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Replying To suckvalleypaddy: "Peter Canavan was the "Michael Jordan" of Gaelic football. There was no 2003 Sam for Tyrone without him." In fairness he barely played in the semi final and final through injury.
His contribution was more psychological than anything.
Seniorleague (Galway) - Posts: 197 - 23/07/2026 18:48:25
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OP's team is a good effort
You could easily name 2 teams out of the players that would be in this conversation and there is no right or wrong answer in a lot of cases.
The only certainties for me are Cluxton, Fenton, Mccarthy and Clifford, and I'd be tempted to add Keegan. You could argue every other position.
If Canavan and Moynihan are included in the conversation they are also certainties. Both played a lot of football before 2000, but both won multiple all Irelands in the 00's, and Moynihan even won a FOTY.
These lists are always coloured by poster bias but are interesting to discuss nonetheless
GeniusGerry (Kerry) - Posts: 2123 - 23/07/2026 23:11:21
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Replying To suckvalleypaddy: "Peter Canavan was the "Michael Jordan" of Gaelic football. There was no 2003 Sam for Tyrone without him." Great player no doubt but you're going a bit far with the Michael Jordan comparison. I'd argue - as would many others I believe - that Maurice Fitz was the best player of most of the era Canavan played in. Can't be Michael Jordan if you weren't clearly the best player of your generation.
MunsterFan (Kerry) - Posts: 38 - 24/07/2026 08:51:27
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Replying To Seniorleague: "I like to look back at old games occasionally and one thing i seem to see alot is Paul Galvins shooting was very poor alot of the time.
I appreciate it wasn't his main job though.
Also his temperament could make him pretty unreliable. He got himself needlessly sent off in a big game v armagh in 06 when the game was still up for grabs,albeit kerry still won it well in the end." Galvin spent all his formative years playing hurling in North Kerry.
He was from a hurling area of Kerry unlike the Gooch, Clifford etc who all came from huge football areas.
Past hurler (None) - Posts: 1040 - 24/07/2026 09:50:01
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Replying To MunsterFan: "Great player no doubt but you're going a bit far with the Michael Jordan comparison. I'd argue - as would many others I believe - that Maurice Fitz was the best player of most of the era Canavan played in. Can't be Michael Jordan if you weren't clearly the best player of your generation." Maurice Fitz was great no doubt but the Kerry Centric GAA media over do it a bit and embellish his exploits in the way they wouldn't do for a non Kerry Player.
I think countrywide Canavan would get the nod in that debate from the majority of Gaelic football followers.
JimB1991 (Donegal) - Posts: 239 - 24/07/2026 10:20:57
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Welcome to all the AKAs.
GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 8670 - 24/07/2026 11:22:47
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Replying To Seniorleague: "In fairness he barely played in the semi final and final through injury.
His contribution was more psychological than anything." When he took the ball off Mulligan before he kicked the winning free against their great rivals in the 2005 semi final was that 'more psychological than anything'? He's not called Peter the Great for no reason.
GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 8670 - 24/07/2026 11:37:52
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Replying To MunsterFan: "Great player no doubt but you're going a bit far with the Michael Jordan comparison. I'd argue - as would many others I believe - that Maurice Fitz was the best player of most of the era Canavan played in. Can't be Michael Jordan if you weren't clearly the best player of your generation." Maurice Fitz played on better teams for some of that period though. Poor enough teams at the start ok. Bit like Canavan. Canavan won more all stars, twice as many, both won a Footballer of the Year.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20331 - 24/07/2026 11:42:26
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1- Stephen Cluxton - The benchmark for keepers that followed.
2- Marc O' Se
3- Neil McGee
4- Lee Keegan
5- Colm Boyle - Warrior at wing back for that great Mayo team from 2011 - 2020
6- James McCarthy - Midfielder who reverted to No 6, replaced Cian O'Sullivan, who was a class act too.
7- Karl Lacey
8- Brian Fenton - Arguably the best midfield ever.
9- Aidan O'Shea - Often overlooked, but consistently played at the pinnacle of the game for 15 years and was key.
10- Colm "The Gooch" Cooper - Class player, he even racked up scores in the games lost to Tyrone in the 2000s.
11- Diarmuid connolly - Combination of pace, power and raw talent, brilliant player.
12- Michael Murphy - He was usually double marked for most of his prime years, beast of a player, unbelievable drive and energy,
13- Conor Mc manus - One of the best 3 forwards I have ever seen.
14- David Clifford - Is in the running to be the overall best player I have ever seen so far.
15- Peter Canavan - One of the best forwards I ever witnessed, even in his later years when his pace diminished, he was still so so dangerous.
Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1918 - 24/07/2026 11:51:31
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Replying To JimB1991: "Maurice Fitz was great no doubt but the Kerry Centric GAA media over do it a bit and embellish his exploits in the way they wouldn't do for a non Kerry Player.
I think countrywide Canavan would get the nod in that debate from the majority of Gaelic football followers." Was he as good as the Aeroplane O'Shea?
It s a bit like those millennium teams where lads who two people in the country had ever seen playing when they were small boys were selected.
All in the eye of the beholder. Its as much about who people's favourite player was with obvious county and regional biases one way or the other.
There's a whole pile of Dublin full backs who would be on any serious list for best players and I've only seen Mick Fitz picked and out of position at full back when he was a consummate corner man. No Philly???
BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 4503 - 24/07/2026 12:13:12
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Replying To Commodore: "1- Stephen Cluxton - The benchmark for keepers that followed.
2- Marc O' Se
3- Neil McGee
4- Lee Keegan
5- Colm Boyle - Warrior at wing back for that great Mayo team from 2011 - 2020
6- James McCarthy - Midfielder who reverted to No 6, replaced Cian O'Sullivan, who was a class act too.
7- Karl Lacey
8- Brian Fenton - Arguably the best midfield ever.
9- Aidan O'Shea - Often overlooked, but consistently played at the pinnacle of the game for 15 years and was key.
10- Colm "The Gooch" Cooper - Class player, he even racked up scores in the games lost to Tyrone in the 2000s.
11- Diarmuid connolly - Combination of pace, power and raw talent, brilliant player.
12- Michael Murphy - He was usually double marked for most of his prime years, beast of a player, unbelievable drive and energy,
13- Conor Mc manus - One of the best 3 forwards I have ever seen.
14- David Clifford - Is in the running to be the overall best player I have ever seen so far.
15- Peter Canavan - One of the best forwards I ever witnessed, even in his later years when his pace diminished, he was still so so dangerous." I like Aidan O Shea and everything he has done for Mayo football from minor to present. But Sean Cavanagh has to get in the 15.
Saynothing (Tyrone) - Posts: 2898 - 24/07/2026 12:21:56
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Replying To Past hurler: "Galvin spent all his formative years playing hurling in North Kerry.
He was from a hurling area of Kerry unlike the Gooch, Clifford etc who all came from huge football areas." So was Eamonn Fitzmaurice, who was a fine hurler too, but it didn't prevent him from a being a very good kicker of the ball. There are countless dual players all over the country. That's no excuse for not being a good kicker.
WanPintWin (Galway) - Posts: 2962 - 24/07/2026 12:34:50
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Replying To Commodore: "1- Stephen Cluxton - The benchmark for keepers that followed.
2- Marc O' Se
3- Neil McGee
4- Lee Keegan
5- Colm Boyle - Warrior at wing back for that great Mayo team from 2011 - 2020
6- James McCarthy - Midfielder who reverted to No 6, replaced Cian O'Sullivan, who was a class act too.
7- Karl Lacey
8- Brian Fenton - Arguably the best midfield ever.
9- Aidan O'Shea - Often overlooked, but consistently played at the pinnacle of the game for 15 years and was key.
10- Colm "The Gooch" Cooper - Class player, he even racked up scores in the games lost to Tyrone in the 2000s.
11- Diarmuid connolly - Combination of pace, power and raw talent, brilliant player.
12- Michael Murphy - He was usually double marked for most of his prime years, beast of a player, unbelievable drive and energy,
13- Conor Mc manus - One of the best 3 forwards I have ever seen.
14- David Clifford - Is in the running to be the overall best player I have ever seen so far.
15- Peter Canavan - One of the best forwards I ever witnessed, even in his later years when his pace diminished, he was still so so dangerous." When did Gooch play on the wing? Or Michael Murphy? McCarth a handful amount of times at CB? Lee Keegan a wing back? Connolly mostly wing fowward?
countyman2022 (Wexford) - Posts: 1063 - 24/07/2026 12:45:28
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Replying To BarneyGrant: "Was he as good as the Aeroplane O'Shea?
It s a bit like those millennium teams where lads who two people in the country had ever seen playing when they were small boys were selected.
All in the eye of the beholder. Its as much about who people's favourite player was with obvious county and regional biases one way or the other.
There's a whole pile of Dublin full backs who would be on any serious list for best players and I've only seen Mick Fitz picked and out of position at full back when he was a consummate corner man. No Philly???" Philly was class. The kind of player you hate to have playing against you but you'd want in your team every time. Hated losing which is always a good trait. Aggressive, abrasive, talkative and very underrated for his attacking ability.
GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 8670 - 24/07/2026 12:45:30
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Replying To GreenandRed: "Philly was class. The kind of player you hate to have playing against you but you'd want in your team every time. Hated losing which is always a good trait. Aggressive, abrasive, talkative and very underrated for his attacking ability." Outscored the Gooch in a final! If Mayo can do same to DC on Sunday it will be a cake walk.
I reckon you will win you know. Purely neutral appraisal of where both teams are.
BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 4503 - 24/07/2026 15:58:21
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Replying To Saynothing: " Replying To Commodore: "1- Stephen Cluxton - The benchmark for keepers that followed.
2- Marc O' Se
3- Neil McGee
4- Lee Keegan
5- Colm Boyle - Warrior at wing back for that great Mayo team from 2011 - 2020
6- James McCarthy - Midfielder who reverted to No 6, replaced Cian O'Sullivan, who was a class act too.
7- Karl Lacey
8- Brian Fenton - Arguably the best midfield ever.
9- Aidan O'Shea - Often overlooked, but consistently played at the pinnacle of the game for 15 years and was key.
10- Colm "The Gooch" Cooper - Class player, he even racked up scores in the games lost to Tyrone in the 2000s.
11- Diarmuid connolly - Combination of pace, power and raw talent, brilliant player.
12- Michael Murphy - He was usually double marked for most of his prime years, beast of a player, unbelievable drive and energy,
13-<b> Conor Mc manus</b> - One of the best 3 forwards I have ever seen.
14-<b> David Clifford </b>- Is in the running to be the overall best player I have ever seen so far.
15- <b>Peter Canavan </b>- One of the best forwards I ever witnessed, even in his later years when his pace diminished, he was still so so dangerous."</div>I like Aidan O Shea and everything he has done for Mayo football from minor to present. But Sean Cavanagh has to get in the 15." Cavanagh was a Stephen Gerrard type footballer (to compare with another sport)…all over the field, all action and could score.
yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 12219 - 24/07/2026 16:12:33
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