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Greatest Midfielder

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I know nowadays people mention Fenton as the best but there is not huge competition for Dublin and would be interested to see these Dublin players in a more competitive era. Personally I think the 90s had fantastic midfielders where the area was always well contested and kickouts were sent long. My three favourite were Tohill, McDermott and Buckley. Each of these I would rate ahead of Fenton. Buckley at his best was the best I have seen. Jack O'Shea and Mick O'Connell from previous eras obviously stood out too. winatallcost (Meath) - Posts: 634 - 21/11/2021 19:07:23 2390206 Link
Replying To winatallcost: "I know nowadays people mention Fenton as the best but there is not huge competition for Dublin and would be interested to see these Dublin players in a more competitive era. Personally I think the 90s had fantastic midfielders where the area was always well contested and kickouts were sent long. My three favourite were Tohill, McDermott and Buckley. Each of these I would rate ahead of Fenton. Buckley at his best was the best I have seen. Jack O'Shea and Mick O'Connell from previous eras obviously stood out too." Well one of the greatest midfielders of them all beyond doubt was Brian Mullins and he said that Fenton was up there with the best of them them. BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 3493 - 21/11/2021 19:48:40 2390217 Link
Best of all time jack o shea. Honorable mentions for John McDermott Anthony tohill Willie Joe padden and I have to mention our all star Rory o Connell mickcunningham (Westmeath) - Posts: 1898 - 21/11/2021 20:19:41 2390226 Link
Anthony Molloy. Tirchonaill1 (Donegal) - Posts: 3181 - 21/11/2021 20:34:35 2390232 Link
Dermot Earley Snr was one of the best midfielders of his era. He definitely deserves a mention in this conversation. WanPintWin (Galway) - Posts: 2315 - 22/11/2021 08:58:17 2390254 Link
Darragh O'Se bennypoor (Louth) - Posts: 521 - 22/11/2021 10:03:10 2390268 Link
Mick O'Connell; Anthony Tohill Mullins not fit to tie Jack O'Shea's boots essmac (Tyrone) - Posts: 1141 - 22/11/2021 10:06:45 2390269 Link
Replying To essmac: "Mick O'Connell; Anthony Tohill Mullins not fit to tie Jack O'Shea's boots" What a ridiculous statement. BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 3493 - 22/11/2021 12:03:31 2390294 Link
Gary Brennan a more recent contender. John McDermott be my pick but obviously haven't seen them all. Nobody has Dote (Westmeath) - Posts: 225 - 22/11/2021 13:20:26 2390314 Link
For me Micko O'Connell was the best of all time. Jack O'Shea would be a close 2nd. As a Corkman it pains me but you cannot deny class. AwbegRover (Cork) - Posts: 136 - 22/11/2021 13:26:33 2390315 Link
Replying To AwbegRover: "For me Micko O'Connell was the best of all time. Jack O'Shea would be a close 2nd. As a Corkman it pains me but you cannot deny class." Mick O' Connell no doubt was a class footballer. However, he didn't relish physical confrontation, and was eclipsed by Willie Byrne of Offaly in both 1972 All Ireland's. For that reason, I would go for Brian Mullins and Jack O' Shea! Rockies (Cork) - Posts: 947 - 23/11/2021 11:39:49 2390424 Link
Just from who I've seen: Jack O'Shea, Liam Hayes, Liam McHale, John McDermott, Niall Buckley, Dara O Se, Shea Fahy, Paul McGrane. icehonesty (Wexford) - Posts: 2573 - 23/11/2021 11:55:56 2390427 Link
Replying To Rockies: "Mick O' Connell no doubt was a class footballer. However, he didn't relish physical confrontation, and was eclipsed by Willie Byrne of Offaly in both 1972 All Ireland's. For that reason, I would go for Brian Mullins and Jack O' Shea!" Correction... Willie Bryan not Willie Byrne. Willie won Texaco footballer of year in 1972... after replay with Kerry in 1972. Mick O' Connell punished teams with his exemplary freetaking, but could be easily outmuscled. Colm McAlarney, Anthony Tohill, and Shea Fahy were excellent midfielders. Rockies (Cork) - Posts: 947 - 23/11/2021 12:06:32 2390430 Link
Replying To Rockies: "Mick O' Connell no doubt was a class footballer. However, he didn't relish physical confrontation, and was eclipsed by Willie Byrne of Offaly in both 1972 All Ireland's. For that reason, I would go for Brian Mullins and Jack O' Shea!" Mick O Connell was one of the most gifted players I saw, a little harsh on him maybe re '72 All Ireland's as his age & legs at that stage were going against him. Mick O Connell & Maurice Fitzgerald were amongst the most gifted & skilled players to watch playing. Jack O Shea, John Mc Dermott & Anthony Tohill were certainly up there as well, skills, combative & great work rate. moc.dna (Galway) - Posts: 1212 - 23/11/2021 12:11:34 2390432 Link
Dermot Earley Snr from Roscommon is a God in these parts. I loved watching Anthony Tohill Ros2013 (Roscommon) - Posts: 530 - 23/11/2021 12:29:43 2390436 Link
John Galvin of Limerick was another brilliant midfielder. He was a match for any of the best in the game at the time. I would have loved to have a midfielder of his calibre playing for Galway during the late 00s. WanPintWin (Galway) - Posts: 2315 - 23/11/2021 12:57:46 2390442 Link
Replying To icehonesty: "Just from who I've seen: Jack O'Shea, Liam Hayes, Liam McHale, John McDermott, Niall Buckley, Dara O Se, Shea Fahy, Paul McGrane." You can throw Gerry McEntee into the mix as well. Actually, almost any Meath person that I've spoken to about it, rate McEntee a better midfielder than Hayes. foreveryoung (USA) - Posts: 2202 - 23/11/2021 13:06:50 2390443 Link
Replying To Rockies: "Correction... Willie Bryan not Willie Byrne. Willie won Texaco footballer of year in 1972... after replay with Kerry in 1972. Mick O' Connell punished teams with his exemplary freetaking, but could be easily outmuscled. Colm McAlarney, Anthony Tohill, and Shea Fahy were excellent midfielders." Willie Bryan was a good midfield player, an excellent fielder of the ball, though only 5 ft 10 ins in stature. Mick O' Connell is an all time great. They both played in a different era of football. MicktheMiller (Offaly) - Posts: 421 - 23/11/2021 13:19:27 2390445 Link
Martin Mcgrath of Ederney county Fermanagh was a savage midfielder for his day, Really went under the radar due to the county he came from. Honours 1 Fermanagh Intermediate Football Championship 2005 1 All Ireland B Football Championship 2000 1 MacRoy Cup 1999 1 All Star 2004 2 Irish News Ulster All-Stars 2004 2008 1 International Rules 2008 1 Fermanagh Division 1 club title 2013 1 Fermanagh Senior Football Championship title 2020 Although his honours are not the greatest compared to some of the midfielders on the list, I think if anyone seen him play between 2004 and 2008, there is no argument that he wasn't a top-class midfielder. Still kicking about for his club at 40 years old in Fermanagh's top division Nishamrock (Fermanagh) - Posts: 28 - 23/11/2021 13:41:27 2390448 Link
Replying To winatallcost: "I know nowadays people mention Fenton as the best but there is not huge competition for Dublin and would be interested to see these Dublin players in a more competitive era. Personally I think the 90s had fantastic midfielders where the area was always well contested and kickouts were sent long. My three favourite were Tohill, McDermott and Buckley. Each of these I would rate ahead of Fenton. Buckley at his best was the best I have seen. Jack O'Shea and Mick O'Connell from previous eras obviously stood out too." I think any of the teams challenging Dublin in recent years would be more than a match for the teams of the 90's. For me, that means Dublin have been on a different level to anything seen before. If Fenton has been one of their main players then that probably speaks volumes.. Ban (Westmeath) - Posts: 1468 - 23/11/2021 13:41:49 2390449 Link