Best Hurling team of last 20 years.... With one small catch

Deskjockey · 19-11-2012 02:06AM #1

The catch is that you can only name two players from any particular county.

Here is my team for what it's worth:

DFitzhenry (WX)
SMcDonagh (LK)
DO’Sullivan (CK)
OCanning (GY)
TWalsh (KK)
SMcMahon (CE)
BWhelehan (OY)
KMcGrath (WD)
JLeahy (TP)
JOConnor ( CE)
HShrefflin (KK)
JCanning (GY)
JMullane (WD)
EKelly (TP)
JDeane (CK)

KK 2
WD 2
CK 2
TP 2
GY 2
CE 1
OY 1
LK 1
WX 1

Some big names unlucky not to make it - JJ Delaney, Tony Browne, Davy Fitz however rules is rules

Just a bit of fun in November

cat in the sack · 19-11-2012 07:34PM

two from waterford and galway and they didn't win no all ireland

Morte · 19-11-2012 08:34PM

1. D Fitzhenry (Wex)
2. B Corcoran (Cork)
3. B Lohan (Clare)
4. O Canning (Gal)
5. B Whelehan (Off)
6. S McMahon (Clare)
7. S. Ó Háilpín (Cork)
8. C Carey (Lim)
9. K MCGrath (Wat)
10. DJ Carey (KK)
11. H Shefflin (KK)
12. L Corbett (Tip)
13. J Mullane (Wat)
14. J Canning (Gal)
15. E Kelly (Tip)

Could probably do with adding some more in from the 90s but I don't remember them that well. John Leahy or Tommy Dunne maybe or else one of the Offaly team. LWB on the All Stars team seems to be fudged with someone from another position a lot looking back. Picking DJ over Tommy Walsh is a hard choice.

Deskjockey · 19-11-2012 09:27PM

cat in the sack wrote: »

two from waterford and galway and they didn't win no all ireland

Who would you have in instead of any of the four of them. Brian Corcoran was a good shout but I don't think he gets into my team ahead of Joe Deane or Diarmuid O'Sullivan

Deskjockey · 19-11-2012 09:31PM

Morte wrote: »

1. D Fitzhenry (Wex)
2. B Corcoran (Cork)
3. B Lohan (Clare)
4. O Canning (Gal)
5. B Whelehan (Off)
6. S McMahon (Clare)
7. S. Ó Háilpín (Cork)
8. C Carey (Lim)
9. K MCGrath (Wat)
10. DJ Carey (KK)
11. H Shefflin (KK)
12. L Corbett (Tip)
13. J Mullane (Wat)
14. J Canning (Gal)
15. E Kelly (Tip)

Could probably do with adding some more in from the 90s but I don't remember them that well. John Leahy or Tommy Dunne maybe or else one of the Offaly team. LWB on the All Stars team seems to be fudged with someone from another position a lot looking back. Picking DJ over Tommy Walsh is a hard choice.

I know, I had to think on it a while before including Tommy Walsh ahead of DJ as he was a special talent in terms of goal getting.

Don't know who else of the Offaly lads you would include besides Whelehan- Johnny Dooley maybe ? Who would he replace though...?!

Juniorhurler · 19-11-2012 10:02PM

Ooooh. One that you have to think about.

1.Damien Fitzhenry
2.Ollie Canning
3.Brian Lohan
4.Brian Murphy
5.Brian Whelehan
6.Seanie McMahon
7.Ken McGrath
8.Johnny Pilkington
9.Ciaran Carey
10.Tommy Dunne
11.John Power
12.Henry Shefflin
13.Eoin Kelly
14.Joe Canning
15.John Mullane

I know I have missed Tommy, J.J, D.J, Noel Hickey and any amount more from Kilkenny, but as a Wexford man the man who beat us most in the 90s was John Power. He made the double winning team from 92-93 of Kilkenny tick. If I could have picked three Kilkenny men the next was the full back from that team, Pat Dwyer, the most under rated full back ever imo.

I know that Tommy Dunne and Ciaran Carey are both out of position but both deserved inclusion.

These things always throw up a huge list of who was missed e.g
Phillip Maher, Lar Corbett, Padraig Maher, Brendan Cummins from Tipp
The list above from Kilkenny
Donal Og, S Og O hAilpin, Joe Deane, Brian Corcoran, Ben and Jerry, Ronan Curran from Cork
Colin Lynch, Ollie Baker, Frank Lohan, Jamesie O Connor, Tony Griffin from Clare
Gary Kirby, Mark Foley, Ollie Moran from Limerick
Kevin Broderick, Eugene Cloonan, Joe Rabbitte from Galway
Brick Walsh, Tony Browne, Dan Shanahan from waterford
The Dooleys, John Troy, Hubert Rigney, Kevin Martin from Offaly
Liam Watson from Antrim
Conal Keaney, Liam Rushe from Dublin
Martin Storey, Liam Dunne, Darragh Ryan from Wexford.

You could probably name a second team to beat your first one!

Utopia Parkway · 19-11-2012 11:52PM

cat in the sack wrote: »

two from waterford and galway and they didn't win no all ireland

If you read the post he said you can only pick 2 players from any one county.

SSK · 20-11-2012 02:10AM

Damien Fitzhenry (Wexford)

Liam Doyle (Clare)...out of position but an outstanding and underrated player
Brian Lohan (Clare)
Ollie Canning (Galway)

Brian Whelehan (Offaly)
Brian Corcoran (Cork)
Tommy Walsh (KK)

Ciaran Carey (Limerick)
Tony Browne (Wat)...again slightly out of position but he won a HOTY from midfield in 98

Ben O'Connor (Cork)
Henry Shefflin (KK)
Lar Corbett (Tipp)

Eoin Kelly (Tipp)
Joe Canning (Gal)
John Mullane (Wat)

2 KK
2 Gal
2 Clare
2 Wat
2 Tipp
2 Cork
1 Wex
1 Offaly
1 Limerick

Fireball07 · 20-11-2012 02:56AM

1. Damien Fitzhenry (Wexford)
2. Stephen McDonagh (Limerick)
3. Brian Lohan (Clare)
4. Ollie Canning (Galway)
5. Tommy Walsh (Kilkenny)
6. Brian Whelehan (Offaly)
7. Tony Browne (Waterford)
8. Tommy Dunne (Tipperary)
9. Ciarán Carey (Limerick)
10. Ben O'Connor (Cork)
11. Henry Shefflin (Kilkenny)
12. Jamesie O'Connor (Clare)
13. Eoin Kelly (Tipperary)
14. Joe Deane (Cork)
15. John Mullane (Waterford)

2 KK
2 Tipp
2 Cla
2 Cor
2 Lim
2 Wat
1 Gal
1 Wex
1 Off

blue note · 20-11-2012 09:12AM

Juniorhurler wrote: »

These things always throw up a huge list of who was missed e.g
Phillip Maher, Lar Corbett, Padraig Maher, Brendan Cummins from Tipp
The list above from Kilkenny
Donal Og, S Og O hAilpin, Joe Deane, Brian Corcoran, Ben and Jerry, Ronan Curran from Cork
Colin Lynch, Ollie Baker, Frank Lohan, Jamesie O Connor, Tony Griffin from Clare
Gary Kirby, Mark Foley, Ollie Moran from Limerick
Kevin Broderick, Eugene Cloonan, Joe Rabbitte from Galway
Brick Walsh, Tony Browne, Dan Shanahan from waterford
The Dooleys, John Troy, Hubert Rigney, Kevin Martin from Offaly
Liam Watson from Antrim
Conal Keaney, Liam Rushe from Dublin
Martin Storey, Liam Dunne, Darragh Ryan from Wexford.

You could probably name a second team to beat your first one!

Paul Effin' Flynn! We knew when he retired that he'd be quicker forgotten than anyone, but he was right up there with the best Waterford had and one of the best in the country for about a decade. Unfortunately for him, he only really had 3 years when Waterford made their breakthrough when he was still at his best, but he was as important as anyone for Waterford being a top hurling county now!

Some of those lads on your list are fine hurlers, but not at all in the same league as Paul Flynn.

OldBoro · 20-11-2012 09:27AM

blue note wrote: »

Paul Effin' Flynn! We knew when he retired that he'd be quicker forgotten than anyone, but he was right up there with the best Waterford had and one of the best in the country for about a decade. Unfortunately for him, he only really had 3 years when Waterford made their breakthrough when he was still at his best, but he was as important as anyone for Waterford being a top hurling county now!

Some of those lads on your list are fine hurlers, but not at all in the same league as Paul Flynn.

I have to agree with the above from 93 to 08 Flynner carried more Waterford teams than bus eireann

Juniorhurler · 20-11-2012 10:23AM

blue note wrote: »

Paul Effin' Flynn! We knew when he retired that he'd be quicker forgotten than anyone, but he was right up there with the best Waterford had and one of the best in the country for about a decade. Unfortunately for him, he only really had 3 years when Waterford made their breakthrough when he was still at his best, but he was as important as anyone for Waterford being a top hurling county now!

Some of those lads on your list are fine hurlers, but not at all in the same league as Paul Flynn.

I agree 100%. That list is not comprehensive. I never mentioned Diarmuid O Sullivan, Richie Power, Eoin Kelly (Wat), Eddie Brennan, Larry O Gorman, Declan Ryan and so many others.
Paul Flynn was top class. In fact had I thought of him John Mullane may have missed out on being on my team as Ken McGrath wouldn't have.

cat in the sack · 20-11-2012 10:49AM

Deskjockey wrote: »

Who would you have in instead of any of the four of them. Brian Corcoran was a good shout but I don't think he gets into my team ahead of Joe Deane or Diarmuid O'Sullivan

well JJ Delaney, Jackie Tyrell, Johnny Dooley, John Troy, like McDonagh :(ahead of Mick Kavangh of kilkenny.

John Leahy at midfield ahead of Ciaran Carey or Johnny Pilkington, no Martin Storey your team is good but you left out the most skillful hurlers of the last
20 years, no DJ Carey either:eek:

Juniorhurler · 20-11-2012 02:04PM

blue note wrote: »

Paul Effin' Flynn! We knew when he retired that he'd be quicker forgotten than anyone, but he was right up there with the best Waterford had and one of the best in the country for about a decade. Unfortunately for him, he only really had 3 years when Waterford made their breakthrough when he was still at his best, but he was as important as anyone for Waterford being a top hurling county now!

Some of those lads on your list are fine hurlers, but not at all in the same league as Paul Flynn.

cat in the sack wrote: »

well JJ Delaney, Jackie Tyrell, Johnny Dooley, John Troy, like McDonagh :(ahead of Mick Kavangh of kilkenny.

John Leahy at midfield ahead of Ciaran Carey or Johnny Pilkington, no Martin Storey your team is good but you left out the most skillful hurlers of the last
20 years, no DJ Carey either:eek:

Lads the op did say only two from each county. Post your own teams or stop picking holes.

As regards the bolded bit, should he drop Tommy Walsh or Henry Shefflin for some of these? Tough call and very subjective imo.

Deskjockey · 20-11-2012 02:08PM

cat in the sack wrote: »

well JJ Delaney, Jackie Tyrell, Johnny Dooley, John Troy, like McDonagh :(ahead of Mick Kavangh of kilkenny.

John Leahy at midfield ahead of Ciaran Carey or Johnny Pilkington, no Martin Storey your team is good but you left out the most skillful hurlers of the last
20 years, no DJ Carey either:eek:

Cat in the sack I don't think you get it. There's no doubting that JJ or Mick Kavanagh are/were fantastic hurlers but the parameters for this exercise is that you can only have two county men on each team. And I've already explained that DJ was trumped by TW in my opinion. Again I had John Leahy in there but it could easily have been Ciaran Carey

Put up your own team there and sure we can take a look at it.....

blue note · 20-11-2012 02:43PM

Juniorhurler wrote: »

I agree 100%. That list is not comprehensive. I never mentioned Diarmuid O Sullivan, Richie Power, Eoin Kelly (Wat), Eddie Brennan, Larry O Gorman, Declan Ryan and so many others.
Paul Flynn was top class. In fact had I thought of him John Mullane may have missed out on being on my team as Ken McGrath wouldn't have.

I'm glad you agree - I was worried that you just didn't rate him. I don't understand why he isn't always on your mind though, I find myself constantly thinking of him ...

To suggest a team (and I know I'm leaving people out from not thinking of them.

1. DFitzhenry (WX)
2. FLohan (CE)
3. DO’Sullivan (CK)
4. OCanning (GY)
5. CCarey (LK)
6. SMcMahon (CE)
7. BWhelehan (OY)
8. Jerry O'Connor (CK)
9. JPilkington (OY)
10.DJ Carey (KK)
11.KMcGrath (WD)
12.HShrefflin (KK)
13.JMullane (WD)
14.JCanning (GY)
15.EKelly (TP)

BnB · 20-11-2012 07:08PM

This is my team...

Fitzy (Wex)

McDonagh (Limerick)
Lohan (Clare
Canning (Galway)

Delaney (Kilkenny)
Ken McGrath (Waterford)
Whelahan (Offaly)

Dunne (Tipp)
Carey (Limerick)

Jamsie O Connor (Clare)
Shefflin (Kilkenny)
Ben O Connor (Cork)

Mullane (Waterford)
Canning (Galway)
Eoin Kelly (Tipp)

A few notes. Only 1 from Cork - A few of them very unlucky to lose out - Donal Og - I have always just been a fan of Fitzhenry. The entire Cork half back line, but it is just such a strong line in all counties- I've left my own County Man Seanie out of here too for which I'll probably be thrown out of the county. Gerry O'Connor at midfield very unlucky too. And Joe Deane

Tommy Walsh is very unlucky too - JJ Delaney takes his spot - Again, I have just always been a fan of JJ's. But it's splitting hairs. DJ possibly unlucky too. I'm a huge fan of his and he was great to watch - But for consistancy, Shefflin, Delaney (and I'd say Walsh) would be ahead of him.

I think the two from Galway were straight forward.

And the two from Waterford. Although Brick Walsh again suffers from playing in a position where there have been so many outstanding performers. Flynn too, you wouldn't kick him off any team.

2 From Limerick - Carey was a cert... Then..... Mc Donagh just fitted in nicely.

Offaly - Whelahan has to start. After that there are 3 or 4 that Could easily walk onto the team. Kevin Keinehan, Joe Dooley, John Troy, Pilkington

Clare - IMO _ Lohan was the outstanding Full back of the last 20 years. For his leadership - everything. Then Jamsie for consistancy. Seanie & Lynch very unlucky

Fergus_Nash · 20-11-2012 08:03PM

1. Damien Fitzhenry (Wexford)
2. Anthony Daly (Clare)
3. Brian Lohan (Clare)
4. Ollie Canning (Galway)
5. Tommy Walsh (Kilkenny)
6. Brian Corcoran (Cork)
7. Liam Dunne (Wexford)
8. Tommy Dunne (Tipperary)
9. Ciarán Carey (Limerick)
10. Ben O'Connor (Cork)
11. Henry Shefflin (Kilkenny)
12. Paul Flynn (Waterford)
13. John Mullane (Waterford)
14. Joe Canning (Galway)
15. Eoin Kelly (Tipperary)

Daly has been moved around, though he did start his career in the full back line. It's probably an unbalanced forward division, too many big names with five of them looking to take frees. That's the beauty of Mullane, and Dan Shanahan too, they score from play and leave the frees up to others. John Power or Martin Storey, or somebody of that ilk, would be a good centre forward to do a lot of donkey work for the team. I put in Carey and Corcoran for the team aspect, though I didn't see them enough, or hear good stories about them, like I did the two Clare players.

jordainius · 21-11-2012 01:53AM

cat in the sack wrote: »

two from waterford and galway and they didn't win no all ireland

You realise that you've just said that Waterford and Galway did win an All-Ireland? (double negative:))

Damien Fitzhenry WX
Kevin Kinihan OY
Brian Lohan CE
Ollie Canning GY
Brian Whelehan OY
Sean McMahon CE
Mark Foley LK
Jerry O'Connor CK
Ciaran Carey LK
Ben O'Connor CK
Henry Shefflin KK
DJ Carey KK
John Mullane WT
Joe Canning GY
Eoin Kelly TY

Pains me to leave Tommy Walsh out.

blue note · 21-11-2012 08:47AM

jordainius wrote: »

You realise that you've just said that Waterford and Galway did win an All-Ireland? (double negative:))

Damien Fitzhenry WX
Kevin Kinihan OY
Brian Lohan CE
Ollie Canning GY
Brian Whelehan OY
Sean McMahon CE
Mark Foley LK
Jerry O'Connor CK
Ciaran Carey LK
Ben O'Connor CK
Henry Shefflin KK
DJ Carey KK
John Mullane WT
Joe Canning GY
Eoin Kelly TY

Pains me to leave Tommy Walsh out.

Hmm, Mark Foley in ahead of Ken McGrath? Where might you be from?

jordainius · 21-11-2012 10:44AM

blue note wrote: »

Hmm, Mark Foley in ahead of Ken McGrath? Where might you be from?

Says the Waterford man... My location is right there under my avatar and has nothing to do with me picking Foley. Ken McGrath wasn't noted for playing as a wing back. I had Tommy Walsh at 7 but I removed him in favour of DJ Carey. There are about 8 or 9 good candidates for wing back, I believe Whelahan and Walsh are unquestionably the top two; after that Mark Foley stands up there with the best of the rest.

BnB · 21-11-2012 11:39AM

Foley was a serious wing back in his day. A friend of mine in Adare told me they'd always hope Limerick had a good run in the Championship because it would mean Mark Foley would come to the county championship fit. And if Foley was fit, no-one could touch him.

I went to see a Adare in a few County Finals (because that friend was playing) and some of the displays that Mark Foley gave were breathtaking. I remember one in particular either 01 or 02, He bate out so much ball in the last 15 minutes I thought his arms would drop off. It almost turned into a game of tennis between him & the opposing backs.

cat in the sack · 21-11-2012 11:45AM

Deskjockey wrote: »

Cat in the sack I don't think you get it. There's no doubting that JJ or Mick Kavanagh are/were fantastic hurlers but the parameters for this exercise is that you can only have two county men on each team. And I've already explained that DJ was trumped by TW in my opinion. Again I had John Leahy in there but it could easily have been Ciaran Carey

Put up your own team there and sure we can take a look at it.....

here we go so

Damien Fitzhenery wexford
Brian Corcoran cork
Brian Lohan clare
John Taylor laois
Brian Whelehan offaly
Sean McMahon clare
JJ Delaney kilkenny
Johnny Pilkington offaly
Ciran Carey limerick
DJ Carey kilkenny
Martin Storey wexford
Paul Flynn waterford
Ben o'connor cork
Gary Kirby limerick
Eoin Kelly tipp

blue note · 21-11-2012 11:49AM

jordainius wrote: »

My location is right there under my avatar and has nothing to do with me picking Foley. Ken McGrath wasn't noted for playing as a wing back. I had Tommy Walsh at 7 but I removed him in favour of DJ Carey. There are about 8 or 9 good candidates for wing back, I believe Whelahan and Walsh are unquestionably the top two; after that Mark Foley stands up there with the best of the rest.

I think Mark Foley was a terrific player, but he was simply no Ken McGrath. It's a slight liberty to put Ken on the wing, but a necessary one. You simply can't have a team of the last 20 years without Ken on it. I suppose you could also have had him wing forward ahead of Ben O'C.

Juniorhurler · 21-11-2012 11:51AM

cat in the sack wrote: »

here we go so

Damien Fitzhenery wexford
Brian Corcoran cork
Brian Lohan clare
John Taylor laois
Brian Whelehan offaly
Sean McMahon clare
JJ Delaney kilkenny
Johnny Pilkington offaly
Ciran Carey limerick
DJ Carey kilkenny
Martin Storey wexford
Paul Flynn waterford
Ben o'connor cork
Gary Kirby limerick
Eoin Kelly tipp

Hard to argue with any of that in fairness. The 2 county men makes it interesting.
Forgot all about John Taylor. Fine hurler. Seeing him makes me think of Niall Rigney of Laois as well. He was some hurler too.

BnB · 21-11-2012 12:13PM

Amazing how much agreement there is on the full forward line.

7 Teams so far have Mullane, Canning, Kelly.

And everyone so far has gone for Fitzhenry in goals. Although I went for him myself, I though Donal Og and maybe Cummins might get a few shouts.

Steven81 · 21-11-2012 12:24PM

Juniorhurler wrote: »

Hard to argue with any of that in fairness. The 2 county men makes it interesting.
Forgot all about John Taylor. Fine hurler. Seeing him makes me think of Niall Rigney of Laois as well. He was some hurler too.

Only that Henry is missing, yeah good that people are remembering Offaly/ Wexford, Limerick, Clare and Cork. These were the main teams until kk dominated

Juniorhurler · 21-11-2012 01:27PM

Steven81 wrote: »

Only that Henry is missing, yeah good that people are remembering Offaly/ Wexford, Limerick, Clare and Cork. These were the main teams until kk dominated

Is JJ any less importnt to KK than Henry? Is Henry better than DJ was? Maybe, maybe not. Its all subjective. I am sure that a lot of people would have 6 plus KK men if possible.

jordainius · 21-11-2012 02:10PM

blue note wrote: »

I think Mark Foley was a terrific player, but he was simply no Ken McGrath. It's a slight liberty to put Ken on the wing, but a necessary one. You simply can't have a team of the last 20 years without Ken on it. I suppose you could also have had him wing forward ahead of Ben O'C.

Of course you can; 5 out of the 10 teams posted have Ken McGrath, 5 don't. That's about right. At the positions; 8, 9, 7, 11 and 6. It has yet to happen that two posters pick him in the same position; with the exception of midfield; but he barely ever played there.

His versatility counts against him when it comes to picking an XV like this; he's not known as a specialist of a particular position. Shefflin and McMahon will tend to get the nod at the two positions Ken McGrath most commonly played.

Mark Foley and Ken McGrath are very different players so its not a like for like comparison; Foley was a specialist at wing back, I'd rather pick a team based on who can play best in a particular position rather than sticking on the best 15 all round hurlers. For example, Waterford made a mistake by picking McGrath at full back for a while, he wasn't exactly a disaster but he wasn't great and his influence was missed further up the pitch. A team selection should always be based on picking players in their best position where possible.

blue note · 21-11-2012 02:33PM

BnB wrote: »

Amazing how much agreement there is on the full forward line.

7 Teams so far have Mullane, Canning, Kelly.

And everyone so far has gone for Fitzhenry in goals. Although I went for him myself, I though Donal Og and maybe Cummins might get a few shouts.

And Davy Fitzgerald. But with a limit of 2 per county, picking the Wexican was the easy answer.

They were 4 outstanding keepers, but I do think Fitzhenry was the best of the lot anyway. Probably Davy second.

Deskjockey · 21-11-2012 02:44PM

cat in the sack wrote: »

here we go so

Damien Fitzhenery wexford
Brian Corcoran cork
Brian Lohan clare
John Taylor laois
Brian Whelehan offaly
Sean McMahon clare
JJ Delaney kilkenny
Johnny Pilkington offaly
Ciran Carey limerick
DJ Carey kilkenny
Martin Storey wexford
Paul Flynn waterford
Ben o'connor cork
Gary Kirby limerick
Eoin Kelly tipp

Nice to see a Laois player in there but ah here, no Shefflin ....?

I'm also sensing you're from South Kilkenny with no Waterford players - Did they tease you something wicked in the De La Salle or wha :-)

Best Hurling team of last 20 years.... With one small catch

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