"Dirty Players" of our time....

**Boxtyeater** Sat Dec 05, 2009 1:13 am

I was having a few pints with cousins of mine and assembled company in the aftermath of a funeral 5/6 weeks ago in an hostelry dear to my heart. The conversation twisted and turned until the topic, as outlined, arose and was the subject of much opinion and disagreement. All the usual suspects got their share of criticism until an elderly local arose and interjected:

"Dirty footballlers, ye know nothing about it". "D'yas mind the day of the Connacht Club Final below in Aughawillian (1992sh)".
All heads (9/10 nodded in agreement)
"The Foggy Day" - says Tom's Pat (78/9).
"The day of the fog", chimes all, as we waited with bated breath for what revelation might enfold.
"Well" says Tom's Pat, "Di yis know Pat Flanagan?"...All heads nod, unenthusiastically, for Pat's form is well known.... "Dirty Players" of our time.... Affraid

"Wel"l, says Tom's Pat, "you couldn't see the sideline and Pat was a sub" (probably 42/3)
Well as the clouds of fog blew in from Foghera, Pat Flanagan ran into the densest of the fog and a Knockmore man was carted off, never to return. Meanwhile, Pat made an official entry, with 10 to go, but by this time he was a spent force..

Fógra, Essie, if my failing memory serves me correctly, the current Mayo minor boss, Ray Dempsey was a victim that day.. "Dirty Players" of our time.... Herz

**3inarow08** Sat Dec 05, 2009 10:54 am

Is this a continuation of Bocerty's and Samin10's posts from yesterday? "Dirty Players" of our time.... Icon_razz

Guest Sat Dec 05, 2009 12:42 pm

Boxtyeater wrote:I was having a few pints with cousins of mine and assembled company in the aftermath of a funeral 5/6 weeks ago in an hostelry dear to my heart. The conversation twisted and turned until the topic, as outlined, arose and was the subject of much opinion and disagreement. All the usual suspects got their share of criticism until an elderly local arose and interjected:

"Dirty footballlers, ye know nothing about it". "D'yas mind the day of the Connacht Club Final below in Aughawillian (1992sh)".
All heads (9/10 nodded in agreement)
"The Foggy Day" - says Tom's Pat (78/9).
"The day of the fog", chimes all, as we waited with bated breath for what revelation might enfold.
"Well" says Tom's Pat, "Di yis know Pat Flanagan?"...All heads nod, unenthusiastically, for Pat's form is well known....

"Wel"l, says Tom's Pat, "you couldn't see the sideline and Pat was a sub" (probably 42/3)
Well as the clouds of fog blew in from Foghera, Pat Flanagan ran into the densest of the fog and a Knockmore man was carted off, never to return. Meanwhile, Pat made an official entry, with 10 to go, but by this time he was a spent force..

Fógra, Essie, if my failing memory serves me correctly, the current Mayo minor boss, Ray Dempsey was a victim that day..

'Twas, i think! Ray Dempsey has stepped down as Mayo minor boss a few weeks ago now-an amazing manager it has to be said. 2 All-Ireland final appearances in 3 years and Connacht titles to add to his name too! I think it may be Tony Duffy of Ballintubber who might take over, he has a good biteen of experience on his side and maybe he'll orchestrate a very successful year for Mayo minor football next year?! "Dirty Players" of our time.... Icon_biggrin

I was hoping Noel Connelly and Pat Holmes might throw their names into the hat too, but alas, it seems unlikely. One of the above is my cousin, he's an excellent player and manager, but maybe he's waiting to take over O'Mahony's job in 2012?

**KerryKatriona** Sat Dec 05, 2009 7:54 pm

Back to the thread.

Brian Mullins and Ciaran Duff.
Francie Bellew.
Peter Canavan and Ryan McMenamin.
Mick Lyons, Colm Coyle, Terry Ferguson.
Niall Cahalane.

**Boxtyeater** Sat Dec 05, 2009 8:17 pm

KerryKatriona wrote:Back to the thread.

Brian Mullins and Ciaran Duff.
Francie Bellew.
Peter Canavan and Ryan McMenamin.
Mick Lyons, Colm Coyle, Terry Ferguson.
Niall Cahalane.

Hmmmm! I'd rule out Mullins, more big and awkward than anything else. I'd leave Duff in however.
I'd rule out Bellew, just a big strong lad who had no direction except forward.
Canavan and McMenamin are allowed.
The three Meathmen are ruled out because it's just their natural style, tough, combatative players all over Meath.
Cahalane can most certainly be allowed though.

A Dublin player who has slipped under the radar here is Pat O'Neill. Now there was dirty go-boy. The elbows and sly skelps that boyo dished out are legendary... "Dirty Players" of our time.... Icon_mad

**3inarow08** Sun Dec 06, 2009 9:09 pm

Has nobody mentioned Paul Galvin and Darragh O Se yet? "Dirty Players" of our time.... Affraid

Must be a record!

Anyway, my two cents - Eamon Breen of Kerry and David Brady of Mayo!

**Boxtyeater** Sun Dec 06, 2009 9:55 pm

3inarow08 wrote:Has nobody mentioned Paul Galvin and Darragh O Se yet? Must be a record!

Anyway, my two cents - Eamon Breen of Kerry and David Brady of Mayo!

Pathetic call.....as usual. Neither would get, or giya', a box in Tesco's.

The measurement bar we're looking at here is Canavan and his history....... "Dirty Players" of our time.... Icon_mad

**bocerty** Mon Dec 07, 2009 8:32 pm

Ger Reid - used to play full back for Armagh - now there was a hoor on a field if ever there was one

Guest Mon Dec 07, 2009 8:33 pm

Ryan McMenamin
Paul Galvin
Aidan O Mahony
Ciaran Whelan-disgrace
etc.

**mossbags** Tue Dec 08, 2009 3:00 pm

EstherMayo1951 wrote:
Ciaran Whelan-disgrace
.

Guest Tue Dec 08, 2009 3:22 pm

mossbags wrote:
EstherMayo1951 wrote:
Ciaran Whelan-disgrace
.

**johnnos bulls** Tue Dec 08, 2009 6:47 pm

I think a few aughawillan lads could definitely be thrown into the hat.

"Dirty Players" of our time.... Icon_biggrin

Not sure if they'd give you a box in tesco. perhaps if they're after coming out of pairc sean.
After hearing a few stories about "ricey", I think dirty is too nice a word.

**bocerty** Tue Dec 08, 2009 8:48 pm

johnnos bulls wrote:I think a few aughawillan lads could definitely be thrown into the hat.

Not sure if they'd give you a box in tesco. perhaps if they're after coming out of pairc sean.
After hearing a few stories about "ricey", I think dirty is too nice a word.

are you not going to share the stories Johnno???

**patrique** Wed Dec 09, 2009 12:50 am

Strange I was thinking the other day how refined the game was nowadays.

When I was a lot younger and EVERY GAA side had a seriously hard man/street fighter playing for them my hero was Frank Fitzimmons who somehow played for Antrim and Ulster.

Now when I think of Frank and what "passes" for hard men today. Just yesaterday someone mentioned Conor Gormley and Ricey to me and I actually said "Fitzie would have pulled Gormley's leg off and hit Ricey over the head with it".

Now Conor is a "hard" man in the true sense of the word, like Corcoran, McGeeney, Henry Downey and such, but when Fitzie played, well anything went.

**bocerty** Wed Dec 09, 2009 11:09 am

patrique wrote:Strange I was thinking the other day how refined the game was nowadays.

When I was a lot younger and EVERY GAA side had a seriously hard man/street fighter playing for them my hero was Frank Fitzimmons who somehow played for Antrim and Ulster.

Now when I think of Frank and what "passes" for hard men today. Just yesaterday someone mentioned Conor Gormley and Ricey to me and I actually said "Fitzie would have pulled Gormley's leg off and hit Ricey over the head with it".

Now Conor is a "hard" man in the true sense of the word, like Corcoran, McGeeney, Henry Downey and such, but when Fitzie played, well anything went.

just had to be an Antrim man didn't it P - i never considered Ricey to be a hard man but Gormley is a tight buck on a field

**RMDrive** Wed Dec 09, 2009 11:10 am

We're talking about dirty players. Not hardmen.

**3inarow08** Wed Dec 09, 2009 12:14 pm

RMDrive wrote:We're talking about dirty players. Not hardmen.

Good man RMD, I was gonna pull Patrique up on that.

Boxty was right when he pulled me up on naming Breen and Brady earlier, they were both hardmen and not dirty men.

To be honest, only McMenamin and Canavan spring to mind when I think about dirty men.

Galvin - would any of ye consider him to be dirty? There's a case for and against really. If you were to call him dirty you'd have to call Noel O' Leary dirty.

Guest Wed Dec 09, 2009 12:39 pm

3inarow08 wrote:
RMDrive wrote:We're talking about dirty players. Not hardmen.

Good man RMD, I was gonna pull Patrique up on that.

Boxty was right when he pulled me up on naming Breen and Brady earlier, they were both hardmen and not dirty men.

To be honest, only McMenamin and Canavan spring to mind when I think about dirty men.

Galvin - would any of ye consider him to be dirty? There's a case for and against really. If you were to call him dirty you'd have to call Noel O' Leary dirty.

dont think Galvin is that dirty, nowhere near as bad as Darragh or Tomas OSe anyway.

**3inarow08** Wed Dec 09, 2009 12:57 pm

samin10 wrote:
dont think Galvin is that dirty, nowhere near as bad as Darragh or Tomas OSe anyway.

I agree with you, I'd have Darragh in there, like I did in my first post on this thread.

Tomas has cleaned up his act and awful lot, when he first came onto the scene he was very hot headed, he's not anymore. But I wouldn't have called him dirty.

Cue Samin10 giving me numerous examples........ "Dirty Players" of our time.... Icon_rolleyes

**redhandman** Wed Dec 09, 2009 1:07 pm

theres thon yoke of a fella that does nets for wexford hurlers, damian fitzhenry he doesnt wash from one game to the next and only shaves after a game he looks a real dirty boyo - you thought his mother wudda put a bit of breedin into him.

**Thomas Clarke** Wed Dec 09, 2009 2:14 pm

Ricey doesn't actually commit that many fouls (certainly nowhere near as many as players like Kevin McGuckian, Barry McGoldrick, Sean Marty Lockhart - any debate on dirty footballers should use Derry as a benchmark). Ricey's bad reputation is more because he never shuts his mouth. Boc, I'd disagree with you about him not being hard though - he is as hard as nails. You'll never see Ricey flinch at any challenge, not even when he played the Aussies, when many supposedly 'hard men' went hiding.

Canavan, was as dirty as they come, but also as tough as they come.

Others that jump to mind would be Eamon Fitzmaurice (spent an entire all-ireland final holding onto Ciaran McDonald), Ciaran McKeever of Armagh and, again, just about anyone who has pulled on a Derry jersey in the last 20 years (Joe Brolly excepted, although there is plenty more to lambast him about).

**bocerty** Wed Dec 09, 2009 3:01 pm

Canavan was dirty because he had to be - the abuse he took at times left him with no choice - it was a case of kill or be killed

**RMDrive** Wed Dec 09, 2009 3:31 pm

bocerty wrote:Canavan was dirty because he had to be - the abuse he took at times left him with no choice - it was a case of kill or be killed

If you had said he was "tough" cause he had to be then I might have believed you. I think a dirty player is a dirty player, not that someone is made into a dirty player.

[Although I think I have a different definition of a dirty player that some others on here. From my own sporting carreer I'd see a dirty player as someone who engages in stuff like the following ... spitting on an opponent, punches off the ball when your back is to them, flicking of the special area, stamping on your instep, pinching your nipples (calm down there Loyal) and stuff like that. Someone who was gobbing off in my ear for the game wouldn't really bother me but maybe that's just me.
A tough player IMO is someone who will never ever pull out of a challenge, someone who will put their head where you wouldn't put your foot, someone who will try to hurt you enough to put you off your game but do it in a way that's pretty much within the rules.]

**3inarow08** Wed Dec 09, 2009 3:42 pm

bocerty wrote:Canavan was dirty because he had to be - the abuse he took at times left him with no choice - it was a case of kill or be killed

.........which is why did the things he did during a game?!

**bald eagle** Wed Dec 09, 2009 4:39 pm

[quote="RMDrive"]

3inarow08 wrote:
bocerty wrote:Canavan was dirty because he had to be - the abuse he took at times left him with no choice - it was a case of kill or be killed

.........which is why did the things he did during a game?!quote]

.

I've heard Canavan on the pitch many times doing exactly what Triona says! He got abuse on the pitch because he deserved it, a twisted foul mouthed wee shite i've never met the like off since!

I played against a Holy Trinity team he managed once and the things he was saying to our players from the sidelines was something a man in his late 20s (at the time) should be ashamed of, the fact it was to 16 year old kids made it worse! Big man alright!

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