mandad
Senior Member
Posts: 448
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Post by mandad on Apr 4, 2017 16:04:14 GMT
The first 16 years of this century has been a momentous period for sport, with contests that will live long in the memory. In the world of Gaelic football one name, ‘The Gooch,’ stands out from all the others, to the extent that it almost became an adjective. The best nicknames are not only original but create a visual description of the player. It's my favorite nickname because of the imagery.
Those who know Colm well understand that as a young lad he spent hour after hour on the streets of Ardshanavooly, on imperfect surfaces, which if mastered, can give a player an advantage when he finally graduates to properly groomed playing fields. Those hours were well spent.
When Colm made his debut for Kerry in 2002 it would be easy to lose him in a schoolyard. But his impact on the playing fields of Ireland was instant. For the next twelve years, he tormented defenders with his sublime skills and courage. Stored within the treasury of his brain were skills not generally available to most footballers. He established himself as the most competent finisher and dangerous provider of a killer ball in the final third of the field that the game has ever seen. Great men have always attracted debunkers and Colm was no different. During his playing career, he was ‘buffeted’ by detractors and attention seekers, forces beyond his control, but he never lost his grace or humanity. Aliens will study footage of his performances a million years from now and eventually decide that he was one of them. Thanks for the memories Gooch.
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Post by An Bradán on Apr 4, 2017 16:13:18 GMT
I was lucky enough to witness him as a minor and excitedly told my mates that I had seen the future of Kerry football. They told me not to get too carried away. I wasn't disappointed.
Goodbye to The Genius. What a man, what a player and what a legacy.
We were truly privileged,honoured and oh so lucky to have witnessed him in all his glory.
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Post by onlykerry on Apr 4, 2017 17:18:07 GMT
A skill full player and joins the halls of glorious former players we have been privileged to see wearing the Kerry jersey. Certainly a standout player of his generation.
What worries me most about our game is that it is becoming more and more a battle of attrition rather than a battle of skills - those making the rules really need to ensure that the "next" Gooch has a place in our game where those sikly skills and crafty play is valued.
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Post by glengael on Apr 4, 2017 17:28:40 GMT
I am not that young and yet find that I cannot seem to remember a Kerry team without him in it. It has been a great privilege to support him for all these years and to see his wonderful skills and talents.
Thanks Colm for all your time and genius. I wish you well in your inter-county retirement.
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nk1
Junior Member
Posts: 39
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Post by nk1 on Apr 4, 2017 18:33:38 GMT
perfect timing , Jesus it was great watching him play , the best foward we Ever had . Crokes will be delighted to have him available for all games now and so will we , i hope he plays for a good few years yet ,
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Post by Ard Mhacha on Apr 4, 2017 18:48:09 GMT
A sad day for football. What more can you say.
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cruc8
Full Member
Posts: 94
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Post by cruc8 on Apr 4, 2017 20:06:20 GMT
The best,most skillful and a wonderful Kerryman. Wonderful tributes from GAA fans all over Ireland but Jim Gavin could only say " he was the best Kerry forward". Maybe we can help Jim with his retirement plan in 2017 .
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Post by gbbuei on Apr 4, 2017 20:11:06 GMT
Fantastic footballing brain. The cleverest footballer I've seen. Phenomenal ability on the ball and his passing with hand and foot was unerring in its accuracy. He always had that extra time on the ball that great players create for themselves. Marvellous calmness in general but particularly when presented with a goal opportunity. His goal in the Club final was classic Colm.
Thanks for the memories great one and the many many happy days you gave us that were a result of your mastery. You are one in a lifetime.
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Post by Annascaultilidie on Apr 4, 2017 20:28:50 GMT
The best,most skillful and a wonderful Kerryman. Wonderful tributes from GAA fans all over Ireland but Jim Gavin could only say " he was the best Kerry forward". Maybe we can help Jim with his retirement plan in 2017 . On the one hand who cares what Jim Gavin says. On the other he is preparing for a big match this weekend and doesn't make much public comment anyway so cut the man some slack.
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Post by greengold35 on Apr 4, 2017 21:57:58 GMT
What marked him out on the pitch was , above all his decision making - never gave the ball away, played the right ball always at the right time - now has made the biggest decision of his life to retire - again , the right decision in my opinion. Always perfect - so many great memories, so many great scores, so selfless. So many great days but winning in Croke Park on his final appearance there with his beloved Crokes would be something too he may have dreamed of - a fitting finale for a marvellous talent.
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Post by onlykerry on Apr 4, 2017 21:58:08 GMT
A skill full player and joins the halls of glorious former players we have been privileged to see wearing the Kerry jersey. Certainly a standout player of his generation.
What worries me most about our game is that it is becoming more and more a battle of attrition rather than a battle of skills - those making the rules really need to ensure that the "next" Gooch has a place in our game where those silky skills and crafty play is valued.
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Post by seaniebo on Apr 4, 2017 22:36:42 GMT
Farewell to the genius.
When the proverbial fan was under pressure and the heart rates up to 90 in us supporter's invariably it was lads like the Gooch who'd pull a rabbit out of the hat. We came to expect it. Almost took it for granted. Personally it was a privilege growing up in the same era as Gooch.. He gave us some of the days of our lives. What a journey.
The end of an era.
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Jo90
Fanatical Member
Posts: 2,687
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Post by Jo90 on Apr 4, 2017 22:49:04 GMT
On a team of Gods - the 3 Ó Sés, Declan O'Sullivan, Seamus Moynihan and many more, Gooch was Zeus.
His wizardry with the ball was poetry in motion and a privilege to witness. He could see passes that nobody else could see, he could make passes that nobody else could make. He could shimmy, swivel and turn with such precision and speed that he could create an acre of space in Times Square during rush hour.
The numerous goals he scored in All-Ireland finals were all carressed to the net with accuracy, self-assuredness and composure that would be admirable if performed in the back garden with his brothers, never mind on the greatest stage on the marquee day in the GAA calendar...repeatedly.
His left and right feet were equal partners in crime. His 'underrated' aerial prowess left a trail of 6 footer victims in his path.
He leaves a legacy that we'll be telling our grandchildren about. He leaves a high tide mark that only an ark has floated above.
To paraphrase Kipling (the poet not the exceedingly good cake maker, although the superlative is apt):
If you can be the talk of crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch, If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you, If all men count on you, and routinely, too much; If you can fill the unforgiving Croke Park minute With sixty seconds’ worth of magic , Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it, And—which is more—you’ll be a God, my son!
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fitz
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Red sky at night get off my land
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Post by fitz on Apr 4, 2017 23:33:06 GMT
A skill full player and joins the halls of glorious former players we have been privileged to see wearing the Kerry jersey. Certainly a standout player of his generation. What worries me most about our game is that it is becoming more and more a battle of attrition rather than a battle of skills - those making the rules really need to ensure that the "next" Gooch has a place in our game where those silky skills and crafty play is valued. I take the point, but imo there is no next or never will be another Gooch, or anything even like him. A window of pure resplendence this past 17 years. A utopian human with and without ball in hand. Unspoilt by systems and conformity.He defied everything that was deemed a must in a top intercounty player. He made the rules and he ruled. The best I've ever seen. Like all, he will be badly missed, but he got his club AI medal, so we're gladdened he achieved everything and leaves on his own terms. The happiness he brought and still brings to thousands of people is perhaps the truest barometer. Thanks for everything Colm. I hope to see you involved in Kerry intercounty teams in very near future.
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Post by MrRasherstoyou on Apr 5, 2017 6:51:00 GMT
Genuinely disappointed that The Gooch has decided to stop at IC level. The injury was horrific and has stolen a couple of years from him, it was another of many great achievements to make it back.
The best I can say overall is that as a follower of our games but most especially football I was proud to see a player of such talent play. And a very sound man too.
My standout memories are a goal like the one in the 2011 All-I final, and points like one in the same game where he did one of our own future heros up like a kipper, one can but admire brilliance. And the other great memory was his goal Vs Mayo in the 2006 final. It is often forgotten because Kerry were running riot and Mayo in disarray but if you look at it again the skill and intelligence of what he did is clear, the type of things a child dreams of doing in a huge game, off the cuff, doing the almost impossible. So rivals or not, it was that sort of thing that anyone wants to see.
Best of luck to him.
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maryo
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Post by maryo on Apr 5, 2017 9:26:14 GMT
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Post by kerry4life on Apr 5, 2017 9:31:34 GMT
Its very sad to think we wont see Gooch in a Kerry Jersey again. The vision and danger he possessed was unreal. Not many other county fans can say they had the privilege to watch an artist like that at his work for years. Its unknown how many smiles he brought to peoples faces by doing something special in a game. But even though he probably had a little bit more to give you got to respect his decision to go, a little bit more to give is obviously not good enough for Colm, lads like that would never get used to sitting on a bench for long periods of a match. He did the right thing, time to pass the baton on now to the young lads and give them a chance to get battle hardened for the future. Hopefully RTE give him a seat on the Sunday game panel, he would know exactly what he was talking about unlike many of the rest of them. Enjoy your retirement Gooch.
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Post by veteran on Apr 5, 2017 9:50:10 GMT
I am always perplexed when people start talking about the greatest player of all time. It implies that they have seen them all, going back to the founding of the organisation. Presumably then they have watched Dick Fitzgerald, Jim Smith, Larry Stanley,Sean Purcell etc. In the present context,it cheapens language when the phrase " off all time" is used. The more appropriate expression would be " the greatest I have seen"
Even " the greatest I have seen" has limitations. A bedrock of the GAA , football and hurling, is that it is based on tribalism. Perhaps, that is the reason it thrives even though from time to time the product offered is poor. The downside of tribalism when discussing "the greatest I have seen" is the element of bias. We cherish our own more than players from other tribes. Indeed, talking to a lot of Kerry people one often gets the feeling no other county is capable of producing great players and great teams. That clearly is nonsense. For example, Dermot , if he so wished, could make a strong case for declaring that Peter Canavan was the greatest he has seen. Similarly, Galway followers of a certain vintage and indeed neutral followers could make a cogent case for Sean Purcell.
On a Kerry Forum, the most objective approach would be to declare your love for " the greatest Kerry player I have seen" but not even that is an unassailable concept. How , for example, do you compare the relative merits of Marc O'Se, Jack O'Shea and Colm Cooper? It is like comparing an outhalf to a prop forward. Maybe, you could attempt a comparison if you fed the relevant data into a computer. It would be an absorbing exercise but we do not currently have that luxury. Therefore, in the context of Colm, I feel the only intelligible discussion would be one which tried to adjudicate on " greatest Kerry forward I have seen". Even with that restriction, there is no shortage of candidates.
My memory takes me back to the end of the fifties. The following is a list of great Kerry forwards I have witnessed although a faulty memory will ensure that there will be serious omissions: Tadghie Lyne, Tom long, Mick O'Dwyer, Pat Griffin, Pat Spillane, Ger Power, Mikey Sheehy, Eoin Liston, John Egan, Maurice Fitzgerald, Michael Frank Russell, Johny Crowley, Daire O'Cinneide, Paul Galvin, Declan O'Sullivan, Colm Cooper, Kieran Donaghy, Paul Geaney, James O'Donoghue. A formidable list you will agree but possibly not exhaustive.
How does Colm stand up to scrutiny in the midst of that list of bandits? Clearly, he is, sadly was, superior to a good few on that list. Superior to all of them? That is the conundrum.
Some years ago on this forum I gave Colm the sobriquet "elusive butterfly". That came about on the way home from Dublin when I was raving once more about deeds Colm had performed and a young passenger asked me why I was always so moved by this particular footballer. To me, a butterfly implies beauty and a darting furtiveness. Couple those qualities with a spatial awareness and a sharpness of thought which meant , chess like, Colm was always a few moves ahead. Of course there were other " little things" like the catch, the kick, the feint, the ball hop. Putting all these traits together you are left with what? Colm Cooper. The elusive butterfly.
Better attacker than, for example, Mikey, Pat, John Egan, Maurice? Not sure. In any case is there a need to say yes or no. In a way, would you not be sullying the memory of these extraordinary forwards by saying yea or nay. In the same way, would you not be tarnishing the memory of Colm by saying that another Kerry forward was superior to him. I will go this far. None surpassed Colm.
The foregoing has finished up not just being a tribute to Colm but a also a paean to other magical Kerry forwards.
In the meantime, Colm enjoy that retirement and above all else I wish you good health to so do.
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Post by ardfertnarrie on Apr 5, 2017 10:59:38 GMT
I think Colm could have gone on for another year, but that is me being selfish as a Kerry fan. He made the decision for himself and certainly deserved to go on his own terms.
And what better way to go than after winning the Club final with is beloved club.
A genuinely sad day for Kerry but his inspiration will no doubt bring a lot more medals to Kerry over the coming years.
The classiest player I have ever seen, and that includes greats like Maurice Fitz and Mikey Sheehy. Best wishes for the future Colm and thanks for the memories.
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Post by Ballyfireside on Apr 5, 2017 11:02:30 GMT
I am always perplexed when people start talking about the greatest player of all time. It implies that they have seen them all, going back to the founding of the organisation. Presumably then they have watched Dick Fitzgerald, Jim Smith, Larry Stanley,Sean Purcell etc. In the present context,it cheapens language when the phrase " off all time" is used. The more appropriate expression would be " the greatest I have seen" Even " the greatest I have seen" has limitations. A bedrock of the GAA , football and hurling, is that it is based on tribalism. Perhaps, that is the reason it thrives even though from time to time the product offered is poor. The downside of tribalism when discussing "the greatest I have seen" is the element of bias. We cherish our own more than players from other tribes. Indeed, talking to a lot of Kerry people one often gets the feeling no other county is capable of producing great players and great teams. That clearly is nonsense. For example, Dermot , if he so wished, could make a strong case for declaring that Peter Canavan was the greatest he has seen. Similarly, Galway followers of a certain vintage and indeed neutral followers could make a cogent case for Sean Purcell. On a Kerry Forum, the most objective approach would be to declare your love for " the greatest Kerry player I have seen" but not even that is an unassailable concept. How , for example, do you compare the relative merits of Marc O'Se, Jack O'Shea and Colm Cooper? It is like comparing an outhalf to a prop forward. Maybe, you could attempt a comparison if you fed the relevant data into a computer. It would be an absorbing exercise but we do not currently have that luxury. Therefore, in the context of Colm, I feel the only intelligible discussion would be one which tried to adjudicate on " greatest Kerry forward I have seen". Even with that restriction, there is no shortage of candidates. My memory takes me back to the end of the fifties. The following is a list of great Kerry forwards I have witnessed although a faulty memory will ensure that there will be serious omissions: Tadghie Lyne, Tom long, Mick O'Dwyer, Pat Griffin, Pat Spillane, Ger Power, Mikey Sheehy, Eoin Liston, John Egan, Maurice Fitzgerald, Michael Frank Russell, Johny Crowley, Daire O'Cinneide, Paul Galvin, Declan O'Sullivan, Colm Cooper, Kieran Donaghy, Paul Geaney, James O'Donoghue. A formidable list you will agree but possibly not exhaustive. How does Colm stand up to scrutiny in the midst of that list of bandits? Clearly, he is, sadly was, superior to a good few on that list. Superior to all of them? That is the conundrum. Some years ago on this forum I gave Colm the sobriquet "elusive butterfly". That came about on the way home from Dublin when I was raving once more about deeds Colm had performed and a young passenger asked me why I was always so moved by this particular footballer. To me, a butterfly implies beauty and a darting furtiveness. Couple those qualities with a spatial awareness and a sharpness of thought which meant , chess like, Colm was always a few moves ahead. Of course there were other " little things" like the catch, the kick, the feint, the ball hop. Putting all these traits together you are left with what? Colm Cooper. The elusive butterfly. Better attacker than, for example, Mikey, Pat, John Egan, Maurice? Not sure. In any case is there a need to say yes or no. In a way, would you not be sullying the memory of these extraordinary forwards by saying yea or nay. In the same way, would you not be tarnishing the memory of Colm by saying that another Kerry forward was superior to him. I will go this far. None surpassed Colm. The foregoing has finished up not just being a tribute to Colm but a also a paean to other magical Kerry forwards. In the meantime, Colm enjoy that retirement and above all else I wish you good health to so do. Opinions reveal two characters, the subject and the author. A usual insight here and a hallmark of Vet is that for his own and I am sure very good reason he will never choose one footballer over another, and there is a bit of that in all our tribal DNA. Apart from other Kerry greats there are also many stars from weaker counties who were unknown quantities as they may not have had the team around them e.g. Mickey Kerins of Sligo and maybe Dermot Earley Snr for his leadership alone that won matches. In that vein you could even be thinking that Maurice Fitz potentially eclipsed Sheehy, Spillane, Bomber, etc. What marks Gooch out for me is that he was a doctor of arts in individual and team play in a manner that personified the word 'sublime' and so I'd say he was the best I seen, in the flesh or on screen, or ever heard of. His 'retreat' goal v Mayo and the opener v Dublin that took him 'all of 37 seconds' were the two fastest that my thinking on my feet could just about match for speed, if ye are with me! I am sure I missed most of his 'feints', well we would have seen them but it took me a while to twig the full picture, so thank good for Action Replay -ah I'm slow, very slow. And which leaves me with one question that I bet Vet won't rise to - if you had to name one, who would it be? Go on, go on, go on, yerrah come one, come one, come one! PS Another factor is that forwards are more likely to be favourites as opposed to backs, a defender losing a few balls can be career threatening whereas the forward who stole a few goals could be immortalised. No justice is there?
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animal
Fanatical Member
Posts: 1,931
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Post by animal on Apr 5, 2017 11:21:47 GMT
Along with the sadness of Colm's retirement there is also dare I say it a modicum of relief. His days as a free scoring forward were clearly over. Presumably a bit part role a la Declan in '14 was either not on the cards or was unappealing. So there is relief that he has gone on his own terms and it is a clean and happy departure.
I am delighted for him that he was able to say goodbye on the high of winning the Club All-Ireland (same as Henry Shefflin in that regards).
It's hard to describe what Colm meant to us as supporters. My fondest memories of him are probably from his first year and the scintillating football we played in '02. Colm and Mike Frank were sublime and an utter joy that year. The 2002 semi-final will live long in the memory. The goal Colm got that day epitomises everything great about him. He passed the ball into the net.
Think back. The vast majority of his goals were passed into the net usually with the side of his left foot. He always seemed to have the time to pick his spot. So often in similar situations players even of high quality would simply blast the ball and hope for the best - not Colm. In a lovely twist this trait had an affect on our winning the All-Ireland in '14 when he wasn't even on the pitch. He had drummed it into Donaghy to pass the ball into the net rather than blast it and we all know what happened. So even off the field Colm was winning us All - Irelands.
Beyond 2002 there are so many memories. Moments where he would do something with the ball and you would turn to the fella next to you and check did we all just see what he did there? No other player had so many of these moments. The goals in the big games. The final in 2004 - what a beaut of a goal. Goals against Cork in the Killarney sunshine e.g.
The goals against Dublin in '09 and '11 and possibly the best of them all the one against Mayo in the 2011 semi final. I could go on.
I don't recall anyone who looked better on the ball. Maurice being the possible exception. The way Colm struck the ball just looked different to everyone else and when you combine this with his vision and his handling you have the perfect footballer.
The Greatest of All Time talk kind of does my head in a bit. It can't be ignored that so many former Kerry players are calling him such. For me since the demise of the Golden Years team i would put Colm up on a pedestal equal with Maurice Fitzgerald and Seamus Moynihan. For me those are the three that stand out over all the others over the last 30 years and yes I have them just ahead of the Ó Sés.
I hope Colm enjoys his inter-county retirement and I hope he continues long enough with Crokes that I can bring my young children to see him play when they are old enough to appreciate and enjoy him.
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Post by Annascaultilidie on Apr 5, 2017 12:22:53 GMT
The goals against Dublin in '09 and '11 and possibly the best of them all the one against Mayo in the 2011 semi final. I could go on. This goal is actually my favourite. The finish was so uncharacteristic. There was a violence to it and an anger to it --- just after Mayo scored a goal --- that when considered in the context of the match, elevated it to a higher plane. It almost said, "you know I could finish this with accuracy if I want. But I want to put a nail in your coffin instead." Emphatic flourish of a finish. My favourite moment was the pass to Donncha Walsh in 2013 for JOD's goal. Magic.
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Post by glengael on Apr 5, 2017 12:56:58 GMT
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Post by Leathama on Apr 5, 2017 12:58:27 GMT
The goals against Dublin in '09 and '11 and possibly the best of them all the one against Mayo in the 2011 semi final. I could go on. This goal is actually my favourite. The finish was so uncharacteristic. There was a violence to it and an anger to it --- just after Mayo scored a goal --- that when considered in the context of the match, elevated it to a higher plane. It almost said, "you know I could finish this with accuracy if I want. But I want to put a nail in your coffin instead." Emphatic flourish of a finish. My favourite moment was the pass to Donncha Walsh in 2013 for JOD's goal. Magic.This. The three backward steps on receipt of the ball from Tomas and then a plum pass to Donnchadh. I've contributed a significant volume of views to that video on YouTube over the last number of days. Sheer genius.
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Jigz84
Fanatical Member
Posts: 2,017
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Post by Jigz84 on Apr 5, 2017 13:49:26 GMT
His orchestration of Declan O'Sullivan's goal v Dublin in 2007 sticks out in my mind. He somehow hangs on to possession under intense pressure in the corner, lays the ball off to Killian Young, spots Declan's run and points to where Killian should kick it.
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Post by kerrygold on Apr 5, 2017 13:59:35 GMT
Life long iconic footballing status achieved in Kerry. There is no greater prize. Top seat in the pantheon of greatness assured in the hearts and minds of Kerry people.
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Post by yourholiness on Apr 5, 2017 14:52:45 GMT
Maith an fear a Choilm . Imreóir den chéad scoth !
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fitz
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Red sky at night get off my land
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Post by fitz on Apr 5, 2017 15:51:13 GMT
If the great man Mikey Sheehy thinks Gooch is way ahead of him,well I'll take Mikey's word and my own eyes for it. then Martin I'm afraid you'll have to roll up that article and... Top 20 - total nonsense, struggling to write his daily word count.. One name I would have expected in there was Mickey Linden
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Jigz84
Fanatical Member
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Post by Jigz84 on Apr 5, 2017 15:56:36 GMT
If the great man Mikey Sheehy thinks Gooch is way ahead of him,well I'll take Mikey's word and my own eyes for it. then Martin I'm afraid you'll have to roll up that article and... Top 20 - total nonsense, struggling to write his daily word count.. One name I would have expected in there was Mickey Linden Agreed, Linden would be an automatic for me on any list. No sign of Stephen O'Neill either.
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Post by ardfertnarrie on Apr 5, 2017 16:01:38 GMT
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