Best Sportsman in your county ... ever!

So who is the best sportsman your county has ever produced and why? If any. Not sportswoman (this is a serious thread) - sportsman - and also not in a team sport but in an individual capacity - athlete, cyclist, boxer etc. It will be difficult as a Dub to pick just one but I will have a think. Not expecting a contribution on this thread from the likes of Puke, RMD, HG etc .....

Paul Brady.. Completely dominant in handball and will be remembered as one of the best ever.

And Larry, of course.

Jonsmith wrote:Paul Brady.. Completely dominant in handball and will be remembered as one of the best ever.

No - he will be best remembered for The Island ....

Jayo Cluxton wrote:

Jonsmith wrote:Paul Brady.. Completely dominant in handball and will be remembered as one of the best ever.

No - he will be best remembered for The Island ....

And that one is a Tyrone man.

I'm thinking Dennis Taylor for Tyrone.....

Tyrone are spoilt for choice here, with the top contenders being Darren Clarke and Dennis Taylor.

Clarke, from Dungannon, is arguably the 2nd most gifted golfer Ireland has ever produced. Top 10 in the world, 5 Ryder Cups and twice World Golf Champion (in matchplay and strokeplay). The last achievement is significant, as until recently only Clarke and Tiger woods had won a WGC tournament more than once.

Taylor, from Coalisland (just down the road from Dungannon - Boc, Mugsy, notice the trend here) was twice a world snooker finalist, winning the greatest snooker match of all in 1985, with 18 million viewers watching at 1am in the morning. Dennis was ranked in the top 16 in the world for almost 20 years and, probably his finest achievement, was also a Tyrone minor footballer.

Outside of the football. Mick 'Iron Man' Murphy and Gene Mangan in cycling. Top of the lot I suppose has to be Steve Casey from Sneem. World Wrestling champion, Took up boxing and Joe Louis refused to fight him (afraid as Jack Dempsey said) Top rower who was refused entry with his brothers to Olympics. American single scull gold medalist challenged the Caseys after the olympics and the race finished Caeys 1st,2nd,3rd,4th and the Yank 5th.

Brother Walfrid has certainly had the most lasting legacy of any Sligo sportsperson, even if his contribution wasn't in the playing sense.

Sean Fallon achieved a lot as a player, and even more in management (or assistant management!).

Mark Scanlon achieved great things in his youth, but never quite reached the same heights at adult level (an aversion to allowing his team put him on a drip after training was part of his downfall!)

black&white wrote:Brother Walfrid has certainly had the most lasting legacy of any Sligo sportsperson, even if his contribution wasn't in the playing sense.

Sean Fallon achieved a lot as a player, and even more in management (or assistant management!).

Mark Scanlon achieved great things in his youth, but never quite reached the same heights at adult level (an aversion to allowing his team put him on a drip after training was part of his downfall!)

No team sportspeople please ... jeeze can people here read at all .....

Jayo Cluxton wrote:

black&white wrote:Brother Walfrid has certainly had the most lasting legacy of any Sligo sportsperson, even if his contribution wasn't in the playing sense.

Sean Fallon achieved a lot as a player, and even more in management (or assistant management!).

Mark Scanlon achieved great things in his youth, but never quite reached the same heights at adult level (an aversion to allowing his team put him on a drip after training was part of his downfall!)

No team sportspeople please ... jeeze can people here read at all .....

I fear the Yeats' County barrel has already been scraped.

An enjoyable yarn from RKF aside, there has been a poor show from some counties here, with only Tyrone looking like taking the fight to the Dubs. Where is Bluearmy when you need him? Finally, a chance to shout about actual Down sporting heroes, rather than mythical ones who 'don't like to play in the rain!'

Real Kerry Fan wrote:Outside of the football. Mick 'Iron Man' Murphy and Gene Mangan in cycling. Top of the lot I suppose has to be Steve Casey from Sneem. World Wrestling champion, Took up boxing and Joe Louis refused to fight him (afraid as Jack Dempsey said) Top rower who was refused entry with his brothers to Olympics. American single scull gold medalist challenged the Caseys after the olympics and the race finished Caeys 1st,2nd,3rd,4th and the Yank 5th.

Eddie Lenihan is the only decent thing ever to come out of Kerry

Not a fooking sinner from Clare either .... joke of a county ...

Jayo Cluxton wrote:Not a fooking sinner from Clare either .... joke of a county ...

Huh?

Keith Wood
Anthony Foley
Kieran Fallon
Jimmy Smyth
Sean McMahon
Brian Lohan
Michael Cusack

and that is just off the top of my head

The Puke wrote:

Jayo Cluxton wrote:Not a fooking sinner from Clare either .... joke of a county ...

Huh?

Keith Wood
Anthony Foley
Kieran Fallon
Jimmy Smyth
Sean McMahon
Brian Lohan
Michael Cusack

and that is just off the top of my head

read the fooking opening post - no team sports!! Leaves ya with the impeccable Fallon .... a real role model ...

Huh??

Jayo Cluxton wrote:

The Puke wrote:

Jayo Cluxton wrote:Not a fooking sinner from Clare either .... joke of a county ...

Huh?

Keith Wood
Anthony Foley
Kieran Fallon
Jimmy Smyth
Sean McMahon
Brian Lohan
Michael Cusack

and that is just off the top of my head

read the fooking opening post - no team sports!! Leaves ya with the impeccable Fallon .... a real role model ...

Huh??

So it is about role models or talent????

No difference where Clare is concerned ....

Jayo Cluxton wrote:No difference where Clare is concerned ....

Arkle.

well as my county of accident has been covered I'll cover my native county

for starters we are occupying the No.1 shirt of our nations soccer team for the fourth decade on the trot.
One of whom has given us one of the greatest memories in Irish sport

Aside from that there is Brian McEniff county and international manager and one time soccer stalwarth even if under a Pseuydonom.

But the award for the counties greatest sportsman easily goes to Rameltons own - Dave Gallaher Captain of the Original All Blacks.

Willie Mullins-one of the best horse trainers in this country.
Jim Bolger-Same accept flat
Sean O'Brien-enough said

Think of more later.

Jayo Cluxton wrote:

The Puke wrote:

Jayo Cluxton wrote:Not a fooking sinner from Clare either .... joke of a county ...

Huh?

Keith Wood
Anthony Foley
Kieran Fallon
Jimmy Smyth
Sean McMahon
Brian Lohan
Michael Cusack

and that is just off the top of my head

read the fooking opening post - no team sports!! Leaves ya with the impeccable Fallon .... a real role model ...

Huh??

I told you he couldn't read.

As for Fallon, that is a team sport. he isn't going to win too many classics without the horse.

McCoy, even without a horse, G Mac, Mclarin, McAulay, Caldwell, Gilroy, Higgins, and the late great Joey Dunlop.

Now if I think a bit about this.......

Meath kids are thought to play Gaelic Football from an early age. Hence, we can be forgiven for not producing too many sportspeople in other codes. However the children, who's parents aren't that tall, are usually raised on horseback. This has seen us provide the world with the two greatest jump jockeys of all time, Paul Carberry and Barry Geraghty, and two world class flat jockeys in Johnny Murtagh and Declan McDonagh. There is Shane Horgan too, the second best rugby player I've ever seen.

Clare. Clare's best sportsperson is either Mohammad Ali or Kieren Fallon with me favouring Fallon. Simply because he was a boxer before going onto become a jockey. Ali was just a boxer. My favourite Fallon ride was this:



Although I have very fond memories of George Washington doing a hack canter in the Guineas with Fallon on his back.

Just looked out the back window and saw the Jim Baker stadium.

So that's it for Antrim, Jim Baker, world champion supreme.

Re Steve Casdey, not a yarn.Actual fact. Check the records.