dabiglad- well deserved mention goes to another Carryduff man, Collins for the dramatic penalty save in front of the hill in '94. Should have been all star keeper that year

Suas Sios (None) - Posts: 1558 - 22/01/2009 16:13:27    187186

yes - agree whole heartedly - Neil had a wonderful year nd shud of got an allstar

dabiglad (Down) - Posts: 155 - 22/01/2009 22:54:11    187593

Leo Murphy would surely be up there too. God knows we could use someone like him in the full back line these days

Gabriel. (Down) - Posts: 412 - 11/02/2009 15:00:30    204275

i would have to go for John 'shorty' Treanor. unlucky not to have two all irelands due to a disagreement. theres no doubt the best passer of the ball ever to play in down football

newryview (Down) - Posts: 748 - 11/02/2009 16:38:47    204424

Without doubt, the great Sean O'Neill - the only man from the six counties to be named on the "Team Of The Millennium"
I had the privilage of seeing him play, and I have seen all players named on this thread but Sean O'Neill was the best.

Goalkeeper Dan O'Keefe Kerry & Kerins O'Reillys
Right Corner Back Enda Colleran Galway & Mountbellew
Full Back Joe Keohane Kerry & John Mitchells
Left Corner Back Sean Flanagan Mayo/East Mayo/UCD
Right Half Back Sean Murphy Kerry/Dingle/UCD
Centre Back JJ O'Reilly Cavan & Cornafean
Left Half Back Martin O'Connell Meath & St. Michaels
Midfield Mick O'Connell Kerry & Valentia Young Islanders
Midfield Tommy Murphy Laois & Graiguecullen
Right Half Forward Sean O'Neill Down & Newry Mitchells
Centre Forward Sean Purcell Galway & Tuam Stars
Left Half Forward Pat Spillane Kerry & Templenoe
Right Corner Forward Mikey Sheehy Kerry & Austin Stacks
Full Forward Tommy Langan Mayo & Ballycastle
Left Corner Forward Kevin Heffernan Dublin & Vincents

crolly (Down) - Posts: 1 - 16/02/2009 19:28:37    208679

Out of interest, I realised that the Down teams of the 1960s possessed a whole crowd of brilliant players who would walk onto any county team - O'Neill, Paddy Doherty, James McCartan snr, Leo Murphy, Tom O'Hare, Colm McAlarney, Joe Lennon, Kevin Mussen... was wondering what the consensus was with regards to Down's greatest footballer from their 1991 and 1994 All Ireland winning teams? Mickey Linden is the obvious choice, unstoppable on his day, the 1994 Final against Dublin springs to mind - he fired over one of the best points you'll ever see after getting the better of his man close to the sideline. Greg Blaney was another outstanding player, as were James McCartan, Ross Carr and Conor Deegan... Greg McCartan is a personal favourite even though he only came to the fore in 1994. Thoughts?

Gabriel. (Down) - Posts: 412 - 16/02/2009 23:32:48    208968

anyone remember paddy kennedy? won an all star for down in early eighties

seansy (Louth) - Posts: 4 - 17/02/2009 10:06:06    209152

Mickey Linden. Lifted Mayobridge from division 4 to county champions... obvious with some help.

broncos4life (Down) - Posts: 4 - 17/02/2009 11:49:12    209276

Sean O Neill is the most decorated anyway with being on the team of the millenium so heard to look past him, but my other favourites would be Paddy Mo and from the 90's Micky Linden, James Junior and Greg Blaney. Good to see the Irish News list of the 50 best down footballers of the last 125 years, disapointed not to see names such as Ambrose Rodgers on it.

tullyframerover (Down) - Posts: 276 - 17/02/2009 13:15:06    209411

many great players, but there can be no doubt; Sean O'Neill was only ony the greatest Down footballer, but probably the greatest Irish footballer ever; I watched him regulalry when I was young, and his skill, speed and intelligence were remarkable.
Mickey Linden is in a very respectable second; my reserve team played against him last year and it was great to see a master at work

befair (Down) - Posts: 238 - 18/02/2009 12:23:42    210615

Micky Linden or Sean O'Neill. Possibly DJ Kane

derekdavis (Down) - Posts: 81 - 18/02/2009 13:56:32    210741

4 me its linden...why r people sayin marty clarke?? fair enuf es a brilliant player but he is only wat 21..22??

down1994 (Down) - Posts: 65 - 18/02/2009 17:50:24    211145

how about Shorty Trainor? in terms of pure footballing talent it would have to be him, he didnt fulfil this for down, but certainly for Burren. I remember he once scored a point from 80yards down in warrenpoint 1 day. Genius.

londonman (Down) - Posts: 4 - 21/02/2009 01:18:58    214146

In my experience following the Down teams from 1960 era , these are my seiection of best players who play for Down Senior Football team.

1. Neil Collins, Carryduff
2. Tommy McGovern, Burren
3. Leo Murphy, Lisnarcree
4. Tom O'Hare, Mayobridge
5. Cathal Digney, Saval
6. Dan McCartan, Glenn
7. Joe Lennon, Aghaderg
8. Colm McAlarney, Liatriom
9. Jarlath Carey, Dundrum
10. Greg Blaney, Carryduff
11. James McCartan (sen), Glenn
12. Paddy Doherty, Ballykinlar
13. Mickey Linden, Mayobridge
14. Sean O'Neill, Newry Mitchels
15. Ambrose Rodgers (sen) Longstone

My second selection

1.Micheal McVeigh
2.Brendan Sloan, Attical
3.Conor Deegan, Downpatrick
4. Mark Turley, Glenn
5. Pasty O'Hagan, Clonduff
6. Barry Breen, Downpatrick
7. DJ Kane, Newry Shamrocks
8. Liam Austin, Rostrevor
9. Brendan Toner, Castlewellan
10. Ross Carr, Clonduff
11. Dalsey Mooney, Clonduff
12. James McCartan (jun), Tullylish
13. Peter Rooney, Warrenpoint,
14. John McCartan, Glenn
15. Benny Coulter, Mayobridge.

Others players who have also played well.
Geogre Lavery, Kilwarlin
Pat Rice, Castlewellan,
Kevin Mussen, Clonduff
Tony Hadden, Newry Shamrocks
Breen Morgan, Annaclone
Willie Doyle, Liatriom
James Milligan, Ardglass
Micheal Cole, Rostrevor
Micheal Cunningham, Bryansford
Cecil Ward, Bryansford
Adrain McAuilfield, St Mitchels
Paddy Kennedy, Glenn
Brendan McGovern, Burren
Jim McCartan, Glenn
Donal Bell, Teconnagh
Brendan Mason, Loughinisland
Paul Higgins, Ballymartin
Paddy O'Rourke, Burren
Gregory McCartan, Ballymartin
Eamon Burns Bryansford.
Gary Mason. Loughinisland
Best match
1994 in Celtic Park Derry, Down v Derry in Ulster Championship

Best individual performance
Tom O'Hare, Mayobridge in 1968 All Ireland Semi-final against great Galway side who have won three in row 64,65 and 66.

Top Ten players
1. Sean O'Neill
2. Tom O'Hare
3. Colm McAlarnery
4. Paddy Doherty
5. James McCartan (sen)
6. Greg Blaney
7. Mickey Linden
8. Leo Murphy
9. Tommy McGovern
10. Joe Lennon

Best Down Club Player
Shorty Treanor Burren,
never made any impact on Down Senior team., should have been good enough for Down on 91 and 94 teams.

umpire (None) - Posts: 68 - 22/02/2009 23:17:52    215073

A comprehensive list indeed although I feel Mickey McVeigh might be a bit unlucky to have missed out on your first 15. It's a crying shame that he was never on an All-Ireland winning Down team, in his day he was among the finest goalkeepers in Ireland. Can remember in the dark days of the early 2000s when he would routinely keep Down in games on his own, just a shame that Mickey never got any recognition in the form of a Celtic Cross (although admittedly he has notched up a couple of appearances for Ireland and if memory serves me correctly he also captained an Ulster team to Railway Cup success). That said, Neil Collins was a fine custodian and it was probably his intervention in the 1994 All-Ireland Final that acted as the catalyst for Down's success.

Gabriel. (Down) - Posts: 412 - 23/02/2009 00:51:54    215112

Colm McAlarney, Liatriom

Gaa999 (Down) - Posts: 18 - 15/03/2009 19:38:15    232771

James McCartan Snr. When you needed to score he scored. 2 Texaco awards in a row. Enough said

dufferman (Down) - Posts: 157 - 16/03/2009 00:54:56    232958