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Dublin footballers 2011-2016 Where do they rank?

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Replying To fainleog:  "I think the Kerry team of the 70s and 80s is the best team.
I would put the present Dublin team in No. 2 position. I think they play a wonderful style of football and they have Gaelic Football in a very good position at present. They have won 4 All-Irelands in 6 years and 4 National League Titles in a row, some people are inclined to dismiss the league but I am not one of those. I think a big thing about Dublin is that they are winning games throughout the year, not just in August and September. None of their All-Irelands have been won through the back door which again shows their consistency. I think they are winning these titles when there are many good teams competing i.e Mayo, Kerry ,Donegal, Tyrone and to a lesser extent Monaghan. It should also be remembered that Cork won the All-Ireland in 2010 and many analysists were forecasting at the beginning of the decade that Cork would win a few All-Irelands this decade.
I think the Dublin team of the 70s was also another great team. Gaelic Football was going through a poor phase in the late 60s and early 70s, there was much hype in regard to soccer at that time but I think the arrival of Dublin in 1974 glamourised Gaelic Football and set it on a good footing. A previous poster stated only four stars from that team i.e Brian Mullins, Robbie Kelliher, Jimmy Keavney and Kevin Moran but there was many others Anton O'Toole, Tony Hanahoe, David Hickey, Tommy Drumm, Bobby Doyle, Bernard Brogan and John McCarthy.
Other great teams are Kerry and Tyrone of the 00s
The Galway three in a row 1964 to 1966 was also an outstanding team. They had victories over Kerry in three consecutive years in that period i.e. 1963, 1964 & 1965. There were household names on that team.
The Down team of 1960 and 1961 was a truly great team. It was a big break through for the GAA to have a team from across the border win the Sam Maguire cup. There was record attendances at these finals, in 1961 there was 90,556 with many thousands more getting free entry as a result of the gates been burst open. That Down team were ahead of their time bringing a sophistication to the game, instead of the traditional catch and kick."
Very good post.

It was myself who named 4 star Dubs from the 1970s team. I'd add 2 of the others you mentioned alright, B. Brogan Snr and Tony Hanahoe, the real leader of the team.

Agree totally re. Galway and Down in the 60s.

Laois76 (Laois) - Posts: 1270 - 11/10/2016 18:06:30    1925039

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Replying To Laois76:  "Just also Seansy i rate the Tyrone team very highly, i know i have the Dubs ahead and Galway of the 60s on my rough list but it's thin margins. I took great pleasure in watching ye win those all-ireland.

I in no way mean to belittle the effect Cormac McAnallen's passing had on the team either. You make very valid points. In 1997 those young men had to witness Paul McGirr's death on the field too. I don't need to go into other tragedies that befell Tyrone football either.

All the breakthroughs were wonderful, Donegal, Derry, Armagh, Tyrone and anyone i leave out. Colm O'Rourke said on a few ocassions (probably 2002 and 2003) that it would be great if every county could experience the euphoria of winning an all-ireland. Naturally that won't happen. I can only imagine what it's like.."
Laois no bother at all, you're a good man for bringing it up at all. People like to brush it under the carpet a bit outside of Tyrone.

On top of that this is a fantastic thread, great discussion, fairly positive and friendly. I've really enjoyed reading and replying to this.

In my view you're a great GAA man and I appreciate your choices regardless of mine!

We had some great battles in the 2000s!

Seansy48 (Tyrone) - Posts: 237 - 11/10/2016 18:13:10    1925043

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Replying To GeniusGerry:  "I think this year in particular the field really cleared for Dublin, with no standout competitor to push them. Kerry are miles off when you compare them to the 00's version and played out of their skin but never really looked like beating Dublin, Tyrone and Mayo need more firepower, Donegal woeful in the quarters. Maybe the standard of opposition has dropped or perhaps Dublin are just that good. I suspect the former, Dublin themselves didn't score for nearly a half hour in the first final. Could you imagine Kerry / Tyrone of a few years back letting them off with that!"
I can't imagine either of them letting them away with it THIS YEAR!

That was their bad day at the office

Seansy48 (Tyrone) - Posts: 237 - 11/10/2016 18:16:16    1925044

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Replying To GeniusGerry:  "I think this year in particular the field really cleared for Dublin, with no standout competitor to push them. Kerry are miles off when you compare them to the 00's version and played out of their skin but never really looked like beating Dublin, Tyrone and Mayo need more firepower, Donegal woeful in the quarters. Maybe the standard of opposition has dropped or perhaps Dublin are just that good. I suspect the former, Dublin themselves didn't score for nearly a half hour in the first final. Could you imagine Kerry / Tyrone of a few years back letting them off with that!"
Id agree with you that Dubln were not as good this year but I think people are underestimating how much Kerry were up for the semi and I genuinely believe they would have put it up to mayo in a final. The scoring stat for sure doesn't look good but again it says a lot to still be able to win when essentially not firing.The one thing this team has is resilience and all the greats have had that.
To put 4 leagues and 4 AI and a 29 stretch unbeaten run in league and championship with a back to back thrown in doesn't get done by teams that are anything less than top drawer. The league is often underplayed too but whatever way you look at it it is the best sides in the country. The consistency from this group is exceptional.

Dubh_linn (Dublin) - Posts: 2312 - 11/10/2016 18:20:51    1925045

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Replying To GeniusGerry:  "I think this year in particular the field really cleared for Dublin, with no standout competitor to push them. Kerry are miles off when you compare them to the 00's version and played out of their skin but never really looked like beating Dublin, Tyrone and Mayo need more firepower, Donegal woeful in the quarters. Maybe the standard of opposition has dropped or perhaps Dublin are just that good. I suspect the former, Dublin themselves didn't score for nearly a half hour in the first final. Could you imagine Kerry / Tyrone of a few years back letting them off with that!"
There was a stat quoted about Kerry prior to the Dublin game this year that they had 7 starters from 2007. And of course other 2007 players like Marc O'Sé came on. I think the 7 were O'Mahony, Killian Young, Sheehan, Donncha Walsh, Gooch, Donaghy and Darran O'Sullivan. Kerry simply couldn't have the legs with so many men in their 30s. You'd get away with 3 or 4. A comparison was made with the Kilkenny hurlers of 2007 and 2016. The 2016 team had no survivors starting from 2007. 2 players were on the subs in 2007, T.J. Reid and Richie Hogan.

That stat sums up Kerry the last 2 years. The next few years will be very interesting watching how Kerry progress. And progress they will.

Laois76 (Laois) - Posts: 1270 - 11/10/2016 18:24:01    1925048

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Replying To clondalkindub:  "HUrlingWarrior Mayo have been the only ones to challenge us this decade? Sorry remind me when we hammered Kerry or Donegal in championship football this decade?"
Well bar 2011 where I think they got a bit of a raw deal , Kerry have never looked liked beating Dublin. Don't let scoring margin fool you. Last year was the most one-sided in a decade while only for Cluxton imploding this years game would have been likely a 8/9 point which is on top of the hammering they received in the League Final.

Donegal probably peaked in 2012 and caught Dublin on a freak one-off day (as 2015 & 2016 has proven) and even at that if even one of the golden goal chances go in, Donegal in a million years wouldn't have recovered a 7/8 point deficit and we would be looking at Dublin going for 5 in a row in both the league and Championship which underlines the absolute dominance of Dublin

And while Mayo have clearly been the closest toppling them, bar 2012 they have never managed to do it, there is a big difference between nearly beating Dublin and actually doing it and the likes of Moran & Higgins aren't getting any younger I think the worry is Mayo's peak has come and gone (the peak was probably 2013/14 in truth) while Dublin have ROC , Jack McC and 3/4 extremely talented young lads to come in to the team

I agree with your point that Dublin's absolute dominance makes the others look weaker than they are but I definitely think the 4 I mentioned have definitely regressed from a talent level while only Mayo have really become stronger over a longer period (5 years+) from the 00's. I think Donegal are well back in the pack at this stage and won't be contending for an Ai in the near future.

HurlingWarrior (Limerick) - Posts: 61 - 11/10/2016 18:41:01    1925052

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Replying To Seansy48:  "Laois no bother at all, you're a good man for bringing it up at all. People like to brush it under the carpet a bit outside of Tyrone.

On top of that this is a fantastic thread, great discussion, fairly positive and friendly. I've really enjoyed reading and replying to this.

In my view you're a great GAA man and I appreciate your choices regardless of mine!

We had some great battles in the 2000s!"
Thanks very much for your comments Seansie. Much appreciated. Being part of the larger gaa community is something we all can be proud of.

I went to college with lads from Down, Tyrone, Fermanagh and Armagh, who i played football with, and grew to realise how difficult it was to keep the games alive in the 6 counties. I remember thinking how easy things were in Laois in comparison. That was the early to mid 90s and thankfully things have progressed. I did my leaving at 17 down here and remember running into a fully grown 19 year old Diarmuid Marsden playing against UUJ. I won't forget the encounter! Nothing dirty, just boy meets man! Ye were so much more developed physically.

Only a few nights ago i watched a TG4 documentary on Cormac McAnallen that i taped on Christmas Day 2005. The way he kept that diary and rated himself out of 10 on every possible aspect of the game of football after every single match..be it a challenge game or the 2003 all-ireland final. 24 years of age.. Matt Connor of Offaly is another tragic story that set Offaly football back. He's a great man the way he managed to live his life and not sink into depression.

Speaking of winning all-irelands Laois' best chance came in hurling in the early 1980s. We were up there with Offaly trying to make a breakthrough and lost by a few points in 1981 when a Johnny Flaherty Offaly ball that went through the side of the net was given as a goal. Offaly won by a few points and went on and won the all-ireland. Them's the breaks! I was 5. Actively training U8s, football, with my club now and they're my hope for the future!

Laois76 (Laois) - Posts: 1270 - 11/10/2016 18:57:49    1925057

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Tyrone had a very difficult run in 2005 but given the opposition they beat in 2003 & 2008 it was no more difficult then what the Dubs faced this year.

TheWestIsAwake (UK) - Posts: 529 - 11/10/2016 19:02:28    1925058

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Replying To TheWestIsAwake:  "Tyrone had a very difficult run in 2005 but given the opposition they beat in 2003 & 2008 it was no more difficult then what the Dubs faced this year."
That's a great analysis, 2008 Tyrone beat a Kerry team going for 3 in a row.

Beating the Dubs in Croke Park in the quarter final with a few of the current main men starting out

Seansy48 (Tyrone) - Posts: 237 - 11/10/2016 19:14:29    1925063

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That Tyrone side is one of the greatest of all time, I merely suggested some of the opposition they faced in Ulster are not as good as some of the Tyrone boys have made out earlier on today.

TheWestIsAwake (UK) - Posts: 529 - 11/10/2016 19:40:59    1925077

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Didn't this Dublin team beat both those great Tyrone team and Kerry team in 2011.

They haven't been heard of since.

TheUsername (Dublin) - Posts: 4445 - 11/10/2016 20:09:36    1925090

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Replying To TheWestIsAwake:  "Tyrone had a very difficult run in 2005 but given the opposition they beat in 2003 & 2008 it was no more difficult then what the Dubs faced this year."
eh kerry & armagh?..and a pretty decent dublin team heavily fancied

alano12 (Dublin) - Posts: 2208 - 11/10/2016 20:11:18    1925092

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Replying To Laois76:  "One reason i wouldn't put Tyrone of the 00s at the top was the poor performaces after their all-ireland wins.

In 2004 they lost to Mayo, now obviously the team was shaken by Cormac McAnallen's untimely passing that March.

In 2006 they lost to Laois, Tyrone had a lot of injuries, most notably Brian McGuigan had eye problems at the time. Still We (Laois) were a good team at the time but hardly world beaters.

In 2007 after winning Ulster Tyrone went out meekly enough to Meath in the all ireland quarter final. Meath were average at the time. Cork easily accounted for them in the semi.

In 2009 time was catching up on Tyrone and a strong Cork ran them ragged in that year's all ireland semi.

I feel Dublin 2011-16 have been more consistent. The teams that beat them in 2012 and 2014, Mayo and Donegal, were far better than Laois and Meath in 2006-07."
yes they were poor but that ignores the context..in 09 going well till beaten by a very good cork team without cavanagh...we all know what happened in 2004 and 2006 riddled with injuries

alano12 (Dublin) - Posts: 2208 - 11/10/2016 20:13:31    1925094

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Replying To clondalkindub:  "What's funny is everyone going for there own County , Tyrone won 3 all Ireland's and no leagues in the 00's we've already won 4 Sam's and 4 leagues in a row. It was a great Tyrone team but number 1 ? Come on not even a back to back ffs."
counting leagues doesnt help

alano12 (Dublin) - Posts: 2208 - 11/10/2016 20:14:39    1925096

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Replying To Laois76:  "I don't have that 2005 on tape or dvd, maybe it's on youtube. I'll try and watch it again. I remember my brother was in Mexico for that final. He came home jet lagged a week later and i was still buzzing after the 2005 final and dragged the poor chap to watch a re run with me!

I suppose i'm basing my argument on the progress in sports science. In a sense maybe i'm assuming the player of 2016 has to be stronger, fitter than the 2005 model. And as we all know science can't explain everything."
but what about the skill level?..is there as many top class forwards?.in my view the standard has gone down..teams are overly negative now in a lot of cases..back then tyrone played a revolutionary style..look at the candidates for player of the year for instance and their positions

alano12 (Dublin) - Posts: 2208 - 11/10/2016 20:16:42    1925099

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Replying To Dubh_linn:  "People saying there isn't any competition are being disingenuous as anyone who thinks that Kerry aren't competitive or the best Mayo side to ever represent their county aren't competitive are wide of the mark.
Only the current Dublin side have prevented both from more all Ireland titles undoubtedly.
Donegal have had the best team they ever produced in 2011 through 2014 and were only pipped by Kerry in 2014 by a lapse in concentration and an opportunistic goal.
When a team is dominating in the way this side has done then it's easy to say the competition is weak."
but donegal werent at that level during that period..they were good only certain years..and kerry are long past their best..our main rival has been mayo who always falter when it counts and have no top class forward

alano12 (Dublin) - Posts: 2208 - 11/10/2016 20:18:16    1925101

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Replying To TheUsername:  "Didn't this Dublin team beat both those great Tyrone team and Kerry team in 2011.

They haven't been heard of since."
i think we beat the end of the kerry team in 2011 and were lucky to do so...tyrone were gone by 2011 but 2010 was a huge win over them..tyrone by 2008 werent the same team as in 2003 and 2005 as they lacked the forwards

alano12 (Dublin) - Posts: 2208 - 11/10/2016 20:21:44    1925107

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Replying To TheWestIsAwake:  "That Tyrone side is one of the greatest of all time, I merely suggested some of the opposition they faced in Ulster are not as good as some of the Tyrone boys have made out earlier on today."
best armagh team ever, a good derry side,,a pretty good donegal side..better than anything at the minute

alano12 (Dublin) - Posts: 2208 - 11/10/2016 20:23:02    1925108

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Alan to win 4 leagues in a row and then to have the stamina to go on and win 3 all Ireland's in that period is very impressive. If it isn't then why haven't other teams done it if it's no great achievement?

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 11/10/2016 20:24:05    1925109

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Replying To alano12:  "yes they were poor but that ignores the context..in 09 going well till beaten by a very good cork team without cavanagh...we all know what happened in 2004 and 2006 riddled with injuries"
Fair enough. I still have your county's present team slightly ahead in my mind.. Maybe it's the 4 leagues in a row. Ah well we'll agree to differ :)

Laois76 (Laois) - Posts: 1270 - 11/10/2016 20:29:56    1925113

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