Men who could waltz through a defence, turn off left or right and kick a point from 40 yards and make it look easy, kick an impossible looking defence-splitting pass to put a man clean in for a score. Matt Connor, Ciaran McDonald, Ja Fallon, Padraig Joyce, Diarmuid Connolly, Michael Donnellan, Jimmy Keaveny, The Gooch, Peter Canavan, Michael Murphy had all plenty of flair. I'm after forgetting loads. Please add in your own favourites. We seem to be missing too much flair in the modern game because of fitness, tactics and choking the life out of the opposition in an attempt to win for most teams.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7344 - 30/06/2016 12:33:27    1874205

Colin Corkerey and Declan Browne come to mind

Southsham (Limerick) - Posts: 738 - 30/06/2016 13:05:52    1874222

Mike Frank Russell was great when he first came on the scene.

Jayo

Trevor Giles was a class act too

Steven O'Neill

Mickey Linden

Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4221 - 30/06/2016 13:39:53    1874244

Maurice fitz

KY4SAM2015 (Kerry) - Posts: 898 - 30/06/2016 13:44:28    1874247

Could name plenty of past players, but instead I'm going to stick with the current crop because I think there's too much negativity and focus on the bad points within the game at the minute. The following players are all a joy to watch:

Colm Cooper, Bernard Brogan, Ryan McHugh, Conor McManus, Diarmuid Connolly, Colm O'Neill, Diarmuid Murtagh, Aidan O'Shea, Peter Harte, Kevin McMenamon, Lee Keegan, Sean Cavanagh, James O'Donoghue, Jamie Clarke, Cathal Cregg, Donie Kingston.

Not all flair players, but all players who show some of the best attaching skill and ability the game has ever seen. Could add plenty more too.

cavanman47 (Cavan) - Posts: 5012 - 30/06/2016 13:48:12    1874248

I haven't seen Michael Murphy waltzing through and scoring very often the last couple of years.

tiobraid (Tipperary) - Posts: 4119 - 30/06/2016 13:49:04    1874250

Graham Gerathy

dubarra (Wicklow) - Posts: 541 - 30/06/2016 13:58:08    1874259

Graham Geraghty

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 30/06/2016 14:30:25    1874272

Seen a young prospect play for Donegal minors last weekend called Niall O'Donnell who could fall into that bracket in years to come. He was leaving half of the Monaghan defence in his wake anytime he got the ball, could jink either way and seemed to be 2 footed. One to watch. Diarmuid Connolly of the modern players best fits this mould for me. Someone mentioned MM not doing such for 2 years. To be fair to him he was only one who carried game to Mayo in last years quarter finals and showed plenty of skills above. Hard for him to show such skills when out the field so much.

panamasam (Australia) - Posts: 2781 - 30/06/2016 14:50:23    1874288

Francie Bellew

JayP (Dublin) - Posts: 1772 - 30/06/2016 14:53:11    1874290

If we're talking about current players you'd have to put Odhrain Mc Niallais in there, not to mention Shane Walsh and Diarmuid Connolly. You'll find it hard to find classier players than them currently playing.
When i was growing up Maurice Fitz and Ciaran Mc Donald really were fantastic players to watch. they could change a game with the direction they hopped the ball and kick scores that most of us never knew possible.
Honourable mention to Ollie Murphy, another truly classy player

theweanling (Cavan) - Posts: 414 - 30/06/2016 15:09:10    1874305

Alot of top quality players being mentioned here but not sure they all fall under flair players. A flair player for me is someone who hits a pass no one else sees or a score that no one else could take and uses the most outrageous techniques that others might not try even in training. Ciaran McDonald and Maurice Fitz are the first 2 players I think of when I think of flair and of course Diarmuid Connolly falls into that category. I'd also make a case for flair defenders, lads who never get flustered on the ball, great ball carriers, pick the right option everytime and never give away possession and of course always good for a score or 2. Players that spring to mind here would be players like Tomas O'Se, James McCarthy, Frank McGlynn, Keith Higgins and Karl Lacey. They all make the game look easy.

Mobot (Donegal) - Posts: 459 - 30/06/2016 15:29:59    1874318

Depends on your definition of flair , I think M Murphy is a fantastic player but I wouldn't describe him as a flair player neither would that be a description Id use to describe another great in P Flynn,
Flair players tend to be guys who ghost in and out of games , they tend to be able to things others dare dream of and they make it look effortless , funnily is it just me but lefties tend to look in a lot of sports to have more flair visually than a primarily right footed player?
McManus Connolly of current generation as mentioned Gooch in his hey day, C McDonald and P Joyce stand out for me with mentions to Canavan and Linden .
Previously Anton O Toole , Mikey Sheey , Tommy Conroy Trevor Giles Dessie Farrell ,

Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts: 5193 - 30/06/2016 15:49:17    1874333

Neil Magee, oops should've gone to Specsavers, thought it read Flail Players.

liner (Mayo) - Posts: 756 - 02/07/2016 00:22:54    1874895

SamOnErrigal (Donegal) - Posts: 1427 - 02/07/2016 17:51:44    1875083

Loads of forwards mentioned here.
I want to give a mention to former Laois corner back Joe Higgins who was one of the most stylish footballers I ever saw.
A small, nippy corner back who actually made defending look cool, he was very skillful and a great man marker to boot.
Havent seen anyone like him since, which is strange because these days about 95% of inter county footballers are defenders.
Honorable mention also goes to the great Seamus Moynihan.

joncarter (Galway) - Posts: 2692 - 02/07/2016 18:15:55    1875095

liner (Mayo) - Posts: 756 - 02/07/2016 23:52:46    1875212

Jedobi (Wexford) - Posts: 138 - 03/07/2016 07:23:29    1875249