dublin side, Dean Rock hasn't yet fulfilled his early promise, from dead balls or from play, and at 25 needs to learn to handle the pressure when faced with freetaking in tight situations.

Gavvygavgav (Dublin) - Posts: 383 - 23/09/2015 11:37:48    1791206

Cillian is probably the third best player in the country after Keith Higgins and AO'S and coming just ahead of Lee Keegan.

Miler (Mayo) - Posts: 1015 - 23/09/2015 20:46:13    1791603

Miler
County: Mayo
Posts: 1008

1791603 Cillian is probably the third best player in the country after Keith Higgins and AO'S and coming just ahead of Lee Keegan

Is he not Mayos greatest ever player as claimed by a pundit from Mayo earlier this year?

Personally I would pick at least 7 players from Mayo before him if there was a transfer system. Not in top 30 forwards in country imo

Pingcity (Longford) - Posts: 568 - 24/09/2015 09:04:33    1791645

"Country" or "county", miler?

Gavvygavgav (Dublin) - Posts: 383 - 24/09/2015 10:02:12    1791677

Miler.. is it any wonder some Mayo fans are a laughing stock in GAA circles with a post like that!

As i have said before Cillian is avery good footballer, but take away his frees his open play etc is no where near the likes of Brogan, Mc Manus, the Gooch, O Donoghue to name a few

Belclare1 (Galway) - Posts: 1626 - 24/09/2015 10:15:11    1791684

Belclare1 - calm down son....it is clear he meant county.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11232 - 24/09/2015 12:13:58    1791752