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A bit of an aside from talking about the current championship but I've been giving this a bit of thought lately.
Just as a way of remembering all the talent we had during our current dip in success following the watershed moment that was the 2001 all Ireland final, I was wondering if people could pick their best 15 from 2002 till the present day. This would exclude lads who experienced success under Sean Boylan like Giles, Fay, Crawford and Geraghty who soldiered on. Who would you put on our best 15 of the inglorious years.
It's hard to pick a midfield pair as we haven't had much consistency over the years there. Gillespie looked good but has had his career cut short. Mark Ward was there a good few years but never dominated and lacked mobility. Niall Mcloughlin was tipped to do great things but was also cut short by injury. Other candidates I can think of include Charles McCathy and Brian Menton. For now I've put in Ward and Peadar Byrne which is a slight cheat but I feel I have to get Peadar in there somewhere.
I struggled to pick numbers 2 and 4 but Harrington and King were there in our more successful years in 2007 and 2009.
1. Brendan Murphy
2. Eoghan Harrington
3. Kevin Reilly
4. Caomhin King
5. Antony Moyles
6. Donal Keoghan
7. Seamus Kenny
8. Mark Ward
9. Peadar Byrne
10. Daithí Reagan
11. Shane O'Rourke
12. Graham Reilly
13. Cian Ward
14. Stephen Bray
15. Joe Sheridan
Anyone you think I shouldn't have left out? Brian Farrell? Paddy O'Rourke? Cormac McGill? Any more of the current lads that would get on there?
Also looking at that team if we could pick them all now we'd be a good bet as a quarterfinal or semifinal team but still hard to see us beat a top 3 team as there are still weaknesses in midfield and the wing backs.
LoyalRoyal (None) - Posts: 452 - 05/07/2017 16:32:18
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Replying To LoyalRoyal: "A bit of an aside from talking about the current championship but I've been giving this a bit of thought lately.
Just as a way of remembering all the talent we had during our current dip in success following the watershed moment that was the 2001 all Ireland final, I was wondering if people could pick their best 15 from 2002 till the present day. This would exclude lads who experienced success under Sean Boylan like Giles, Fay, Crawford and Geraghty who soldiered on. Who would you put on our best 15 of the inglorious years.
It's hard to pick a midfield pair as we haven't had much consistency over the years there. Gillespie looked good but has had his career cut short. Mark Ward was there a good few years but never dominated and lacked mobility. Niall Mcloughlin was tipped to do great things but was also cut short by injury. Other candidates I can think of include Charles McCathy and Brian Menton. For now I've put in Ward and Peadar Byrne which is a slight cheat but I feel I have to get Peadar in there somewhere.
I struggled to pick numbers 2 and 4 but Harrington and King were there in our more successful years in 2007 and 2009.
1. Brendan Murphy
2. Eoghan Harrington
3. Kevin Reilly
4. Caomhin King
5. Antony Moyles
6. Donal Keoghan
7. Seamus Kenny
8. Mark Ward
9. Peadar Byrne
10. Daithí Reagan
11. Shane O'Rourke
12. Graham Reilly
13. Cian Ward
14. Stephen Bray
15. Joe Sheridan
Anyone you think I shouldn't have left out? Brian Farrell? Paddy O'Rourke? Cormac McGill? Any more of the current lads that would get on there?
Also looking at that team if we could pick them all now we'd be a good bet as a quarterfinal or semifinal team but still hard to see us beat a top 3 team as there are still weaknesses in midfield and the wing backs." Was Darren Fay not still playing in 2002? Far better than Reilly.
St.Conleth (Kildare) - Posts: 1700 - 05/07/2017 17:26:11
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1.Brendan Murphy
2.Donal Keoghan
3.Kevin Reilly
4.Eoin Harrington
5.Seamas Kenny
6.Anthony Moyles
7.King
8.Shane O'Rourke
9.Nigel Crawford
10.Peader Byrne
11.Cillian O'Sullivan
12.Graham Reilly
13.Stephen Bray
14.Joe Sheridan
15.Cian Ward
grahamc9897 (Meath) - Posts: 1174 - 05/07/2017 17:32:18
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Replying To LoyalRoyal: "A bit of an aside from talking about the current championship but I've been giving this a bit of thought lately.
Just as a way of remembering all the talent we had during our current dip in success following the watershed moment that was the 2001 all Ireland final, I was wondering if people could pick their best 15 from 2002 till the present day. This would exclude lads who experienced success under Sean Boylan like Giles, Fay, Crawford and Geraghty who soldiered on. Who would you put on our best 15 of the inglorious years.
It's hard to pick a midfield pair as we haven't had much consistency over the years there. Gillespie looked good but has had his career cut short. Mark Ward was there a good few years but never dominated and lacked mobility. Niall Mcloughlin was tipped to do great things but was also cut short by injury. Other candidates I can think of include Charles McCathy and Brian Menton. For now I've put in Ward and Peadar Byrne which is a slight cheat but I feel I have to get Peadar in there somewhere.
I struggled to pick numbers 2 and 4 but Harrington and King were there in our more successful years in 2007 and 2009.
1. Brendan Murphy
2. Eoghan Harrington
3. Kevin Reilly
4. Caomhin King
5. Antony Moyles
6. Donal Keoghan
7. Seamus Kenny
8. Mark Ward
9. Peadar Byrne
10. Daithí Reagan
11. Shane O'Rourke
12. Graham Reilly
13. Cian Ward
14. Stephen Bray
15. Joe Sheridan
Anyone you think I shouldn't have left out? Brian Farrell? Paddy O'Rourke? Cormac McGill? Any more of the current lads that would get on there?
Also looking at that team if we could pick them all now we'd be a good bet as a quarterfinal or semifinal team but still hard to see us beat a top 3 team as there are still weaknesses in midfield and the wing backs." Daithi Regan and Mark Ward no chance to pick them!!
grahamc9897 (Meath) - Posts: 1174 - 05/07/2017 17:37:35
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I did say I was deliberately excluding lads who won things under Sean Boylan which would include Fay and Crawford.
LoyalRoyal (None) - Posts: 452 - 05/07/2017 17:54:13
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Replying To LoyalRoyal: "I did say I was deliberately excluding lads who won things under Sean Boylan which would include Fay and Crawford." Crawford player up until 2010 so has to be included ! If you want to drop him then I pick Harry Rooney instead ,
grahamc9897 (Meath) - Posts: 1174 - 05/07/2017 18:08:55
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I wouldn't have chosen Mark Ward over him otherwise.
LoyalRoyal (None) - Posts: 452 - 05/07/2017 18:16:48
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Also I meant Niall Kelly not Niall McLoughlan in the original post.
Daithí Regan was our top scorer in the majority of the games he played in the early 2000's. More than Geraghty would get. Ollie Murphy was mostly injured at this stage.
LoyalRoyal (None) - Posts: 452 - 05/07/2017 18:24:11
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Replying To St.Conleth: "Was Darren Fay not still playing in 2002? Far better than Reilly." He was indeed, as far as I remember Fay played on till 2008. To be fair Kevin Reilly was a very good player but he was dogged with injury throughout his intercounty career.
Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 05/07/2017 19:01:31
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Bit early to be including Harry Rooney, he's played 6 championship games for Meath and we've lost 4 of them. The likes of Ward and Meade rank higher in my books, even if they weren't spectacular.
I'm surprised how nobody has included Mickey Burke, considering he's into his 13th season with the Meath footballers, and has been picked by 7 different Meath managers.
CastleBravo (Meath) - Posts: 1642 - 05/07/2017 19:12:32
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Replying To Htaem: "He was indeed, as far as I remember Fay played on till 2008. To be fair Kevin Reilly was a very good player but he was dogged with injury throughout his intercounty career." Yeah Reilly had fantastic potential. But injury ruined what could have been a fantastic career.
royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 05/07/2017 19:22:26
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Replying To CastleBravo: "Bit early to be including Harry Rooney, he's played 6 championship games for Meath and we've lost 4 of them. The likes of Ward and Meade rank higher in my books, even if they weren't spectacular.
I'm surprised how nobody has included Mickey Burke, considering he's into his 13th season with the Meath footballers, and has been picked by 7 different Meath managers." I would pick him..This guy is a class act!! Will be miles ahead of the players you mentioned !
grahamc9897 (Meath) - Posts: 1174 - 05/07/2017 19:27:19
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Replying To grahamc9897: "1.Brendan Murphy
2.Donal Keoghan
3.Kevin Reilly
4.Eoin Harrington
5.Seamas Kenny
6.Anthony Moyles
7.King
8.Shane O'Rourke
9.Nigel Crawford
10.Peader Byrne
11.Cillian O'Sullivan
12.Graham Reilly
13.Stephen Bray
14.Joe Sheridan
15.Cian Ward" cos centre forward I think not. what about graham or Trevor
meath1977 (Meath) - Posts: 534 - 05/07/2017 20:33:19
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Replying To meath1977: "cos centre forward I think not. what about graham or Trevor" Read the top post then get back to me !
grahamc9897 (Meath) - Posts: 1174 - 05/07/2017 21:01:43
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Replying To grahamc9897: "Read the top post then get back to me !" I read the hold lot hopefully cos will prove you right next Saturday evening fingers crossed
meath1977 (Meath) - Posts: 534 - 05/07/2017 21:42:43
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Replying To CastleBravo: "Bit early to be including Harry Rooney, he's played 6 championship games for Meath and we've lost 4 of them. The likes of Ward and Meade rank higher in my books, even if they weren't spectacular.
I'm surprised how nobody has included Mickey Burke, considering he's into his 13th season with the Meath footballers, and has been picked by 7 different Meath managers." I totally respect Burke for his work rate and drive and he's obviously got something to get picked so often, a much better footballer than I ever was but I think he lacks a certain level of ability with the ball in his hand that would elevate him being picked above the rest.
LoyalRoyal (None) - Posts: 452 - 05/07/2017 21:47:51
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Replying To royaldunne: "Yeah Reilly had fantastic potential. But injury ruined what could have been a fantastic career." It's a pity alright, Kevin can't be faulted for effort though, he done his best to get back playing, probably to the detriment of his own health.
Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 05/07/2017 22:03:16
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1. Brendan Murphy
2. Donal Keogan
3. Kevin Reilly
4. Eoghan Harrington
5. Mickey Burke
6. Anthony Moyles
7. Caomhin King
8. Shane O'Rourke
9. Nigel Crawford
10. Seamus Kenny
11. Joe Sheridan
12. Graham Reilly
13. Brian Farrell
14. Stephen Bray
15. Cian Ward
If only we had a full forward line like that now and Shane O'Rourke at midfield.
BigJoe14 (Meath) - Posts: 932 - 06/07/2017 07:14:37
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Replying To meath1977: "I read the hold lot hopefully cos will prove you right next Saturday evening fingers crossed" He will I think he could be a top player if he irons our the mistakes ! I think he would suit my team as well !
grahamc9897 (Meath) - Posts: 1174 - 06/07/2017 07:37:15
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No way should Mark Ward be there. Still shudder when I think of his own goal against Monaghan! I've also taken the executive decision to include Crawford given that the vast majority of his career was from 2002 onwards.
1. Brendan Murphy
2. Donal Keoghan
3. Kevin Reilly
4. Chris O'Connor
5. Mickey Burke
6. Cormac McGuinness
7. Seamus Kenny
8. Nigel Crawford
9. Brian Meade
10. Peadar Byrne
11. Shane O'Rourke
12. Graham Reilly
13. Cian Ward
14. Joe Sheridan
15. Stephen Bray
If Crawford were to be excluded, I'd pick Rooney simply because there's no one else that really stands out (Menton, Ward, Lynch, ....). Certain positions (like 6 and 11) are very dodgy and just hit home how poor we have been in general during this time.
It would be very depressing to compare this team to the team you would pick from 1986 - 2001.
Ratoath Royal (Meath) - Posts: 1362 - 06/07/2017 08:23:01
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