An All Star line-up with not an award between them..it’s the unsung heroes of my own era
THE last two months have been surreal in this crazy lockdown world we live in.
We have seen an avalanche of old GAA games played over and over again – nice for those involved, and all their families and friends can reminisce over great wins or the ones that got away.
It’s been a pretty busy time with so many people in so many media outlets picking lists of great players surveys of who’s the best here, who’s the best there.
The lists have been everywhere.
Amid the hullabaloo about all the supposedly great players of Gaelic football, the real heroes are often the selfless unsung players who battled for years with virtually little or no success or recognition.
These guys have been totally forgotten in the lexicon of our game.
It’s been a pretty lonely time for many of these great men who played the game so brilliantly but, through no fault of their own, were on teams that gave their all but just weren’t good enough to win provincial championships or All-irelands.
Our Gaelic Games can be very one dimensional in one way – the format over the years of the Championship has meant that the winners take all the glory and all the headlines while many a brilliant footballer in the so-called weaker counties received little except abuse.
Back in the day, football was a thankless task for many. It was a case of using a player for as long as you can, then throw him on the scrap-heap when he’s done. Then just go and get another one and repeat the process.
It meant many of the unsung heroes in those counties that struggled to make any impact or impression in the League or Championship may never have got as much as a phone call to say thanks when they were no longer wanted or needed. I was lucky to play against many, many great players from those so-called weaker counties – and there are many l hold in very high regard.
I was just lucky to have been around when my county, Meath, were challenging for – and winning – Leinster titles and All-ireland. l was in the right place at the right time.
So it gives me great pleasure to compile a team of players from 1-15 who impressed me greatly during my own playing days – and yes, of course there are two or three more for each position who are also deserving.
These brilliant players never received the air time or column inches their talents deserved but when you go through the list you’ll see it’s a team with a great mixture of heart, commitment and skill.
Obviously this is only very small recognition for their efforts at intercountry level, but it’s my own tribute as I regard with great fondness and admiration all of these players.
Some readers will wonder why some great players have been left out – players like Gene Sherry, Fergus Caulfield, Nudie Hughes, Ciaran Murray, Kevin O’ brien, Colm Browne, Frankie Griffin and Francis Mcinerney. And that’s to mention but a few.
These players won provincial Championships, All Stars – or both. They achieved success personally or with their team.
I tried to look back at players I had seen up close and personal, players l really admired.
l spent the last two weeks delving deep into my mind on how I honestly felt about these players and it was hard to leave out so many others.
I went back to when l played and I remember standing back and admiring all the above players at some stage or other.
Yes, some people will disagree with me on one or two of my choices, and that’s fine. But no-one can argue with the quality and class that each and every one of the players selected here possessed.
Some were warriors, some were Trojan workers and some had class to burn.
This is something I’ve wanted to do for a while and just because they’re not dripping with All Stars, provincial and Allireland medals makes them no lesser players in my eyes.
On their day, they were all a joy to watch – and also incredibly hard to play against.
These mighty men – and many more like them – are the real heroes of the GAA. There are many more decorated players who wouldn’t lace their boots.