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Name Your Best 15 Gaa Players Over The Past 40 Years

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Replying To The_DOC:  "Galway team that won 2 of 3(4) All Irelands between 1998 and 2001 is being hard done by due to recency bias here.

- PJ
- Donnellan
- Ja Fa

I could name more but I'm just trying to be realistic. Shout out to, Sean óg de Paor, Thomás Mannion.

County aside and looking at club: Kieran Fitz"
A great team for sure.
Michael Donnellan was a fantastic footballer. Could have played that man anywhere on the pitch.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 10077 - 06/10/2025 12:23:58    2638647

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Replying To The_DOC:  "Galway team that won 2 of 3(4) All Irelands between 1998 and 2001 is being hard done by due to recency bias here.

- PJ
- Donnellan
- Ja Fa

I could name more but I'm just trying to be realistic. Shout out to, Sean óg de Paor, Thomás Mannion.

County aside and looking at club: Kieran Fitz"
That Galway team won 2 All Irelands out of 4 (1998 to 2001 is 4 seasons) not 2 out of 3.

They had an identical record (2 out of 4 All Irelands) to 2 other teams of that era (Meath won 2 of 4 between 1996 and 1999; Kerry won 2 of 4 between 1997 and 2000).
The 3 teams shared equally the 6 all Irelands between 1996 and 2001.

Despite 2 one-sided victories in the 3 championship fixtures they played in this timeframe looking back the 3 teams were actually evenly matched, Galway beat Meath, Meath beat Kerry and Kerry beat Galway.

I always loved watching Michael Donnellan playing, he had an X factor about him like Geraghty had when playing for Meath, they both were lovely to watch when they were on song.

GreenMan1987 (Meath) - Posts: 116 - 08/10/2025 13:51:50    2638947

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Replying To GreenMan1987:  "That Galway team won 2 All Irelands out of 4 (1998 to 2001 is 4 seasons) not 2 out of 3.

They had an identical record (2 out of 4 All Irelands) to 2 other teams of that era (Meath won 2 of 4 between 1996 and 1999; Kerry won 2 of 4 between 1997 and 2000).
The 3 teams shared equally the 6 all Irelands between 1996 and 2001.

Despite 2 one-sided victories in the 3 championship fixtures they played in this timeframe looking back the 3 teams were actually evenly matched, Galway beat Meath, Meath beat Kerry and Kerry beat Galway.

I always loved watching Michael Donnellan playing, he had an X factor about him like Geraghty had when playing for Meath, they both were lovely to watch when they were on song."
Yeah when Donnellan took off & got up a head of steam....forget about catching him.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 10077 - 08/10/2025 14:44:16    2638957

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Team is from 1985 onwards - Kerrys golden years team were washed up by 1986. That rules out all of them really

Stephen Cluxton
Mark O Se
Mick Lyons
Keith Higgins
Lee Keegan
Seamus Moynihan
James McCarthy
Brian Fenton
Anthony Tohill
Trevor Giles
Maurice Fitzgerald
Peter Canavan
Colm Cooper
Michael Murphy
David Clifford.

Subs:
Rory Beggan
Seán Marty Lockhart
Jack McCaffrey
Sean Cavanagh
Larry Tomkins
Conor McManus

Squad Members
Darran Fay
Kieran McGeeney
Kevin Walsh
Ja Fallon
Mickey Lindon

tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 1621 - 08/10/2025 14:49:09    2638959

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Replying To S1234:  "Amazing not many putting the Gooch into their team. Also Lee keegan not in many team selections? Colm Boyle? Andy moran ?

Also from a mayo person Paul Conroy ? If Clifford is in their so is Conroy ."
Keegan possibly, the other talent is stacked against Boyle and Moran I'm afraid. Keith Higgins would have more of a chance than those though I think. What a defender he was. I'll never forget his battle with James O'Donoghue in Limerick in 2014. Worth the admission fee alone.

peiledoir20 (Donegal) - Posts: 1370 - 08/10/2025 15:00:05    2638962

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Replying To tirawleybaron:  "Team is from 1985 onwards - Kerrys golden years team were washed up by 1986. That rules out all of them really

Stephen Cluxton
Mark O Se
Mick Lyons
Keith Higgins
Lee Keegan
Seamus Moynihan
James McCarthy
Brian Fenton
Anthony Tohill
Trevor Giles
Maurice Fitzgerald
Peter Canavan
Colm Cooper
Michael Murphy
David Clifford.

Subs:
Rory Beggan
Seán Marty Lockhart
Jack McCaffrey
Sean Cavanagh
Larry Tomkins
Conor McManus

Squad Members
Darran Fay
Kieran McGeeney
Kevin Walsh
Ja Fallon
Mickey Lindon"
no Mikie Sheedy John Egan Pat Spillane as a sub Jack O Shea has to be there

clooney (Clare) - Posts: 1006 - 08/10/2025 16:46:42    2638968

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Replying To tirawleybaron:  "Team is from 1985 onwards - Kerrys golden years team were washed up by 1986. That rules out all of them really

Stephen Cluxton
Mark O Se
Mick Lyons
Keith Higgins
Lee Keegan
Seamus Moynihan
James McCarthy
Brian Fenton
Anthony Tohill
Trevor Giles
Maurice Fitzgerald
Peter Canavan
Colm Cooper
Michael Murphy
David Clifford.

Subs:
Rory Beggan
Seán Marty Lockhart
Jack McCaffrey
Sean Cavanagh
Larry Tomkins
Conor McManus

Squad Members
Darran Fay
Kieran McGeeney
Kevin Walsh
Ja Fallon
Mickey Lindon"
No Matty Forde?!

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17225 - 08/10/2025 17:33:04    2638973

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Replying To clooney:  "no Mikie Sheedy John Egan Pat Spillane as a sub Jack O Shea has to be there"
Clooney, did you not read his proviso: ""Team is from 1985 onwards - Kerrys golden years team were washed up by 1986. That rules out all of them really."

foreveryoung (USA) - Posts: 2389 - 08/10/2025 18:20:55    2638983

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I will extend the timeframe by 10 years, as basically I've been following Gaelic football for 54 years. But I'll give an addition. I'll name my best 15 and my favorite 15…two quite different teams.

Best 15 over 50 years
Stephen Cluxton
Mick Fitzsimons
Seamus Moynihan
Conor Gormley
Lee Keegan
James McCarthy
Karl Lacey
Jack O'Shea
Brian Fenton
Pat Spillane
Matt O'Connor
Peter Canavan
David Clifford
Michael Murphy
Con O' Callaghan

Proviso: I am loth to include present-day players, but Clifford and CON are two of the best that I have ever seen.

My favorite 15 over 50 years
Martin Furlong (Offaly)
Paidi O'Se (Kerry)
Mick Lyons (Meath)
Niall Cahalane (Cork)
Lee Keegan (Mayo)
Sean Lowry (Offaly & Mayo)
Paddy Barrett (Limerick)
Brian Mullins (Dublin)
Gerry McEntee (Meath)
Matt O'Connor (Offaly)
Declan Barron (Cork)
Greg Blaney (Down)
Anton O'Toole (Dublin)
Frank McGuigan (Tyrone)
John Egan (Kerry)

I saw all those 15 players play live. They all had character, with some even having a bit of devilment in them. Only two players make both teams: Lee Keegan and Matt O'Connor. Imagine the carnage you'd get if Mullins (RIP) and McEntee actually played midfield together. Perhaps they did for Leinster, but I am not aware of it.

foreveryoung (USA) - Posts: 2389 - 10/10/2025 17:06:10    2639271

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Replying To foreveryoung:  "I will extend the timeframe by 10 years, as basically I've been following Gaelic football for 54 years. But I'll give an addition. I'll name my best 15 and my favorite 15…two quite different teams.

Best 15 over 50 years
Stephen Cluxton
Mick Fitzsimons
Seamus Moynihan
Conor Gormley
Lee Keegan
James McCarthy
Karl Lacey
Jack O'Shea
Brian Fenton
Pat Spillane
Matt O'Connor
Peter Canavan
David Clifford
Michael Murphy
Con O' Callaghan

Proviso: I am loth to include present-day players, but Clifford and CON are two of the best that I have ever seen.

My favorite 15 over 50 years
Martin Furlong (Offaly)
Paidi O'Se (Kerry)
Mick Lyons (Meath)
Niall Cahalane (Cork)
Lee Keegan (Mayo)
Sean Lowry (Offaly & Mayo)
Paddy Barrett (Limerick)
Brian Mullins (Dublin)
Gerry McEntee (Meath)
Matt O'Connor (Offaly)
Declan Barron (Cork)
Greg Blaney (Down)
Anton O'Toole (Dublin)
Frank McGuigan (Tyrone)
John Egan (Kerry)

I saw all those 15 players play live. They all had character, with some even having a bit of devilment in them. Only two players make both teams: Lee Keegan and Matt O'Connor. Imagine the carnage you'd get if Mullins (RIP) and McEntee actually played midfield together. Perhaps they did for Leinster, but I am not aware of it."
"A bit of devilment"? . There was a few "chainsaws" in your favourite fullback line for starters! You would have some problem getting by them, and then you met Furlong coming straight for you at high speed ready to finish the job.

letsgetgoing (Roscommon) - Posts: 808 - 11/10/2025 16:20:43    2639333

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Lee Keegan is not better than either Seán óg de Paor or Declan Meehan!

The_DOC (Galway) - Posts: 819 - 14/10/2025 09:01:37    2639882

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Replying To The_DOC:  "Lee Keegan is not better than either Seán óg de Paor or Declan Meehan!"
Most neutral observers rate him as one of the best of all time. A true warrior

richiepmurphy (Kilkenny) - Posts: 37 - 14/10/2025 10:50:27    2639902

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Replying To richiepmurphy:  "Most neutral observers rate him as one of the best of all time. A true warrior"
Id have Keith Higgins ahead of him but neither starting a 40year best ever!

The_DOC (Galway) - Posts: 819 - 14/10/2025 12:19:53    2639921

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