Re: Ciaran McDonald

**OMAR** Sun Sep 26, 2010 2:57 pm

I remember being at an Ulster Semi final in Clones - 2006 from memory
With his side trailing by a couple of points a donegal sub came on called Dualtach Molloy - In the last 10 mins he scored 4 points any of which were as good as those in the opening post on this thread
including scoring directly from a line ball. He won the game for them. - sorry should have mentioned it was a minor game so he was 17 or so at the time.
Haven't heard much about him him since - He played junior champioship in boston after that and does line out with his club (RM Drives neck of the woods)

My point is that scoring wonder points doesn't make anyone an all time great. Im sure say players like Mark vaughan could pull out a good montage as well.

Though aside from this - Remember watching CMC in games for Crossmolina where his ability to spray 50 yard passes and totally control a game at AI club level was beyond compare.

He certainly had that spark of genius that players can only be born with like a Canavan, Gooch, Matt connor, Joyce, Maurice Fitz and contrary to Patriques view of the world I would include McGuigan in such a list - however he never seemed to show the consistent drive to win at all costs and lift and inspire those around him throughout his career in the manner of a McGeeny, a Dooher, Mcguigan in the 2005 final(the real man of the match by a country mile) a Keith Barr, Tomas or Dara o Se, Gerety etc.

Certainly one of the most talented and gifted players of all time but in my view not one of the Greatest.

If you want a soccer comparison - Cantona was a gifted player - Maldini or Paul mcGrath were great players

**mossbags** Sun Sep 26, 2010 6:32 pm

Jayo Cluxton wrote: In the last decade and more the two players who stand out for me West of the Shannon are Ciaran Mc and P Joyce.

That two more than anything east of the Shannon
Wahey!

**whiterbananas** Sun Sep 26, 2010 9:13 pm

samin10 wrote:
i really dont think he would have got a game for Armagh or Tyrone in 00's to 07's

hahaha you re a funny little man samin

Guest Mon Sep 27, 2010 12:07 pm

OMAR wrote:I remember being at an Ulster Semi final in Clones - 2006 from memory
With his side trailing by a couple of points a donegal sub came on called Dualtach Molloy - In the last 10 mins he scored 4 points any of which were as good as those in the opening post on this thread
including scoring directly from a line ball. He won the game for them. - sorry should have mentioned it was a minor game so he was 17 or so at the time.
Haven't heard much about him him since - He played junior champioship in boston after that and does line out with his club (RM Drives neck of the woods)

My point is that scoring wonder points doesn't make anyone an all time great. Im sure say players like Mark vaughan could pull out a good montage as well.

Though aside from this - Remember watching CMC in games for Crossmolina where his ability to spray 50 yard passes and totally control a game at AI club level was beyond compare.

He certainly had that spark of genius that players can only be born with like a Canavan, Gooch, Matt connor, Joyce, Maurice Fitz and contrary to Patriques view of the world I would include McGuigan in such a list - however he never seemed to show the consistent drive to win at all costs and lift and inspire those around him throughout his career in the manner of a McGeeny, a Dooher, Mcguigan in the 2005 final(the real man of the match by a country mile) a Keith Barr, Tomas or Dara o Se, Gerety etc.

Certainly one of the most talented and gifted players of all time but in my view not one of the Greatest.

If you want a soccer comparison - Cantona was a gifted player - Maldini or Paul mcGrath were great players

excellent post. But i fear some people will not understand that it is possible to do an occassional great thing without being great.

**whiterbananas** Mon Sep 27, 2010 12:20 pm

we understand it perfectly samindreamland. Its just complete nonsense. McD was one of the greatest players ever, ask anyone who ever played against him and they will tell you how good he was. He is also a gentleman who never resorted to scumbag tactics like some of the armagh players mentioned on this thread

Guest Mon Sep 27, 2010 1:33 pm

whiterbananas wrote:we understand it perfectly samindreamland. Its just complete nonsense. McD was one of the greatest players ever, ask anyone who ever played against him and they will tell you how good he was. He is also a gentleman who never resorted to scumbag tactics like some of the armagh players mentioned on this thread

Yeah because im sure you have asked a lot of county players that played against him. Scumbag tactics by Armagh players? Would you like to elaborate or give examples against Armagh players mentioned in this thread or just going to talk crap. McDonald was a decent player capable of an odd moment of brilliance, i would compare him to Berbatov, ie some wondeful moments but all to often goes missing when it matters. I have bedated this to death and wont be replying on this thread, because i have my opinion which will never change.

Guest Mon Sep 27, 2010 1:35 pm

samin10 wrote:
whiterbananas wrote:we understand it perfectly samindreamland. Its just complete nonsense. McD was one of the greatest players ever, ask anyone who ever played against him and they will tell you how good he was. He is also a gentleman who never resorted to scumbag tactics like some of the armagh players mentioned on this thread

Yeah because im sure you have asked a lot of county players that played against him. Scumbag tactics by Armagh players? Would you like to elaborate or give examples against Armagh players mentioned in this thread or just going to talk crap. McDonald was a decent player capable of an odd moment of brilliance, i would compare him to Berbatov, ie some wondeful moments but all to often goes missing when it matters. I have bedated this to death and wont be replying on this thread, because i have my opinion which will never change.

WTF

**whiterbananas** Mon Sep 27, 2010 4:09 pm

samin10 wrote: McDonald was a decent player capable of an odd moment of brilliance

He was capable of doing things that no armagh player in your history would be able to do. And well you know it my friend. Jealousy is a terrible thing. McD was the greatest player of the noughties without a shadow of a doubt

**OMAR** Mon Sep 27, 2010 4:18 pm

whiterbananas wrote:
samin10 wrote: McDonald was a decent player capable of an odd moment of brilliance

He was capable of doing things that no armagh player in your history would be able to do. And well you know it my friend. Jealousy is a terrible thing. McD was the greatest player of the noughties without a shadow of a doubt

Getting a bit carried away now WB

There are players who are more gifted
There are players with better vision
There are players with more skill
There are players who have acheived more
There are players who have been more consistent
There are players who provide more to their team-mates
There are players who have scored more
There are players who are greater
There are players who have more Genuis

ie

Gooch

**Thomas Clarke** Mon Sep 27, 2010 5:02 pm

whiterbananas wrote: McD was the greatest player of the noughties without a shadow of a doubt

Don't let Peter Solan hear you saying that. He 'often felt that Mayo were better off without him'. Rolling Eyes

And for the last 3 years they have been without him, and we've seen how well off they have been.

McDonald was an excellent footballer. Strong, brave, fit, skillful - Id've had him on my team anyday. Part of the problem that I had with him was that he sometimes tried to do the impossible, and this is the reason that I'd prefer Brian McGuigan's consistently effective brilliance, ahead of McDonald's exciting but not always productive brilliance.

Still, that is just my opinion, and I still rate McDonald very highly. Perhaps if he had been surrounded by the likes of Canavan, Cavlan, Mulligan and O'Neill (or Masrden, McConville, Clarke & McDonnell) then he wouldn't have had to try so much on his own, and might have become an even better player.

Of course, we'll never know, but I still feel lucky to have seen McDonald play. I'd put him in the same small bracket as a Gerald Cavlan, an Ollie Murphy or a young Benny Coulter. Not quite the same end product as a Canavan or a Cooper, but they sort of players who were just so exciting to watch, and that you'd genuinely look forward to seeing play.

**whiterbananas** Mon Sep 27, 2010 5:14 pm

Thank you Thomas Clarke. A proper balanced fair argument there (apart from putting McD in the same bracket as ger cavlin Shocked

). Wouldnt agree with everything you said but at least you have shown the great man some respect, unlike that other armagh clown

**mossbags** Tue Sep 28, 2010 1:50 am

Sorry to have to be the first to bring the truth into this thread(ye'all seemed to be having a lot of craic deluding each other) but Paraic Joyce was/is the best footballer of the last ten odd years or so and some, and Gooch aside, by some distance from anyone else mentioned here thus far.

**scoopmine** Tue Sep 28, 2010 3:10 pm

McDonald was one of my fave players to watch.
Kicked some incredable scores and was a gifted passer..
Heard he was always a gent to play against tough but fair..
Was he up there as one of the best? I cannott say he didnt have the players with him which lead to him trying more of the impossible stuff which he could not always pull off..

**whiterbananas** Tue Sep 28, 2010 8:54 pm

**whiterbananas** Tue Sep 28, 2010 8:55 pm

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