Oops! How did I forget John power? As tough as nails and the first into battle always

flack (Dublin) - Posts: 1054 - 27/11/2015 08:55:02    1810181

Oops! How did I forget John power? As tough as nails and the first into battle always

flack (Dublin) - Posts: 1054 - 27/11/2015 08:55:02    1810182

flack
County: Dublin
Posts: 1020

1810090
Disagree icehonesty. Hard is hard, you can be hard and dirty or hard and clean. I think the former is (Or was) more common

I agree with you to an extent, but there are several on the second team I listed, like Stamp for example who aren't hard at all.

icehonesty (Wexford) - Posts: 2550 - 27/11/2015 12:57:07    1810229

Actually, icehonesty, based on the teams you listed, I like the distinction you make, but you could just call them the 'hard team' and the 'dirty team' . Completely agree with some of them. Brennan for example

flack (Dublin) - Posts: 1054 - 27/11/2015 14:19:26    1810241

i wouldn't disagree much with any of the selections, heres my own effort.

1.Skehan (KK)
2.Buckley (Cork, Middleton man, hard as nails)
3.Hartigan ( Limerick) Still the best fullback I've seen.
4.Dick O Hara ( KK)

5.P.Finnerty (Galway)
6.S.McMahon ( Clare)
7.JJ Delaney )KK)

8.M.Coleman (Galway)
9.M Fennelly (KK)

10.Shefflin (KK)
11. B. Lynskey (Galway)
12.E.Larkin (KK)

13.Seanie Leary (Cork)
14.McKenna (Limerick)
15.Harry Ryan (KK) I still remember himself and Sylvie half killing one another in 87.

Barnowl94 (Galway) - Posts: 3150 - 27/11/2015 17:30:28    1810285

Martin Cuddy, Laois centre-half forward in the 80's was pure granite.
Ger Henderson and Pat Delaney (Offaly) were 2 of the hardest centre-half backs I've seen.

The hardest of all was probably Frank Cummins - of course his day job was in demolition.

(None of the above were dirty hurlers).

PudsyRyan (Laois) - Posts: 15 - 27/11/2015 17:53:49    1810289

If I called one the "Hard" team and the other the "Dirty" team they wouldn't have been printed!

icehonesty (Wexford) - Posts: 2550 - 28/11/2015 20:29:34    1810389

Barnowl I agree on Michael Coleman, was one of my favourite players when I was a kid. That midfield of him and Pat Malone was huge for Galway I thought, a great partnership.

icehonesty (Wexford) - Posts: 2550 - 28/11/2015 20:30:57    1810391

I hurled against him a few times back in the day Icehonesty and I can testify to how tough he was.Tough but fair I might add.A man who didn't really come into his own until he was in his late 20s too.Classic late developer.

Barnowl94 (Galway) - Posts: 3150 - 29/11/2015 16:12:27    1810455

I thought his predecessor in the Galway midfield was even harder, Steve Mahon from kilbeacanty

flack (Dublin) - Posts: 1054 - 29/11/2015 19:23:19    1810481

Frank Cummins

mooncat (Kilkenny) - Posts: 533 - 29/11/2015 20:57:01    1810492

The Flaker. Of course Brian Lohan is high on the list, but did you see Pat Hartigan play?. I remember a scorching day in Thurles on a championship day v Tipp in Thurles in 75. Pat fielded a high ball from a cluster of players at the town end goal and moved towards the old stand to get room to clear. As he did he was met with a fair shoulder by Tommy Butler a big man who he put to ground and then Babs Keating came in to down him but the bold Hartigan also brushed him aside, not an easy task I can assure you. He then opened his shoulders and sent out a mighty diagonal ball which found Frankie Nolan in the 21 yard line at the Killanin end and he tapped over a simple point. I own to Christ I can see it still and it is over forty years ago. Little wonder that the famed hurling correspondent John D Hickey, himself a Tipperary man, said Pats performance that day was 'the greatest display of full back play I have seen since Nick O'Donnell was at his zenith'.

Oldtourman (Limerick) - Posts: 4321 - 30/11/2015 22:03:16    1810718

Some of the good Laois team of the Mid eighties were as tough as old boots,Martin Cuddy,Joe Dollard and Pj Cuddy who were timber workers in the mountains of Laois from the famous Camross club.
Pat Crichtley and big Niall Rigney of Portlaoise.

Lynsky of Galway was emmense as was the Gerry McInerney (even tough he wore the white boots)

John Power of Killkenny was pure Steel.

BigJohn.6_8 (Galway) - Posts: 704 - 01/12/2015 09:32:27    1810729

Liam Dunne of Wexford was a hard man. No doubt. But not a skilful player. Ger Henderson was also.

galwayford (Galway) - Posts: 2519 - 01/12/2015 10:59:34    1810745

Oldtourman,

I agree totally regarding Pat Hartigan.

Barnowl94 (Galway) - Posts: 3150 - 01/12/2015 13:39:08    1810805

flack
County: Dublin
Posts: 1025

1810014
Uuu, best one yet, not too much wrong with your selection either, heres me own:
1. Alan Nolan (dub). Not especially noteworthy, but he must be hard, being from corduff ;-). 2. T Walsh (kk) 3. The rock. 4. Steve mcdonagh (lim)not dirty, but hard as nails. 5. Tomas Dunne (wex) 6. Iron mike houlihan. 7. Ken McGrath, missing front teeth is always worth a few hardchaw points. 8. Colin lynch, came on the IC scene wearing a rats tail. 9. Michael Coleman, when I was small I was fascinated with a foto of him about to blast John Fitzgibbon simultaneously with shoulder, hip and hurl. I couldn't understand how Fitzgibbon lived. 10. Noelie Crowley (waterford), I think the first Munster final they televised live was in 89. It could easily have been the last. Bloodbath. 11. Lynskey 12. Ciaran Carey. 13. Seanie McGrath (cork). Animal. 14. Conor Clancy (clare), would put his hand up for everything, invariably won the ball too, despite the belts. 15. Andy garvey (lim). A danger to society!

Number 15 there on your team flack, you must be having a laugh there are you?

JeremyWendell (Limerick) - Posts: 232 - 01/12/2015 14:34:38    1810836

Kevin Kinahan harder than nails.
Not well know. Kevin Kinahan had a problem with lungs in 1996 and was told he won't play hurling again.
Won an All-Ireland 2 year later.
Hurler a league semi-final after his sister was badly injured a few days before.
Destroy in the 1st half of an all Ireland semi final, won man of the match in the second half.
There isn't many men that ran into him that came back for second and if they did they did come back again.
Never seen his interview.
Mental and physically strong.

Joe Rabbitte is another that pop into my head.
Badly injured and returned.

toxicity234 (Offaly) - Posts: 31 - 01/12/2015 17:39:04    1810898

Mike Houlihan was the hardest that I've seen. Played in 1996 against Cork just 6 weeks after getting his jaw broken by a crowbar. Probably up there in terms of the dirtiest as well. You also got to think about Brian Lohan, Frank Cummins, Ger Henderson and Sylvie Lohan.

Very special mention for Kenny John from Ballybrown for club hurler. Words fail me.

Dealer (Limerick) - Posts: 835 - 01/12/2015 18:06:33    1810906

clem smith shocking ommision!! well remembered in waterford

kavvie (Clare) - Posts: 505 - 01/12/2015 19:14:19    1810921

Clem Smith, another forgotten axe man. Have to say I've met him a few times and you couldn't meet a sounder fella. This comment might even get published now :-)

Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 1909 - 02/12/2015 14:36:35    1811058