Irish player of the year

thebaz

With probably the most succesfull season ever in Irish history , and definitly the longest season, finally over ,who bags the boards player of the year.

My choice is Denis Leamy shading Paul O'Connell by a whisker .

bucks73

thebaz wrote:

With probably the most succesfull season ever in Irish history , and definitly the longest season, finally over ,who bags the boards player of the year.

My choice is Denis Leamy shading Paul O'Connell by a whisker .

Ditto

damiand

Its a tough choice but I agree

spanner

Jerry Flannery
but it would be a close run with the two on the first thread

I would say the opposite,O Connell just beats Leamy for me.

spanner

I dont think there was much between the munster forwards going for this position. They all had a brillant year

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

youthacademy

maybe not the most successful year but pretty damn good, munsters win elevating irelands reputation as one of the leading rugby nations, the all blacks actually had respect for us going down there this year.

Player of the year for me is o'connel, beating leamy and flannery because of his leadership skill.

Hippo

POC just edges Leamy and Flannery, especially for Heineken Cup form

thebaz

daveirl wrote:

This post has been deleted.

did "your" munster not win the European cup, did Ireland not win the Triple Crown, did Ulster not win the Celtic Lge , did we not give the All Blacks 2 serious challenges down under .... oh sorry i'm suffering amnesia , i will go for a check up . Thanks.

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

toomevara

Getting back on topic, I'd say in terms of overall infleunce over the course of the season it would have to be POC for player of the year. if you're going on current form Leamy is on fire, and we shouldn't forget the absolute revelation that flannery has been this season, i.e. from zero to hero in no time. What about provincial level? Foley? Contempomi (if only for that beautiful display against Toulouse).....

EdgarAllenPoo

I think Trimble deserves a mention as does Flannery. I can't decide.

mikedragon32

GDM wrote:

I think Trimble deserves a mention as does Flannery. I can't decide.

Agreed.

A fine rookie season from two players who look like anything but rookies.

PO'C for Irish player of the season.

Honorable mention for Gleeson. He'll be missed from the Leinster setup.

toomevara

I'm still not convinced about Trimble, know he's being hamstrung at International level by being played out of position but sometimes, flashes of undeniable brilliance excepted, he looks out of his depth. Flannery never does.

Crash

Actually I really think Trimble's been fantastic. he's made mistakes alright, but just look at the first NZ match and he really did anything and everything he could - in defense he was quick to catch when he was in the right position, and otherwise chased like a mother****er - I genuinely like the guy

CJhaughey

With all the glory going to the men listed above, I would like to nominate the unsung hero without which we would have been ten times worse.
John Hayes.
The man was out on his feet from having played all season for Munster and Ireland in arguably the toughest position and one in which there is no apparent cover in.
With out JH there would be no scrum and therefore no go forward ball, Lose POC and he can be replaced with DOC, MOD, MOK even but lose hayes and who do you put in his place?
is there many other props that lift secondrows single handed apart from Horan and Hayes? this also gives Ireland a huge advantage in the lineout.
my vote is for John Hayes doing the dirty and unglamourous work very well all year.

Eoin

CJhaughey wrote:

With all the glory going to the men listed above, I would like to nominate the unsung hero without which we would have been ten times worse.
John Hayes.
The man was out on his feet from having played all season for Munster and Ireland in arguably the toughest position and one in which there is no apparent cover in.
With out JH there would be no scrum and therefore no go forward ball, Lose POC and he can be replaced with DOC, MOD, MOK even but lose hayes and who do you put in his place?
is there many other props that lift secondrows single handed apart from Horan and Hayes? this also gives Ireland a huge advantage in the lineout.
my vote is for John Hayes doing the dirty and unglamourous work very well all year.

I seem to remember him being the top tackler in one of the crunch 6N matches a season or two ago - if I remember correctly, that is some feat for a prop.

While he has his negative points; not the strongest scrummager and a disappointing ball carrier given his size, I think you make a good point. The lineout jumpers are only as good as the lifters, and he really helps them look good; especially lifting at 3, where you have to react very quickly - in particular on the opposition's lineout when he might not know if he is lifting at 2 straight up, or 4 going backwards.

TarfHead

mikedragon32 wrote:

Honorable mention for Gleeson. He'll be missed from the Leinster setup.

Huh ?

Mentions of Jerry Flannery reminds me of Geordan Murphy's column in last weekend's Sunday Times ..

"so the fines committee have been busy building up the beer-kitty for last night’s party .. On some occasions, it has had to be a cash fine and a penalty. Jerry Flannery was hit hard. His crime? Not only being late for the bus on a night we were heading out for a team meal, but admitting he was late because he was getting his “hair done”. His punishment? To walk down a busy Auckland street, wearing leggings and a skin-tight pink T-shirt with the logo “Daddy’s girl”, honking an air-horn and shouting repeatedly, “My hair is more important than time-keeping.”

Diamondmaker

Leamey immediately sprang to mind when I read the title.

Shocked no one mentioned the Horgo though! Surely a candidate! And his 6N heroics may seal the actual award proper I feel. Not that he even had a bad tour either.....possibly Irelands most consistent performer all season.:cool:
Leamy V Horgo easy.

POC had his bad days...very bad days so I take him out of the running.

As a Leinster man Horgo shades it!

Davei141

Leamy

Tyrone Boy

Tommy Bowe......for his heroics in Paris

[Jackass]

Player of the season: Paul O'Connell
Best Newcomer/ find of the season: Jerry Flannery
Most Improved player of the season: Denis Leamy
Most under-rated player: Shane Horgan (as he's only considerd good by most people, when infact, I'd rate his finishing, defence and strength for a winger as world class)
Most over-rated player: Malcom O'Kelly & Geordan Murphy
Flop of the season: Tommy Bowe

As a season...average.....no real progress...beat a very poor English side...got hockied against the French (if you don't count our come-back against a second half B-string of disinterested players), struggled in games we shouldn't have, were humiliated in the Autumn internationals...and as I said in a previous thread, gave a string of "brave" performances in the end of season tour...only for class, squad selection and tactical astuteness to cost us the game.

Still at square one Eddie...Humiliation against the French in the WC is a given, but can we get out of the group? I think we will....just about, then we'll have achieved and give a gutless QF display....par for the course....new coach time was at least a season ago, but i'm saying this when we're supposidly on a "high"...I'll quote it after the WC and 6N next season when Eddie steps down

Diamondmaker

DubGuy wrote:

Player of the season: Paul O'Connell No POC had several poor games and 1 or 2 where he was anon/awol!!
Best Newcomer/ find of the season: Jerry Flannery 100%
Most Improved player of the season: Denis Leamy 100% 1 of 2 candidates for POC accolade above
Most under-rated player: Shane Horgan (as he's only considerd good by most people, when infact, I'd rate his finishing, defence and strength for a winger as world class) 100% 2nd candidate for POC accolade above.
Most over-rated player: Malcom O'Kelly & Geordan Murphy MOC is ageing, alot of injury end of career, Murphy fair point!
Flop of the season: Tommy Bowe 120% so much better young talent out there, its good that Lewis and Kerney got full game time against good teams...Bowe is history!

legspin

CJhaughey wrote:

With all the glory going to the men listed above, I would like to nominate the unsung hero without which we would have been ten times worse.
John Hayes.
The man was out on his feet from having played all season for Munster and Ireland in arguably the toughest position and one in which there is no apparent cover in.
With out JH there would be no scrum and therefore no go forward ball, Lose POC and he can be replaced with DOC, MOD, MOK even but lose hayes and who do you put in his place?
is there many other props that lift secondrows single handed apart from Horan and Hayes? this also gives Ireland a huge advantage in the lineout.
my vote is for John Hayes doing the dirty and unglamourous work very well all year.

Seconded, thirded and forthed:D
Of course this only IMO, but the Bull has been the single most important link in anything that Munster and Ireland have achieved recently and he NEVER gets the public credit he deserves. The players are all aware of the work he puts in and the gratitude from them is often heard. Just once I would love to hear the Bull get a MOTM award. And as for his bad scrummaging ask Andrew Sheridan about Sale in TP this year.