Armagh all time greatest XV: one player per club

bcb1

Well-Known Member
Shouldn’t need to explain, as I’m sure you know who I means :p But for clarification:

Philip Loughran - a very underrated player. Had a great 2003 (in particular), should have got an All Star that year.

Oisin McConville - the first Armagh forward I seen that you could rely on for scores. Absolutely deadly.

Aidan O’Rourke - solid wing back. Great passer of the ball.

Malachy Mackin - good fielder and ball carrier. Gave his all, a workhorse. Was never fully appreciated for what he did, I thought.

Martin Toye - very fit, had a fantastic engine. Won a lot of dirty ball, and wasn’t afraid to get stuck in.

Malachy Mackin was even the best Mackin from Cullyhanna to play for Armagh!
 

green flag

Active Member
1. McAlinden.
2. Forker.
3. Donaghy.
4. Vernon.
5. A. O'Rourke.
6. McGeeney.
7. McKeever.
8. McGrane.
9. J. Burns. (Sen).
10. Grugan.
11. N. Grimley.
12. O. McConville.
13. McDonnell.
14. Clarke.
15.Marsden.
 

jpowell100

Active Member
Went for players I’be seen playing:
Blaine Hughes
Mark Shields
Brendan donaghy
Ciaran mckeever
Aaron Kernan
Kieran McGeeney
andrew McCann
Paul McGrane
John toal
Diarmuid Marsden
Rory Grugan
cathal o’rourke
Steven McDonnell
Ronan Clarke
Andrew murnin
 

portadownarmaghfan

Well-Known Member
Had a look back over the thread here. Interesting to note how opinions differ. Only 3 players have made it in to everyone's selected 15 so far- Donaghy, Mc Grane and Marsden
 

ragingbull

Well-Known Member
Went for players I’be seen playing:
Blaine Hughes
Mark Shields
Brendan donaghy
Ciaran mckeever
Aaron Kernan
Kieran McGeeney
andrew McCann
Paul McGrane
John toal
Diarmuid Marsden
Rory Grugan
cathal o’rourke
Steven McDonnell
Ronan Clarke
Andrew murnin
You never seen Oisin McConville play :confused:o_O
 

Bert

Active Member
???
Donaghy Reid Forker
McQuillan McGeeney McCann
M.Grimley McGrane
Grugan McGurk Marsden
J.Clarke Houlihan McDonnell

A few unlucky to miss out - mcalinden, mcconville, r.clarke, a.mallon

I have been watching a few old games on YouTube over the past week and my god, ronan Clarke was simply unplayable when fit. Matches against donegal (04), kerry (06), wexford (08) he was a pleasure to watch. Houli out and ronan in.
 

niall1980

Well-Known Member
Hearty
Vernon
Donaghy
C McKeever
McNally
McGeeney
McCann
McGrane
Toal
Marsden
McGurk
Grugan
McDonnell
R Clarke
A Forker
 

Rufus T Firefly

Well-Known Member
Brian McAlinden (Sarsfields)

Andy Mallon (Pearse Og)
Brendan Donaghy (Clonmore)
Aidan Forker (Maghery)

Paddy Moriarty (Wolfe Tones)
Kieran McGeeney (Mullabawn)
Martin McQuillan (St Pats)

Fran McMahon (Culloville)
Paul McGrane (Ballyhegan)

Oisin McConville (Rangers)
Kevin Dyas (Dromintee)
Declan Canavan (Carrickcruppen)

Stevie McDonnell (Killeavey)
Stefan Campbell (Clans)
Johnny Corvan (Harps)

Late to the party with my submission, and the one club rule makes this a tough job.

Off the top of my head, those that were excluded due to the one club rule, but who would be in my all time 15, would be Mark Grimley, Ronan Clarke, Big Joe, Colm Hanratty and Kieran McGurk RIP, although I toyed with the idea of including Kieran as an Eire Og player!
 
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bcb1

Well-Known Member
Brian McAlinden (Sarsfields)

Andy Mallon (Pearse Og)
Brendan Donaghy (Wolfe Tones)
Aidan Forker (Maghery)

Paddy Moriarty (Wolfe Tones)
Kieran McGeeney (Mullabawn)
Martin McQuillan (St Pats)

Fran McMahon (Culloville)
Paul McGrane (Ballyhegan)

Oisin McConville (Rangers)
Kevin Dyas (Dromintee)
Declan Canavan (Carrickcruppen)

Stevie McDonnell (Killeavey)
Stefan Campbell (Clans)
Johnny Corvan (Harps)

Late to the party with my submission, and the one club rule makes this a tough job.

Off the top of my head, those that were excluded due to the one club rule, but who would be in my all time 15, would be Mark Grimley, Ronan Clarke, Big Joe, Colm Hanratty and Kieran McGurk RIP, although I toyed with the idea of including Kieran as an Eire Og player!

Jimmy Smyth would be disappointed as would Diarmuid Marsden to be behind Stefan Campbell. Genuinely could not agree with you on that call.
 

Rufus T Firefly

Well-Known Member
Jimmy Smyth would be disappointed as would Diarmuid Marsden to be behind Stefan Campbell. Genuinely could not agree with you on that call.

That was a last minute change in my team, as I had McKerr at corner back up until late on. Playing Jimmy Smyth at number 11 would leave me light in the full forward line, so he wasn't an option for me. Yes, there would be a lot would agree with you on Marsden but for me it is a close call; definitely not the foregone conclusion that a lot of people would consider it to be.

Edited: I was really after a full forward as I wanted Stevie and JC in the corners, so that edged Soupy.
 

bcb1

Well-Known Member
That was a last minute change in my team, as I had McKerr at corner back up until late on. Playing Jimmy Smyth at number 11 would leave me light in the full forward line, so he wasn't an option for me. Yes, there would be a lot would agree with you on Marsden but for me it is a close call; definitely not the foregone conclusion that a lot of people would consider it to be.

Edited: I was really after a full forward as I wanted Stevie and JC in the corners, so that edged Soupy.

Tidsy could have gone CB and either Houlihan or RC could have gone FF....
 

niall1980

Well-Known Member
That was a last minute change in my team, as I had McKerr at corner back up until late on. Playing Jimmy Smyth at number 11 would leave me light in the full forward line, so he wasn't an option for me. Yes, there would be a lot would agree with you on Marsden but for me it is a close call; definitely not the foregone conclusion that a lot of people would consider it to be.

Edited: I was really after a full forward as I wanted Stevie and JC in the corners, so that edged Soupy.
Marsden could have gone in at FF
 

niall1980

Well-Known Member
In 2002 I spent the summer in Chicago with Kieran and Maurice McNally. Was fortunate enough to meet Fran and his family a few times. Real good lad. Good article. Cheers for posting.
 

Rufus T Firefly

Well-Known Member
Nice article in the Irish News today about Fran McMahon who is a contender for a greats team and likely the best ever Culloville player
http://www.irishnews.com/sport/gaaf...ulster-and-ireland-star-fran-mcmahon-2071467/

Fran was on my all time team, on the basis of one player from each Club. There was a period around 1982 when Fran McMahon was magnificent and I'm sure he won a Railway Cup medal around 83/84.

One of the things we used to take great pride in was a long unbeaten run at the Athletic Grounds which lasted for well over a decade from the early seventies. In the early eighties, that unbeaten record was often in peril, with Armagh staring down the barrel of a home defeat and on each occasion seeming to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. One such game was at home to Cork in January 1982. We were down 2-3 to 3 points at half time, but summoned a firestorm of attacking play in the last quarter which seen us home by 1-13 to 2-6. Fran got 1-5 from midfield and was the absolute catalyst for the victory and in my mind's eye I can still see the fans euphorically greeting the players as they left the field at the bottom goals.

Living today in the modern age, where teams field weakened selections with an eye on the Championship, worrying about things like a home record seems somewhat innocent, and yet it meant so much back then. Some great times, memories and players, including Fran.
 
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