DUIGNAN ON THE BEST HE’S SEEN
Reid up there with the legendary Ring
THE tendency to praise people only when they’re gone is uniquely Irish. We do find it hard to laud people in the present, whether in sport or any section of society. It’s usually afterwards that we feel comfortable doling out the plaudits. At half-time, though, in last Saturday’s Leinster SHC semi-final between Kilkenny and Dublin, the thought went through my head: Is TJ Reid better than Christy Ring? Does he deserve to be compared to, arguably, the game’s greatest player on the weekend that marked the centenary of the Cork legend’s birth?
I posed the question in the press box at Croke Park last weekend and it was carefully considered among those in my company with no sense of shock or outrage.
I know it’s an impossible task, comparing players from different eras. Even the greats. But looking at Reid, I struggle to see anyone better. I certainly haven’t seen better in my lifetime.
It’s interesting when you’re there, watching him in the flesh. Any team going to play Kilkenny or Ballyhale Shamrocks, go with the approach of ‘hold TJ and we’re halfway there – or all the way there’. That’s the pressure on him every day.
And he still produces, time after time.
The game itself took on a life of its own, Kilkenny purring along. Observing Reid in that first half was a lesson: his movement, ability to be on the ball, around the ball, ability in the air, on the ground, his free-taking, his vision – the whole package.
At the time Christy Ring popped into my mind. I never saw him play but, like so many lovers of the game, you become aware of how people were in awe of him and how he will live with us forever through the 18 Railway Cups and all of his legendary feats on the field.
His centenary got me thinking about the great players. In Kilkenny alone, the torch of genius was passed from Eddie Keher to DJ Carey to Henry Shefflin.
And I have been thinking for some time about TJ and his own legacy. How, like some of his contemporaries, he is judged by a higher standard. I’ve said it before about the likes of Joe Canning, Tony Kelly, Patrick Horgan and Seamus Callanan. In Galway’s clash with Wexford, I found myself remarking that Joe hadn’t scored from play – even though his deadball striking was outstanding. So we judge the best at a much higher level.
Even taking that into account, TJ’s consistent level of performance, for club and county, match after match, sets him apart.
He seems to be always in the man-of-thematch conversation. His workrate, natural leadership, tackling – it’s a surprise if it’s not a 10 out of 10.
Remember, he started playing for Ballyhale in 2004 – at 16 – in goals. This isn’t about putting a cape on him but for all the demands of the modern game, he’s adapted so well, his gym business no doubt helping him adapt to the physical side of things where, to all intents and purposes, he is training like a professional.
A look at his record shows he has nine Kilkenny championships with Ballyhale, six Leinster titles and five All-Irelands. He has played 76 championship games and scored 25-400 according to online records. And he wouldn’t have been taking the frees for loads of those games with Shefflin there.
With Kilkenny, he has eight Leinsters, seven All-Irelands, four National Leagues and, somewhat surprisingly, ‘just’ four All-Stars. He has played 115 times in League and Championship, and scored 39619.
If you look at 16 or 17 years of
Kilkenny ace is the best I’ve seen in my lifetime
hurling, what he’s won and scored, that’s phenomenal.
Nor was it a straightforward transition for Reid onto arguably the greatest Kilkenny team. On the bench for his first three AllIrelands, he was still making a big impact off the bench – just look at the final against Waterford.
In his autobiography, Shefflin remarked how he nearly walked away but quickly blossomed and plays with such natural confidence.
There is no settling-in period in a game. How often in the first 30 seconds does he show that sublime first touch, to score or play in someone like Colin Fennelly for a goal?
Shefflin was a truly brilliant player – a leader, a conductor of the play, a free-taker. He bossed the game, intimidated opposition. But he was a different type of player.
Henry was on a better team – but this is not about taking from anyone else.
I’m not old enough to say whether he’s better than Ring but he continues the line of great forwards through Keher right up to Canning, Kelly, Horgan, Callanan, with the likes of Aaron Gillane coming.
There are great players in every era but I just think Red has everything – X-factor included.
And Ring? It was a different time, a different game, in terms of physicality. His prep was legendary. And look at Ring’s famous line, the best is yet to come.
The lack of combat right now, with ball pucked out and over the bar, is a hot topic. And there was far less protection in Ring’s time. It was the complete opposite of today’s high-scoring game. It was far more aggressive and I’m sure Ring got a lot of punishment.
What would he be like in the modern era? What we’d give to see him test the argument.
I’ve never been one to say this fella is better than another, to rush to judgment. But I can’t see many players getting to Reid’s level again.
So why wait for years to appreciate that talent. I think he’s the best forward I’ve seen.
‘We saw everything in that game against Dublin. The vision to pick out a diagonal pass to set up a goal chance early on. His skill level is so high he has his head up, computing all the options while in possession. He’s totally unselfish too.
I remember a Walsh Cup game a few years ago when Offaly were playing really well against Kilkenny. It was level a few minutes to go. Kilkenny hit a long puck-out, four or five lads went up, hurls being flaked, Reid floated across late and caught the ball. He did it so casually that he disguised that he had the ball in his hand. As he turned away, this hand unfolded with the ball, the rest of the players not even knowing what happened. He struck it over the bar right in front of me. Walter Walsh scored another; Kilkenny won by two.
At 32, with his career still unfolding, all I can say is that he’s the greatest I’ve seen.