He’d burn Limerick sure.
1 Like
He was bullied in a game they won by 4 points? And where Fennelly set up the first Kilkenny goal?
Sounds like clutching at straws to me.
Nah if anything it was the main point in my Baker Fennelly comparison, both looked completely different players three years down the road from when they first played Championship and looked deficient in certain areas.
Baker was a mullocker in 95 while Fennelly couldn’t live with Andy Smith in 2009 and lost his starting place. Baker in 97 to 99 was a far more rounded hurler and stood out as was Fennelly from 2011 onwards when he became a physical powerhouse. Both went into be players far removed from the hurlers they looked when they first burst on the scene.
You mightn’t agree with the comparison but there is validity in it backed up by both players performances. But if you want to carry on jumping up and down maintaining I’m wronging Limerick lads be my guest. I am happy to explain my rational as why why lads were picked or not picked and I stand by it.
Noel Hickey should easily win this
1 Like
As usual the guys from the weaker counties club together against Limerick.
2 Likes
Strange rationale. Did Seamus Callanan not roast Padraic Mannion in 2015 because Galway won?
Howd he get on against john hanbury?
1 Like
Well he caught the one ball that went up between them and was fouled for a penalty, so continued in a similar vein
Padraig Walsh showed more ability during his brief spell at 3 than any of the poll above.
Might be an unpopular opinion,but I’d have him there any day of the week.The chap is a pure Rolls Royce of a hurler.He has everything for that position and more.The game is evolving,lads.
Why did you include him in the poll?
As the limerick lads would whinge if I didn’t put a limerick lad on the list. I can’t win either way with them.
1 Like
He’d hardly make the top 20 full backs in the period id say in reality?
He was good in fairness. When he played well he was very dominant and worthy of being in the conversation. Played with a great bit of style too. Almost the opposite of Paul Curran who a real steady spoiler.
There are four or five excellent full backs listed, you could make a case for a dozen or so after that to be included to be included on the list. I went with Kelly, Curran and McCarthy as I think they were more dominant than the likes of David Mcinerney, Joey Holden and James Barry.
The likes of Liam Ryan, Casey and O’Donnell of the current full backs all have great style about them and are good to watch but don’t have the longevity yet. The lad Kilkenny had this year Lawlor looks a good stopper at full back too but too early to tell.
1 Like
Richie Mccarthy is there because another Mccarthy is being a scoundrel and teasing Limerick folk… Any sort of forwards ball coming in and richie was fcuked…
1 Like
Darragh Ryan for me as JJ is a lock at 7. Ryan is Wexfords only chance of getting an outfield player on this team. I’m sure @Bandage and his Wexford mafia will see him in.
Ryan could play it any way. Big high ball into the square but was athlethic enough to stifle the small knacky man. The fact he was almost singlehandedly keeping the Wexford in games at the time added to it. There was also the touch of flambouyance to his game that the likes Burke or Hickey never went at.
Swashbuckling is always a verb you hear associated with full backs and never really any other defensive positions. Ryan was top class.
Master of the dark arts is phrase bandied about the position also. Ryan could do both as could Richie McCarthy to a lesser degree. The rest of the full backs there could only have one of the above phrases attached to them.
I’m discounting Lohan as I feel his best stuff was pre 2000
It always comes back to Seamie. This is the full back position up for grabs here.
Have a read of what I replied to like a good lad
Darragh Ryan was great, but longevity counts against him. Think he was only involved from 1999 to around 2005. He was more recognised as a footballer in his younger days, did each cruciate within a couple of years and then came to the hurling set up after St Annes won junior and intermediate hurling. They then did the senior double in 2000, which was unreal to be fair. Think they only used 17 or 18 players across each panel, but I digress. But his knees always seemed to be giving him trouble. He was superb from 2001 to 2004.