doublechamps
County: Fermanagh
Posts: 34

596843
no but he came on full foward and scored a goal, legend



So by doing that, it doesn't really tie in with the title of this thread then?

Fr.Ted.Crilly (Derry) - Posts: 449 - 23/03/2010 21:11:27    596895

my main comment was referring to his defensive abilities, which is wot this thread is about, but i just thot id say that 2 yeno ;)

doublechamps (Fermanagh) - Posts: 150 - 23/03/2010 21:15:07    596907

Ollie Canning
Tommy Walsh

mondred (Wexford) - Posts: 872 - 23/03/2010 21:18:33    596921

Lacey is an unreal man marker. If you ever see him in action in the flesh watch out for the quickness of his hands in a tackle. He is especially good at judging when the forward is about to solo or shoot. That split second when the ball is in the air between hand and boot, Lacey will have a hand in to pop it away. That said he often doesn't need to rely on this skill as he has judged the ball about to come in and is well in front of his man in any case.

Obviously I'm a bit biased there. Others I admire would be Lynch from Cork, Marc O'Sé, Sean Marty Lockhart in his day was a class defender.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9769 - 24/03/2010 11:48:32    597215

Loughrey is a forward i.e. his opponent rarely scores from play.

Dan_Toal (Leitrim) - Posts: 244 - 24/03/2010 13:31:22    597352

Brain Flanegan Kildare is incredable.

naascilldara (Kildare) - Posts: 54 - 24/03/2010 13:50:57    597374

Brian Flanagan is one of the best centre backs in Ireland at present and still only 24

Willie Nelson (None) - Posts: 972 - 24/03/2010 14:57:00    597459

Karl Lacey,God I just wish we had a few more players of his and Micheal Murphy's calibre. Lacey is a great man-marker, frustrates the best forwards in the game regularly, Bradley, Meehan for example. Speed, ability to read the game and outplay the best forwards in Ireland, Lacey has it!

Donegal_abroad (Donegal) - Posts: 1416 - 24/03/2010 15:29:50    597505

Dan_Toal, that would be a valid point if you ever watched an Antrim game. Loughrey has lined out at WHF all year due to the absence of St. Galls players, even at that he either sweeps or man marks the oppositions main men. But sure what would a Leitrim man know about football..

MacAontroim (Antrim) - Posts: 26 - 24/03/2010 15:42:59    597533

I like Flanagan of Kildare very committed, marc o'se aswell. but from a wicklow persective ciaran hyland is fantastic one of the best man markers in the game and probably should of got an all-star this year for the season he had.

they would be my top 3

Billy4 (Wicklow) - Posts: 134 - 24/03/2010 16:21:12    597580

johnny McCarty and Stephen Lavin from Limerick are both excellent defenders

football first (None) - Posts: 1259 - 24/03/2010 17:06:21    597644

Gary Breen.

ondabutton (Galway) - Posts: 222 - 24/03/2010 17:10:35    597656

JJ Delaney or Tommy Walsh. P Maher not bad either. In Carlow we have a young man named Jacko Rogers. Watch out for him. Top class player.

carlowman (Carlow) - Posts: 1875 - 24/03/2010 17:51:41    597713

Anthony Lynch

frankbhoy77 (Antrim) - Posts: 1300 - 24/03/2010 17:55:12    597720

Ciarán Hyland of Wicklow marked Denis Glennon, Brian Kavanagh, Johnny Doyle, Benny Coulter and Seanie Johnston in last year's championship and qualifier run. He is undoubtedly one of the best man markers in the game. Very few scores came from play came from these 5 sharpshooters in those games. I'm probably a tad biased but I've seen how good he is. However, judging by the comments on here I'm not alone in being biased. A lot of Kildare posts for Flanagan a lot of Antrim posts for Brady.

Wicklowman (Wicklow) - Posts: 1142 - 24/03/2010 19:08:35    597795

I disagree with the idea that lacey is the best defender in the country. He is a top defender but not the best. I read a post that dessie dolan said he was the best he had faced, fair enough, lacey suits that type of player. Stick him in there with the likes of donaghy and he would be swatted away. He is similar to keith higgins, great at marking the quick dangerman, but give him a different challenge and he could struggle. Sean Cavanagh named tom cuniffe as the toughest player he had faced, and i can tell you now he is not the best defender in the country. Its just horses for courses. The best defender is the one who consistent across all types of players.

Anthony Lynch and michael shields are rarely found wanting, as are gareth bradshaw and finian hanley. Tom o'sullivan and conor gormley also. Going on last year's form i would say shields or mike mccarthy

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 24/03/2010 19:09:52    597798

TheMaster
County: Mayo
Posts: 1921

ya i'd have to agree with you about lacey.as dunphy would say he's good but not the best.lynch,hanly,marc o se and gor,ley would be my best defenders.barry owens wouldn't be far off if he was in the form he was in about 2 or 3 years ago

bigman2 (Tipperary) - Posts: 1202 - 24/03/2010 21:05:41    597939

I'm struggling to think of anyone I'd swap Justy McMahon for. Size, speed, skillful, good footballing brain, and definitely Tyrone's best defender now. He has an all-star out of position at full-back, and if Mickey can find someone else to play at No.3 and release Justy to Centre-half, I think people will start to see just how good he is. As for the rest of the Tyrone defenders, Gormley, Jordan and Davy Harte are all struggling now, although McMenamin is still going strong.

Some others, Lacey is excellent, as are Keith Higgins, Canty, Ciaran McKeever, Ryan McCloskey and the O'Se's. Barry Owens was outstanding, and would be my choice as best full-back in the last 10 years, but injuries and illness have set him back.

Thomas Clarke (Tyrone) - Posts: 1002 - 24/03/2010 21:08:25    597946

Sean Marty Lockhart back in his day would have been as good as anyone else, one of the best man markers around as well as being a good reader of the game.

weered92 (Derry) - Posts: 296 - 24/03/2010 21:41:35    597992

Tomás Ó Sé by a country mile

Jimin10 (Meath) - Posts: 783 - 25/03/2010 10:32:04    598104