Best XV opposition – Seamus Darby
By David Farrell
Following
on from last weeks ‘Best XV’ players that former Rhode and Offaly footballer
Seamus Darby played with, this week the three time All-Ireland medalist picks
the ‘Best XV’ that he played against.
There are a
total of eight counties represented on Darby’s ‘Best XV’ team and for the first
time in this column, all four provinces are represented. A total of six men
from Dublin’s fair city have made the cut, two
Royals from Meath and two from Kerry’s Kingdom with Kildare, Donegal, Galway,
Roscommon and Sligo making up the remainder of
this dream team.
The rules
are simple. You can only choose a player you actually played against.
1.
Ollie Crinnigan
(Kildare)
2. 3. 4.
Donal
Monaghan Jack Quinn Robbie
Kelleher
(Donegal) (Meath) (Dublin)
5. 6. 7.
Tommy
Drumm Tommy Joe Gilmore Pat
O’Neill
(Dublin) (Galway) (Dublin)
8. 9.
Brian Mullins Mick O’Connell
(Dublin) (Kerry)
10. 11. 12.
Anton
O’Toole Dermot Earley Mickey
Kerins
(Dublin) (Roscommon) (Sligo)
13. 14. 15.
Colm
O’Rourke Jimmy Keaveney John Egan
(Meath) (Dublin) (Kerry)
- He
won an U21 All-Ireland and was unfortunate not to get a senior. Ollie Crinnigan was great
goalkeeper for Kildare and a very long servant. He gets the nod in goals
for me.
- Donal Monaghan of Donegal was
simply a specialised corner back. I always struggled on him to be fair.
I’d probably say he was my toughest opponent.
- The
old traditional full back. Jack
Quinn of Meath just guarded the square with his life. He was a great
fielder of the ball and one of the all time greats.
- He
was very sticky. Dublin’s
Robbie Kelleher gave you
nothing easy. He was a great corner back.
- Tommy Drumm from Dublin was a great all round footballer.
He was a great reader of the game, he had a great vision and was a good
passer of the ball.
- A
tower of strength at centre back. Galway’s
Tommy Joe Gilmore was a huge
presence in the number 6 role and he had good vision.
- Pat O’Neill of Dublin was a great attacking wing back.
He was very physical and very sticky. He was always impressive.
- A
complete workhorse. Dublin’s
Brian Mullins just didn’t know
when he was beaten and he would never give up. He was the type of player
that every footballer would want on their team.
- He’s
arguably the greatest stylist in the history of the game. There’s not much
more to say about Kerry’s Mick
O’Connell. He is probably the greatest of all time.
- Anton O’Toole from Dublin was a big
strong force of a player but not just that, he got a lot of very important
scores for his county too.
- He
must be one of the best ever to not win an All-Ireland medal. Roscommon’s Dermot Earley was simply a
fantastic all round footballer.
- Another
man who has no All-Ireland but is right up there with the best of all
time. Sligo’s Mickey Kerins was
an extremely good footballer and the first Sligo
man to win an All-Star.
- I’m
a big fan of Colm O’Rourke. The
Meath man was a brilliant leader, a great scorer, he was so physical and
he absolutely knew where the goals where. A brilliant footballer.
- A
terrific full forward. Jimmy
Keaveney was one of the main reasons Dublin were so successful in the 70’s.
He came out of retirement to play and he was simply that good. He was
deadly from open play or frees.
- To
complete my team I’ve gone for one of the all time greats. Kerry’s captain
from 1982 John Egan was the
complete corner forward. He had power and strength, a great head and he
certainly knew where the posts where. A terrific footballer.