Best Hurlers in the Past 20 Years

premierstone

padd b1975 wrote: »

Very sad to see Father time catch up on him.
Better than DJ in my opinion.

Not to derail the thread or anything but I can name at least 5 hurlers off the top of my head from the last 20 years who were better than DJ and two of them are from hes own county.

STIG83

premierstone wrote: »

Not to derail the thread or anything but I can name at least 5 hurlers off the top of my head from the last 20 years who were better than DJ and two of them are from hes own county.

Who?

premierstone

STIG83 wrote: »

Who?

We really are derailing the thread but I'll answer this and if we want to discuss it more we can open a new thread, I would rate Henry Shefflin, Tommy Walsh, Eoin Kelly, Brain Whelehan and Ollie Canning as superior to DJ who was a very gifted hurler but overrated and a media darling.

Clareman

As another thread is being derailed I thought it would be a good idea to start a new thread to continue the discussion

STIG83

Tony Browne, Ken McGrath, Sean Cullinane.

lala88

premierstone wrote: »

We really are derailing the thread but I'll answer this and if we want to discuss it more we can open a new thread, I would rate Henry Shefflin, Tommy Walsh, Eoin Kelly, Brain Whelehan and Ollie Canning as superior to DJ who was a very gifted hurler but overrated and a media darling.

Ya DJ was great when Kilkenny played Laois or Carlow was keeped scoreless in some big games in his time. I think the same with the Brogans there good but the fact that there in the papers or promoting something every chance they get the media love them

aidan24326

STIG83 wrote: »

Tony Browne, Ken McGrath, Sean Cullinane.

Who?


Anyway, my stab at best 5 of last 20 yrs, in no particular order.
Considering natural ability, performances and achievements.

* Brian Whelehan
(one of the best all-round hurlers we'll ever see. has to be there)

* Henry Shefflin
(for his achievements and sheer consistency at the top level)

* Tommy Walsh
(as per Whelehan, just a brilliant all-round player)

* DJ Carey
(lacked the consistency of Shefflin but at his best he was magic)

* Ken McGrath
(one of those players that you'd want on your team every time. a warrior)


On pure ability alone the likes of Joe Canning, Johnny Dooley and Ben O'Connor would be close. But taking all things into consideration that's the 5 I've gone with.

aidan24326

Who is Sean Cullinane?


Anyway, my stab at best 5 of last 20 yrs, in no particular order.
Considering natural ability, performances and achievements.

* Brian Whelehan
(one of the best all-round hurlers we'll ever see. has to be there)

* Henry Shefflin
(for his achievements and sheer consistency at the top level)

* Tommy Walsh
(as per Whelehan, just a brilliant all-round player)

* DJ Carey
(lacked the consistency of Shefflin but at his best he was magic)

* Ken McGrath
(one of those players that you'd want on your team every time. a warrior)

STIG83

aidan24326 wrote: »

Who is Sean Cullinane?


Anyway, my stab at best 5 of last 20 yrs, in no particular order.
Considering natural ability, performances and achievements.

* Brian Whelehan
(one of the best all-round hurlers we'll ever see. has to be there)

* Henry Shefflin
(for his achievements and sheer consistency at the top level)

* Tommy Walsh
(as per Whelehan, just a brilliant all-round player)

* DJ Carey
(lacked the consistency of Shefflin but at his best he was magic)

* Ken McGrath
(one of those players that you'd want on your team every time. a warrior)

Sean Cullinane was the last last decent full back to play for Waterford, he retired in 2001.

Plastik

Brian Corcoran

Mountainlad

STIG83 wrote: »

Sean Cullinane was the last last decent full back to play for Waterford, he retired in 2001.

Cullinane wasn't one of the best hurlers in the past 20 years.

Tony Browne, Ken McGrath, Paul Flynn, Henry Shefflin, Tommy Walsh, J.J. Delaney, D.J Carey, Seán Óg, Brian Lohan, Jamesie O'Connor, Ciarán Carey, Liam Dunne, Brian Whelahan, Seanie McMahon and Eoin Kelly.

premierstone

STIG83 wrote: »

Sean Cullinane was the last last decent full back to play for Waterford, he retired in 2001.

I could name 5 better full backs in the last 20 years tbh nevermind 5 better hurlers, Brian Lohan, Diarmuid OSullivan, Noel Hickey Kevin Kinehan and Paul Curran.

Cullinane was decent and yes Waterford have never really replaced him but that does not put him in the company of some of the hurlers mentioned here.

premierstone

Mountainlad wrote: »

Cullinane wasn't one of the best hurlers in the past 20 years.

Tony Browne, Ken McGrath, Paul Flynn, Henry Shefflin, Tommy Walsh, J.J. Delaney, D.J Carey, Seán Óg, Brian Lohan, Jamesie O'Connor, Ciarán Carey, Liam Dunne, Brian Whelahan, Seanie McMahon and Eoin Kelly.

Good list, add Ollie Canning and Brian Corcoran and I think thats pretty much spot on.

SSK

Shefflin, Walsh, Whelehan are the three players from the last 20 years who would get on the best team of all time if it was picked today. They are comfortably ahead of the pack.

After that there is about 20 or so players who would be the top level of players after the three above from the last 20 years: DJ, Kelly, McGrath, McMahon, Mullane, Dunne, Jamesie, Corcoran, Gardiner, JJ, Ollie Canning and so on.

Of current players I would think Joe Canning and Padraic Maher are the two who have enough runs already on the board and are still young enough to get to the level of the 3 men at the top.

premierstone

SSK wrote: »

Of current players I would think Joe Canning and Padraic Maher are the two who have enough runs already on the board and are still young enough to get to the level of the 3 men at the top.

Im not so sure about Joe, I feel we may very well have seen the best of Joe, he hasnt produced anything like he's best for two years and its hard to see him getting back, mores the pity becuse they guy has so much power and natural ability that if he was to reach hes full potential he would be unmarkable.

I would add Noel McGrath and Brendan Maher to the list as potential greats also, Brendan was absolutely immense in the 2010 AI and is probably actually indirectly respeonsible for Cha falling out of favour with Cody such was Brendans performance that day, injury robbed him of the chance to enhance that reputation this year but he is still only 22.

Noel McGrath likewise was superb in 2010 for a guy only turned 20, he wasnt as impressive this year but he was in a dysfunctioning forward unit and did show glimpses of magic.

Pride Fighter

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Nicky English, he played until the mid 90's so was technically last 20 years.

The_Kew_Tour

Plastik wrote: »

Brian Corcoran

+1

How people could leave him out is laughable.

Played well on seriously bad and good Cork teams.

Man was genius.

premierstone

Pride Fighter wrote: »

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Nicky English, he played until the mid 90's so was technically last 20 years.

He did indeed but I feel myself that Nicky was in he's prime from say '86 to '91, thought it would be stretching it abit.

What does suprise me is no-one has mentioned a Goalkeeper considering we have had 4 of the best goalkeepers of all time playing in that era namely Donal Og, Davy Fitz, Brendan Cummins and Damien Fitzhenry.

MrJoeSoap

Goalkeeper: Brendan Cummins
Back: Tommy Walsh
Midfield: Ken McGrath
Forwards: Henry Shefflin

Granted I'm only 26 so its probably more the last 10 or so years, but the four above would hold their own in any era of the sport.

Honourable mentions to John Mullane, Eoin Kelly (Tipp), Tony Browne, Joe Deane, The Rock, Damien Fitzhenry, Anthony Daly, Davy Fitz and many more I'm sure I've forgotten.

Clareman

If I was to pick great Clare players of the past 20 years I would have Brian Lohan, Seanie Mc., Liam Doyle, Colin Lynch and Jamesie O'Connor.

johnnycnandy

Clareman wrote: »

If I was to pick great Clare players of the past 20 years I would have Brian Lohan, Seanie Mc., Liam Doyle, Colin Lynch and Jamesie O'Connor.

Brian Lohan, Colin Lynch and Liam Doyle for sure

Fireball07

I think Shefflin is the best player of the last 20 years. Definitely. But Tommy Walsh, Brian Whelehan, DJ Carey, etc. aren't too far behind. We've had a lot of great players in that time and it's hard to single some out.


For Limerick- Ciarán Carey, Gary Kirby, Damian Reale, Mark Foley, Stephen McDonagh, Joe Quaid, Brian Geary and I'd even include Ollie Moran and TJ Ryan. All some of the best players in their respective positions

It's a pity Shaughs never played at the top of his game for a longer time because he definitely had the talent.


But prepare for a new era to be dominated by Seamus Hickey, Declan Hannon, Shane Dowling, Kevin Downes, Alan Dempsey, Aaron Murphy...

kerosene

Some great chb over the last 20 years. Seanie Mcmahon, Liam Dunne, Ronan Curran, Ciaran Carey, Ken McGrath. There was a fella played full back for wexford in the early nineties, I think he struggled with knee problems but anytime I saw him play he was brilliant, I cant remember his name though.

MfMan

Mountainlad wrote: »

Cullinane wasn't one of the best hurlers in the past 20 years.

Tony Browne, Ken McGrath, Paul Flynn, Henry Shefflin, Tommy Walsh, J.J. Delaney, D.J Carey, Seán Óg, Brian Lohan, Jamesie O'Connor, Ciarán Carey, Liam Dunne, Brian Whelahan, Seanie McMahon and Eoin Kelly.

Sean Og???!!! Wasn't even near being the best player on the Cork team - a real media darling if there was ever one. Curran, Gardiner, The Rock, O Connors etc. all well ahead of him.

Joe Canning, on achievements to date alone in the top 5 - witness his dismantling of a star-studded Ballyhale side in Thurles '09.

PARKHEAD67

premierstone wrote: »

Not to derail the thread or anything but I can name at least 5 hurlers off the top of my head from the last 20 years who were better than DJ and two of them are from hes own county.

Eddie Brennan did it all.Again and again.And no one seemed to notice.The mark of an all-star.And hes got lots of em.

PARKHEAD67

Clareman wrote: »

If I was to pick great Clare players of the past 20 years I would have Brian Lohan, Seanie Mc., Liam Doyle, Colin Lynch and Jamesie O'Connor.

Hello? Earth to Clareman.-Anthony Daly???? Ollie Baker?The Sparrow??

aidan24326

STIG83 wrote: »

Sean Cullinane was the last last decent full back to play for Waterford, he retired in 2001.

The "last decent full back to play for Waterford" hardly entitles him to be in the top 5 of the last 20 years. Did you even read the thread title?????

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

+1

How people could leave him out is laughable.

Played well on seriously bad and good Cork teams.

Man was genius.

Corcoran was good but genius is stretching it to say the least. Not even the best Cork player.

MfMan wrote: »

Joe Canning, on achievements to date alone in the top 5 - witness his dismantling of a star-studded Ballyhale side in Thurles '09.

Joe Canning was the big dilemma for me. On ability alone he's in any top 5. But I tried to be fair (and unbiased as I'm a Galwayman) and pick it on what lads had done over a whole career. Joe is still young and in 10 years time he might be talked of as a great of the game. But the jury is still out on that one I think. Doesn't help that he's playing in a frustrating and underachieving team though.

PARKHEAD67

aidan24326 wrote: »

The "last decent full back to play for Waterford" hardly entitles him to be in the top 5 of the last 20 years. Did you even read the thread title?????




Corcoran was good but genius is stretching it to say the least. Not even the best Cork player.




Joe Canning was the big dilemma for me. On ability alone he's in any top 5. But I tried to be fair (and unbiased as I'm a Galwayman) and pick it on what lads had done over a whole career. Joe is still young and in 10 years time he might be talked of as a great of the game. But the jury is still out on that one I think. Doesn't help that he's playing in a frustrating and underachieving team though.

Joe Canning will go down as one of the greats.Mark my words on that.The lad oozes skill.:)

tippspur

Pride Fighter wrote: »

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Nicky English, he played until the mid 90's so was technically last 20 years.

Best hurler I ever saw.

G S R

premierstone wrote: »

He did indeed but I feel myself that Nicky was in he's prime from say '86 to '91, thought it would be stretching it abit.

What does suprise me is no-one has mentioned a Goalkeeper considering we have had 4 of the best goalkeepers of all time playing in that era namely Donal Og, Davy Fitz, Brendan Cummins and Damien Fitzhenry.

An honourable mention to Joe Quaid of Limerick too, who has probably pulled off some of the greatest saves ever seen.

Stats wise, John Mullane probably comes out as the best forward of the last 20 years (he has the highest rate of scoring from open play). However, I don't believe John Mullane has been the greatest hurler. Shefflin would be out in front by a considerable distance.

In the group behind him, you'd have Tommy Walsh, Eoin Kelly (Tipp obviously), Brendan Cummins, Damien Fitzhenry, Ken McGrath, Brian Whelahan, Brian Lohan, Brian Corcoran, DJ Carey, and probably Paul Flynn, Seanie McMahon and I'd personally add Fergal Hartley too.

The 90s were seen as the "golden era" of hurling and you'd a number of excellent hurlers from a number of different counties.

Other players who deserve a mention, for their contribution to their team would be Gary Kirby of Limerick (not the most skillful but a very important player for Limerick), Ciaran Carey also, who scored what was probably the greatest point ever scored in the Munster Championship, Declan Ryan of Tipp who became the first man to win an All Ireland in 3 separate decades in 2001, Nicky English (good enough to be up their with Shefflin if it was best hurler of the past 25 years), Paudie Maher from the current Tipp set up (the man is already a colossus), Donal Og for revolutionising how goalkeepers operate, Joe Dooley of Offally was also an exceptional hurler but would have done a lot of hurling in the 1980s like Nicky English. Also Tony Browne of Waterford has been very consistent over the past 15 odd years as has Ollie Canning of Galway.

Anybody who mentions Joe Canning is delusional. He has great potential but what has he actually done in senior intercounty hurling? A few points against weaker teams like Laois, Carlow and Westmeath doesn't make you one of the greatest hurlers of all time, and either does a fancy handpass. He's realistically only had one great game for the Galway seniors, and that was against Cork a good few years ago. He's been distinctly average since then.

Clareman

PARKHEAD67 wrote: »

Hello? Earth to Clareman.-Anthony Daly???? Ollie Baker?The Sparrow??

I can't claim the whole Clare team as thes best players of the past 20 years

My reasons for excluding those 3, Dalo was a great captain, but there were 2 better half backs than him on the team. Baker was overshadowed by Lynch. The Sparrow is probably the best corner forward Clare has ever produced but other counties have produced players of far higher standard.

If I was going to include another Clare player of the 90s it would have been Conor Clancy, the amount of work that fella got through, not to mention the abuse was unbelievable, but a lot of Clare people wouldn't rate him let alone people from other counties.

MrJoeSoap

G S R wrote:

Anybody who mentions Joe Canning is delusional. He has great potential but what has he actually done in senior intercounty hurling? A few points against weaker teams like Laois, Carlow and Westmeath doesn't make you one of the greatest hurlers of all time, and either does a fancy handpass. He's realistically only had one great game for the Galway seniors, and that was against Cork a good few years ago. He's been distinctly average since then.

Whilst I would agree that Canning still has to prove himself as one of the greats, you are completely inaccurate in mentioning Laois, Carlow and Westmeath. He has only ever scored 0-3 against Westmeath, 1-19 against Laois (fair enough) and has never played Carlow. From a total of 14-121 that's fairly minuscule, an average of just over 8 points per game against those teams. In fact, in his 3 games against Cork in the championship to date he has scored 2-33, an average of 13 points per game. Against Kilkenny he has 2-11, an average of 8.5 per game. Against Waterford he has 1-15, an average of 9 points. So it isn't as though his stats are being bulked up against the so-called weaker counties.

A lot of what he has done has been at club level, winning three All Ireland's by the age of 22, the first one being at only 17. In the three winning finals he scored 1-25, not to mention the incredible game in Thurles against Ballyhale when he scored 2-4.

I've probably made it sound like he's all about the stats and the points, but as everyone who watches him regularly knows, he's a team player as much as anything. And he has brought the skill level in hurling to a new, eh, level...

I'm not saying he's the greatest of the last 20 years but I certainly don't think people are delusional by mentioning him here.

Mountainlad

MfMan wrote: »

Sean Og???!!! Wasn't even near being the best player on the Cork team - a real media darling if there was ever one. Curran, Gardiner, The Rock, O Connors etc. all well ahead of him.

Joe Canning, on achievements to date alone in the top 5 - witness his dismantling of a star-studded Ballyhale side in Thurles '09.

No Joe Canning should not be in this list...the irony in talking about media darlings and then mentioning Canning.

Club level and 3rd level is only so high a standard, it's really all about inter county!

Also, I've seen Cork play us enough times, and Sean Og was the best of them. I'd have Curran and O'Sullivan next.

aidan24326 wrote: »

The "last decent full back to play for Waterford" hardly entitles him to be in the top 5 of the last 20 years. Did you even read the thread title?????

Where does it say the best 5?

I wouldn't have Cullinane in either, but then it all depends on how long the list is.

Agree Premierstone, probably should have included Corcoran and Ollie Canning, and thinking about now I think Mullane is definetly worth inclusion, should have about 5 all-stars and his scoring rate speaks for itself, he doesn't hide behind frees like Joe!

MrJoeSoap

Mountainlad wrote: »

Where does it say the best 5?

It doesn't, but the OP (wasn't an OP at the time) did make reference to "5 hurlers".

premierstone wrote: »

I can name at least 5 hurlers off the top of my head from the last 20 years who were better than DJ

JFlah

as a Kerry man who loves his hurling ! Tommy Walsh head and shoulders the best of the last 20 years and longer ! Yrs Shefflin a great too but the versatility of Walsh is amazing! my top 5
1 Walsh
2 Brian Whelehan
3 Shefflin
4 ken McGrath
5 JJ Delaney

If joe canning ever fulfills that potential he,ll top them all

On a side note its a pity that hurling in the non traditional counties does,nt get more media attention as they all have the occassional brilliant standard hurler for instance in Kerry Shane Brick Shane Nolan and in the past Christy Walsh intercounty standard in ANY county and plenty more besides

G S R

JFlah wrote: »

as a Kerry man who loves his hurling ! Tommy Walsh head and shoulders the best of the last 20 years and longer ! Yrs Shefflin a great too but the versatility of Walsh is amazing! my top 5
1 Walsh
2 Brian Whelehan
3 Shefflin
4 ken McGrath
5 JJ Delaney

If joe canning ever fulfills that potential he,ll top them all

On a side note its a pity that hurling in the non traditional counties does,nt get more media attention as they all have the occassional brilliant standard hurler for instance in Kerry Shane Brick Shane Nolan and in the past Christy Walsh intercounty standard in ANY county and plenty more besides

I'd agree RE Brick, an exceptional talent. There was a chap from Meath who was nominated for an All-Star one year too, Horan I think was his name.

I'm not sure I'd have JJ Delaney in the top 5. A great hurler no doubt though.

G S R

MrJoeSoap wrote: »

Whilst I would agree that Canning still has to prove himself as one of the greats, you are completely inaccurate in mentioning Laois, Carlow and Westmeath. He has only ever scored 0-3 against Westmeath, 1-19 against Laois (fair enough) and has never played Carlow. From a total of 14-121 that's fairly minuscule, an average of just over 8 points per game against those teams. In fact, in his 3 games against Cork in the championship to date he has scored 2-33, an average of 13 points per game. Against Kilkenny he has 2-11, an average of 8.5 per game. Against Waterford he has 1-15, an average of 9 points. So it isn't as though his stats are being bulked up against the so-called weaker counties.

A lot of what he has done has been at club level, winning three All Ireland's by the age of 22, the first one being at only 17. In the three winning finals he scored 1-25, not to mention the incredible game in Thurles against Ballyhale when he scored 2-4.

I've probably made it sound like he's all about the stats and the points, but as everyone who watches him regularly knows, he's a team player as much as anything. And he has brought the skill level in hurling to a new, eh, level...

I'm not saying he's the greatest of the last 20 years but I certainly don't think people are delusional by mentioning him here.

I may have jumped the boat on the Carlows, Westmeaths and Laois comment but how many of the above scores were from play? Don't get me wrong, been able to put a ball over from a sideline is an exceptional talent, as is been able to convert 99% of frees taken but from what he has done at senior inter county level he doesn't deserve to be mentioned as one of the all time greats. Not yet anyway.

Against decent opposition has stats from play are poor.

1-1 against KK in two games from play
0-0 against Tipp in one game from play
0-6 agianst Waterford in two games (not bad scoring from play I suppose but Waterfords full back line have been worse than poor for the past 10 years
Can you call Cork a top team anymore?

In saying all that, stats can help any argument if manipulated right by the person arguing a point.

Mountainlad

G S R wrote: »

I may have jumped the boat on the Carlows, Westmeaths and Laois comment but how many of the above scores were from play? Don't get me wrong, been able to put a ball over from a sideline is an exceptional talent, as is been able to convert 99% of frees taken but from what he has done at senior inter county level he doesn't deserve to be mentioned as one of the all time greats. Not yet anyway.

Against decent opposition has stats from play are poor.

1-1 against KK in two games from play
0-0 against Tipp in one game from play
0-6 agianst Waterford in two games (not bad scoring from play I suppose but Waterfords full back line have been worse than poor for the past 10 years
Can you call Cork a top team anymore?

In saying all that, stats can help any argument if manipulated right by the person arguing a point.

One of his points against Waterford he kicked over the bar having dropped his hurley in 2009 (should have been a free out) and another was actually wide. So it's 4 points. And he was playing at wing forward against Waterford this year for most of the match which is where he got his scores, but the reality of it is for the amount of ball that came down his wing, Tony Browne was sending most of it back up in the opposite direction.

His performance in 2009 compared with that of Shefflin's in the following game (both marking Aiden Kearney) I think puts things into perspective. You could say it's unfair to make that comparison (in my opinion it actually is) but when he's being talked about in this thread the way he is, and indeed in most other places, than it is a fair comparison and he really doesn't compare to be honest about it. Potential is one thing, but the end of the day it means sweet FA if you don't develop it into actual performances.

lala88

A few from the lesser countys. Shane Brick, Christy Walsh, Brendan O'Sullivan, Michael Slattery and Michael Hennessy from Kerry were as good as anyone ealse in there day.

Don Hyland from Wicklow would be the same. As would James Young Laois, Nicky Horan Meath, Paul Seevers Sligo, Terence McNaughton are just a few others

Utopia Parkway

Joe Canning's full championship stats

2 games v Waterford scored 1-15 total 0-6 from play
3 games v Cork scored 2-32 total 1-10 from play
2 games v Clare scored 1-16 total 1-5 from play
1 game v Dublin scored 1-3 total 1-1 from play
1 game v Westmeath scored 0-3 total 0-0 from play
1 game v Tipperary scored 1-5 total 0-0 from play
2 games v Kilkenny scored 2-12 total 1-1 from play
2 games v Offaly scored 2-7 total 2-4 from play
1 game v Wexford scored 1-3 total 0-3 from play
2 games v Laois scored 1-19 total 1-9 from play
1 game v Antrim scored 2-6 total 1-4 from play

Of course these bare stats don't cover scores he would have created for others (which is a huge part of his game). Besides the point he's far too young to be put on this list anyway. However do this list against in 10 years time and I'm pretty sure he'll be on it.

JFlah

G S R wrote: »

I'd agree RE Brick, an exceptional talent. There was a chap from Meath who was nominated for an All-Star one year too, Horan I think was his name.

I'm not sure I'd have JJ Delaney in the top 5. A great hurler no doubt though.

yeah maybe jj could be debated but still not many better or as consistent Nicky Horan is the guy you are thinking of , superb player , Shane brick back for Kerry next season

aidan24326

PARKHEAD67 wrote: »

Joe Canning will go down as one of the greats.Mark my words on that.The lad oozes skill.:)

In terms of skill and natural ability he's actually the best I've ever seen. Anyone who thinks otherwise hasn't seen him play up close. His first touch and ball control are Messi-like. I didn't include him in my top 5 because I thought other guys had done more. But he's only young yet.

G S R wrote: »

Anybody who mentions Joe Canning is delusional. He has great potential but what has he actually done in senior intercounty hurling? A few points against weaker teams like Laois, Carlow and Westmeath doesn't make you one of the greatest hurlers of all time, and either does a fancy handpass. He's realistically only had one great game for the Galway seniors, and that was against Cork a good few years ago. He's been distinctly average since then.

They'd be wrong yes, but delusional no. This is a lad who was man of the match in an All-Ireland Club Final at 17, who had 2 minors, 1 U-21, 3 club titles and 2 Fitzgibbon Cups in the bag before his 21st birthday.If he fulfil his potential he'll go down as top 5 of any era never mind the last 20 years. Like I said, you have to see him up close to appreciate his incredible and effortless mastery of the ball, whether he ends up on a list like this in 10 years time will largely depend on how Galway do in that time. But he's already the best underage hurler I've ever seen and many would agree with me.

Plastik

aidan24326 wrote: »

Corcoran was good but genius is stretching it to say the least. Not even the best Cork player

Corcoran is one of the best players Cork ever had, and is easily included in this thread.

Texaco hurler of the year twice
All-star hurler of the year once
Three all stars over 12 years, as corner back, centre back and full forward
Given a place on the Cork hurling team of the century
Played 6 years at the highest level as a dual star for Cork making it to All Ireland finals as a starting player in both codes

The man was pure class and played on a lot of bad Cork teams through the 90's. Only for that his roll of honours would undoubtedly have been greater.

flahavaj

Shefflin, T Walsh, K Mc Grath, B Whelehan, N English

PARKHEAD67

Clareman wrote: »

I can't claim the whole Clare team as thes best players of the past 20 years

My reasons for excluding those 3, Dalo was a great captain, but there were 2 better half backs than him on the team. Baker was overshadowed by Lynch. The Sparrow is probably the best corner forward Clare has ever produced but other counties have produced players of far higher standard.

If I was going to include another Clare player of the 90s it would have been Conor Clancy, the amount of work that fella got through, not to mention the abuse was unbelievable, but a lot of Clare people wouldn't rate him let alone people from other counties.

Agree on Clancy. Very underrated.He wasnt the most gifted,but he did a great job at no. 11

aidan24326

Plastik wrote: »

Corcoran is one of the best players Cork ever had, and is easily included in this thread.

Texaco hurler of the year twice
All-star hurler of the year once
Three all stars over 12 years, as corner back, centre back and full forward
Given a place on the Cork hurling team of the century
Played 6 years at the highest level as a dual star for Cork making it to All Ireland finals as a starting player in both codes

The man was pure class and played on a lot of bad Cork teams through the 90's. Only for that his roll of honours would undoubtedly have been greater.

I agree that Corcoran was good, I said as much. I just took issue with calling him a genius. That word apllies to only s very small group of players and tends to be overused. Great player but not in the top 5.

HuntingDrog

my tuppance....

H Shefflin, T Walsh, K Mc Grath, B Whelehan, Tommy Dunne

antoobrien

A lot of guys on here talking about the wrong Joe from Galway.

I heard a story from KK that canning was surprised that nobody paid any attention to him "What have you won?" he as asked - don't know if it's true but it sums up cannings record as nothing but a good minor - we've had a few too many of these in Galway.

Joe Cooney was still playing for Galway in 2000, a true legend from Galway.

MfMan

Hmm.. Ballyhale didn't pay enough attention to him that afternoon in Thurles. They rectified that the following year in Croke Park when they put 2 men on him, though he still scored 5 from play and caused havoc.

It's still so hard to shake the canard that Canning was nothing more than a good minor and hasn't produced it at Senior level; if all his teammates replicated his performances in the Senior jersey he'd have 2 or 3 AI medals by this.

thewildcat

well as a cat i would have to pick DJ, King Henry, Tommy walsh and JJ
outside of kilkenny the best hurler for the last well since he picked up a hur
offalys Brian Whelehan the best ever was some stickman you watch him all day.

also a hurler that was left out Johnny Pilkington outstanding man at centrefield
and was a great man to get a score when offaly or Birr need one in his day.

as for Joe Canning another great hurler he didn't win anything at senior is because it takes more than oneman to win the all ireland.

MrJoeSoap

thewildcat wrote: »

as for Joe Canning another great hurler he didn't win anything at senior is because it takes more than oneman to win the all ireland.

And the fact that he has just turned 23 hasn't helped.