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Diarmuid Connolly

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Replying To jimbodub: "They have managed to compete against Dublin but haven't won a national title and it's been zero titles won since Rochford has taken over. They have struggled to beat teams in the back door from lower division and they have a dismal league record and very poor home record, all of the above isn't the mark of a great team. No doubt they've managed to compete with Dublin very well but that's papering over a lot of stuff and teams 100% should be judged on silverware won not teams that can compete with Dublin when we're talking about great teams. As I said I think they could get close enough this year but it's coming to the end of this team IMO and I think they'll go down as infamous rather than famous.. I can see the TG4 documentary on them now in about 10 years time and the main tone won't be winning." thats your point of view, its rather simplistic to be honest...nobody forgets the dutch team of 1974 or the brazil sides of the 80s alano12 (Dublin) - Posts: 2208 - 29/03/2018 23:00:59 2089446 Link
Replying To jimbodub: "They have managed to compete against Dublin but haven't won a national title and it's been zero titles won since Rochford has taken over. They have struggled to beat teams in the back door from lower division and they have a dismal league record and very poor home record, all of the above isn't the mark of a great team. No doubt they've managed to compete with Dublin very well but that's papering over a lot of stuff and teams 100% should be judged on silverware won not teams that can compete with Dublin when we're talking about great teams. As I said I think they could get close enough this year but it's coming to the end of this team IMO and I think they'll go down as infamous rather than famous.. I can see the TG4 documentary on them now in about 10 years time and the main tone won't be winning." a poor home record?..how many games have they even played at home??!..stretching a little bit now in fairness alano12 (Dublin) - Posts: 2208 - 29/03/2018 23:02:11 2089447 Link
Any truth in the rumours he was involved in a couple of dust ups in training? As a neutral i have to say Lee Keegan is a wonderful footballer, a man marker but also a machine for getting up and down the pitch getting crucial scores but for me, the last 9 months excluded, Diarmuid Connolly has been the most naturally gifted player to grace Croke Park for the last decade! Lomansabu (Westmeath) - Posts: 22 - 30/03/2018 03:06:05 2089465 Link
Wouldn't even bother myself arguing about this nonsense if I was a Dub. Diarmuid Connolly is one of the best players of his generation and he'd still be so if he played for any other county. He wouldn't get the same accolades and wouldn't have the same amount of titles no doubt but he'd still be the great footballer he is. And to add a little more clarity to the issue,todays great players such as Diarmuid Connolly,and players from other county's such as Seán Cavanagh or Aidan O' Shea,are the greatest bunch of players ever in Gaelic football. seanie_boy (Tyrone) - Posts: 4235 - 30/03/2018 05:11:41 2089466 Link
Replying To alano12: "in fairness now they fairly hammered the majority of teams up till the last 2 seasons, you arent giving them due credit..if we are so much better than explain how we find it so difficult almost every time?..lots of teams are great without winning..is ciaran mcdonald not great?" Ciaran McDonald absolutely was great but unless a team wins Sam would not define greatness in the same way. Basically because a player as alluded to could be great surrounded by ordinary teammates which reduces opportunity. As for a team how can they be considered great (even with Mayo's admirable consistency) without the big prize. Non negotiable I am afraid this one. If they win in Sept of course the goalposts change. kiloughter (Galway) - Posts: 1947 - 30/03/2018 08:29:03 2089477 Link
Replying To alano12: "a poor home record?..how many games have they even played at home??!..stretching a little bit now in fairness" Yes they have a poor home record in the league in front of a large home support. Stretching it by stating facts ? Ask a Mayo fan what they think of their current home league record. Mayo aren't a great team or anything close to it at the minute. They can compete with Dublin at a specific time of year but just look at Dublin's head to head with Mayo since 2012. If merely being able to compete with Dublin now and again at a specific time is considered greatness.. well that doesn't add up in my book jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20600 - 30/03/2018 08:57:13 2089479 Link
Replying To alano12: "thats your point of view, its rather simplistic to be honest...nobody forgets the dutch team of 1974 or the brazil sides of the 80s" Simplistic? I went into detail and gave numerous examples backing my point haha You're the one that wrote a 3 line response and added the word "simplistic" as if that's any sort of argument So it's 'my view' that Mayo have won ZERO national titles? No that's fact. I could go on here... If merely competing with Dublin now and again is considered great.. well you're easily impressed jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20600 - 30/03/2018 09:03:25 2089480 Link
Winning AI's give players a high profile resulting in All Stars being given out (not won!). How can anyone say that to be a great player you have to win an AI -total nonsense. A good player is a good player irrespective of what he wins, it is just that a lot of guys are influenced by the media comments (mostly made by guys with poor analysis skills). Good teams win Ai's. A good player may be on an average team and wins nothing. browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2342 - 30/03/2018 13:16:27 2089531 Link
Replying To browncows: "Winning AI's give players a high profile resulting in All Stars being given out (not won!). How can anyone say that to be a great player you have to win an AI -total nonsense. A good player is a good player irrespective of what he wins, it is just that a lot of guys are influenced by the media comments (mostly made by guys with poor analysis skills). Good teams win Ai's. A good player may be on an average team and wins nothing." So Dermot Early is as great a player as Graham Gerarthy or Colm O Rourke. TheUsername (Dublin) - Posts: 4445 - 30/03/2018 14:10:12 2089536 Link
Connolly and Keegan are both great regardless of what they've won or haven't this argument that you have to win Sam to be great is beyond belief in how false it is. This will be controversial but I can't think of one player in history who can do what Lee Keegan has done in the last 2 all Ireland finals, two absolutely cracking goals while nullifying Dublins greatest forwards I think he's actually under-rated! Northsidegaels (Meath) - Posts: 237 - 30/03/2018 14:11:18 2089537 Link
Replying To TheUsername: "So Dermot Early is as great a player as Graham Gerarthy or Colm O Rourke." Matt Connor was one of the best forwards I have seen and I don't think he won an All-Ireland- He was better than any of the forwards that won All-Irelands for Offaly. Darby's goal stopped Kerry winning 5 in a row but that does not make him a great forward. On Dermot Early, he may, or may not have been as good but what he won or did not win was / is irrelevant to his quality as a footballer. I do add that Connolly (as I have said before) has been possibly the best forward I have seen over the last 6 years and will be very very difficult to replace. browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2342 - 30/03/2018 15:15:26 2089551 Link
Greatness in terms of ability is different to greatness of achievement when considered in the context of a team sport. There are many great players in terms of ability who were part of teams that were not great. Dubh_linn (Dublin) - Posts: 2312 - 30/03/2018 15:17:22 2089552 Link
Replying To browncows: "Matt Connor was one of the best forwards I have seen and I don't think he won an All-Ireland- He was better than any of the forwards that won All-Irelands for Offaly. Darby's goal stopped Kerry winning 5 in a row but that does not make him a great forward. On Dermot Early, he may, or may not have been as good but what he won or did not win was / is irrelevant to his quality as a footballer. I do add that Connolly (as I have said before) has been possibly the best forward I have seen over the last 6 years and will be very very difficult to replace." So if some players don't get the opportunity to play in provincal, semi or all Ireland finals they are largely playing lower level opposititiin thus are they competing against the very best of opposition quality. Big fish in small pond etc. Just seems to me people are saying I saw so and so and they never played in big games, but they were great player, why? Because people saw them and they looked good, doesn't seem to be any standard attached just loose opinion.. Just playing devils advocate here. TheUsername (Dublin) - Posts: 4445 - 30/03/2018 16:09:43 2089560 Link
Replying To browncows: "Matt Connor was one of the best forwards I have seen and I don't think he won an All-Ireland- He was better than any of the forwards that won All-Irelands for Offaly. Darby's goal stopped Kerry winning 5 in a row but that does not make him a great forward. On Dermot Early, he may, or may not have been as good but what he won or did not win was / is irrelevant to his quality as a footballer. I do add that Connolly (as I have said before) has been possibly the best forward I have seen over the last 6 years and will be very very difficult to replace." Just as a related piece of information did Matt Connor not win an all Ireland in 1982? Great player regardless. kiloughter (Galway) - Posts: 1947 - 30/03/2018 16:57:59 2089565 Link
He did win an AI in 1982, however he was an excellent player before that and scored I think 2-7 against the great Kerry team in a semi-final. The username quote; 'big player in small pond'. Sometimes it is easier to play well in the big pond with better players around. Look at club football (maybe you call that a small pond) and some county players are not good enough to stand out-even ones with AI's - look at your own county final. browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2342 - 30/03/2018 20:39:30 2089595 Link
Replying To browncows: "He did win an AI in 1982, however he was an excellent player before that and scored I think 2-7 against the great Kerry team in a semi-final. The username quote; 'big player in small pond'. Sometimes it is easier to play well in the big pond with better players around. Look at club football (maybe you call that a small pond) and some county players are not good enough to stand out-even ones with AI's - look at your own county final." Which brings us back to the greatness of players like Connolly glad we've gone full circle. TheUsername (Dublin) - Posts: 4445 - 30/03/2018 20:50:03 2089598 Link
Replying To jimbodub: "Yes they have a poor home record in the league in front of a large home support. Stretching it by stating facts ? Ask a Mayo fan what they think of their current home league record. Mayo aren't a great team or anything close to it at the minute. They can compete with Dublin at a specific time of year but just look at Dublin's head to head with Mayo since 2012. If merely being able to compete with Dublin now and again at a specific time is considered greatness.. well that doesn't add up in my book" we are counting home league records now are we?....what does it make us if we struggle as much as we do against mayo? the idea that a team or player is not great just because they havent won something is very simplistic, this mayo side have beaten everybody besides us over the last number of years...sadly for their own sake they have simply come up against a better team, no shame in that, one of the best teams of all time. is ciaran mcdonald a great player yes or no?...i think this mayo team will probably go down as the greatest side to never win an all ireland. pretty special team in my eyes and most other people just have been unfortunate in that this is the best dublin side ever alano12 (Dublin) - Posts: 2208 - 30/03/2018 23:40:09 2089626 Link
Replying To jimbodub: "Simplistic? I went into detail and gave numerous examples backing my point haha You're the one that wrote a 3 line response and added the word "simplistic" as if that's any sort of argument So it's 'my view' that Mayo have won ZERO national titles? No that's fact. I could go on here... If merely competing with Dublin now and again is considered great.. well you're easily impressed" your details again were simplistic, have you countered the idea that those brazil or dutch sides arent considered great?..mentioning home league records, who even counts that?..talk about looking for something to take a cheap dig at a team..they have come against a better team who they have competed against every single year without fail...it is your view that they arent a great side..its 'national titles' now i see..anything to get the extra digs in..in all fairness all thats counted in terms of gaa is all irelands nothing else alano12 (Dublin) - Posts: 2208 - 30/03/2018 23:43:52 2089627 Link
Replying To kiloughter: "Ciaran McDonald absolutely was great but unless a team wins Sam would not define greatness in the same way. Basically because a player as alluded to could be great surrounded by ordinary teammates which reduces opportunity. As for a team how can they be considered great (even with Mayo's admirable consistency) without the big prize. Non negotiable I am afraid this one. If they win in Sept of course the goalposts change." its hardly ciaran mcdonalds fault that he hadnt great teammates..there are people suggesting here he wasnt because he didnt win an all ireland.., he was a special special player, there is no disputing that...how cant they?..lots of teams in various sports are considered great teams who didnt win the big prize...especially if people are going claiming this dublin team are one of the best ever than that puts this mayo side on pretty high standing..non negotiable on a point of view? alano12 (Dublin) - Posts: 2208 - 30/03/2018 23:46:32 2089628 Link
Replying To Northsidegaels: "Connolly and Keegan are both great regardless of what they've won or haven't this argument that you have to win Sam to be great is beyond belief in how false it is. This will be controversial but I can't think of one player in history who can do what Lee Keegan has done in the last 2 all Ireland finals, two absolutely cracking goals while nullifying Dublins greatest forwards I think he's actually under-rated!" just think of the likes of lads on the recent kerry, tyrone, dublin sides with multiple all irelands who arent anywhere close to keegan in terms of ability or performances alano12 (Dublin) - Posts: 2208 - 30/03/2018 23:48:29 2089629 Link