By David Farrell
Former
Rhode and Offaly footballer Seamus Darby discusses the ‘Best XV’
that he played football with for both club and county.
Darby
enjoyed a hugely successful football career where he won three senior county
titles with Rhode, four Leinster senior titles
with Offaly and three All-Ireland titles in 1971, ‘72 and ’82. He will forever
be remembered as the man who broke hearts in the Kingdom of Kerry for his last
gasp goal for Offaly in the 1982 All-Ireland final when Offaly put a halt to
Kerry’s bid for the ‘5 in a row’.
There are a
total of nine clubs represented on Darby’s ‘Best XV’ team with three of his
fellow Rhode team-mates selected. There are also three from Ferbane and Walsh Island
with Tullamore, Doon, St Cartages, Gracefield,
Erin Rovers and Daingean making up the rest of this formidable outfit.
The rules
are simple. You can only choose a player you actually played with.
1.
Martin Furlong
(Tullamore)
2. 3. 4.
Mick Ryan Paddy McCormack Sean Lowry
(Doon) (Rhode) (Ferbane) .
5. 6. 7.
Eugene
Mulligan Nicholas Clavin Richie
Connor
(Rhode) (St Cartages) (Walsh Island)
8. 9.
Willie Bryan Padraig Dunne
(Walsh Island) (Gracefield)
10. 11. 12.
Sean
Cooney Kevin Kilmurray Tony
McTague
(Erin Rovers) (Daingean) (Ferbane)
13. 14. 15.
Johnny
Mooney Matt Connor Brendan Lowry
(Rhode) (Walsh Island) (Ferbane)
- The
three All-Ireland medals speak for themselves. Martin Furlong was fearless in the goals and he was a
great motivator. Easily the best goalkeeper I played with.
- My
first corner back is Mick Ryan
of Doon. Mick was a great footballing
corner back who was a good reader of the game and he had a great pair of
hands.
- My
full back would have to be the iron man himself. Paddy McCormack was tough and fearless. He was a great
leader and a brilliant motivator too.
- Another
man with three All-Ireland medals and a brilliant servant to Offaly
football. Sean Lowry was
a versatile footballer and a good reader of the game.
- Courageous
and Inspirational. These are the words I would use to describe Eugene Mulligan. Every time
he took to the pitch he left nothing behind him in the dressing room. He
emptied the tank each and every single time he played.
- In
my opinion injuries hampered what might have been. Nicholas Clavin potentially could have been the best
centre back of all time. He was so strong and forceful. Easily the best
number 6 I ever played with.
- Richie Connor was an all
round brilliant footballer. He had good vision and was very strong. He was
a terrific leader for Walsh
Island and for
Offaly.
- He
was the complete artist. Willie
Bryan had all the skills to succeed in GAA. He was one of the best
fielders of all time and a great passer of the ball. His duel with Mick
O’Connell is legendary.
- My
good friend Padraig Dunne
takes the number nine jersey. Podge was a great fielder of the ball and
great worker who did his fair share of grafting. He used to get very
nervous before matches though! Ah no, Padraig never cared who he was
playing or who he was marking he went about his job in the same manner.
- He
was a great worker. Sean Cooney was
a very good footballer and was well able to take his score too. I always
enjoyed playing alongside Sean.
- Rhode’s
loss was Daingean’s gain that is for certain. Kevin Kilmurray’s hard work made the whole forward line
tick. He was a super footballer.
- He
is one of the best place kickers in the history of the game. Tony McTague was just a
fantastic footballer and is highly regarded among the games elite.
- He
was the complete footballer. Johnny
Mooney could play anywhere and influence the game. He was so
crucial to the win in 1982 and had he not been there we may not have won
it. Again I’ll just emphasise he was the complete player.
- I
don’t need to give any explanation here. Matt Connor is widely regarded as one of the best GAA
players in the history of the game and I highly doubt there is too many
who would dispute that. He was a genius. Case closed.
- To
complete my team I’ve chosen Brendan
Lowry at number 15. Everyone has the same memories of Brendan. He
was a very good corner forward but he was a lethal finisher. If he got the
ball near the goals you could chalk it up on the scoreboard. It was a
certain score.