National Forum

Super Subs

(Oldest Posts First)

Probably a bit of recency bias here but ive been following gaelic games for almost 30 years and i cant offhand think of a substitute ever performing the way McCurry performed today.

Can anyone think of any challengers?

Seniorleague (Galway) - Posts: 160 - 27/06/2026 23:20:51    2682317

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Replying To Seniorleague:  "Probably a bit of recency bias here but ive been following gaelic games for almost 30 years and i cant offhand think of a substitute ever performing the way McCurry performed today.

Can anyone think of any challengers?"
Hard to beat it. 10 points in 25 minutes is motm stuff.

richiepmurphy (Kilkenny) - Posts: 140 - 28/06/2026 11:45:25    2682371

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Replying To Seniorleague:  "Probably a bit of recency bias here but ive been following gaelic games for almost 30 years and i cant offhand think of a substitute ever performing the way McCurry performed today.

Can anyone think of any challengers?"
Barry McNulty in the National League this year with 12pts off the bench against London.

ColmFlaherty (Galway) - Posts: 164 - 28/06/2026 12:19:16    2682377

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Replying To Seniorleague:  "Probably a bit of recency bias here but ive been following gaelic games for almost 30 years and i cant offhand think of a substitute ever performing the way McCurry performed today.

Can anyone think of any challengers?"
And came on in last 20 minutes against Mayo and scored 6. 16 points from the bench in 2 matches.

Saynothing (Tyrone) - Posts: 2873 - 28/06/2026 12:38:11    2682382

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Replying To Seniorleague:  "Probably a bit of recency bias here but ive been following gaelic games for almost 30 years and i cant offhand think of a substitute ever performing the way McCurry performed today.

Can anyone think of any challengers?"
I'd agree but Kevin McMananum would also come to mind and did it at the biggest stage numerous times

Ros2013 (Roscommon) - Posts: 671 - 28/06/2026 12:56:11    2682384

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Replying To Saynothing:  "And came on in last 20 minutes against Mayo and scored 6. 16 points from the bench in 2 matches."
Any reason why hes not starting?

Id imagine yed have won the game if he was on for the full 70.

Seniorleague (Galway) - Posts: 160 - 28/06/2026 13:08:12    2682391

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Replying To Ros2013:  "I'd agree but Kevin McMananum would also come to mind and did it at the biggest stage numerous times"
Yeah he was brilliant off the bench in 11 (both the semi and the final) and 13 but everything McCurry touched yesterday turned to gold, it was an almost perfect performance.

Seniorleague (Galway) - Posts: 160 - 28/06/2026 13:17:18    2682397

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Replying To Seniorleague:  "Any reason why hes not starting?

Id imagine yed have won the game if he was on for the full 70."
Think legs, these players nowadays train far more than years ago. He has a young family and they should be given a break compared to young single men. Morgan, Donnelly, Mc Curry all young families. I'm sure same as other counties. Yes halftime could have made a difference, who knows.

Saynothing (Tyrone) - Posts: 2873 - 28/06/2026 14:30:39    2682404

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Replying To Seniorleague:  "Probably a bit of recency bias here but ive been following gaelic games for almost 30 years and i cant offhand think of a substitute ever performing the way McCurry performed today.

Can anyone think of any challengers?"
Maurice Fitz in 2000 as a supersub is hard to beat

MunsterFan (Kerry) - Posts: 34 - 28/06/2026 15:08:47    2682411

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Damien Comer

hlynch12 (Limerick) - Posts: 200 - 28/06/2026 16:53:11    2682462

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Replying To ColmFlaherty:  "Barry McNulty in the National League this year with 12pts off the bench against London."
McNulty would walk onto most Sam Maguire teams

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20266 - 28/06/2026 18:57:05    2682554

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Kevin McManamon always gave Kerry a scare when he came on

Hurler20 (Wexford) - Posts: 17 - 28/06/2026 20:28:19    2682622

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I'm, luckily, old enough to remember when the term "super-sub" was coined! It was in the late 70's for the Liverpool footballer David Fairclough", and how apt it was!

I'd never seen anybody come near it till Kevin McManaman came along!

Onion_Sack (Dublin) - Posts: 420 - 28/06/2026 20:52:00    2682646

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Replying To Onion_Sack:  "I'm, luckily, old enough to remember when the term "super-sub" was coined! It was in the late 70's for the Liverpool footballer David Fairclough", and how apt it was!

I'd never seen anybody come near it till Kevin McManaman came along!"
Fairclough was before my time …slightly. Solkjaer was a renowned super sub in the soccer code also.
Joe Fallon from Westmeath was a great man off the bench in the Luke Dempsey / Paudi eras.

Jack_Sparrow (Westmeath) - Posts: 1085 - 28/06/2026 21:57:32    2682688

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Jody Devine Meath

hlynch12 (Limerick) - Posts: 200 - 29/06/2026 11:57:37    2682810

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Replying To Seniorleague:  "Probably a bit of recency bias here but ive been following gaelic games for almost 30 years and i cant offhand think of a substitute ever performing the way McCurry performed today.

Can anyone think of any challengers?"
Kevin McMenamon
Peter Canavan (03 and 05)
Maurice Fitz
and the greatest of them all... Seamus Darby

Worst ever Substitute - Padraig Brogan of Mayo on as a sub in 1992 semi for Mayo against his Donegal team mates from the previous year - with the whole Mayo crowd roaring for Willie Joe Padden to come on. Game there to be won - on goes Brogan, Willie Joe left sitting. Donegal tear into Mayo and win the worst game of football ever played in Croke Park.

Does Willie Joe coming back on with underpants on his head in 1989 v Tyrone count?

tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 1994 - 29/06/2026 13:05:05    2682833

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Replying To tirawleybaron:  "Kevin McMenamon
Peter Canavan (03 and 05)
Maurice Fitz
and the greatest of them all... Seamus Darby

Worst ever Substitute - Padraig Brogan of Mayo on as a sub in 1992 semi for Mayo against his Donegal team mates from the previous year - with the whole Mayo crowd roaring for Willie Joe Padden to come on. Game there to be won - on goes Brogan, Willie Joe left sitting. Donegal tear into Mayo and win the worst game of football ever played in Croke Park.

Does Willie Joe coming back on with underpants on his head in 1989 v Tyrone count?"
Captain Underpants. "Will Galway beat Mayo? Not if Mayo have Willie Joe." Can't remember the band.

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 4484 - 29/06/2026 13:17:47    2682842

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Gerry Mcinerney as player manager during Kinvara's fairytale run to the county final around 2006/2007. Would have taken superman to give them a chance against portumna in the final

Overdahill (Galway) - Posts: 144 - 01/07/2026 10:01:51    2683362

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Ole gunner solsjkaer, eamonn taffe,

richiepmurphy (Kilkenny) - Posts: 140 - 01/07/2026 16:34:17    2683487

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Replying To BarneyGrant:  "Captain Underpants. "Will Galway beat Mayo? Not if Mayo have Willie Joe." Can't remember the band."
Hay Wrap by the Sawdoctors

Cbar (Mayo) - Posts: 384 - 01/07/2026 20:45:58    2683523

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