One of the all time great forwards. But I was surprised to see big Mick rating him better than DJ Carey which, of course, is bizarre. Kelly was a proper marquee forward but from a Limerick perspective, you never feared him putting up a match winning total on his own like maybe Eddie Brennan or Shefflin could do to you. Damien Reale regularly held his own or else marked Kelly out of games, so on that basis he can’t be seen as better than the aforementioned lads. An all time great player? Absolutely. Held back by injury
from what he might have achieved. Probably. Already overtaken by Callanan? Probably. Overrated in terms of his placing within the pantheon of the greats? Yes.
I didn’t realise that Ollie Moran’s father is a first cousin of Babs Keating though. I only found that out just there, although I’m sure my auld lad mentioned it to me before and I wasn’t listening
Kelly played 63 Championship games for Tipp. Take away his first and last handful of appearances as a sub. That would leave you with around 55 championship games. I’d say if you went back through them you would have close to 40 games were he was so where between good and outstanding and close to single figures in games he was well held or had little impact.
The fact that he gave a lot of those performances surrounded by dross makes it all the more impressive.
A lock for a team of the decade from the 2000s and would make a team of the last 20 years too.
Kelly was marginally technically better than Shefflin but Shefflin in a different league physically.
Looking back on old footage now its incredible how similar their style was in certain aspects.
DJ was a different type of player to both, a something from nothing type. He’s remembered more fondly for it now in a game that has almost lost its spontaneity. DJ unfortunately refused to adapt later in his career and adjust when he lost that zip, he still tried for that electrifying run toward goal even when he didn’t have the gears anymore.
Eoin Kelly is the greatest natural hurler I’ve ever seen and I dare say I’ll never see better. The things he could do with his back to goal were ridiculous. Henry more effective player and more strings to bow but he had JJ, Tommy, Cha etc supplying him. Kelly played his best hurling in an awful Chip side.