Derry Team of all time

1. John Somers (Dungiven)

2. Keiran McKeever (Dungiven)
3. Kevin McCloy (Lavey)
4. Tony Scullion (Ballinascreen)

5. Johnny McGurk (Lavey)
6. Henry Downey (Lavey)
7. Sean Marty Lockhart (Banagher)

8. Jim McKeever (Ballymaguigan)
9. Anthony Tohill (Swatragh)

10. Sean O'Connell (Ballerin)
11. Enda Muldoon (Ballinderry)
12. Anthony McGurk (Lavey)

13. Paddy Bradley (Glenullin)
14. Eoin Bradley (Glenullin)
15. Enda Gormely (Glen)

John Somers.

Sean Marty Lockhart.
Hugh Francis Gribben.
Tony Scullion.

Johnny McGurk.
Henry Downey.
Peter Stevenson.

Jim McKeever.
Anthony Tohill.

Sean O'Connell.
Dermot McNicholl.
Gerry McElhinney.

Enda Gormley.
Paddy Bradley.
Patsy Gribben.

No Derry team would be complete without Geffrey McGonogil

Derry is a small GAA county, and they have probably punched above their weight in recent times. Aside from 4-5 obvious exceptions, there aren't many big names there, certainly in comparison to some of the other Ulster counties. They have had some very good defenders, but never had a tradition of producing star forwards.

At midfield, though, McKeever and Tohill would be as good as any pairing that you could take from just about any other county. Both would rank among the 10 best midfielders to have played the game. A fine achievement for a county with a small pool to chose from.

TC fishing for an argument? Wonder will the Derry men take the bait.

bluearmy1 wrote:TC fishing for an argument? Wonder will the Derry men take the bait.

Not at all. I thought I was being fair and paying them a compliment. Derry have a small GAA base, and have had a lot of success in the last 20 years. They have had some brilliant defenders and, as I said, a midfield that would be the equal of any I could think of. They have always been light on star forwards, Sean O'Connell excepted.

Not fishing for anything, just calling it as I see it.

Derry would not have the profile that Cavan or even Down have but they would be in or around the level of Armagh, Tyrone and Donegal. It's worth remembering that those four counties have been the most recent to join the Sam Maguire roll of honour, followed by Offaly, Down and Meath in that order.

I also agree that Derry have not produced a large quantity of marquee forwards compared to their Ulster brethern. There's been some good ones and the odd very good one, but no greats. Enda Gormely is probably the best they've had followed by the other Enda: Enda Muldoon.

Great thread folks, some very balanced views, sorry this is a short reply, i'll give a better reply when i get to a computer!

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:Derry would not have the profile that Cavan or even Down have but they would be in or around the level of Armagh, Tyrone and Donegal.

I guess it depends what you mean by profile. Tyrone have been a lot more successful at all grades of county football, although Derry have been much stronger at club level.

As for Enda Gormley and Enda Muldoon being the best forwards that Derry have produced, I wouldnt agree with that, but for them to be even in consideration of making an all-time 15 shows how sparse top forwards have been in the Oak Leaf county. On the other hand, for Brian McGilligan not to enter the equation for midfield shows how strong they were there.

Right, i've had a look at it and deliberated for quite a while on this and have went for the following -

1. John Somers (Dungiven) - From everything i've read and heard, he was easily a great 'keeper

2. Keiran McKeever (Dungiven) - Mr Dependable and a definate pick inthis position
3. Tony Scullion (Ballinascreen) - Am amazing Full Back for Club and County
4. Sean Marty Lockhart (Banagher) - While a great Half-Back i always thought he was a brilliant Corner-Back

5. Johnny McGurk (Lavey) - See Kieran McKeever
6. Henry Downey (Lavey) - An utterly brilliant player whose name will forever be tainted with the "strike" in the 90's for me.
7. Anthony McGurk (Lavey) - Wonderful half-back or half forward, easy pick to make up an all Lavey HB line.

8. Jim McKeever (Ballymaguigan) - The man just has an aura about him! History shows his standing in the game as one of the all time greats and possibily one of the best ever to never win an All Ireland
9. Anthony Tohill (Swatragh) - Greatest midfielder of his generation, wonderful player and man to be around and one of my heros as a kid. I feel blessed to say i played alongside him also!

10. Mickey Moran (Glen) - Mr Versitile and one of the most talented players i remember watching. Will always appear in my top Derry sides and never gets the credit he deserves! Some may wonder at his inclusion but for me one of our most under-rated ever players.
11. Enda Muldoon (Ballinderry) - Talent was dripping out of the man, technically brilliant and one of the best players i've ever played against.
12. Dermot McNicholl (Glenullin) - Anyone who Captains his club to a County Championship at 19 must be something else and this man was. Possibily one of the first high profile victims of burnout but still a great Derry servant and player.

13. Paddy Bradley (Glenullin) - Love him or hate him, he has been a brilliant player of his time for Derry and fully deserving of his place in my top 15 Derry players.
14. Sean O'Connell. (Ballerin) - Absolute gentleman, had the pleasure of meeting him so many times and he was always a gent. Quite why he never got a crack at the Derry Senior job is beyond me, picked here as it is his natural position
15. Enda Gormley (Glen) - One of the best athletes i've ever seen! I'll be honest, Enda could have still played Senior football for Derry at 38 and done a good job! Extremely good player who won us the All Ireland after getting a cuff on the jaw

Special mention to Brian McGilligian who narrowly missed out in Midfield. I was really tempted to put Tohill in FF, O'Connell in the Corner and drop Bradley just to get him on the team but just couldn't justify it! That said, Tohill was one of the most awesome Full Forwards i have ever seen!