You’re hardly expecting arch Anthony Cunningham supporter @Sidney to give any credit to Michael O’Donoghue?
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One of the great Cork wins of that era.
Joe Canning should be nowhere near the Hurler of the Year award unless he has an absolutely outstanding final.
From Galway alone, Conor Cooney, Joe Cooney, Conor Whelan, Johnny Coen, Podrick Mannion and Gearoid McInerney are all ahead of him.
Cork’s Lehane, Harnedy, Horgan and Coleman are certainly ahead. Probably Mark Ellis, Bill Cooper and Alan Cadogan too.
And Waterford’s De Burca, Barron and Gleeson are also ahead.
You do realise who won this last year?
David May?
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You’re hardly expecting arch Anthony Cunningham supporter @Sidney to give any credit to Michael O’Donoghue?
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I can’t remember who passed the ball to Canning for the winning score on Sunday but it brought memories flooding back of the 2007 first game between Limerick and Tipp in the GG. Donie Ryan gathered the ball on the left wing with about a minute to go. Andrew OShaugnessy came floating up beside him and let a roar for Donie to pass. The selfish cunt refused and the chance was lost. I remember cursing him at half time the following Saturday night.
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He hurled on some very bad Cork hurling teams those years but was consistently excellent. The opposition knew you only had to avoid Corcoran (usually at 6) to beat Cork (Cork should have played him midfield more often at the time).
In the 1988 All Ireland minor final Cork were beaten well by an outstanding Kilkenny team with a full-forward line of Ronan, Carter, Carey. Pat O’Neill was wing-back. The Corkman who took the fight to Kilkenny most that day was Brian Corcoran, playing in his first of four years at minor grade. The only other player I can think of who played four years intercounty minor was another great, Jimmy Doyle (I am not sure Doyle played three years minor football also though). I played with and against Corcoran, and his sportsmanship was remarkable for such a fierce fierce competitor.
It seems silly to me to be debating whether or not the best hurlers are “greats” and moreso still, when they became such. It is one of those things you cannot define really - great hurlers are gifts to us all - which some get earlier than others.
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Cork should play Horgan there for similar reasons.
Anyways Cannings points from half back vindicated @Mac
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Eoin Kelly
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@Malarkey reckons Bubbles O’Dwyer is closer to the greatness of Doyle than Eoin Kelly though…
Eoin Kelly was the purest hurler I ever saw in full flow. He was simply brilliant. The Tipp bastard.
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Its largely an accident of birth and timing as to whether a player wins an All Ireland medal.
There’s Kilkenny and Cork hurlers with 4, 5 and 6
All Ireland medals not fit to lace the boots of the likes of Ken McGrath, Ciaran Carey and probably only for a few more weeks Joe Canning.
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He’s full of shit though.(Malarkey)
I was referring to greats only.
Jimmy Smyth hurled five years Minor for Clare, 1945-49. He was helped on this front by his birthday: January 1, 1931.
While there are probably more obscure instances (because the player in question did not become a well known figure) of a four year stint, JS might well be unique in a five year stint.
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I’d echo that he was unbelievable in his early 20’s when Tipp were shit
Canning is always working back, getting hits in and generally doing far more work than most other marquee forwards do.
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@Mullach_Ide, I’m joking of course. Kelly is indeed a great (St Kieran’s greatest hurler of all time). I did not know he played four years minor. I do now.
He would have prospered in any era with the strength of his wrists and speed of strike.
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Get your best players on the ball as often as possible.
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