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Top 3 Forwards in Ireland

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Replying To Adler:  "Some of ye don't get to alot of Monaghan matches ehhh?? That comment about his scoring from play is rubbish, what does that matter?? If he scored 3 points in each QF would ya mention it.

McManus scored a point against Cork in the league this year that was unlike anything I've ever seen. There was no TV coverage of the game at all. Zero highlights on Sunday Game or TG4.

Some of the stuff he does at club level is outrageous.

Awful pity he couldn't have come on the scene earlier maybe onto the 2007 team. McManus and Tommy Freeman inside with Paul Finlay supplying ball into them would have been hella fun"
One of the boys was telling me that when McManus was playing sigerson it was as a wing half back. Can you confirm or deny this?

gotmilk (Fermanagh) - Posts: 4971 - 07/07/2016 00:03:17    1877664

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McManus is unreal but no way is he in the Gooch/Canavan bracket them two are out on there own. Gooch was a freak everytime he got the ball you got the fear , honestly I get sad watching him now cause he's never going to be The Gooch of old some of the things he did my god , his balance was unbelievable , Canavan was special he had it all and was hard as nails what a talent he nearly bet a great Dublin team in 95 on his own. i don't care what anyone says them two are out on there own they'll have statues built in their counties for how class they were.

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 07/07/2016 00:24:23    1877668

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You have to ask yourself the question, who will I pick to play on my teams full-forward line in the All-Ireland final tomorrow...

13. McManus
14. Murphy
15. Brogan

Very hard to say who's better than who really, but that's where I'd play them!

realdub (Dublin) - Posts: 8596 - 07/07/2016 01:02:15    1877672

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Replying To waynoI:  "
Replying To GaryMc82:  "1. Conor McManus: The best forward in Ireland by far, is Conor McManus. I have never seen such a player who is so difficult to mark and keep under wraps. He truly is a superb player, probably the stand out player in the Country.

2. Bernard Brogan this year has impressed me so far, I would say he is Dublin's best pound for pound scoring forward. I know many people talk about Diarmuid Connolly, who is superb in less advanced role, but Brogan is probably a better scoring forward.

3. Cillian O'Connor is fantastic, he is a all round superb corner forward and I think he is a handful for any team.

There are a host of other forwards such James O'Donaghue, Michael Murphy etc that are also there or thereabouts year on year."
The fact you didnt even mention Diarmuid Connolly ...is absolutely disbelieving but each to their own."
Diarmuid Connolly can be outstanding at times, but I decided to only list Full forwards, and Diarmuid normally plays more of a half forward role from what I've seen. Don't take it personally, you have Brogan on my list, which should suffice.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3017 - 07/07/2016 01:49:23    1877684

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Replying To GaryMc82:  "1. Conor McManus: The best forward in Ireland by far, is Conor McManus. I have never seen such a player who is so difficult to mark and keep under wraps. He truly is a superb player, probably the stand out player in the Country.

2. Bernard Brogan this year has impressed me so far, I would say he is Dublin's best pound for pound scoring forward. I know many people talk about Diarmuid Connolly, who is superb in less advanced role, but Brogan is probably a better scoring forward.

3. Cillian O'Connor is fantastic, he is a all round superb corner forward and I think he is a handful for any team.

There are a host of other forwards such James O'Donaghue, Michael Murphy etc that are also there or thereabouts year on year."
I have to say, it's rare that I agree with any of your opinions on here, and this is no exception.

I can't fathom how anyone could rate Cillian O'Connor as a better forward than Michael Murphy. O'Connor is good, but he isn't special in the way that Murphy or Brogan or even a fully fit James O'Donoghue are.

Murphy, on the other hand, is someone that forces opposition managers to move several defensive pieces around in order to gameplan against him. He is so big and powerful than he's virtual;ly impossible to outmuscle, yet he also has a burst of pace. He has possibly the best hands in the game, and can score from distance off either foot, as well as being a great creator of scores . On top of that, he's a great leader and a big game player who is in his 10th year as an intercounty footballer, despite still being only 26.

I rate a fully fit Murphy as the best all around footballer in Ireland - O'Connor is a good forward and excellent free-taker, but no more than that.

Thomas Clarke (Tyrone) - Posts: 1002 - 07/07/2016 07:44:31    1877693

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if i confine it to "pure attacking" forwards, i.e. not the ball winning workhorses (who are hugely important btw). That probably rules out C Kilkeeny, Paul Flynn type player

D. Connolly - Class
C. McManus - Always double marked but always produces the goods

No 3 is tricky
M Murphy is probably the most effective player around but lately he is more out the field than pure attacker.
James O'Donoghue at his best definitively but he's been out for a while
Gooch at his best is No 1
C O'Connor - but not yet this year
Watch Shane Walsh from Galway - Potential to be another Michael Donnellan/D Connolly

I'm guessing there are a few class acts with the the less successful counties who don't get a look in

Mayonman (Galway) - Posts: 1835 - 07/07/2016 08:52:50    1877709

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Replying To Mayonman:  "if i confine it to "pure attacking" forwards, i.e. not the ball winning workhorses (who are hugely important btw). That probably rules out C Kilkeeny, Paul Flynn type player

D. Connolly - Class
C. McManus - Always double marked but always produces the goods

No 3 is tricky
M Murphy is probably the most effective player around but lately he is more out the field than pure attacker.
James O'Donoghue at his best definitively but he's been out for a while
Gooch at his best is No 1
C O'Connor - but not yet this year
Watch Shane Walsh from Galway - Potential to be another Michael Donnellan/D Connolly

I'm guessing there are a few class acts with the the less successful counties who don't get a look in"
Shane Walsh is a serious class act. Only managed to see one half of him in the flesh at the league game in tuam. Serious baller, worth the admission price on his own.

gotmilk (Fermanagh) - Posts: 4971 - 07/07/2016 10:50:13    1877749

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Replying To gotmilk:  "One of the boys was telling me that when McManus was playing sigerson it was as a wing half back. Can you confirm or deny this?"
He played half back for Monaghan u-21s as well.

Breffni40 (Cavan) - Posts: 12122 - 07/07/2016 10:57:23    1877759

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Replying To Breffni39:  "He played half back for Monaghan u-21s as well."
He played half back in the All Ireland Quarter Final against Kerry in 2007

sideline_cut (Monaghan) - Posts: 14 - 07/07/2016 12:10:30    1877822

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Replying To Breffni39:  "He played half back for Monaghan u-21s as well."
Cheers Breff for clearing it up. Was he any good that far down the pitch?

gotmilk (Fermanagh) - Posts: 4971 - 07/07/2016 12:44:13    1877853

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1.James O'Donoghue
2.Conor McManus
3.Niall McNamee

CurranCake1 (Roscommon) - Posts: 130 - 07/07/2016 13:13:55    1877873

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Replying To gotmilk:  "One of the boys was telling me that when McManus was playing sigerson it was as a wing half back. Can you confirm or deny this?"
Yeah, that's correct.

First time I saw him play for Monaghan was in a league game v Wexford I think, he was wing back and was superb

Adler (Monaghan) - Posts: 754 - 07/07/2016 14:22:35    1877936

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Replying To sideline_cut:  "He played half back in the All Ireland Quarter Final against Kerry in 2007"
If memory serves correctly I think Hanratty started that day instead of him

Adler (Monaghan) - Posts: 754 - 07/07/2016 15:52:28    1877999

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Replying To Adler:  "If memory serves correctly I think Hanratty started that day instead of him"
Looking through reports I think you are correct. He definitely played half back in a game against Derry, but can't remember the year! He came off the bench at half time against Derry in '07 for Donal Morgan so maybe that is when I am thinking of!

sideline_cut (Monaghan) - Posts: 14 - 07/07/2016 16:15:44    1878014

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Googled it and you're thinking of 08 v Kerry

Monaghan: P McBennett: D Mone, JP Mone, D McArdle; D Freeman, G McQuaid (0-02), C McManus; E Lennon (0-01), D Clerkin; S Gollogly, P Finlay (0-02, 0-02f), V Corey (0-01); C Hanratty, R Woods (0-02), T Freeman (0-05, 0-03f).

Breffni40 (Cavan) - Posts: 12122 - 07/07/2016 16:22:27    1878020

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mcmanus o donoghue connolly

alano12 (Dublin) - Posts: 2208 - 07/07/2016 22:40:01    1878222

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Didn't read the rest of this thread but I would go with:

Connolly (He makes you wonder why the rest make the game look so difficult at times)
McManus (He carries Moanaghan and is another like Connolly who looks like he does not have to try it just happens naturally)
Michael Murphy (If Donegal ever decide to use him as a forward again, causes havoc when played in the square and is a great freetaker as well)

gormdubhgorm (Dublin) - Posts: 990 - 08/07/2016 16:18:27    1878567

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Replying To gotmilk:  "One of the boys was telling me that when McManus was playing sigerson it was as a wing half back. Can you confirm or deny this?"
Luckily enough it's on youtube !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJNiJSSdiH0

MonaghanGlory (Monaghan) - Posts: 738 - 08/07/2016 19:08:02    1878638

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Murphy
Connolly
McManus.
I'd put M Murphy ahead of the other two. I think he is a great footballer. Often manhandled and with three markers on him with the hits he gives and takes. The other thing is he is the only one of the three that you could take out to midfield and win dirty ball ( last Sat night an example)
I know his free taking was not great in either game v Monaghan but think of the wonder scoreshe got, last year v Galway , the one he got v Derry from the sideline in the championship last season.

SamOnErrigal (Donegal) - Posts: 1427 - 08/07/2016 19:47:11    1878648

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Huge Murphy fan but he hasn't played as a forward in years so I can't include him.

No 1 is certainly McManus, comfortably ahead of the rest the past 2 years.

As for 2 and 3 I really don't know. Cavanagh was outstanding against Donegal, Brogan is Mr consistent and Connolly will always be in the reckoning. There could be a few more names in the mix come the end of the championship depending on how far they go in DOC & Comer.

TheWestIsAwake (UK) - Posts: 529 - 19/07/2016 11:09:46    1886103

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