I know that Ray Cosgrove's last ditch free off the post may come up but the man for me put his demons to rest with his score against Cross in the All Ireland final a couple of years back! A weight must have lifted from his shoulders with his last nail in the coffin score against the mighty men from Cross! I was delighted for aul Razor!

But the wide for me that I always think back on and cringe….It has to be Dessie Dolan's missed free against Meath to finally get a win in the Championship over their neighbours and rivals! Heart breaking stuff for him and his county.A wide that would live with you as a player and as a fan!

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20763 - 23/04/2010 10:19:23    626476

Yep its pretty hard to top dessies one.
For myself (and one of my earliest football memories) its Anthony Finnertys attempt at a 2nd goal deep into the all ire final v cork in '89....can still see it flashing past the post..

mayonews (Mayo) - Posts: 254 - 23/04/2010 11:15:25    626560

...and another Dessie hit the crossbar when it was easier to score against Kerry in Thurles in 2001!

jos33 (Dublin) - Posts: 243 - 23/04/2010 12:32:24    626709

oh my god, yea. that was a terrible miss. felt really bad for Dessie and all the supporters that day.he was kicking great scores that day.when westmeath werent under pressure dessie was always a good player. in his defence though , the angle was hard.
And he missed a penalty in the replay.

Rhodejim (Offaly) - Posts: 2888 - 23/04/2010 13:14:58    626809

jos33
County: Dublin
Posts: 90

626709 ...and another Dessie hit the crossbar when it was easier to score against Kerry in Thurles in 2001!

Jaysus Yeah... He mentions that one in his book!

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20763 - 23/04/2010 13:22:07    626818

Oh god yeah, how on earth did he miss it - the extent of my football playing extends to Junior B and I would be confident! Is it on youtube?

Biggest bottle since Ray Finkle missed that kick.

Pinkie (Wexford) - Posts: 4100 - 23/04/2010 13:32:47    626837

I was in a pub in Mullingar watching that match and the abuse i got when the free was given was unforgettable, they were not long shutting up when Dessie bricked it then! Quite possibly the happiest man in Westmeath that day!!

Boherman (Meath) - Posts: 86 - 23/04/2010 13:33:14    626840

The best wide we ever got was the one that Brian Morley kicked against Offaly in 2004 .The ref gave it and we won.

jarhead (Westmeath) - Posts: 285 - 23/04/2010 13:46:29    626868

in his defence though , the angle was hard.

No it wasnt.I was right behind it that day, it was a relatively handy one.He'd kicked ones a lot harder in the same match .
It was an awful sickner for Westmeath & Dessie. They deserved to win that day, but when it came to the crunch against Meath just couldnt get over the line.

sam57 (Louth) - Posts: 1502 - 23/04/2010 13:55:56    626881

Laces out!

Rhodejim (Offaly) - Posts: 2888 - 23/04/2010 13:56:07    626882

Dermot Earley against Offaly in the championship in Newbridge when we were coming back from 18 points down. He was standing beside the post when the ball rolled across the small square. He turned and shot at the same time and pulled it wide from all of two yards.

doublehop (Kildare) - Posts: 4172 - 23/04/2010 13:57:50    626883

been a few but Dessies is the one that springs to mind as the worst with what was at stake.

PS pinkie.....Finkle?? surely you mean Einhorn!!

bigbardo (Tyrone) - Posts: 22 - 23/04/2010 14:00:09    626888

Conor Mortimer against Galway in Castlebar a couple of years back, unbelievable miss

thebigapple (Galway) - Posts: 5 - 23/04/2010 14:02:21    626890

jarhead
County: Westmeath
Posts: 17

626868 The best wide we ever got was the one that Brian Morley kicked against Offaly in 2004 .The ref gave it and we won.

In fairness Jarhead it was only a foot wide - worst than that are given

maroon2gold (Westmeath) - Posts: 551 - 23/04/2010 14:18:18    626911

Rhodejim
County: Offaly
Posts: 1797

626882 Laces out!

Hahaha Nice RJ... very nice...! "Like a glove"

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20763 - 23/04/2010 14:19:13    626912

I'm looking for Ray Finkle. And a clean pair of shorts.

Great show!

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 10140 - 23/04/2010 14:22:36    626919

Can remember going to see Dublin take on Roscommon in the qualifiers in 2004, and it was followed up by Laois v Tyrone. Shortly before half time (and Tyrone well out of sight) Ross Munnelly lined up a free even closer to the posts than Dessie Dolan's effort, but still managed to put it wide - I'd argue it was a worse wide than Dessie Dolan's, but nowhere near as significant, which is why it tends to be forgotten. Also remember Ray Cosgrove hitting the post from a free directly in front of the posts against Kildare in the 2002 Leinster final (only a couple of minutes after his goal), which again is forgotten about as we went on to win the game. It was a lot worse than his miss against Armagh, but nowhere near as costly. Also Charlie Redmond's penalty against Donegal in 1992 was about as bad as it gets, nowhere near the target.

The mother and father of all misses still belongs to Dessie Dolan though.

Ballboy (Dublin) - Posts: 88 - 23/04/2010 14:46:23    626937

sam57
County: Louth
Posts: 445

626881 in his defence though , the angle was hard.

No it wasnt.I was right behind it that day, it was a relatively handy one.He'd kicked ones a lot harder in the same match .
It was an awful sickner for Westmeath & Dessie. They deserved to win that day, but when it came to the crunch against Meath just couldnt get over the line.

tee hee, sarcasm mate!!

Rhodejim (Offaly) - Posts: 2888 - 23/04/2010 14:51:43    626946

Kevin Moran v Kerry?

Its surely the most famous and repeated wide in the GAA? Its like Pele against Uruguay.

Breffni40 (Cavan) - Posts: 12494 - 23/04/2010 15:01:34    626964

doublehop
County: Kildare
Posts: 29

626883 Dermot Earley against Offaly in the championship in Newbridge when we were coming back from 18 points down. He was standing beside the post when the ball rolled across the small square. He turned and shot at the same time and pulled it wide from all of two yards.

Haha I remember that alright. It was worse because it was so clumsy looking as well!

Breffni40 (Cavan) - Posts: 12494 - 23/04/2010 15:08:55    626973