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Who Is Considered The Greatest Football Player Of All Time?

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Replying To Pope_Benedict: "The irony of that observation is that imo Tommy Walsh was an iconic no5, and I wouldn't attach legendary status to him in any other position, playing for KK. Tommy Walsh's 'multipositionallstars' tells you more about the 'fiddling about' that frequently occurs with all-star selections, than it tells you about Tommy Walsh's achievements for KK in positions other than no5." Ah no he won all stars playing in different lines. Fairly sure Brick Walsh did too Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 12057 - 11/05/2023 15:44:47 2477661 Link
For me , Maurice Fitz, followed by Greg Blaney I diddent get to see Sean O Neill play but talking to great players up and down the country they all say he was different class germac (Down) - Posts: 535 - 11/05/2023 20:26:41 2477738 Link
Replying To foreveryoung: "Indeed. Lowry was a great footballer, one of my favorites. I think Paudie Lynch is the only football player to have won All-star awards in three different positions (mid-field, half-back, and corner-back). He was a mighty forward as a minor, too, kicking 2-11 one night against Cork. In hurling, Tommy Walsh has won all-stars in three different positions, also." Paudie Lynch was some player alright Forever. He played corner back full back half back centre back midfield centre forward for Kerry. Hard tough and a fine fielder. He played 3 years as a minor and 5 years u21 for Kerry. Some man for one man. CiarraiMick (Dublin) - Posts: 3678 - 11/05/2023 23:46:17 2477757 Link
football not hurling is the thread mickcunningham (Westmeath) - Posts: 1806 - 12/05/2023 08:16:08 2477762 Link
Replying To royaldunne: "Unbelievable that Graham geraghty isn't on anyone's list. The only player to win an all star in both backs and forwards. (And not just to accommodate but actually deserved) with the most natural skills ever seen. Matt Connor would be the closest to him that I ever seen." The only Meath man maybe to do so but there are other players and counties outside of Meath who also play intercounty GAA!! Off the top of my head I'm pretty sure recent ones are Ryan Mchugh, Peter Harte and Brian Howard but I stand to be corrected. I'm sure there's a bucketful more. tiobraid (Tipperary) - Posts: 4119 - 12/05/2023 09:27:22 2477770 Link
Replying To CiarraiMick: "Paudie Lynch was some player alright Forever. He played corner back full back half back centre back midfield centre forward for Kerry. Hard tough and a fine fielder. He played 3 years as a minor and 5 years u21 for Kerry. Some man for one man." Nearly every player on the field plays all of those positions now, and in the same game too. Some man for one man, Jim McGuinness. Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 3460 - 12/05/2023 10:26:17 2477789 Link
Replying To Canuck: "You could go with a long list and find it difficult to narrow down to one. Usually people will gauge it on All-Irelands which is a lazy way of ignoring greats who don't have any." Impossible to pick one. I watched Sean Purcell, Frank Stockwell, John Donnellan, John Keenan, Galway; Paddy Casey, Peter Nolan, Matt Connor, Offaly; Mickey Kerins, Sligo; Packy McGarty, Leitrim; Declan Browne, Tipp; Niall Cahillane, Larry Tompkins, Cork (Kildare); John Galvin, Limerick, Frank McGuigan, Tyrone; Dermot Early; and I could name at least fifty more who were outstanding. How can you judge? What yardstick would you use? I will however pick some that I would have on my team: Cluxton, John O'Keeffe for his versatility, full-back mainly on the county team but watch him at centre-half back at age 19 in the All-Ireland final v Meath, brilliant mid-fielder; Sean Murphy (Kerry) was the best right-half back I ever watched; Jack O'Shea for his boundless energy; John Egan (Kerry) for winning the tough ball and scoring ability; Michael Murphy (Donegal) for what he brought to every game, heart. Gaa Fan (USA) - Posts: 749 - 12/05/2023 16:03:53 2477920 Link
It's impossible to call any one player due to many factors; the era in which they played, the position in which they played (much changed now), the county they are from (e.g. Kerry players played at high level so good players from weak counties did not get to shine that often) so it's all a matter of opinion. I'm putting on my slightly biased hat here I that I seen thi player playing quite often for club and County and seeing Paul Barden going on those lightening solo runs and burying the ball in the net was a sight to behold. Inatfullforward (Longford) - Posts: 93 - 13/05/2023 10:39:45 2478008 Link
Just keeping this to players I saw in the flesh, thought Jack O' Shea was a wonderful player & to be fair didn't pull dirty strokes. Made scores, took scores, & had huge stamina to cover acres of ground linking defense with that lethal Kerry foward line. St.Mologga (Cork) - Posts: 108 - 13/05/2023 10:54:42 2478014 Link
Peter Canavan is the best I ever saw. He was the difference between winning and losing games. suckvalleypaddy (Galway) - Posts: 1672 - 13/05/2023 11:02:22 2478016 Link
Easy answer, Matt Connor. A scoring average of 7.0. As a comparison , Gooch = 4.1, Bernard Brogan 4.4, Conor McManus = 4.5. Amazing player, perfectly balanced, could do it all, and carried a small county to an All Ireland in an era where they were up against one of the great all time teams. Career cut tragically short. Malonemagic (Laois) - Posts: 767 - 13/05/2023 11:36:08 2478022 Link
Replying To Inatfullforward: "It's impossible to call any one player due to many factors; the era in which they played, the position in which they played (much changed now), the county they are from (e.g. Kerry players played at high level so good players from weak counties did not get to shine that often) so it's all a matter of opinion. I'm putting on my slightly biased hat here I that I seen thi player playing quite often for club and County and seeing Paul Barden going on those lightening solo runs and burying the ball in the net was a sight to behold." Every County Down through the years always had a few exceptional players who we often wondered how they would have fitted in on the so called great teams of that particular era. Maybe that's why the Railway Cup was so special back in the day . Breffni1969 (Cavan) - Posts: 510 - 13/05/2023 11:47:31 2478025 Link
Just watched the U20 final and to be honest it wasn't great quality.. Young lads in their absolute prime playing safety football. Its sad really that they are forced to play under so much restriction. Hence no major stand out performces.. On that note wouldn't it be great to watch a video with of clips of these great players down through the years... Hint hint to you tech savvy people Inatfullforward (Longford) - Posts: 93 - 13/05/2023 15:20:24 2478069 Link
Replying To Inatfullforward: "Just watched the U20 final and to be honest it wasn't great quality.. Young lads in their absolute prime playing safety football. Its sad really that they are forced to play under so much restriction. Hence no major stand out performces.. On that note wouldn't it be great to watch a video with of clips of these great players down through the years... Hint hint to you tech savvy people" People can't blame Micky Harte or Jim Mc Guinness on that, they weren't even there. Saynothing (Tyrone) - Posts: 2017 - 13/05/2023 16:12:56 2478079 Link
Replying To Oldtourman: "Your own Harry was by far a better footballer than his namesake Lee ever was and had a massively long career as well. Best Corner Back I ever saw by a country mile." Good call. Harry Keegan of Castlerea and Roscommon was one of the best corner backs to play the game. endgame (Roscommon) - Posts: 2174 - 13/05/2023 17:03:28 2478088 Link
Replying To Malonemagic: "Easy answer, Matt Connor. A scoring average of 7.0. As a comparison , Gooch = 4.1, Bernard Brogan 4.4, Conor McManus = 4.5. Amazing player, perfectly balanced, could do it all, and carried a small county to an All Ireland in an era where they were up against one of the great all time teams. Career cut tragically short." I would agree Matt Connor at his prime was probably the greatest footballer in the last 50 years. tireoghainabu (Tyrone) - Posts: 276 - 13/05/2023 17:19:31 2478091 Link
Replying To togoutlads: "Darren Fay was good alright, until he met Padraic Joyce! Padraic took him to the cleaners in the 2001 AI final with a 10 point tally, 9 of them in an unbelievable second half performance. (He fluffed an open goal chance too!) Fay had never encountered anything like it." Ehmmm-best watch the tape again. Fay switched with Mark O Reilly during the game and most of his points came off O Reilly marking him. But Joyce was outstanding! bogger from meath (Meath) - Posts: 226 - 13/05/2023 17:34:30 2478093 Link
Meath's Mickey Burke, no question Mayo52 (Mayo) - Posts: 44 - 13/05/2023 17:56:00 2478099 Link
Peter Canavan.. as hard as it is to say it. ardmhacha (Armagh) - Posts: 172 - 13/05/2023 18:15:05 2478101 Link
Replying To ardmhacha: "Peter Canavan.. as hard as it is to say it." Was Canavan not just a poor mans Owen Mulligan? Onion_Sack (Dublin) - Posts: 203 - 13/05/2023 20:06:54 2478126 Link