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Name Your Best 15 Gaa Players Over The Past 40 Years

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Tomsmith here Yes name your nest 15 Gaa players over the past 40 years No1 Goalkeeper Cluxton Dublin No2 Paudie O Shea Dingle Kerry No3 Mick Lyons Meath No4 Shaun Lockart L, Derry No5 Kieran MC Geeney Armagh No 7 Carol Lacey Dgl No 8 Dermot Early Roscommon No 9Anthony Towill L, Derry No 10 John Joe Reilly Cavan may be over 30 years since he played No 11 Mickael Kearns Sligo No 12 Kieran Mc Donald Mayo No 13 Matt Connor Offaly No14 Michael Murphy Donegal No15 Clifford Kerry Without a doubt most of these great players would stand out in todays game Lets hear your views as Tomsmith is man enough to name his best 15 tomsmith (Cavan) - Posts: 4106 - 29/09/2025 21:52:07 2637886 Link
Replying To tomsmith: "Tomsmith here Yes name your nest 15 Gaa players over the past 40 years No1 Goalkeeper Cluxton Dublin No2 Paudie O Shea Dingle Kerry No3 Mick Lyons Meath No4 Shaun Lockart L, Derry No5 Kieran MC Geeney Armagh No 7 Carol Lacey Dgl No 8 Dermot Early Roscommon No 9Anthony Towill L, Derry No 10 John Joe Reilly Cavan may be over 30 years since he played No 11 Mickael Kearns Sligo No 12 Kieran Mc Donald Mayo No 13 Matt Connor Offaly No14 Michael Murphy Donegal No15 Clifford Kerry Without a doubt most of these great players would stand out in todays game Lets hear your views as Tomsmith is man enough to name his best 15" No hurlers? Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17122 - 30/09/2025 07:09:46 2637892 Link
Replying To tomsmith: "Tomsmith here Yes name your nest 15 Gaa players over the past 40 years No1 Goalkeeper Cluxton Dublin No2 Paudie O Shea Dingle Kerry No3 Mick Lyons Meath No4 Shaun Lockart L, Derry No5 Kieran MC Geeney Armagh No 7 Carol Lacey Dgl No 8 Dermot Early Roscommon No 9Anthony Towill L, Derry No 10 John Joe Reilly Cavan may be over 30 years since he played No 11 Mickael Kearns Sligo No 12 Kieran Mc Donald Mayo No 13 Matt Connor Offaly No14 Michael Murphy Donegal No15 Clifford Kerry Without a doubt most of these great players would stand out in todays game Lets hear your views as Tomsmith is man enough to name his best 15" Ah Tom, what about a no 6. ? I would go with Tim Kennelly. Hopeless exercise, trying to pick the best 15. Great way to start a row eoinog (Sligo) - Posts: 2243 - 30/09/2025 07:50:48 2637898 Link
Replying To tomsmith: "Tomsmith here Yes name your nest 15 Gaa players over the past 40 years No1 Goalkeeper Cluxton Dublin No2 Paudie O Shea Dingle Kerry No3 Mick Lyons Meath No4 Shaun Lockart L, Derry No5 Kieran MC Geeney Armagh No 7 Carol Lacey Dgl No 8 Dermot Early Roscommon No 9Anthony Towill L, Derry No 10 John Joe Reilly Cavan may be over 30 years since he played No 11 Mickael Kearns Sligo No 12 Kieran Mc Donald Mayo No 13 Matt Connor Offaly No14 Michael Murphy Donegal No15 Clifford Kerry Without a doubt most of these great players would stand out in todays game Lets hear your views as Tomsmith is man enough to name his best 15" Firstly, your team lacks a strong number 6. Secondly, Paidi didn't play for Dingle. Good team none the less, bar the fact it's only 14 players. My team: 1. Cluxton 2. Anthony Lynch 3. Mick Lyons 4. Keith Higgins 5. Paidi O'Se 6. Kieran McGeeney 7. Sean Og De Paor (Loved this fella as a kid) 8. Jack O'Shea 9. Brian Fenton 10. Brian Dooher 11. Larry Thompkins 12. Diarmuid Connolly 13. Gooch Cooper 14. Michael Murphy 15. David Clifford I was going to cheat and put Gooch wing forward to get Peter Canavan in. It's criminal not to have him in there really, but it's subjective. If down to my favourite players, I'd have Declan Browne and Colm Corkery in there also, but only 15, so there you have it. BaldyBadger (Cork) - Posts: 336 - 30/09/2025 09:34:20 2637907 Link
Great question Tom, but is this limited to Gaelic Football only? slayer (Limerick) - Posts: 6577 - 30/09/2025 09:52:45 2637911 Link
1. Stephen Cluxton 2. Sean Marty Lockart 3. Darren Fay 4. Lee Keegan 5. Jack McCaffery 6. Seamus Moynahan 7. Thomas O'Shea 8. Brian Fenton 9. Jack O'Shea 10. Michael Donnellan 11. Michael Murphy 12. Benny Coulter 13. Gooch 14. David Clifford 15 Peter Canavan dufferman (Down) - Posts: 158 - 30/09/2025 09:59:52 2637915 Link
Oh Tom, Tom, Tom. Seems even you can't keep track of your ramblings now. 'Best GAA players over the past 40 years', you say, but then you include: John Joe Reilly - yes, definitely more than 30 years since he played (why are you changing the rules there), and way more than 40 too Micky Kearns - Closer to 50 years since he retired, than 40 Matt Connor - also more than 40 years since he played. He suffered his injury at Christmas 1984. Also, since you say 'best GAA players' rather than 'best gaelic footballers' - not a single hurler to hold a torch to any of your selections? It's nice for the sake of equality though that you include what must be an LGFA player at number 7. I'm not familiar with this Carol player myself, but she must have been good? Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3134 - 30/09/2025 09:59:58 2637916 Link
Replying To tomsmith: "Tomsmith here Yes name your nest 15 Gaa players over the past 40 years No1 Goalkeeper Cluxton Dublin No2 Paudie O Shea Dingle Kerry No3 Mick Lyons Meath No4 Shaun Lockart L, Derry No5 Kieran MC Geeney Armagh No 7 Carol Lacey Dgl No 8 Dermot Early Roscommon No 9Anthony Towill L, Derry No 10 John Joe Reilly Cavan may be over 30 years since he played No 11 Mickael Kearns Sligo No 12 Kieran Mc Donald Mayo No 13 Matt Connor Offaly No14 Michael Murphy Donegal No15 Clifford Kerry Without a doubt most of these great players would stand out in todays game Lets hear your views as Tomsmith is man enough to name his best 15" And another thing Tom, You have player's on your list that didn't kick a ball in the last 40 years. You set out the guidelines, and you won't keep within them!! eoinog (Sligo) - Posts: 2243 - 30/09/2025 10:31:37 2637920 Link
Replying To dufferman: "1. Stephen Cluxton 2. Sean Marty Lockart 3. Darren Fay 4. Lee Keegan 5. Jack McCaffery 6. Seamus Moynahan 7. Thomas O'Shea 8. Brian Fenton 9. Jack O'Shea 10. Michael Donnellan 11. Michael Murphy 12. Benny Coulter 13. Gooch 14. David Clifford 15 Peter Canavan" Excellent team and getting Canavan in by moving Murphy is a great move. That being said, I had to get Thompkins in. I am ashamed of myself for forgetting Moynihan. He's up there with my favourite ever players. BaldyBadger (Cork) - Posts: 336 - 30/09/2025 11:15:41 2637925 Link
Cluxton, marc o shea, moynihan, t o shea, Trevor Giles, mcgeeney, gerarthy, dara o shea and brian Fenton, donellan, connoly, gouch, m Fitzgerald, canavan matty forde Lockerroomboy (Wexford) - Posts: 501 - 30/09/2025 12:25:52 2637936 Link
Replying To BaldyBadger: "Excellent team and getting Canavan in by moving Murphy is a great move. That being said, I had to get Thompkins in. I am ashamed of myself for forgetting Moynihan. He's up there with my favourite ever players." I don't blame you for getting Tomkins in. The Cork football team from 87-90 were superb. I thought Stephen O'Brien, Tomkins and Fahy were class. But their whole team 1-15 had so much. Dave Barry played on a Cork City team that played Bayern Munich. Shea Fahy's kicking in one of those seasons was off in the NFL so he practiced over and over until he was scoring 0-3 from play in most games. They were brilliant in the air, tough lads too and were full of entertainment. Meath beat them fair enough in the 87 final. 88, Meath were the better side, Cork got the last 0-3 of the game to make it look closer. The 1989 final was one of the most entertaining played. Finnerty's chance, minutes after his goal. Edge of the seat stuff but Cork did it. Then in 1990 the tension of the double and playing their old rivals Meath. Got over the line. They didn't have what it took to beat Derry in 1993, all in all another all Ireland may have been merited for their achievements. I don't feel qualified to pick an XV, but I do think that Cork side deserve special mention. slayer (Limerick) - Posts: 6577 - 30/09/2025 12:28:00 2637937 Link
Replying To Lockerroomboy: "Cluxton, marc o shea, moynihan, t o shea, Trevor Giles, mcgeeney, gerarthy, dara o shea and brian Fenton, donellan, connoly, gouch, m Fitzgerald, canavan matty forde" No clifford surely he makes it Gaaforlife2023 (Longford) - Posts: 1013 - 30/09/2025 12:39:04 2637941 Link
Or would be recent team clifford would be on it Gaaforlife2023 (Longford) - Posts: 1013 - 30/09/2025 12:39:57 2637943 Link
Replying To Lockerroomboy: "Cluxton, marc o shea, moynihan, t o shea, Trevor Giles, mcgeeney, gerarthy, dara o shea and brian Fenton, donellan, connoly, gouch, m Fitzgerald, canavan matty forde" Just interested to hear your reasoning Gaaforlife2023 (Longford) - Posts: 1013 - 30/09/2025 12:40:33 2637944 Link
Stephen Cluxton Lee Keegan Seamus Moynihan Karl Lacey Graham Geraghty James McCarthy Kieran McGeeny Dermot Early Anthony Tohill Gooch Cooper Dermot Connolly Peter Canavan Matt Connor Michael Murphy David Clifford. Subs: (Close Calls) Harry Keegan ( Mighty corner back ) Paudi O Shea Jack McCaffrey Jack O Shea Brian Fenton Pat Spillane letsgetgoing (Roscommon) - Posts: 802 - 30/09/2025 12:56:46 2637949 Link
Replying To slayer: "I don't blame you for getting Tomkins in. The Cork football team from 87-90 were superb. I thought Stephen O'Brien, Tomkins and Fahy were class. But their whole team 1-15 had so much. Dave Barry played on a Cork City team that played Bayern Munich. Shea Fahy's kicking in one of those seasons was off in the NFL so he practiced over and over until he was scoring 0-3 from play in most games. They were brilliant in the air, tough lads too and were full of entertainment. Meath beat them fair enough in the 87 final. 88, Meath were the better side, Cork got the last 0-3 of the game to make it look closer. The 1989 final was one of the most entertaining played. Finnerty's chance, minutes after his goal. Edge of the seat stuff but Cork did it. Then in 1990 the tension of the double and playing their old rivals Meath. Got over the line. They didn't have what it took to beat Derry in 1993, all in all another all Ireland may have been merited for their achievements. I don't feel qualified to pick an XV, but I do think that Cork side deserve special mention." Agree with pretty much all of that. I think they were unlucky in 1993 with the Davis sending off. It may have been different, but you can't begrudge an excellent Derry team. Anthony Tohill was a superb operator. I would also think maybe i should have got Giles in. Also, the brilliant Down team on the early 90s. Mickey Llnden would make nearly every team, but that full forward line is stacked. BaldyBadger (Cork) - Posts: 336 - 30/09/2025 14:35:47 2637970 Link
1.Cluxton 2. M. Fitzsimmons 3. Mick Lyons 4. Martin O Connell 5. Paudie O shea 6.James Mc Carthy 7.Jack McCaffrey 8.Brian Fenton 9. Jacko Shea 10. Anton O Toole 11.Matt Connor 12.Ciaran Duff 13.David Clifford 14.Diarmuid Connolly 15. P.Canavan. brayballer (Wicklow) - Posts: 351 - 30/09/2025 14:45:43 2637973 Link
Replying To Gaaforlife2023: "Just interested to hear your reasoning" I know I left off great players, but could only choose 15 Lockerroomboy (Wexford) - Posts: 501 - 30/09/2025 15:08:38 2637979 Link
Not sure which is worse. The original post, follow up selections or the inability to count back 40 years. TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8523 - 30/09/2025 15:12:46 2637981 Link
Good to see Matt Connor of Offaly make a couple of people's lists & also good to see Micky Linden mentioned here. Awesome performance in the 1994 final. slayer (Limerick) - Posts: 6577 - 30/09/2025 15:28:42 2637984 Link