Beano was a lovely footballer but he was no genius. Loads of talent, a mighty under age footballer but never dominated for the seniors the way big Hughie did, or Ross Munnelly for that matter.

Liamwalkinstown (Dublin) - Posts: 8170 - 23/02/2016 17:47:27    1827571

Mickey Linden was a great player for Down, virtually unplayable against at times.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9837 - 23/02/2016 17:50:02    1827572

Beano a genius?Aghh jaysus this thread has lost the run of its self.What next , Paul Casey - Dublins best ever defender,or Kevin McStay - Mayo's most clinical ever forward?Try and keep it real lads.

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 23/02/2016 18:19:37    1827578

Some guys would have a touch of genius about them on occasion, but wouldn't be classed as genius, most gaa guys named on here would fall into that category. Far too many guys are being named here. I mean we have about 25 gaa players suggested, yet only one tennis player - a worldwide sport!

I think the gooch is the only genuine one we have seen in recent times. Honourable mention to Matt Connor and Mikey Sheehy also.

The best examples of sporting genius I can think of would be Floyd Mayweather and Diego Maradona.

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts:14974 - 23/02/2016 11:38:10 1827420

Yeah I agree we're being pretty liberal with the GAA genius, but it'd be a pretty slow thread if we weren't.

I feel Gaelic games are as good as any game at having moments of genius. Soccer is probably the top in that regard (I'll throw Bergkamp into the mix with my previous suggestions) but I'd rate football or hurling as being better than a sport like Rugby where the game is more about the collective. I'd have thought tennis would be the sort of game that leant itself to creating geniuses but I couldn't really think of many other than Federer.

Baseball surely has to be one of the worst games for showcasing genius.

I don't really know much about boxing although I am a little surprised by Mayweather being proposed. My perception was that he was more of a defensive fighter and that it was his tactical ability that was his main strength. I'm more than happy to defer to more knowledgeable posters on this one.

Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4611 - 23/02/2016 19:03:08    1827593

harsh on McStay there Cue, no genius but a fine fine footballer

Liamwalkinstown (Dublin) - Posts: 8170 - 24/02/2016 10:28:47    1827679

It's great to be alive to see the greatest genius of them all Lionel Messi wow what a player.

The Roc also a genius at full back.

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 24/02/2016 11:06:58    1827689

Liamo come on pal.Beano a genius?Thats laughable.McStay was good.No more than that.He couldn't tackle a fish supper though.'d say he could now though(:

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 24/02/2016 11:13:17    1827692

Cue, re read me posts man, i said beano was a fine footballer, never a genius.....

Liamwalkinstown (Dublin) - Posts: 8170 - 24/02/2016 11:43:06    1827706

GAA
Gooch and Canavan - Connolly the best lately but not up to other 2...yet

Hurling
Shefflin - Canning not even close to him

woops (Kerry) - Posts: 2073 - 24/02/2016 12:12:55    1827718

Exacactly my point; this is a thread about "genius".Beano,like quite a few mentioned here,fall far,far short of this illustrious title.

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 24/02/2016 12:14:40    1827720

Liamo i was actually responding to bigjohn re Beano.Only read ur post there.

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 24/02/2016 12:28:57    1827728

Woops, how could you say canning is not close to Shefflin in terms of being a genius?

I'll be the first one to say Shefflin is the best hurler of the last 10 years, that's because he was remarkably consistent and always delivered. In terms of producing moments of 'genius', I can't really remember any. Canning on the other hand with his backward handpasses, sideline cuts, clever touches, and even the time he kicked the sliotar over from 40 yards just all stick out as moments of genius.

DJ had it too, the goal against Clare in 2002 with the simplest of touches when every other forward would have caught it, the point off the stick in the same game as Ollie Baker looked on from the ground. His long looping handball style hand passes that unlocked many a defense.

begining (UK) - Posts: 323 - 24/02/2016 13:43:28    1827776

In my opinion Canning is a very good corner/full forward. But just in the same breath as Eddie Brennan ,John Mullane, Eoin Kelly, from Tipp were.
To me Canning gets doesnt come close to Shefflin.

woops (Kerry) - Posts: 2073 - 24/02/2016 14:34:31    1827805

I don't really know much about boxing although I am a little surprised by Mayweather being proposed. My perception was that he was more of a defensive fighter and that it was his tactical ability that was his main strength. I'm more than happy to defer to more knowledgeable posters on this one.
Whammo86

There isn't a lot of love out there for mayweather, mainly because of his personality, touch of the ronaldos about that, so we don't hear him get much praise. But there have been lots of defensive fighters down the years. They weren't all-conquering and undefeated upon retirement though. Stand there with your two hands up for 12 rounds and you are a defensive fighter, if it was that easy we would all be doing it. Mayweather was far more than that, it came naturally to him. He knew how to beat literally every different type of attack - other defensive fighters included. He just had it down to an art form; a puzzle nobody could solve. Cut away all the negative stuff, and the guy had this unique ability which seemed to just come naturally; which is the definition of what a genius is.

Bergkamp had a touch of it alright, cannavaro would be another. Funny, I wouldn't really consider messi a genius in the genuine sense of the word, although he is the best player around at present. I suppose it comes down to what you consider a genius to be.

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 24/02/2016 14:44:29    1827814

Berkamp or Cannavaro wouldn't lace Messi's boots ffs , Messi is a genius them two are great players. Floyd is hated cause he always took the easy fights, he never once gambled, his last fight was embarrassing just so he could equal rocky's record. He's a great defensive fighter who never really fought guys in there pomp. He wouldn't fight manny til manny was finished, when manny was knocking everyone out he ran from him for 7 years.

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 24/02/2016 15:14:38    1827823

for me maurice fitzgerald is the only gaelic footballer to whom I would ascribe that term.
I have never seen anyone else kick a sideline ball over the bar from both sides of the field, one with the left and the other with the right.
his skill with both feet in play too was unsurpassed. I think snooker is a totally different sport (re: the Rocket). In snooker you have no direct opponent in play, same as golf. Messi definitely in soccer. I thought Matt Le Tissier was a genius too and didn't get near enough games for England that he was entitled to. i suppose he was a luxury they couldn't afford.

s goldrick (Cavan) - Posts: 5522 - 24/02/2016 17:58:22    1827891

2000s Peter Canavan, Gooch, Padraig joyce, johnny doyle and Ciaran Mcdonald definitely all fall into that bracket for me. Conor Mcmanus, O'donogue or connolly contenders of present day.

halfback_5 (Armagh) - Posts: 13 - 26/02/2016 18:51:58    1828515

Very few defenders here predictably enough, which is disappointing as defenders have to be sharp, and be able to predict their opponents runs.
seamus moynihan comes close imo. He often knew what his marker was going to do with the ball before his marker did.
Laois' Joe higgins was an excellent reader of the game too.

joncarter (Galway) - Posts: 2692 - 27/02/2016 17:58:11    1828658