monk92
County: Monaghan
Posts: 6

1435073
How hasn't anyone mention Paul Finley yet prob one of the most reliable free takers in the country

I was just thinking the same thing. Probably forgotten due to the fact he comes from one of the less successful counties in recent times. Deadly accurate - one of the best ball strikers I have ever seen.

junk (Donegal) - Posts: 197 - 18/07/2013 11:05:29    1435107

Giles while he was one of the greatest players ever He wouldnt be up there with the best as a freetaker he wasnt a natural freetaker so he had to work very hard on his style. For me the best free taker of all was larry tompkins closely followed by brian stafford. Although I only vaquely remember Tony mctieuge from offaly my father informs me he was one of the best.Matt connor and Mikey sheehy were also two excellent strikers of the dead ball .

johnsee (Meath) - Posts: 389 - 18/07/2013 11:25:58    1435120

From Wexford point of view, Mattie Forde was awesome, from play and from frees.

The year we got to AI semi final Ciaran Lyng went through the whole campaign with 100% strike rate.......or at least it was 100% going into the semi final. Kicking off the ground caused injuries I'm led to believe though so no longer takes them.

rossytilidie (Wexford) - Posts: 300 - 18/07/2013 11:45:17    1435136

Has anyone mentioned Charlie Redmond?? Or Jimmy Keaveney???

ConnollyDub (Dublin) - Posts: 2007 - 18/07/2013 11:54:51    1435144

Charlie Redmond was a handy free taker from the ground but his penalties....

Suas Sios (None) - Posts: 1558 - 18/07/2013 12:04:17    1435151

From what Ive seen this year, Cluxton, Murphy, Mcfadden.

I put Cluxton first because he missed one v Meath which could have put him off for the day, but it didnt, he scored some mighty points from the ground in the second half.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3846 - 18/07/2013 12:19:04    1435162

Do Mayo ever give credit to any other players outside Mayo?? Best free takers at the moment are Sheehan, Cluxton and Goulding. Best ever between Maurice Fitz, Brian Stafford or Barney Rock

aidan64 (Kerry) - Posts: 668 - 18/07/2013 12:24:18    1435168

showing my age but also have to mention Keaveney - one of the last traditional free takers at inter co level who was picked mainly "to take the frees" and who perhaps might have been selected in preference to a better all-round player. That no longer happens at county level; but it used to happen at club level at least until the mid 80s. I recall one or two club players in Tyrone in years gone by who wouldn't have been county material but who were far better at off-the-ground frees than the county free takers and I bet all counties had or have similar people during that time but few will ever have heard of them. I also like that frees off the ground are making a small comeback. The powers that be go on about traditional frees "slowing the game", but I always liked the drama and suspense of a placed ball free and never thought much of taking frees out of the hand - and there's none of this 'stealing yards' carry on with a ground free either.

essmac (Tyrone) - Posts: 1141 - 18/07/2013 12:53:55    1435207

aidan64
County: Kerry

Do Mayo ever give credit to any other players outside Mayo??

No

whiterbannnas (Mayo) - Posts: 2441 - 18/07/2013 13:35:10    1435252

Best free takers have to be matt connor and Mick sheedy. Of the current players johnny Doyle and Brian Sheehan probably most consistent.

Aiddel (Cavan) - Posts: 20 - 18/07/2013 13:44:22    1435259

I loved how tv3 said about cluxton's frees against meath " 9 times out of ten he gets them over". 3/7 over against meath and lets not forget he took 8 mins to take them

Sheenjr (Meath) - Posts: 40 - 18/07/2013 14:49:29    1435310

Sheehan
Cluxton
Goulding

DUB1 (Dublin) - Posts: 5583 - 18/07/2013 14:58:18    1435326

Cork have two very serious and reliable free takers in Daniel Goulding and Donnacha O'Connor. Their free taking ability played a massive part in helping them win the All-Ireland in 2010.

The Gooch is usually very accurate from short enough distances while Bryan Sheehan, although a very good striker of a ball, isn't hugely accurate.

Michael Murphy has proved so far this year that he'll hit them over from nearly anywhere.

I don't rate Cluxton that hugely for the frees. Yeah he's fairly good on his right side, but he rarely hits them over from the left. Also notice how Dublin don't have a reliable outfield free taker. I don't know if anyone else has seen this but Bernard Brogan is fairly awful at taking frees. Misses way more than he scores.

Donal O'Hare from Down was very influential when Down pushed Donegal to the pin of their collar this year.

Mickey Newman from Meath is also a fairly sweet striker of a ball and has the potential to be up there with the best.

I think its a toss up between Michael Murphy and Cillian O'Connor. O'Connor has been very consistent over the last couple of years.

RoyalClass (Meath) - Posts: 790 - 18/07/2013 15:50:54    1435364

The best free taker of all time is Tony McTague.

boomcha (Offaly) - Posts: 39 - 18/07/2013 15:59:30    1435368

Best now is Sheehan

boomcha (Offaly) - Posts: 39 - 18/07/2013 16:21:48    1435386

The best free takers are always from the ground. The likes of Copper, O'Conner, Finlay etc may all be very accurate but the lack the distance that a truly great free taker has. Also from the hands will never be a fully accurate with wind playing a much greater role.

White of Waterford is excellent from the deck. As of course is Sheehan. In years gone by, Meehan and MJ Tierney were the best, but have lost it slightly through injury and no longer playing for the county. Newman of Meath showed his worth the last day with numerous kicks from his wrong side. Cluxton will never get full credit, but all his kicks come from 45+. While he's not on Sheehans level from distance, the conversion rate is very good.

jafallon (Galway) - Posts: 489 - 18/07/2013 20:38:06    1435619

cluxton will always get a mention because he is a keeper - but i think shane curran had a very good conversion rate as did frankie dolan in the same Ros team. The mayo keeper a couple of years ago (not Clarke) had a better conversion rate than Cluxton also, as does Morgan who is only starting out.

I would say Goulding is the most consistent at the moment, while Sheehan will kick some that noone else in the country would.

All time, I would go for Mikey Sheehy just ahead of Maurice Fitz

cavanman47 (Cavan) - Posts: 5246 - 18/07/2013 20:57:25    1435633

Murphy is about 99% accurate these days!
Colm Anthony Mc fadden is on the same boat
Brian Sheehan also one the best.
Cluxton, kicking with fresh pair of legs in fairness shouldn't miss many. Missed one or two on sunday last but still accurate

withdraw (Donegal) - Posts: 94 - 18/07/2013 21:31:11    1435661

As usual when discussing these things the facts are ignored, best freetaker in the country is Sean McCormack, a free is the same if taken in division 4 or 1, has nothing to do with the quality of the opposition etc. His conversion rate easily the best in the country over the last couple of years. Personally I love the old style off the ground free taker and Maurice Fitz the best I have seen.

catchturnscore (Longford) - Posts: 151 - 18/07/2013 21:50:57    1435677

Jeeze the DnaG lads are good craic. Ye started off saying Murphy can kick anything from 45m, then 55, then 60. Now it's claimed that 99% of what he kicks from 70m or closer will go over the bar. He's not that good. Sure I once kept him to 3 points playing right half back in a 15 minute U-14 training game.

AnRaibh (Donegal) - Posts: 134 - 19/07/2013 08:30:49    1435691