Mine is the same now as when I started watching the game first around 1980/1981.

Now it is semi biased, as he is from Offaly, but he hurled for Limerick - Joe McKenna.

Hurling, when I grew up watching it was far more direct. Many teams played with a target man at full forward. It was a pleasure to watch Tony Doran, Jimmy Barry Murphy and Christy Heffernan, all with different styles but great goal getters. It was probably easier to stand out in the 1980's as the fitness levels were not the same as now - players were fit, but conditioned differently and nobody had the skills that county hurlers had now.

Joe McKenna played wing forward on our 1973 All-Ireland winning team but by the time I'd started watching the game he was full forward. Sean Foley, Jimmy Carroll and other great defenders we had often launched the ball down on top of him. Brave as anything, the hand would go up and once he had it, he was almost impossible to dispossess. When he hit the ball he would throw it downwards, totally different to other players of the era who threw it up, or players like today who often let the ball hang in the air for a very short time before striking.

His display against Tipperary in the 1981 drawn Munster semi final was exceptional. With Limerick thirteen points down at the start of the second half, he, along with Eamonn Cregan ate into Tipperary's lead. McKenna hit something like 2-4 from play. The 'high ball into Big Joe' became trademark for any team he played on and more often than not he got goals in big games.

I can only remember a couple of full backs to shackle him. Niall McInerny of Galway and Denis Mulcahy of Cork managed it, the latter through questionable means.

Six All-Stars, Four Munster Titles and One All-Ireland, but above all a beast of a hurler and a player who always evokes strong memories of great days on the pitch when skin & hair would fly and hurling was a tough physical game.

slayer (Limerick) - Posts: 6480 - 24/11/2015 13:40:00    1809505

That is a lovely eulogy to Joe McKenna.He came a few years before i started watching hurling,but i have read about his hurling prowess.In my minds eye,the way you described him slayer,i can nearly see him bursting through the Tipp defense and burying the ball to the net.Sounds like a very brave and powerful man.
For me,i've always said my favourite hurler in my time going to games is JJ Delaney.An unbelievable defender and reader of the game.I never saw him taken to the cleaners.Not even close.His anticipation and spacial awareness was second to none.Not the fastest of men,but he had it between the ears.He always seemed to have that mini second head-start as a result.
Big Dan Shanahan was flavour of the year in 2004 coming up to the All Ireland semi final.Dan was scoring for fun in Munster and was expected to cause more problems for Kilkenny.I watched him tower above JJ prior to the throw in and wondered was JJ finally going to be in a world of bother.I couldn't wait for the first high ball to come down their wing.I didn't have to wait too long.The crowd were waiting for the big Dan catch to send the Deise into a frenzy.It wasn't to be.Both went up,but only one came down with the ball.Before Dan knew what had happened,JJ had sent the ball flying 80 yards down the field.I smiled silently to myself.My hero had not let me down.Dan didn't get a puck the same day.
When JJ made the seemless transition to full-back,many thought he could be exposed.Not a chance.Opponents came and went and JJ held the square like a collossus.His hook on Seamus Callinan,when bearing down on goal,n the 2014 All Ireland,was a thing of beauty.Great timing,lovely wrist work.His left handed grip was poetry in motion.A quiet,unassuming gentleman off the pitch.JJ Delaney had it all.

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 24/11/2015 14:57:22    1809541

John power he made Dj Carey

johnwhite12 (Kilkenny) - Posts: 306 - 24/11/2015 17:26:09    1809595

John power he made Dj Carey

I'd say closer to the truth is that DJ made every forward that played along side him in a Kilkenny jersey. If DJ wasn't scoring he was creating chances and making runs off the ball that helped to open space for others to excel. He was clever, selfless and always believed he could be the best at what he did be it hurling or handball. John Power was a fine hurler but DJ was legendary.

SaffronDon (Antrim) - Posts: 2385 - 24/11/2015 17:52:28    1809602

He was the most underestimated hurler going the amount of work he did the belts he got the mileage he did was amazing the Callen wall.

johnwhite12 (Kilkenny) - Posts: 306 - 24/11/2015 18:09:23    1809604

safrondon I would put that post in regarding DJ, I would say you put john Power in a nut shell selfless braought other Kilkenny players into it never got credit for what work he did which was amazing.

johnwhite12 (Kilkenny) - Posts: 306 - 24/11/2015 18:15:45    1809606

Eddie Keher for me.Memories of watching the great all Ireland finals that he graced accompanied by Micheál O Hehir on commentary.Its probably the fact I was a young fella and would go out and relive what I had just watched that makes it a bit special but those were good times in hurling even if not so much for Dublin.

Dubh_linn (Dublin) - Posts: 2312 - 24/11/2015 18:28:21    1809611

There can be only one

DJ


John Power was a battering ram!

KerryKillers (Dublin) - Posts: 711 - 24/11/2015 18:32:41    1809612

Slayer ...I remember Clare had a rare win over cork in the other munster semi final in 81. Cork beaten everyone thought that this was our year. Everyone except Joe McKenna. I think he scored a goal or 2 at least in the final to bury us.

ZUL10 (Clare) - Posts: 693 - 24/11/2015 18:46:21    1809616

Ken McGrath fantastic hurler either at centre back or centre forward. If he was from a few miles out the road I have no doubt he would have won at least 6 All Ireland medals. That catch over O Sullivan in 2004 in Thurles is still one of my favourite GAA moments. Seanie McMahon, Johnny Dooley, JJ Delaney Ciaran Carey all up there in my reckoning also

dubshurling7 (Dublin) - Posts: 1017 - 24/11/2015 18:52:43    1809618

johnwhite12 to be fair I always rated John Power very highly and your right to mention him as an unsung hero, as that he was, but DJ would have been the same DJ with or without him as I think he showed many of those unsung talents like tenacity, selflessness, work rate, teamwork etc

SaffronDon (Antrim) - Posts: 2385 - 24/11/2015 19:22:58    1809628

zul10
He scored 3-3 off John Ryan. But for him Clare had us destroyed. That Clare team from about 77 to 86 were a fine team and very unlucky not to even win Munster. One heartless sports reporter had a pithy story in his report of the game the next day. Clare beat Tipp in the Minor game and immediately afterwards a very optimistic Clareman, according to the correspondent, announced 'The seniors will win, I will go the p... for a week and the wife will throw me out after that'. 'Then' he wrote succinctly 'Joe McKenna scored three goals and saved his marriage'.
Ironically, though Joe was a great player, Eamon Cregan was my favourite player and by far and away the best Limerick hurler I ever saw.
Nationally Eddie Keher was in my HO the greatest player in my lifetime.

Oldtourman (Limerick) - Posts: 4318 - 24/11/2015 19:36:19    1809634

Very hard to pick just one player.If pushed I'ld say Joe Cooney from my own county and Jimmy Barry Murphy from Cork.Both great stylish hurlers and both true sportsmen on and off the field.
But as I said its very difficult to settle on one.I completely agree with the eulogy to Joe McKenna above, a great forward who deserved more success than he achieved.Down the years since i started following hurling ( late 60s!) other players I have admired greatly were, Eamonn Cregan, Pat Hartigan, Ray Cummins, Charlie McCarthy, Denis Coughlan, Joe Hennessy,Billy Fitzpatrick, Mick Jacob, John Connolly, Chunky O Brien, Sylvie Linnane, Harry Ryan, George O Connor, Mike Houlihan, PJ Molloy ......too many to mention.

Barnowl94 (Galway) - Posts: 3150 - 24/11/2015 19:48:50    1809636

For me it has to be Tommy Walsh . A truly inspirational player who had the ability to inspire those around him . Excellent in the air and fearless in search of the breaking ball . Very passionate with a huge desire to win . Yes he played on the edge but so did most the great players in both Hurling & Football .

royalpad (Meath) - Posts: 46 - 24/11/2015 20:04:04    1809640

Slayer

I can only remember a couple of full backs to shackle him. Niall McInerny of Galway and Denis Mulcahy of Cork managed it, the latter through questionable means.

Haha. Had to laugh at this. He was part of a fairly successful Midleton team between 1983 and 1991 (AI champions in 1987).I remember them at the time and their 'questionable means'. They had some graceful hurlers like John Fenton, Ger Fitzgerald and one or two others. They then had some other gentlemen who would be sure to you know that they were on the field. There certainly were no shrinking violets among them and if coming up against any of their backs at the time was an experience - one that no doubt Joe McKenna got to taste.

bennybunny (Cork) - Posts: 3917 - 24/11/2015 20:06:55    1809641

John Mullane

Wicklowman (Wicklow) - Posts: 1138 - 24/11/2015 20:14:08    1809642

Diarmuid "the Rock" O'Sullivan, followed by Joe Canning

cavanman47 (Cavan) - Posts: 5012 - 24/11/2015 20:45:28    1809650

A flip of a coin between Ken McGrath and Tommy Walsh , McGrath was a colossus , like Tommy could play anywhere and produce the goods, that catch by Ken McGrath against cork in the final seconds surrounded by a clatter of cork men the rock included, stuff of legends.
Also another mention for John power, worked like a dog, done so much grafting without getting the due credit. I'll never forget the point he scored when he was walking/limping off the pitch with a hamstring injury and just before he reached the sideline the ball broke to him, he stopped and controlled it then casually stroked it over the bar and continued his stroll off the pitch not a bother. Legend
In my own county of Kildare Joe Dempsey is the best I've seen , still hurling strong at 42

Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 1908 - 24/11/2015 21:46:29    1809664

3 names dj carey john fenton john troy the 3 best i have seen

mickcunningham (Westmeath) - Posts: 1801 - 25/11/2015 08:47:18    1809672

I have given up on Hoganstand for years apart from the Celtic thread but this one is a great thread and has tempted me out of retirement. I loved reading the early contributions and hope there are plenty more in the days ahead.
As for me it's no contest, I am old enough to have seen Christy Ring play, it was in the twylight years but even then he was a God in my eyes. I can still vividly remember dozens of incidents and cameos involving the great man.
Just one to share, a County Final down the Old Park since Pairc Ui Caoimh. The Glen v our sworn enemy The Barrs. Glen were winning by a cricket score, the Ringer gets the ball around the 21, Barrs back sends him toppling back with a frontal charge, Barrs crowd roar they had nothing else to shout about that day, Ringey steadys himself but a second charge sends him back again another roar. This cameo is repeated 4 or 5 times till Ring is about 50 yards out and almost on sideline. A final wallop to put him out over the line but he has dropped the ball just as he was falling he lifts & strikes and the ball splits the posts for the best point I've ever seen. He was probably in his mid forties at that stage of his career.

corkcelt (Cork) - Posts: 4388 - 25/11/2015 08:56:30    1809674