The Greatest Achievement In GAA History

Rosita

Deleted User wrote: »

Hurling requires far more skill to play so... Kilkenny by default.

By that logic, on the face of it winning a World Snooker championship is a greater achievement than winning an Olympic 100 metres final. Sure what skill is there is running down a track? Not sure it holds true despite the attractiveness of the one-sentence declaration.

Rosita

RMAOK wrote: »

Corofin becoming the first club in senior men's club football to win 3 All Ireland club titles in a row.

It would have been, possibly, easier for the 3 in a row to be done in hurling as there wouldn't be as many counties in the mix, but to do it in football was some achievement imo.

Yeah, it is a fair one for sure.

The_Kew_Tour

Kerry Footballers 1975-1986 who won 4 all Irelands in a row

blackcard wrote: »

As does everyone in all other counties too

Bit yet you complained about the population:pac:

Adelman of Beamfleot

The greatest achievement by Kilkenny should probably be Kilkenny 2006-2015 - winning 8 all irelands finals over a 10 championship period rather than the four in the row

blackcard

Dublin Footballers 2011-2020 who won 6 all Irelands in a row

Rosita wrote: »

Of course it stands out. It happened once in 120 years. How is that not standing out?

Never sure about population. Bigger population centres have far more going on which dilutes their apparent population advantage.

I think you can ignore the 6 counties when talking about the effect of population as most of those of a Unionist persuasion have no interest in the GAA. Taking them out of the equation, the 4 counties with the highest population have won a total of 91 All Irelands. The four counties with the lowest population have won zero All Irelands. But yes, population is not a factor at all

munster87

Kilkenny Hurlers 2000-2015 who won 4 all irelands in a row

Micko’s All Ireland’s as a player and manager as well as managing 3 counties to provincial titles.

beggars_bush

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

A lot of that team were there in 2009 when they lost to Antrim.

Donegal had done feck all since their 1992 win, not even an Ulster championship, and then they get on board with McGuinness and by 2012 they were a machine.

You say "only getting them to give 100%" as if it was easy.

I can think of many teams that would have won All Irelands if it was as easy as "only getting them to give 100%"

"only getting them to give 100%" is what made it such a good achievement, it was the total and utter focus and commitment that did it for them.

The fact that it was only sustainable for a single season was a testament to that focus and commitment.

Didn't Donegal win an U21 AI with Murphy on board?

Straight Talker

Kerry Footballers 1975-1986 who won 4 all Irelands in a row

blackcard wrote: »

As does everyone in all other counties too

Only two counties have done the double. Cork and Tipp have achieved it on two occasions. Only Cork have achieved it in the modern era.;) Offaly achievement in getting to both finals in 1981, was a fine one as well to be fair.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Double_(Gaelic_games)

Rosita

Dublin Footballers 2011-2020 who won 6 all Irelands in a row

Rosita wrote: »

By that logic, on the face of it winning a World Snooker championship is a greater achievement than winning an Olympic 100 metres final. Sure what skill is there is running down a track? Not sure it holds true despite the attractiveness of the one-sentence declaration.

I'm comparing mandarins to oranges. You're comparing apples to a Massey Ferguson.

AllSquare

AllSquare wrote: »

As a galway man, i think our victory last week over waterford is surely up there.

Ha Ha

FromADistance

Kerry Footballers 1975-1986 who won 4 all Irelands in a row

Mullinalaghta, a small half parish in Longford, winning the Leinster Club Championship in 2018. What the GAA is supposed to be all about. I'm sure someone will come along and disagree with me but IMO it's one of the greatest achievements by a group of 15 players in the history of the GAA.

FromADistance

FromADistance wrote: »

Mullinalaghta, a small half parish in Longford, winning the Leinster Club Championship in 2018. What the GAA is supposed to be all about. I'm sure someone will come along and disagree with me but IMO it's one of the greatest achievements by a group of 15 players in the history of the GAA.

The Golden Miller

Of the options available, Corks double. What's more impressive though is that Cork led hurlings roll of honour for 80 odd years, despite having less chances to convert all Ireland's as split provincial success with Tipp. Had Cork played in Leinster would have 40+ all Ireland's I'd say

GAAs greatest achievements, if a top 10 was compiled, would have Meath taking about 7 spots. Their comebacks, and pulling games out of the fire when all hope was lost, are too many to count. They genuinely pulled off some huge feats, again and again, and saved their best to when they were pushed right to the edge. A team of warriors and war horses, their feats on a consistent basis are unmatched. We'll never see their like again. Their current team an embarrassment to what went before

Spirit, fight, heart, Meath had it all. They are the greatest champions in GAA history imo. They were the embodiment of a cast iron will

This is a great thread. Am sure that there are lots of local stories that will feature (must look for the auld Junior C jersey in the attic)

Fr Tod Umptious

beggars_bush wrote: »

Didn't Donegal win an U21 AI with Murphy on board?

And so what if they did.
As another poster has implied, nobody in the run up to 2012 ever considered Donegal as an All Ireland contender,and even less so after the infamous 0-08 to 0-06 SF v Dublin in 2011.

Straight Talker

Kerry Footballers 1975-1986 who won 4 all Irelands in a row

The Golden Miller wrote: »

Of the options available, Corks double. What's more impressive though is that Cork led hurlings roll of honour for 80 odd years, despite having less chances to convert all Ireland's as split provincial success with Tipp. Had Cork played in Leinster would have 40+ all Ireland's I'd say

GAAs greatest achievements, if a top 10 was compiled, would have Meath taking about 7 spots. Their comebacks, and pulling games out of the fire when all hope was lost, are too many to count. They genuinely pulled off some huge feats, again and again, and saved their best to when they were pushed right to the edge. A team of warriors and war horses, their feats on a consistent basis are unmatched. We'll never see their like again. Their current team an embarrassment to what went before

Spirit, fight, heart, Meath had it all. They are the greatest champions in GAA history imo. They were the embodiment of a cast iron will

I would just like to say that the GAA is all the poorer for Meaths demise. It would be great to see Meath Kildare and Offaly, put it up to the Dubs in leinster again.

Loved those Meath Dublin tussles (& I'm a Dub!)

Straight Talker

Kerry Footballers 1975-1986 who won 4 all Irelands in a row

On a side note i found the Cork crowd chanting the referees a wanker, to be amusing when the whistle blew for half time in that 1990 football final. It's not so much what they were chanting. It was how distinctive and pronounced the Cork accent sounded, when they were saying the word wanker. That's what i found amusing.:pac:

washman3

The referee leaving the pitch alive after the 2010 Leinster final.
Has to be up there with one of the greatest achievements in World sport, let alone GAA.

Straight Talker

Kerry Footballers 1975-1986 who won 4 all Irelands in a row

washman3 wrote: »

The referee leaving the field pitch alive after the 2010 Leinster final.
Has to be up there with one of the greatest achievements in World sport, let alone GAA.

Louth were badly robbed that day, but there was no excuse for the way some of their fans behaved. Ha ha ha the Louth manager Peter Fitzpatricks reaction. We want the weferee to offer us a weplay.:pac:

The Golden Miller

Straight Talker wrote: »

I would just like to say that the GAA is all the poorer for Meaths demise. It would be great to see Meath Kildare and Offaly, put it up to the Dubs in leinster again.

Wouldn't hold my breath. Meath aren't coming back anytime soon. In terms of fight, heart, and spirit, Meath are totally void of the lot

The Golden Miller

Mr Hoppy wrote: »

Loved those Meath Dublin tussles (& I'm a Dub!)

Hard to believe there was a time Dublin could hardly buy a game Meath. Some good tussles half the time they met, the other half Meath routinely brushed Dublin aside with considerable ease (if we're being honest). Did Dublin even beat Meath between 96- circa 05?

Yurt2

Ciaran McDonald's cornrows. Never before has an elite inter-county footballer looked like an Italian-American stripper from Long Island who's on holiday in Cancun. Outstanding achievement and unlikely to be topped.

Straight Talker

Kerry Footballers 1975-1986 who won 4 all Irelands in a row

Great article here on Corks double.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/columnists/arid-40049450.html

It doesn't matter if we never win another all Ireland ever again. What we did in 1990 can never be taken away from us. Another county may equal what we achieved on September 16th 1990 someday, but they'll never better it.:)

puzl

Kerry Footballers 1975-1986 who won 4 all Irelands in a row

Not the biggest fan of Cork's successes but honestly I think the double is the winner. However, this Dublin side aren't done yet. 7 in a row will just be astonishingly historic, but even if they don't do it this year they'll surely knock another few out over the next number of years.

Straight Talker

Kerry Footballers 1975-1986 who won 4 all Irelands in a row

Every year from 1991 to 1994 an Ulster county won a football all Ireland. Even though Derry beat us, i don't begrudge Derry their all Ireland win over us. That 1993 final was the earliest all Ireland that i can remember. Of course Derry have red and white as their colours as well.:) I've always had a soft spot for Derry since that day, despite how annoying Joe Brolly can be at times.:pac: I loved that 1993 Barrys Tea Cork jersey and the 1993 Sperrin Metal Derry jersey. 1993 was the only all Ireland defeat, where while feeling disappointment that Cork lost, i also felt happy for the county that beat us. They had a great win over the Dubs in the semi final that year as well.

Rosita

blackcard wrote: »

I think you can ignore the 6 counties when talking about the effect of population as most of those of a Unionist persuasion have no interest in the GAA. Taking them out of the equation, the 4 counties with the highest population have won a total of 91 All Irelands. The four counties with the lowest population have won zero All Irelands. But yes, population is not a factor at all

The idea that "it's not a factor at all" are your words not mine. Other things being equal it probably makes a difference but other things are rarely equal.

celt262

Mickey Graham taking Cavan from Division 1 to 4 is one hell of a achievement.

cj maxx

Dublin Footballers 2011-2020 who won 6 all Irelands in a row

Straight Talker wrote: »

I would just like to say that the GAA is all the poorer for Meaths demise. It would be great to see Meath Kildare and Offaly, put it up to the Dubs in leinster again.

Unfortunately I don't see anyone coming near the behemoth that is Dublin for years . There may be a shock the odd time ( like Offaly in 82) but a steady competitive AI/ Leinster championship won't happen until Dublins huge advantage of population is addressed. Yes other counties have to become more 'professional ' and even with a level playing field it'll be years before they catch up to Dublin. From this list I'd choose Kilkenny as the better achievement.

Slieve Gullion

Kerry Footballers 1975-1986 who won 4 all Irelands in a row

Straight Talker wrote: »

I would like to hear peoples views on this topic. For me it's between the Kerry footballers run of success from 1975 to 1986. Kilkenny hurlers run of success from 2000 to 2015, the Cork Double of 1990, and Dublins 6 in a row in the football.

Obviously being from Cork i would go for Corks double in 1990. The last time it happened before 1990, was when Tipp did it in 1900. Both Cork teams were underdogs that year. The hurlers lot to Waterford in the 1989 championship, Tipp were reigning all Ireland champions, they were going for four munster titles in a row, but then Father O'Brien and Gerald McCarthys donkeys pat a halt to their gallop! The all ireland final against Galway that year was quite possibly the greatest game of hurling i've ever seen along with the 2004 munster final.

Joe Cooney running riot in the first half, but then in the second half we had Ger Cunningham and that save against Martin Naughton, that goal by Tomas Mulcahy to bring us back into it, John Fitzgibbon banged in those two goals, and the first part of the double was achieved.

Then we had the footballers hammering Kerry and the all Ireland against that Meath team, who always seemed to have Corks number. That final wasn't a classic. It was a very dour physical foul ridden game. I think if it wasn't for the sending off then Cork would have been more comfortable winners. Everyone goes on about Shea Fahys four points, and by god they were crucial, but i think everyone forgets about Mick Slocums and Barry Coffeys performance in the half back line. And of course the late John Kerins save from Brian Stafford.

Apologies to all non Cork fans if i'm going on too long about the double, but i just wanted to highlight the individual achievement of both panels, in winning their respective all Irelands and the obstacles they overcame. The Double hasn't been achieved since. The last county that came close to doing it was Galway 20 years ago, and we had Teddy McCarthy winning 2 all Ireland medals in the one year. That will never happen again, because the modern game has rendered the dual player pretty much obsolete. Corks double in 1990 is a source of great pride to me, and any Cork fan im sure, and sure we've only won 4 senior all Irelands in both codes since 1990.:(

But taking my Cork glasses of, i find it very difficult to choose between Kerry under Mick O'Dwyer, Kilkenny under Cody, and the current Dublin football team. Kilkennys record under Brian Cody from 2000 to 2015 was awesome, and they won the four in a row. The first team to do that since the Cork team of the 1940's. As a Cork man i can't stand Kilkenny, but by god i admire them! Obviously Kerry under Micko were a machine, that ruined many's the summer for Cork football fans!

But i actually think Dublins run of success since 2011 was the better achievement. The Dubs have gone from being the startled earwigs as Pat Gilroy would say, to going by what the stats would say, the greatest football team of all time. Yeah i know the money, the population and all that, but the Dubs are the only county to win 6 all Irelands in a row.

Sure they have it easy in Leinster, but Kerry pretty much had it easy in Munster during the Micko years as well. Those finals in 2013 2016 and 2017 against Mayo were battles, and the Dubs were victorious in them all. Kerry threw the kitchen sink at them to stop the five in a row. They nearly did it the first day, but the Dubs beat them handy enough in the replay. So as a Cork man i would say the Cork double in 1990, but trying to look at it objectively, it's between Kilkenny hurlers 4 in a row, and Dublin footballers 6 in a row. But that's just my take on things. You are free to agree or disagree on that.:)

Corks double for me. Ted Mccarthy is the luckiest man alive today.