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Intercounty Players Who Had One Or Two Good Seasons And Then Just Disappeared..Both Codes

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Replying To Loughduff Lad:  "Yeah Mickey Lyng. Actually he played a fair few seasons from mid-2000s up to the early 2010s. He's still playing club football, but he was an outstanding player and did have some cracking games around 04 alright, especially the game with Armagh. Pity there was only a few bright moments in that Cavan team, they massively under delivered in that era despite the players available.

Trevor Crowe from Cavan was one who played only 1 season (think his job was hard for him to commit properly) but he shone bright that year. Honestly he was just a lump of a hard man who you couldn't knock off the ball, had decent skills too and was able to get into faces and stir things up."
Himself (Crowe) and Gaynor were some pair of tough lads in the half back line at that stage. As the saying up that way goes they were thick as a double ditch ;)

brian (Meath) - Posts: 1973 - 12/04/2021 17:55:08    2337007

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Replying To brian:  "In football
Anthony Gaynor - Cavan 2004 to 2007/8
Chris O'Connor - Meath 2007 - 2010
Derek Duggan - Roscommon 1990 -1991
Mossy Lyons - Kerry 2001
Phillip Clifford - Cork 1999 - 2002/3 maybe

In Hurling
Brian "Bull" Phelan - Waterford 2004 i think
Johnny Brenner - Waterford
Conor Phelan - Kilkenny - but i believe he had a serious heart condition and had to retire

Not sure if that's the calibre of players you're looking for but they all broke through and disappeared again very quickly"
Too young to remember any of them but I would hazard a guess many of them had problems with injuries?
I know a relative of Philip Clifford from college and fairly sure he had all sorts of knee problems?
There is also the catch 22 of players who are injury prone not getting the game time others get because the managers think "I can't rely on them come championship.
My brother couldn't make a Wexford minor / U21 team for this reason. He was good enough, but had awful injury problems. Never got near senior panel - was probably better than number 30 on the panels.

StoreysTash (Wexford) - Posts: 1792 - 14/04/2021 14:06:29    2337173

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Replying To StoreysTash:  "Too young to remember any of them but I would hazard a guess many of them had problems with injuries?
I know a relative of Philip Clifford from college and fairly sure he had all sorts of knee problems?
There is also the catch 22 of players who are injury prone not getting the game time others get because the managers think "I can't rely on them come championship.
My brother couldn't make a Wexford minor / U21 team for this reason. He was good enough, but had awful injury problems. Never got near senior panel - was probably better than number 30 on the panels."
Phillip Clifford was a fine forward back late 90s...there was a Patrick Kelly too who was an exceptional talent and was around for a fair bit but then seemed to fall away..

Fairplayalways (Offaly) - Posts: 1037 - 14/04/2021 15:58:19    2337190

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Replying To Fairplayalways:  "Phillip Clifford was a fine forward back late 90s...there was a Patrick Kelly too who was an exceptional talent and was around for a fair bit but then seemed to fall away.."
Mickey O'Connell, a Limerick native, who hurled with Cork at The turn of the Century. Won an All Ireland Medal in '99, but went off too soon.

Oldtourman (Limerick) - Posts: 4471 - 14/04/2021 16:25:22    2337198

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Replying To Oldtourman:  "Mickey O'Connell, a Limerick native, who hurled with Cork at The turn of the Century. Won an All Ireland Medal in '99, but went off too soon."
I was actually going to post him. I think he won a medal as a sub in 04 as well. Pretty sure he started the 03 final as well.

In 1990 Cork had a lad Foley was his name? Scored a huge amount in the Munster final from play but don't think he was around for much after.

About that I remember was Eoin Keatting from Limerick footballers. His missed the two chances in the 04 Munster final that Darragh O Se caught to bring it to a replay. Don't remember much of him after that.

oneoff (UK) - Posts: 1497 - 14/04/2021 16:38:52    2337201

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Replying To oneoff:  "I was actually going to post him. I think he won a medal as a sub in 04 as well. Pretty sure he started the 03 final as well.

In 1990 Cork had a lad Foley was his name? Scored a huge amount in the Munster final from play but don't think he was around for much after.

About that I remember was Eoin Keatting from Limerick footballers. His missed the two chances in the 04 Munster final that Darragh O Se caught to bring it to a replay. Don't remember much of him after that."
Oneoff think the Foley you're talking about was Mark Foley, played centre half forward

John Fitzgibbon was another from that team too who came and went very quickly, or maybe its just there wasn't as much coverage in those days.

brian (Meath) - Posts: 1973 - 14/04/2021 16:46:42    2337202

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Replying To Fairplayalways:  "I remember Tony Kirwan playing for Waterford ok...an interesting link I made a few years years ago in a connection with the Troys in Lusmagh in Offaly (Jim and John of Offaly fame) are connected as far as I know to the Fives in Waterford..I hate guessing what one of them told me as I probaby ahve it wrong by now, but I think the Fives mother was a Troy from Lusmagh...I do stand corrected but there is some link...and if that is right or wrong, the Troys are cousin of Joe Bergin that hurled for Offaly upto recently..a player who came at the right wrong time for Offaly but still hurled almost 20 years I think for Offaly, he hurled 14 or 15 anyway I would hazzard a guess...Barney Moylan of Offaly held Eddie Keher scoreless from play too I believe...I heard of the Whelans being excellent hurlers before....Clinton Hennessy was a great great goal keeper...what a pity he didnt get a medal like so many more of that Waterford panel of players..."
The Fives are from Tourin a small community and junior club. They are uncles of Shane and Darragh. They went from junior one year to winning the senior the following. In the final a Tourin player was getting sent off and the great John Keane of Waterford and Mount Sion pleaded with the ref that it would spoil the game. Mount Sion were that confident. The ref relented. Tourin got stuck in and won. The following week a tournament game was arranged for Mount Sion to prove it was a fluke. Tourin put another beating on them. Jim Fives played for Galway in two All-Ireland's and missed out on Waterford's 59 win as he was in Galway. Finished his career playing junior for Roscommon. He rose to a top ranking officer in the Army. Thus the changing teams. One of the greatest ever to play the game. Died just before Christmas. Franky Walsh was asked after a game against Galway did Jim take it easy on him having played together. Franky said "are you f---ing joking I am sore from head to toes. A great family of players with the hurley or big ball.

Canuck (Waterford) - Posts: 2905 - 14/04/2021 17:24:21    2337207

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Replying To Canuck:  "The Fives are from Tourin a small community and junior club. They are uncles of Shane and Darragh. They went from junior one year to winning the senior the following. In the final a Tourin player was getting sent off and the great John Keane of Waterford and Mount Sion pleaded with the ref that it would spoil the game. Mount Sion were that confident. The ref relented. Tourin got stuck in and won. The following week a tournament game was arranged for Mount Sion to prove it was a fluke. Tourin put another beating on them. Jim Fives played for Galway in two All-Ireland's and missed out on Waterford's 59 win as he was in Galway. Finished his career playing junior for Roscommon. He rose to a top ranking officer in the Army. Thus the changing teams. One of the greatest ever to play the game. Died just before Christmas. Franky Walsh was asked after a game against Galway did Jim take it easy on him having played together. Franky said "are you f---ing joking I am sore from head to toes. A great family of players with the hurley or big ball."
I think the Fives hurling today are cousins of the Troys of Offaly, so a son of the men you mentioned in late 50's are the father of the lads today, and throw in what you said about pedigree and the Troys the current lads didnt lick their talent from a stone as one says.. (John Troy was a player whom I maintain under achieved with with the skill he had - and at that he has 2 all Ireland medals - so thats how good he was and could have been probably only for lifestyle choices at the peak of his career..but nothing wrong with that either...

Fairplayalways (Offaly) - Posts: 1037 - 15/04/2021 14:54:37    2337307

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Replying To Fairplayalways:  "I think the Fives hurling today are cousins of the Troys of Offaly, so a son of the men you mentioned in late 50's are the father of the lads today, and throw in what you said about pedigree and the Troys the current lads didnt lick their talent from a stone as one says.. (John Troy was a player whom I maintain under achieved with with the skill he had - and at that he has 2 all Ireland medals - so thats how good he was and could have been probably only for lifestyle choices at the peak of his career..but nothing wrong with that either..."
John Troy was a special player ing many ways and so were his team mates of that time. They always came across as enjoying their hurling but would not leave it define life for them. Very different than today or others even at that time. Greg Fives R.I.P. (died young) was another cousin and himself and Tom Gough would have battles with the great Willie Bryan partnership of midfielders in Offaly. Waterford were in division of the league at the time and as good a football team as in Ireland. Great players from 1 to 15 and were only relegated on scoring average. Drew with a great Offaly team and Cork. Rumour had it at the time that both men were going to be employed in Bord NaMona and would be transferred to Offaly.

Canuck (Waterford) - Posts: 2905 - 15/04/2021 16:24:56    2337318

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Replying To Canuck:  "John Troy was a special player ing many ways and so were his team mates of that time. They always came across as enjoying their hurling but would not leave it define life for them. Very different than today or others even at that time. Greg Fives R.I.P. (died young) was another cousin and himself and Tom Gough would have battles with the great Willie Bryan partnership of midfielders in Offaly. Waterford were in division of the league at the time and as good a football team as in Ireland. Great players from 1 to 15 and were only relegated on scoring average. Drew with a great Offaly team and Cork. Rumour had it at the time that both men were going to be employed in Bord NaMona and would be transferred to Offaly."
interesting news there...remember hearing of Greg Fives alright...

Fairplayalways (Offaly) - Posts: 1037 - 15/04/2021 16:58:14    2337322

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Eamon Kennedy of Kilkenny, just 3 seasons and I think injury ended his career...I think he got MOM in 2000 All Ireland win over us (Offaly) I stand corrected on that..he was in awesome form and then just went in 2001...most other counties could not afford his loss..Kilkenny just moved on I think Peter Barry slotted in to CB then...another outstanding hurler....

Fairplayalways (Offaly) - Posts: 1037 - 16/04/2021 17:41:06    2337428

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Philly Larkin had a couple of seasons but apparently fell foul of Coady then and retired a young man..

Fairplayalways (Offaly) - Posts: 1037 - 26/04/2021 00:05:44    2338758

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Replying To Fairplayalways:  "Eamon Kennedy of Kilkenny, just 3 seasons and I think injury ended his career...I think he got MOM in 2000 All Ireland win over us (Offaly) I stand corrected on that..he was in awesome form and then just went in 2001...most other counties could not afford his loss..Kilkenny just moved on I think Peter Barry slotted in to CB then...another outstanding hurler...."
To be fair there was a bit more to the Kennedy thing.

Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 2118 - 26/04/2021 13:21:57    2338812

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Replying To Fairplayalways:  "Philly Larkin had a couple of seasons but apparently fell foul of Coady then and retired a young man.."
Whatever about Philly, I'd say his father the great Fan Larkin would be too enamored towards Cody... and they club men!

foreveryoung (USA) - Posts: 2124 - 26/04/2021 13:47:38    2338816

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Mike Fitz had a great season in 2007 for Limerick, but just disappeared. Was it injury related or what? Perhaps Oldtourman or one of the other Limk posters can fill us in?

foreveryoung (USA) - Posts: 2124 - 26/04/2021 13:49:37    2338817

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Replying To foreveryoung:  "Mike Fitz had a great season in 2007 for Limerick, but just disappeared. Was it injury related or what? Perhaps Oldtourman or one of the other Limk posters can fill us in?"
FY. He continued to play at club level up to recently, but seemed prone to occasional injury and just passed out of the scene in relation to county level.

Oldtourman (Limerick) - Posts: 4471 - 26/04/2021 14:25:34    2338822

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Replying To Fairplayalways:  "Eamon Kennedy of Kilkenny, just 3 seasons and I think injury ended his career...I think he got MOM in 2000 All Ireland win over us (Offaly) I stand corrected on that..he was in awesome form and then just went in 2001...most other counties could not afford his loss..Kilkenny just moved on I think Peter Barry slotted in to CB then...another outstanding hurler...."
Correct me if I'm wrong on this but wasn't Kennedy roasted in an all ireland semi final defeat by Galway by Kevin Broderick (think he scored that famous point where he flicked it over a players head on the run) and Cody being the ruthless manager he is replaced him the following year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=293Gsuaecgo

Another lad from around that time, Mark O'Leary from Tipp. Think he was a bank manager or something, had a massive season in 2001 and think he dissappear thereafter. Might've been injuries that did for him.

brian (Meath) - Posts: 1973 - 26/04/2021 15:25:14    2338827

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Replying To foreveryoung:  "Whatever about Philly, I'd say his father the great Fan Larkin would be too enamored towards Cody... and they club men!"
I meant wouldn't be too enamored...

foreveryoung (USA) - Posts: 2124 - 26/04/2021 15:35:57    2338828

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I would say most of the players mentioned here were un-done by injuries.

StoreysTash (Wexford) - Posts: 1792 - 26/04/2021 15:44:22    2338830

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Replying To Fairplayalways:  "interesting news there...remember hearing of Greg Fives alright..."
Remember Thomas Deehan had a great season the last time you got to a Leinster final. Whatever happened to him?

Breffni40 (Cavan) - Posts: 12239 - 26/04/2021 15:59:33    2338831

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