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Who would the best hurler be from the 1960 and 70s Hurlingstars21 (Offaly) - Posts: 3 - 28/01/2021 17:24:34 2329414 Link 0 |
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might get more on the offaly page..... perfect10 (Wexford) - Posts: 3929 - 29/01/2021 08:58:25 2329493 Link 0 |
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Most skillful, from what I heard from my father, was Barney Moylan of St. Rynaghs, and while I never seen him play (I was born in 1970) I have met people as far away as Canada who hurled with various counties traditional an not, and they all say when you say your from Offaly "do you know Barney Moylan"..many compared him to Eddie Kehir of Kilkenny, now that is good enough for me to believe my own fathers oppinion...A man from Kildare hured Railway cup with Barney, and said " he was the best hurler he ever seen" which was a step further again...Barney isnt in good health at the moment, but gentleman...I am sure others here will throw in Joe Dooley and and Hannifys from Birr and players from Drumcullen and Kinnity etc. so lets be having ye...Barney Moylan for me. Fairplayalways (Offaly) - Posts: 1034 - 29/01/2021 17:17:48 2329582 Link 0 |
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I really only saw Offaly hurlers from the 80 s onwards. I loved Joachim Kelly Pat Delaney and Pádraig Horan. Later on yes Joe Dooley and obviously Brian Whelehan.
CiarraiMick (Dublin) - Posts: 3678 - 29/01/2021 17:42:12 2329588 Link 0 |
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I always liked Padraig Horan as a hurler. He was a great leader, as tough as nails and could hurl anywhere. He could also hurl left and right, and straight down the middle too if an opponent got on the wrong side of him. Many posters might remember him as a full forward as that is where he won his 2 AI medals, his one All-Star and from where he captained Offaly to their first AI hurling win. However, he hurled in many positions for Offaly before that, and was an excellent full-back, where he won a few Railway Cup medals with Leinster in the early 70s. foreveryoung (USA) - Posts: 1925 - 29/01/2021 18:11:39 2329594 Link 0 |
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Johnny Flaherty played most of his hurling in the 70s. Pádraig Horan played in the 70s and Damian Martin won an All Star in 1971.
Greengrass (Louth) - Posts: 6031 - 29/01/2021 19:14:25 2329604 Link 0 |
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Wow I never new that he hurled fill back. Always reminded me a bit of the great Tony Doran from Wexford. Loved watching him.
CiarraiMick (Dublin) - Posts: 3678 - 29/01/2021 20:02:43 2329611 Link 0 |
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Paddy Molloy from Drumcullen was the best Offaly hurler I saw.
Oldtourman (Limerick) - Posts: 4331 - 29/01/2021 20:54:10 2329620 Link 0 |
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As an a-side, I believe it's often possible to convert a good full-back into a good full-forward, but very difficult the other way around. That's been my experience with both footballers and hurlers at club level. Even at inter-county, it seems mostly the same. Aiden O'Shea made a hand of it, as did Joe McMahon but he was a defender to start out with. As was the great Sean Lowry. He was a cut-throated (and that's a huge compliment in my vocabulary) center-back in '72, a full-forward All-Star in '79, an uncompromising and successful full-back in '81, brought back to mark the 'unmarkable' Bomber Listen at the time, and an All-Star again in his original and best position of no. 6 in 1982. Paddy Moriarty and Anthony McGurk made the transition backwards as well, but they were agile corner men, not the traditional big strong full forward. foreveryoung (USA) - Posts: 1925 - 30/01/2021 21:54:13 2329782 Link 0 |
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Horan played full back with St. Rynaghs for a time as far as I know..while a great forward (to a degree) he was (as anyone who knows him) a headstrong person...he was kind of a boss on the field..while a good free taker, he wasnt an excellent one and I often seen games of the 1980's where another forward would setting up a free to take it, and Horan would come out and take the ball off them and take the free..it was kind of a status thing I think with him being a senior member of the team by that time, but he would be running out taking the ball out off of more stylish free takers like Mark Corrigan or Danny Owens etc...I wouldnt say he was the best hurler of the 70's or 80's...that would be stretch...
Fairplayalways (Offaly) - Posts: 1034 - 31/01/2021 22:14:41 2329926 Link 0 |
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Offaly won 2 senior All Ireland hurling titles in the 1980s and 2 more in the 1990s. Will they ever win another is a reasonable question to ask.Doubtful i'd say. endgame (Roscommon) - Posts: 2170 - 01/02/2021 00:35:23 2329942 Link 0 |
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Newyorkkat (Kilkenny) - Posts: 129 - 01/02/2021 02:52:30 2329944 Link 1 |
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We can only try. There are encouraging signs of improvement at underage level.
MicktheMiller (Offaly) - Posts: 421 - 01/02/2021 11:51:57 2329965 Link 1 |
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Johnny Dooley only came late 1980s as underage with Brian Whelehan...I think the original poster was thinking more or the 70's and 80s before the forementioned came along...Johnny was a fine hurler of that there is no doubt...
Fairplayalways (Offaly) - Posts: 1034 - 01/02/2021 13:08:33 2329982 Link 1 |
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that is a very good question, and no doubt the analysts will look at the footballers All Ireland win in 1982, 39 years ago this year, and we only got to one semi final since in 1997 and that was closer to the year 1982 than current 2021. We all (in Offaly felt) after 82 that we would be around as a force in some way for a while, but Leinster final defeat to Dublin in 83, a semi final defeat to Dublin in 84, we only scored 0-05 I think to Dublins 0-13 in that game, Matt Connor had his accident Christmas day 1984 and that seems to have been the end of that particular era and squad, we slid down the Divisions there after, won an U21 in 88, which was the seeds of the 1997 senior Leinster and NFL win the following Spring of 1998...we had a fairly decent team up until around 2001 and ran a good Kildare/Meath teams but never quiet got over the line, thats 20 years ago imagine... THe hurlers are now well in the midst of their "football fall" to use the comparision...people say we have the hurlers, we have good hurlers but I compare them going by intercounty and club games on TG4 during the leagues and some of our club players in Offaly wouldnt make the Ballygunners, Sixmilebridges. Thurles Sarsfields/ Na Piarsaighs/Cuala's etc...yes we have 2 or 3 maybe that would but the others, while not bad hurlers do not compare to some of the club hurlers I have seen with these and other clubs, and to take it a step further, some of these clubs good players dont make the county squad or at least the team, yet ours are "county players"...no disresepect or knocking them, fair dues to them for their committment to Offaly hurling and giving their time, but I honestly think we have slipped a long way down the ladder, and while our club championship is fairly competitive, bar one or two years since Birrs great teams, we get bowled over at first or second fence in Leinster.. Fairplayalways (Offaly) - Posts: 1034 - 02/02/2021 17:05:51 2330140 Link 0 |
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Saw a programme recently on the peat stations closures in the midlands. I think Offaly had 5 of the winning 1982 team who worked in power stations and peatlands. In one estate (can't remember the tow) there were families living there from 20 different counties. The narrated said without this industry Offaly would not have won those All Ireland's. It brought people in and kept Offaly people at home. yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11236 - 02/02/2021 17:27:56 2330143 Link 2 |
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Very true Yew tree. The power generating industry was a huge employer in North and West Offaly, clubs like Rhode, Edenderry, Daingean , Gracefield and Ferbane for example had a lot of players working with the ESB, and Bord Na Mona. Offaly's economy was hugely dependant on those employers. Sadly there is only one power station, near Edenderry operating presently, and that is under threat. You need two things in life, enough to eat, and keeping warm. We have cold winters in Ireland, Now we are not supposed to cut turf, or use briquettes. What is the green brigade's solution? The horticulture industry and gardeners, used a by product moss peat for the professional and amateur gardener. Gone a bit off point, but the original comment is valid. MicktheMiller (Offaly) - Posts: 421 - 02/02/2021 18:43:50 2330158 Link 1 |
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It doesn't look good now but I'd say they'll be back. I hope so anyway.
Trump2020 (Galway) - Posts: 2127 - 02/02/2021 20:16:10 2330168 Link 0 |
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Yes Yewtree. If Bord na móna were nt there Offaly would probably never have won all Irelands. It might get worse before it gets better with people gravitating to the cities and foreign lands when covid ends as another recession on the way. On a positive note though maybe more people can work from home so might be able to stay Time will tell. CiarraiMick (Dublin) - Posts: 3678 - 02/02/2021 20:35:35 2330170 Link 0 |
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Well Fintan O Toole wrote a big piece about the need to save Dublin City Centre post Covid....he must not have been outside the capital much the past 10 years because my local town has dozens of empty store fronts and boarded up buildings going back to the economic crash as do the vast majority of Irish towns. The de population of rural Ireland is a major issue and effects gaa too. I even see it here in Mayo...the bigger town teams are getting stronger while rural country clubs are struggling. yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11236 - 02/02/2021 21:24:28 2330174 Link 1 |