County Freetakers..

Former Great

Had an argument with a friend the other night as to who the county freetakers will be in the forthcoming league and who were the better ones.. I would rate the top five free takers in the country as follows, who would yours be,

1.MJ Tierney-Laois
2.Colm Cooper-kerry
3.Paddy Bradley-Derry
4.Stephen O Neill-Tyrone
5.Cian Ward-Meath

aidan24326

Former Great wrote: »

Had an argument with a friend the other night as to who the county freetakers will be in the forthcoming league and who were the better ones.. I would rate the top five free takers in the country as follows, who would yours be,

1.MJ Tierney-Laois
2.Colm Cooper-kerry
3.Paddy Bradley-Derry
4.Stephen O Neill-Tyrone
5.Cian Ward-Meath

The best freetaker from the ground is Michael Meehan, yet you don't even mention him in your top 5? He's a more reliable freetaker than either of MJ Tierney or Cian Ward.

Pride Fighter

aidan24326 wrote: »

The best freetaker from the ground is Michael Meehan, yet you don't even mention him in your top 5? He's a more reliable freetaker than either of MJ Tierney or Cian Ward.

I'd agree with this. I'd also say that taking a free from the ground is my preference for free takers.

homerjay2005

Brian Sheehan. the lad is class off the groud, over the past few years, he has scored some of the best points ive ever seen off the floor. his points against armagh in 2006 and in 2007 against dublin (60+ yards), are up there with the best ever scored.

and the thing is, he is consistent.

Former Great

Yeah your right lads Meehan is top class dont know how i left him out... Whgat about Cunningham of Antrim or Tony Hannon of Wicklow does vany of you rate those boys..

ForeverYoung90

Mark Vaughan deserves an honourable mention!

The_Kew_Tour

homerjay2005 wrote: »

Brian Sheehan. the lad is class off the groud, over the past few years, he has scored some of the best points ive ever seen off the floor. his points against armagh in 2006 and in 2007 against dublin (60+ yards), are up there with the best ever scored.

and the thing is, he is consistent.

+1

I remember he scored some great points from ground against Galway too in 08.

Underrated imo

rpurfield

Former Great wrote: »

Had an argument with a friend the other night as to who the county freetakers will be in the forthcoming league and who were the better ones.. I would rate the top five free takers in the country as follows, who would yours be,

1.MJ Tierney-Laois
2.Colm Cooper-kerry
3.Paddy Bradley-Derry
4.Stephen O Neill-Tyrone
5.Cian Ward-Meath

once wardy takes them off the ground hes good.not a big fan of frees from the hand to be honest.

Hammer Archer

rpurfield wrote: »

once wardy takes them off the ground hes good.not a big fan of frees from the hand to be honest.

Exactly. I wish he'd take frees off the ground more often ala Trevor Giles. He scored a free off the ground from just inside the 65 in last years league game against Kildare to draw the game.
Another one I'd have is Donal Shine from Roscommon. In the game against Meath last season pretty much every free within the 45 was put over. Ended top scorer in that game as far as I remember.

RMDrive

Perhaps it's more important that he puts them over the bar than whether he takes them from the hand or off the ground? Why should your "preference" matter as long as they are scored?

Former Great

Does Brian Kavanagh still kick them for longford, i recall him been quite good..

Nedved85

Bryan Sheehan is the best atm, lost many a game due to his accuracy underage! Dave Geaney from dingle is fairly reliable if he ever gets a go at Senior level. MJ Tierney would be up there too. Carried the laois minors to an All Ireland medal a few years ago with his free taking.

Hammer Archer

RMDrive wrote: »

Perhaps it's more important that he puts them over the bar than whether he takes them from the hand or off the ground? Why should your "preference" matter as long as they are scored?

He has missed a fair few simple frees from his hand in recent times. At important times too like against Dublin and Limerick last season. The fact is he is more accurate from the ground. Thats what I was getting at.

wicklowwonder

Former Great wrote: »

Yeah your right lads Meehan is top class dont know how i left him out... Whgat about Cunningham of Antrim or Tony Hannon of Wicklow does vany of you rate those boys..

Tony Hannon bottles it when under pressure had two or three chances to beat Westmeath last year and missed. I do not rate him as a free taker I would rather see Glynn or Furlong take them out of their hands than Hannon.

shockframe

Brian sheehan without a doubt.hardly surprising though given what club he's from.

RocketRonnie

wicklowwonder wrote: »

Tony Hannon bottles it when under pressure had two or three chances to beat Westmeath last year and missed. I do not rate him as a free taker I would rather see Glynn or Furlong take them out of their hands than Hannon.

Down????

wicklowwonder

RocketRonnie wrote: »

Down????

kildare? Missed quiet a few in the kildare game too! IMO he misses way to often to be considered a top freetaker that was my point and i know alot people in Wicklow would agree with me.

Stevecw

Yes I know a good few of the Wicklow people think Hannon is a bit hit & miss. Def not one of the reliable ones around.

I put in a shout for Emlyn Mulligan of Leitrim. In 2008 championship against either Galway or Mayo in a game that was on tv, he kicked everything. In the league that year he also had a really good scoring avg. He got injured last year and missed out on most if not all of 2009.
He is back now, and will boost Leitrim big time. Very good free taker, just watch his scores as the league progresses.

Gingy

I would regard Meehan, Sheehan and Vaughan as 3 of the best around at the moment.

Got me thinking about who were some of the best; some of the names that come to mind are Tony McTague, Charlie Redmond, Derek Duggan, Peter the great, Maurice Fitz. Any other suggestions?

wicklowwonder

Gingy wrote: »

Got me thinking about who were some of the best; some of the names that come to mind are Tony McTague, Charlie Redmond, Derek Duggan, Peter the great, Maurice Fitz. Any other suggestions?

Trevor Giles of Meath was brilliant IMO very accurate and very consistant.

Don't know why but I always feel more confident in a guy who kicks off the ground rather than out of hands.

RocketRonnie

wicklowwonder wrote: »

Trevor Giles of Meath was brilliant IMO very accurate and very consistant.

Don't know why but I always feel more confident in a guy who kicks off the ground rather than out of hands.

Meath have had some of the best free takers ever imo....

I think Cian Ward is def in the top 5 in the country at the minute! Just as good from out of the hands or off the ground!
I agree about Trevor Giles who was exceptional!
And even before Giles came along there was Brian Stafford who I would have in the all-time top 5, the man was like a machine!
!

sneem-man

Gingy wrote: »

I would regard Meehan, Sheehan and Vaughan as 3 of the best around at the moment.

Got me thinking about who were some of the best; some of the names that come to mind are Tony McTague, Charlie Redmond, Derek Duggan, Peter the great, Maurice Fitz. Any other suggestions?

Brendan Lynch was my fave...
He seemed to start the ball 10 yards either side of the posts and let it drift over the bar:)
All done with the left foot.

The_Kew_Tour

The best I saw in person was Larry Tompkins followed very closely by Brian Stafford of Meath

Tristram

Sheehan and Meehan definitely two of the top free-takers currently around. Going back in time you could draw up quite a list. Truth be told most counties who have managed consistent success have had consistent free-takers. I know I'd be willing to have my team "carry" a free-taker if I knew he was going to stick the vast majority of frees over the bar.

Likes of Canavan with Tyrone, McConville with Armagh, Giles with Meath, Redmond before them with Dublin, McHugh with Donegal, Linden/Carr with Down, Stafford with Meath. I've forgotten who kicked them for that good Derry team. Kerry always seem to have more than one good free-taker. I'm sure older posters can go back to more greats.

premierstone

Gingy wrote: »

I would regard Meehan, Sheehan and Vaughan as 3 of the best around at the moment.

Got me thinking about who were some of the best; some of the names that come to mind are Tony McTague, Charlie Redmond, Derek Duggan, Peter the great, Maurice Fitz. Any other suggestions?

Declan Browne was a class act, also won most of the frees he converted himself and was equally comfortable off both feet and either off the ground or from the hand.

RocketRonnie

What the hell I'm gonna pick my Top 5....

1. M.Fitzgerald (Kerry)
2. B.Stafford (Meath)
3. C.Redmond (Dublin)
4. C.Corkery (Cork)
5. T.Giles (Meath)

5 honourable mentions:
O.McConville (Armagh)
R.Carolan (Cavan)
P.Canavan (Tyrone)
J.Doyle (Kildare)
L.Tompkins (Cork)

Those choices are based on the last 20/25 years as thats as far back as I can remember....

Tristram

RocketRonnie wrote: »

R.Carolan (Cavan)

Perfect example of a guy who was carried and only in the hope that he was on a good day. If he kicked the first he was golden. if he sent it wide Cavan fans were in for one long afternoon!

Former Great

Just out of curiosity who kicjs the frees for Limerick?

rpurfield

Hammer Archer wrote: »

He has missed a fair few simple frees from his hand in recent times. At important times too like against Dublin and Limerick last season. The fact is he is more accurate from the ground. Thats what I was getting at.

he is ten times more accurate off the ground but it seems the preference in general not just with cian ward is from the hands.donie shine is a very good free taker too id forgotten about him actually

Gingy

RocketRonnie wrote: »

What the hell I'm gonna pick my Top 5....

1. M.Fitzgerald (Kerry)
2. B.Stafford (Meath)
3. C.Redmond (Dublin)
4. C.Corkery (Cork)
5. T.Giles (Meath)

5 honourable mentions:
O.McConville (Armagh)
R.Carolan (Cavan)
P.Canavan (Tyrone)
J.Doyle (Kildare)
L.Tompkins (Cork)

Those choices are based on the last 20/25 years as thats as far back as I can remember....

I completely forgot about Corkery, he was class in fairness to him, pity his career didn't last longer...shouldn't have been sent off in 02 against Kerry and should have got an All-Star that year.

homerjay2005

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smYSxSw5PRo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qU67jVhUqk

apologise for the quality of this video and jimmy magees woeful commentary.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRtkOUsT5eg

superb stuff.

aDeener

brian sheehan might not do a whole pile from play but he is easily the best free taker around

The_Kew_Tour

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cxn8YUDWaI

Loved this score. Makes free taking look simple.

You see some players trying curl the ball from corner flag all for show.

This point is simple and gets the job done. Simple stuff

homerjay2005

adrian280582 wrote: »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cxn8YUDWaI

Loved this score. Makes free taking look simple.

You see some players trying curl the ball from corner flag all for show.

This point is simple and gets the job done. Simple stuff

has to be said, thats f*cking sublime.....

aidan24326

Tristram wrote: »

Truth be told most counties who have managed consistent success have had consistent free-takers. I know I'd be willing to have my team "carry" a free-taker if I knew he was going to stick the vast majority of frees over the bar.

Nowadays it's nigh on impossible to win an All-Ireland without a reliable freetaker. It's pretty well essential. If you were to go back through all the All-Ireland winners of the last 20 years it's something they all had in common.

Meath had Brian Stafford in 87/88, Cork had Tompkins in 89/90, then there was Ross Carr for Down in 91 and Manus Boyle for Donegal 92.

Derry had Enda Gormley in 93, Ross Carr again in 94, Dublin Charlie Redmond in95, then you had Trevor Giles and Maurice Fitzgerald in 96 and 97.

Padraig Joyce and Niall Finnegan for Galway in 98, Giles again in 99. Dara O'Cinneide often took alot of stick but he was a pretty solid freetaker, as was MF Russel in 2000

Then it's Joyce again in 2001. Oisin McConville in 02. A combination of Canavan, Mulligan and O'Neill for Tyrone in 03 and 05, with the likes of Colm McCullagh and Tommy McGuigan slotting in in 2008. In between O'Cinneide was doing the business in 04/06, helped now by Gooch.

I've forgotten who kicked them for that good Derry team.

See above!

Kerry always seem to have more than one good free-taker. I'm sure older posters can go back to more greats

The top teams now usually do. Even if Galway are not exactly a 'top' team right now, we are lucky in having two top-class freetakers in Meehan and Padraig Joyce, while Nicky Joyce is a very able freetaker too when needed.

Tristram wrote: »

Perfect example of a guy who was carried and only in the hope that he was on a good day. If he kicked the first he was golden. if he sent it wide Cavan fans were in for one long afternoon!

Mossie Quinn was like that too when he took the frees for Dublin. If he landed the first one and the got the confidence going and the hill behind him he could have a good day, but if he missed one or two early on the head could drop very quickly. Dublin suffered in those years under Caffrey for not having a good reliable freetaker. Vaugan can be good on his day but his contribution from open play was very hit and miss, more miss really if truth be told.

Former Great wrote: »

Just out of curiosity who kicjs the frees for Limerick?

Ian Ryan, him that bagged 3-7 against Meath a couple of years ago.

homerjay2005

any inter county forward should be able to kick frees IMO. surely, most of them would be the free taker for their club.

Tristram

homerjay2005 wrote: »

any inter county forward should be able to kick frees IMO. surely, most of them would be the free taker for their club.

You might expect that to be the case but forwards who are consistently good from both play and frees are rare enough. Also, some guys who kick great for their clubs cab be nightmares at intercounty level.

aidan24326

Tristram wrote: »

You might expect that to be the case but forwards who are consistently good from both play and frees are rare enough. Also, some guys who kick great for their clubs cab be nightmares at intercounty level.

That's true. Taking Mossie Quinn that I mentioned above, I saw a number of St.Vincents games on their way to the Dublin and All-Ireland club titles and Mossie rarely missed a free, so there was nothing wrong with his technical ability. I guess at county level there's that bit more pressure, the big crowd, the big occasion etc. Even with nerves of steel kicking a free in Croke Park in front of 60 or 70,000 people would have to give you the jitters just a bit. Not quite as much pressure when it's a club game in front of a much smaller crowd.

cjpm

Former Great wrote: »

Had an argument with a friend the other night as to who the county freetakers will be in the forthcoming league and who were the better ones.. I would rate the top five free takers in the country as follows, who would yours be,

1.MJ Tierney-Laois
2.Colm Cooper-kerry
3.Paddy Bradley-Derry
4.Stephen O Neill-Tyrone
5.Cian Ward-Meath

Cooper????

It seems to me that he kicks the easy ones and Bryan Sheehan takes the rest..... (and Sheehan puts a huge percentage of them over the bar too)

aidan24326

cjpm wrote: »

Cooper????

It seems to me that he kicks the easy ones and Bryan Sheehan takes the rest..... (and Sheehan puts a huge percentage of them over the bar too)

That's true, Cooper is accurate and reliable with the frees he takes but he generaly only takes them from in and around the 30 yard zone, and only from his own side. So while he's a solid freetaker within the context of what he does, he doesn't really deserve inclusion in a top 5 considering that the likes of Meeehan and Sheehan can belt them over from all sorts of angles and distances with a high rate of success.