Just to get views on what you all think. There are probably four stand-out names in football;
Mick O'Dwyer
Heffo
Micky Harte
Sean Boylan

For me all had/have great skills. But not because I'm from Meath,I do think Sean Boylan's achievements out weigh all the others. Due to the fact he was never a football man when offered the job though he was been offered the county hurling team. Turned what was a average bunch of players into winning two All Irelands back to back without the back door.
But to me his greatest achievement was in 1996 one year after been hammered by Dublin in Leinster and with the majority of the team retiring,he took a bunch of inexperienced lads to win Leinster and an All Ireland when most thought (including me) they would lose the first round to Carlow.

Four All Irelands, Seven Leinsters and Three National Leagues, what a record.

And although others, Micko in particular had more successes I think it's fair to say they had better players at their disposal than Sean had. Add to that he is a gentleman of the highest degree. As gracious in defeat as in victory. Just my thoughts on it anyway. What's everyone else's?

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 29/02/2012 17:20:26    1119932

For hurling the names would be. Niky english, jimmy barry murphy ger loughnane . But surely brian cody stands out as the greatest. Hurling folk go easy on me as been from meath I admit to not been on top of all hurling matters

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 29/02/2012 17:46:45    1119950

Football
Sean Boylan, John O'Mahoney, Mickey Harte, Joe Kernan

Hurling
Hard to look past Brian Cody, Doanl O'Grady deserves a mention I think also.

gotmilk (Fermanagh) - Posts: 4971 - 29/02/2012 18:09:40    1119969

Folk are getting sick of these pointless threads....hence the lack of replies!!

Regards,

Snufalufagus....Laochra Gael

Snufalufagus (Dublin) - Posts: 8100 - 01/03/2012 10:18:05    1120181

Actually think the reason why not many posts is that 90% + of people are in agreement on the 2. Sean boylan and brian cody. No others even get near so no debate.

But snuff your very quick to post yourself if it about dublin or someone from it. I'm glad the majority of your county men have open minds and can actually see others from around country can be superior in there fields.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 01/03/2012 10:35:41    1120188

Yeah Snuf - your soppose the pick the MEATH man. Have you never played this game before? Its so much fun.

georgelee (Louth) - Posts: 523 - 01/03/2012 10:43:32    1120194

Dwyer and Cody.....end of.

Cute_Kerry_Hoor (Kerry) - Posts: 2518 - 01/03/2012 10:45:57    1120198

Footbal - Micko even though the system was/is imbalanced in their favour. Mickey Harte worthy as well especially what he has done this past year.
Hurling - has to be Brian Cody

ballybannongael (Down) - Posts: 547 - 01/03/2012 10:47:47    1120199

Cute_Kerry_Hoor
County: Kerry

ballybannongael
County: Down


Thats not how you play.

georgelee (Louth) - Posts: 523 - 01/03/2012 10:57:10    1120208

FOOTBALL: Micko/Boylan/Harte.
HURLING: Cody.

OLLIE (Louth) - Posts: 12224 - 01/03/2012 11:10:28    1120214

can i just say on this , anyone not picking Heffo as one of the all time greats hasnt a clue what they are talking about.
If you knew how bad Dublin football was in 73! Our first champo game was played in croker the day of a league game involving Cork and Offaly I think it was, and our game was the opening match! The starter if you like. A championship starter to a league game.....We were nothing.
Heffo takes over, and over the next 10 years we play in 8 All Ireland finals and win 4 of them. Sure he wasnt there for one, but it was his team.

Its easy dismiss Heffo as an "over hyped Dub"
But the facts are this, his achievments with that Dublin team equal anything Micko, Boylan or Mickey H have done and possibly surpass them.

Maybe the reason he is not as universally acclaimed nowadays is because unlike Sean and Mickey, most of you dont remember his time, and unlike Micko, he didnt go on to manage half the country after his time with his own county was up?

Liamwalkinstown (Dublin) - Posts: 8166 - 01/03/2012 11:11:25    1120215

georgelee
County: Louth
Posts: 323

1120208
Cute_Kerry_Hoor
County: Kerry

ballybannongael
County: Down


Thats not how you play.


What?

Cute_Kerry_Hoor (Kerry) - Posts: 2518 - 01/03/2012 11:22:01    1120224

Football, flip a coin between Sean Boylan & Mickey Harte

Hurling, Brian Cody, no one has ever come close to his achievements and probably never will

gigoer (Wexford) - Posts: 1998 - 01/03/2012 12:10:34    1120264

Hurling.
1.Brian Cody (Kilkenny)
2.Ger Loughnane (Clare and Galway)
3.Cyril Farrell (Galway)
4.Justin McCarthy (Antrim, Clare ,Waterford and Limerick)
5.Andy Gallagher (Offaly)
6.Anthony Daly (Clare now Dublin)
7.Liam Griffin (Wexford)
8.Babs Keating (Tipp)
9.Jim O`Regan (Cork)
10.Mattie Murphy (Galway)

fonejacker (Kildare) - Posts: 315 - 01/03/2012 12:21:04    1120274

Kerry's Dr. Eamonn O'Sullivan definitely.
9 finals and 8 wins at different times between 1924 to 1962.
Was way ahead of his time in terms of training and sports psychology.

Superglue (Kerry) - Posts: 1283 - 01/03/2012 13:40:37    1120359

Liamwalkinstown
County: Dublin
Posts: 2916

1120215 can i just say on this , anyone not picking Heffo as one of the all time greats hasnt a clue what they are talking about.
If you knew how bad Dublin football was in 73! Our first champo game was played in croker the day of a league game involving Cork and Offaly I think it was, and our game was the opening match! The starter if you like. A championship starter to a league game.....We were nothing.
Heffo takes over, and over the next 10 years we play in 8 All Ireland finals and win 4 of them. Sure he wasnt there for one, but it was his team.

Its easy dismiss Heffo as an "over hyped Dub"
But the facts are this, his achievments with that Dublin team equal anything Micko, Boylan or Mickey H have done and possibly surpass them.

Maybe the reason he is not as universally acclaimed nowadays is because unlike Sean and Mickey, most of you dont remember his time, and unlike Micko, he didnt go on to manage half the country after his time with his own county was up?


The matches from the seventies would have been going on when I was a kid, so I wouldn't have really got it. Last year though I read the Tom Humphries Dublin v Kerry book. I never realised how low Dublin football was before 74, and it put a new perspective on Heffernan for me. Definitely up with the best of them. Like all the other greats mentioned though, he had the benefit of managing teams with outstanding players and characters.
I'd highly recommend the book too.

Greenfield (Meath) - Posts: 522 - 01/03/2012 14:32:33    1120415

Greenfield did you know Jimmy K was retired when Heffo took over!!! Ever hear the reason he was brought back!! Talk about "Only in the GAA" !!!!!!
On that, ever hear the reason Dublin went from blue and white to blue and navy over time!!! Better again!!!

Regarding Dublin having had great players....that Dubs team in the early days of Heffos time was seen as a team of average footballer playing to a system that was designed for them by a tactically astute manager! (sound familiar!!)
But as the decade went on, some of those "limited grafters" turned into absolute superstars. Tony Hanahoe David Hickey and Robbie Kelliher being chief amongst them.

Heffo took a team that would have been the modern equivilant of an Offaly or a Cavan and turned them into arguably the second best team to ever play the game.

Some achievement

Liamwalkinstown (Dublin) - Posts: 8166 - 01/03/2012 14:57:46    1120449

Liamwalkinstown
County: Dublin
Posts: 2917

1120215
unlike Micko, he didnt go on to manage half the country after his time with his own county was up?

Yeah sure it was nothing to do with getting Kildare to a final, giving Laois their first Leinster in 57 years (an achievement the baggers are still trying to emulate) or getting wicklow to actually win in the champo! he was just lauded for atin tae n drinkin sangwiches in the dugout!

Big up heffo all you like but dont start throwing darts at the Great Man.

Horse (Laois) - Posts: 1146 - 01/03/2012 15:07:25    1120458

Micko is a great man H*rse, no question. Legend. 100%
All I am saying is the reason Heffo is forgotten and Micko is still revered is because Micko stayed in the game, Heffo didnt. You may have misunderstood my point there H*rse?

On the flourbags name, I can see the logical reason why ye call them that, but I was once told there was a funnier, naughtier reason than simply due to the white jerseys....
You any clue???

Liamwalkinstown (Dublin) - Posts: 8166 - 01/03/2012 15:15:26    1120466

i see someone mentioned joe kernan..Was he actually that good a manager?? Fair enough he lead crossmaglen to x number of titles and won armagh an all ireland and countless ulsters. But in reality with those players anyone could of won those championships. it was mcconville, the mcentee's, bellew etc that won those titles for cross. Look at cross now still going strong without him. Look how he done with Galway,he had a good squad to choose from and he failed miserably. anyone agree?

sam09 (Tyrone) - Posts: 339 - 01/03/2012 15:47:58    1120499