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Hurling would be Damien Fitzhenry the guy was solid under a high ball, could block a bullet and come up the the field and win you a match with a 21 yard free. Donal og Cusack was the start of the modern play-maker goalkeeper from puck-out strategies and finding a man rather than belting up the field as far as you can, I might be biased but I think Nicky Quaid deserves a mention and also I like Anthony Nash and Eoin Murphy. But still I think Damien Fitzhenry is the best I have seen. DUALSUPPORT (Limerick) - Posts: 1038 - 11/09/2021 23:57:53 2379833 Link 0 |
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I was never a big believer in the cluxton hubris personally. His dead ball expertise are unquestioned, but then so are dean rocks. Nobody is saying he is the best forward of all time though. HardCase (USA) - Posts: 64 - 12/09/2021 10:27:01 2379872 Link 2 |
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That would be Shane Connaughton, a big man, and a good keeper. He played in goal for Athlone Town AFC. A member of the Tubberclair club. Good players are found in the weaker counties too.
MicktheMiller (Offaly) - Posts: 421 - 12/09/2021 12:29:29 2379922 Link 0 |
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Gary Connaughton. And yes, he was better.
cavanman47 (Cavan) - Posts: 5017 - 12/09/2021 23:38:56 2380124 Link 8 |
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Stephen Cluxton's influence on the game is overestimated. He was a genuinely great keeper but I don't believe he was as influential as people say he was.
Greengrass (Louth) - Posts: 6031 - 13/09/2021 16:24:24 2380324 Link 2 |
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Not too many players have the rules of the game changed to limit their influence!
BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 2584 - 13/09/2021 17:20:12 2380344 Link 0 |
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Thanks Cavanman. It was indeed Gary Connaughton.
MicktheMiller (Offaly) - Posts: 421 - 13/09/2021 17:38:59 2380351 Link 0 |
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Some serious revisionism going on here. Cluxton is a legend and changed the way the game was played. He reinvented the position and gone are the days someone is stuck in goal because they are to fat or can kick a ball a long way. daytona11 (Kildare) - Posts: 4012 - 13/09/2021 17:44:45 2380354 Link 0 |
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You don't think … I get that! You don't think that Cluxton's influence isn't as great as people estimate. I don't get that. Please explain! foreveryoung (USA) - Posts: 1927 - 13/09/2021 17:45:47 2380355 Link 0 |
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Why would you say that ?
superbluedub (Dublin) - Posts: 2837 - 13/09/2021 18:07:07 2380363 Link 0 |
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He's not even the only keeper of the last decade that can claim that. Nash's penalty taking technique heralded an even more significant rule change.
beano (Wexford) - Posts: 1422 - 13/09/2021 20:13:16 2380401 Link 0 |
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In the rarified air of the greats l, i would class him as : Average in the air. Didnt command his area in any meaningful way. Good enough shot stopper. Could lose the head more than average. Very one sided. The reality is he didnt get tested a whole pile through dublins pomp because they were so dominant over everyone else. He also had some of the best players around at winning kickouts as targets. Mccarthy, fenton, howard, flynn, McCauley, those guys are kickout winning machines. On the flipside of that, you had a David clarke, whose only weakness was the trajectory of his kickout. But because his team werent as dominant, this got exposed. In reality, his 'poor' kicks were 50 50s. Very often it was the middle third of the team that failed to break even, yet he took the blame. That is the issue with a lot of judgements being made on players, too much of the criteria used isnt down to the just the keeper themselves. HardCase (USA) - Posts: 64 - 13/09/2021 20:15:26 2380402 Link 4 |
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Did i say he was the only one? Clue is in "not many." Certainly the only football goalkeeper I can think of who was the cause of such a radical rule change in an attempt to stop Dublin. Only short of making him wear a blindfold :-) BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 2584 - 13/09/2021 20:57:11 2380419 Link 0 |
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Surely you understand it's a team game and a huge part of how a player adds value is his ability to assess both his own strengths and weaknesses and those of his team mates and then tailor his game to optimise the team's performance, this is what Cluxton learned over the years and made him the master.
sligo joe (Dublin) - Posts: 685 - 13/09/2021 23:44:54 2380486 Link 0 |
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totally agree and a mention to gary connaughton of my own county . i also admire niall morgan . the way cluxton disrespected his manager lowers him in my estimation
mickcunningham (Westmeath) - Posts: 1806 - 14/09/2021 10:41:12 2380537 Link 0 |
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How did he disrespect him? You have no idea of what transpired around time Cluxton decided not to play this year, or who knew or didn't know the reasons. As for respect, he is a man who chose to play with a lower grade team in Parnells when the club imported a load of over-rated inter county players in a failed attempt to win the county championship. BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 2584 - 14/09/2021 12:12:28 2380568 Link 0 |
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No. He refused to play in goals. Demanded to be let play as a forward and wasn't good enough to start for the first team. Colin Parkinson confirmed as much just a few weeks ago.
cavanman47 (Cavan) - Posts: 5017 - 14/09/2021 13:13:34 2380599 Link 7 |
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Keepers like Niall Morgan and Rory Beggan are moving this on again by adding support in open play to what Cluxton has done so well. It remains to be seen if this will be a lasting innovation for goal keepers - I think it will be. But for me I agree 100%. Cluxton changed the way the game was played. In 20 years of top level football he was truly tested; he had the drive to constantly improve himself and the team around him. The best ever. brianb (Kildare) - Posts: 292 - 14/09/2021 13:49:42 2380613 Link 0 |
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I doubt old Wooly would be interested in answering too many questions about his move to Parnells!
BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 2584 - 14/09/2021 14:06:04 2380624 Link 0 |
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Cluxton was good at finding his man with kick outs and that was easy as most teams who played against Dublin did not contest the kick out. When put under any sort pressure he could kick over the line, or to the opposition like most other keepers. Being on a good team meant he had less to do in a match. I would say his importance was exaggerated by the media. A very good keeper. Now I think goalkeeping has been taken to another level by Morgan and Beggan -a couple of good examples in the AI and a few good examples in the Tyrone/ Monaghan match when Beggan ran 40m and disposed Mattie Donnelly on the edge of square without fouling him-something most defenders find difficult to do. Both men score more than many of the forwards in most matches.
browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2342 - 14/09/2021 14:18:10 2380629 Link 10 |