Football's most beautiful players to watch in past 20 years

seligehgit

PressRun wrote: »

I think I'd still have Conor McManus as the best forward in the game. Doesn't have thr luxury of playing for a Kerry or a Dublin, and as such is often the sole bearer of scoring responsibilities for Monaghan, Some of thr scores he gets are outrageous given how targeted he is and given he regularly plays against some of the most stifling defences in the country. I'd take him to Mayo in a heartbeat if there was a transfer market in GAA.

For me Conor McManus is hands down the most complete forward in the game.

DoctaDee

robbiezero wrote: »

The greatest robbery of a man of the match I think I have ever seen was O Donoghue getting it instead of him in the Mayo replay.

Aye, that was the moment I realised he was a shoe-in for FOTY

DoctaDee

keane2097 wrote: »

There has been so much skullduggery involved in those MOTM selections over the last couple of years it's hilarious. Easy money for the lads.

I seem to remember JOD getting MOTM (possibly the drawn game v Cork) .. basically for running around. He's far from the only undeserved recipient, and much like the others I'm sure his crystal sits proudly in the bottom of some cardboard box

Stoner

DoctaDee wrote:

It's all opinion I know - but David Moran to me was the standout player for Kerry that year -

Yeah he was fantastic that year. He was considered the best midfielder in the country in 2014

keane2097

He is a really lovely player to watch when on form also.

DoctaDee

Stoner wrote: »

Yeah he was fantastic that year. He was considered the best midfielder in the country in 2014

Many, myself included would've had him as the best footballer in the country that year, his performance in the semi replay is about as good as it gets.

I used a stat from that game (memory has dulled a bit) to coach the importance of working off the ball and it concerned Morans 30 odd possessions which was phenomenal in its own right - but the context was basically if he carried the ball for at max 5 mins in the game (30 x 10 secs) what did he do for the other 65 mins - the lads reviewed the game on that basis - and that's when Morans true greatness that day shone out ...

Edit .. Just remembering the game went to ET, but the point stands re his workrate

Dots1982

Noel Hegarty, Brendan Devenney, Kevin O'Neill, James Kavanagh were good players to watch that aren't on the list.

robbiezero

DoctaDee wrote: »

Many, myself included would've had him as the best footballer in the country that year, his performance in the semi replay is about as good as it gets.

I used a stat from that game (memory has dulled a bit) to coach the importance of working off the ball and it concerned Morans 30 odd possessions which was phenomenal in its own right - but the context was basically if he carried the ball for at max 5 mins in the game (30 x 10 secs) what did he do for the other 65 mins - the lads reviewed the game on that basis - and that's when Morans true greatness that day shone out ...

Edit .. Just remembering the game went to ET, but the point stands re his workrate

Think he had 46 possessions in total in that game. Serious work rate.

castletownman

While I would just about agree that Diarmuid Connolly warrants a place in this thread, I feel people over-hype him as well.

In arguably the greatest team of all-time, his influence has been more detrimental than defining.

In the three semi-finals in AI winning years, he got sent off in THAT game vs Donegal in 2011, and was involved in that whole fiasco last year vs Mayo. Okay scored four points in that epic game with Kerry, but was hardly the catalyst for the Dubs winning through. Probably his best ever display was in the 2014 game vs Donegal.

He has only managed one point in the three AI finals he has played in also. Hardly the barometer of a clutch player, and perhaps highlights his lack of mental fortitude when the pressure is at it's highest.

A joy to watch when on his game, and a good exponent of all the skills of the game, but Paul Flynn, Bernard Brogan, Ciaran Kilkenny and the under appreciated Paddy Andrews have all been more important forwards for the Dubs when push has come to shove.

flasher0030

castletownman wrote: »

While I would just about agree that Diarmuid Connolly warrants a place in this thread, I feel people over-hype him as well.

In arguably the greatest team of all-time, his influence has been more detrimental than defining.

In the three semi-finals in AI winning years, he got sent off in THAT game vs Donegal in 2011, and was involved in that whole fiasco last year vs Mayo. Okay scored four points in that epic game with Kerry, but was hardly the catalyst for the Dubs winning through. Probably his best ever display was in the 2014 game vs Donegal.

He has only managed one point in the three AI finals he has played in also. Hardly the barometer of a clutch player, and perhaps highlights his lack of mental fortitude when the pressure is at it's highest.

A joy to watch when on his game, and a good exponent of all the skills of the game, but Paul Flynn, Bernard Brogan, Ciaran Kilkenny and the under appreciated Paddy Andrews have all been more important forwards for the Dubs when push has come to shove.

The thread is about the most beautiful players to watch. Not about the most important. Diarmuid Connolly's style is as graceful as a swan - the other 3 don't compare on that level.

robbiezero

castletownman wrote: »

While I would just about agree that Diarmuid Connolly warrants a place in this thread, I feel people over-hype him as well.

In arguably the greatest team of all-time, his influence has been more detrimental than defining.

In the three semi-finals in AI winning years, he got sent off in THAT game vs Donegal in 2011, and was involved in that whole fiasco last year vs Mayo. Okay scored four points in that epic game with Kerry, but was hardly the catalyst for the Dubs winning through. Probably his best ever display was in the 2014 game vs Donegal.

He has only managed one point in the three AI finals he has played in also. Hardly the barometer of a clutch player, and perhaps highlights his lack of mental fortitude when the pressure is at it's highest.

A joy to watch when on his game, and a good exponent of all the skills of the game, but Paul Flynn, Bernard Brogan, Ciaran Kilkenny and the under appreciated Paddy Andrews have all been more important forwards for the Dubs when push has come to shove.

Wouldn't agree there. Paddy Andrews had a good final last year, but has played in way too few important games to judge. Kilkenny can be hot and cold every bit as much as Connolly, Flynn had one superb year and has been patchy otherwise, but overall Connolly has been better, Brogan has been mostly very good for the Dubs and is a scoring machine.

corny

castletownman wrote: »

While I would just about agree that Diarmuid Connolly warrants a place in this thread, I feel people over-hype him as well.

In arguably the greatest team of all-time, his influence has been more detrimental than defining.

In the three semi-finals in AI winning years, he got sent off in THAT game vs Donegal in 2011, and was involved in that whole fiasco last year vs Mayo. Okay scored four points in that epic game with Kerry, but was hardly the catalyst for the Dubs winning through. Probably his best ever display was in the 2014 game vs Donegal.

He has only managed one point in the three AI finals he has played in also. Hardly the barometer of a clutch player, and perhaps highlights his lack of mental fortitude when the pressure is at it's highest.

A joy to watch when on his game, and a good exponent of all the skills of the game, but Paul Flynn, Bernard Brogan, Ciaran Kilkenny and the under appreciated Paddy Andrews have all been more important forwards for the Dubs when push has come to shove.

Getting carried away there and i think you're relying too much on Wikipedia to form your opinion. No he's not Bernard Brogan but to even hint that he goes missing in big games is scandalous. Gets on as much ball as anyone else for Dublin in big games, more when it really matters in the last 10 minutes if memory serves.

He goes missing in one sided Leinster games sometimes, thats true. In the important ones he works his bollox off and shows for the ball when he's needed most. In all three finals for Dublin he's been excellent. Looking through points scoring stats won't tell you that but he has.

Yeah he scored 7 points from play against a Tyrone team and produced a virtuoso display in a club final but because he doesn't match that week in week out doesn't make him a liability.

Harshly judged because of his supposed immense talent imo. That and because he's probably a bollox.;)

TCDStudent1

castletownman wrote: »

While I would just about agree that Diarmuid Connolly warrants a place in this thread, I feel people over-hype him as well.

In arguably the greatest team of all-time, his influence has been more detrimental than defining.

In the three semi-finals in AI winning years, he got sent off in THAT game vs Donegal in 2011, and was involved in that whole fiasco last year vs Mayo. Okay scored four points in that epic game with Kerry, but was hardly the catalyst for the Dubs winning through. Probably his best ever display was in the 2014 game vs Donegal.

He has only managed one point in the three AI finals he has played in also. Hardly the barometer of a clutch player, and perhaps highlights his lack of mental fortitude when the pressure is at it's highest.

A joy to watch when on his game, and a good exponent of all the skills of the game, but Paul Flynn, Bernard Brogan, Ciaran Kilkenny and the under appreciated Paddy Andrews have all been more important forwards for the Dubs when push has come to shove.

In that Kerry match where you say he wasn't the catalyst, that's the match in 2013? The one where Dublin had a free on the right hand side where Connolly stepped up, told cluxton to stay where he was and then put it over with his left foot. For me, that was one of the most mentally strong things I've seen a player do - he'd have been completely slaughtered if he'd missed that and Dublin lost the match.

Dots1982

Flynn patchy, no, not having that, he won 4 all stars in a row didn't he? I'm not a dub.

DoctaDee

TCDStudent1 wrote: »

In that Kerry match where you say he wasn't the catalyst, that's the match in 2013? The one where Dublin had a free on the right hand side where Connolly stepped up, told cluxton to stay where he was and then put it over with his left foot. For me, that was one of the most mentally strong things I've seen a player do - he'd have been completely slaughtered if he'd missed that and Dublin lost the match.

One of the great games of the modern era - I've rewatched that more often than any other - DC apart from that free, he also tagged on the insurance point after the goal. Good aul Colm O'Rourke in the aftermath "Dublin are the Brazil of Gaelic Football".

Jippo

DoctaDee wrote: »

One of the great games of the modern era - I've rewatched that more often than any other.

I watch the first half again and again.

Occasionally I watch up to the 68th minute to see Declan O'Sullivan narrowly fail to put us in front.

I never watch past that... but joking aside it was an incredible game and it was OK to lose to the better side overall.

Dirty Dingus McGee

mickeyk wrote: »

Speaking of defenders Declan Meehan was another class half back. Used to love watching him bomb forward. He could take a score too.

Marc o se was also very stylish and it's a pity he spent the majority of his inter county career out of position in the full back line. Seamus Moynihan also suffered the same fate. Was criminal to see him stuck at full back given what he could do further up the field.

Declan Meehans goal in the 2000 AI final replay is the greatest goal of all time in my opinion.

Brilliant team play and a great finish from Meehan, It was football at it's best.

Jayop

Dirty Dingus McGee wrote: »

Declan Meehans goal in the 2000 AI final replay is the greatest goal of all time in my opinion.

Brilliant team play and a great finish from Meehan, It was football at it's best.

I'm absolutely bias but Mulligan Vs Dublin was unquestionably the greatest.

https://youtu.be/wrRPx0v8VhU

ArnoldJRimmer

Jayop wrote: »

I'm absolutely bias but Mulligan Vs Dublin was unquestionably the greatest.

https://youtu.be/wrRPx0v8VhU

Outside of Donegal games, this is probably my favourite goal of all time

DDC1990

My favourite was Cooper vs Mayo 2004. A beauty, glided past the defenders.

That or Maurice Fitz vs Armagh 2000. Soloed with the right finished with the left. Left the Keeper and Defenders in a right muddle.

Thomas Flynn (I think) got a great goal against Kerry in 2014 where he drove forward from defence and hammered it home.

Mulligan's goal has to be the best though. Class.

keane2097

I'm in a rough spot with that Mulligan goal.

A fundamental misunderstanding of the rules had me always convinced that Mulligan fouled the ball not once but twice before he buries. Years later I discovered of course that I was totally wrong and it's a perfectly legitimate goal, but I'm stuck with the lingering animus of the first impression and don't feel like I get to appreciate it fully

JOD's goal against Galway last year was an absolute ripper if we're straying off the topic a bit.

Jayop

keane2097 wrote: »

I'm in a rough spot with that Mulligan goal.

A fundamental misunderstanding of the rules had me always convinced that Mulligan fouled the ball not once but twice before he buries. Years later I discovered of course that I was totally wrong and it's a perfectly legitimate goal, but I'm stuck with the lingering animus of the first impression and don't feel like I get to appreciate it fully

JOD's goal against Galway last year was an absolute ripper if we're straying off the topic a bit.

Yeah it's oft been said that he fouled the ball and I'd need someone better in touch with the finer details of ball handling than to me to explain why he didn't in this instance. Still when I was sat above in the Hogan surrounded by Dubs you can rest assured I wasn't too bothered about those details at the time. That game (or possibly the replay) is the greatest memory I have from being at a match, the game, the scoreline, the banter, the goal, everything. Football perfection.

keane2097

Jayop wrote: »

Yeah it's oft been said that he fouled the ball and I'd need someone better in touch with the finer details of ball handling than to me to explain why he didn't in this instance. Still when I was sat above in the Hogan surrounded by Dubs you can rest assured I wasn't too bothered about those details at the time. That game (or possibly the replay) is the greatest memory I have from being at a match, the game, the scoreline, the banter, the goal, everything. Football perfection.

Oh yeah it's simple enough - you can switch hands as long as the original hand is touching the ball until the other one takes it, i.e. you just can't throw the ball from one hand to the other. You have to hop or solo then before you can do it again. Mulligan is textbook on the correct way to do it here.

Dirty Dingus McGee

Jayop wrote: »

I'm absolutely bias but Mulligan Vs Dublin was unquestionably the greatest.

https://youtu.be/wrRPx0v8VhU

Great goal alright.

Still slightly favour Meehans though as it was a brilliant team move.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jN4YLAYxork

The Galway team from 1998-2001 are one of the most underappreciated great teams of all time.

The pure footballing talent they had during that period was off the charts.