Favourite Kerry player of all time

[thekingdom]

I'd pick Seamus Moynihan. He was always very dependable and always gave 100% even when we were losing a game. It was a great sight to see him shoulder some guy and come bursting out with the ball! Legend. Sound bloke too.

[Kingdomson]

My vote is for: Pat Spillane

Although his media persona is loved and loathed with equal measure, when all is said and done - what a player, flying up the wing, or throwing points over his shoulder with back to goal – it’s the Templenoe hair.

[Jo90]

Maurice Fitzgerald. God.

[peig]

I'm stuck on five. Moynihan, Darragh, Spillane, Maurice Fitz and Mikey Sheehy. But if this was a life or death question, I'd simply have to go with Maurice Fitz.

[tabbyie]

Fitzy gan dabht. Was behind the goals when he scored that great point against the Dubs in Thurles. Unbelieveable.

[len]

Seamus Moynihan/ Maurice Ftizgerald/ Dara O'Shea. Mickey Sheey and his fellow soldiers!! Just too many to have one!! If It had to be one...Seamus Moynhan. A tough call

[nv011956]

Ya Moynihan was one of the best.I'll never forget the Dubs in Thurles shouting "Vinnie's gonna get ya" and then Seamie to horse him out over the sideline with a belt of a shoulder.That shut 'em up.Magic stuff.

[branch]

Even though like tabbyie I was behind that goal for Maurices point, my favourite player ever to wear the green and gold has to be the greatest player of them all...

Jack O'Shea

[falveyb2k]

Maurice Fitzgerald but isn't it amazing the quality of players we have produced throughout the years.

[dart]

Maurice Fitzgerald without a doubt.

[mafi97]

If you factor in sheer consistency, lack of showboating, respect of his peers, leadership of the highest order - it has to be Seamus Moynihan. This in no way diminishes the stature of the other greats mentioned. Surprised that Mick O'Connell etc has not been mentioned - especially when the title of the thread is the "favourite" player. Is this a function of the typical age of the contributors - which would also explain why nobody mentioned Tom Long, who time after time pulled (literally pulled) big games out of the fire. Nobody mixed the ability to do the heavy lifting with the more obvious classy inputs - until Moynihan came along.

[tabbyie]

branch said:

Even though like tabbyie I was behind that goal for Maurices point, my favourite player ever to wear the green and gold has to be the greatest player of them all...

Jack O'Shea

Before the days of Maurice I used to like O'Shea. His All star status has led him to have a very different career nowadays. The Charity Your a Star thing has brought him to the attention of many GAA fans who may have forgotten just how great he was.

[Mickmack]

as a small child I thought we'd never win again when Mick o connell and Mick o dwyer retired. Then along comes Mikey sheehy, Pat Spillane, John Egan, Jacko, Paidi and the Bomber. What will we do when they go?

Then comes Maurice Fitzgerald......and then Seamus Moynihan and then Dara o Shea and then Gooch and Declan o Sullivan .......

I am quite sure we will never replace Gooch but .......... I have been wrong before.

i cant pick a favourite

[Deleted]

For me Seamus also.
His sheer consistency was amazing. Whether it was a sh*tty league game in the middle of Winter or a Munster final he was invariably the best player on the pitch.

His performances in 2000 were out of this world.

We are very lucky to have such great players to choose from

[sullyschoice]

Stop asking such difficult questions. I would have to write a very long list

[kerrygold]

Maurice fitzgeralt,the most naturally gifted kerry footballer i have had the pleasure of following since 1975.A true gem,a genuis with either foot from distance or near infront of the goal,how many of the predenders could perfectly kick with either foot off the ground from distance and near with perfect height,curve and accuracy.The sideball balls v dublin in thurles and mayo in croker were a celebration of his genius,the fact that he sat in the stand in '02 cost us that all-ireland final.That particular sideline kick late in the '02 final had Maurices name screaming all over it.Would we have made the breakthrough in '97 without him?,i doubt it.Would we have won in '00 without him?,i doubt it.If Maurice was either 5 years younger or five year older,would kerry have won a five in a row?,proberly.

[JOAN]

All time fav for me is John Egan.... the memories.
I would have to say the following are very close. Pat and Mick spillane, ogie, maurice, crowley, to todays team dara gooch galvin and marc

[Piggy]

Liam Flaherty and Eamon Breen...............id like to see the northern boys play swarm defence against them!!!

[kerryman1]

Favourite player to watch would have to be Maurice Fitzgearld... but overall i would have to pick Darragh o Se!

[nk05]

Hard to pick a favourite,so many great player but Maurice Fitz would be my no.1, a class act

[kerryman]

Maurice Fitz.

[middlefan]

Has to be Maurice Fitz for me too - an absolute genius with a football. What a pity he didn't play with Kerry for a bit longer and win a few more All Irelands!

[ardfertnarrie]

Its a tough question, but there's a difference between favourite and greatest. The greatest (for me) is Fitzy, but Moynihan would probably be my favourite because of his sheer brilliance in nearly every match he played. Fitzy would probably have been my favourite if he had been allowed (by a certain someone) show his genius more.

[austinstacksabu]

kerrynorth said:

For me, it has to be someone from the 'new' golden years of 1996 onwards.
- Reached the semi-final 11 out of the last 12 years, reached the final 6 times (maybe 7), plus 1 replay.... and captured Sam 4 times. (...in the hunt for 5!)

I've had the privilege of waking up on the morning of an All-Ireland, giddy with excitement for Kerry’s involvement, and itching for the trip to Croker, a whopping 7 times in the last 10 years. & there is no feeling like that buzz!

From that, and all the other great Championship outings, one man, and one man alone stand out for me - Seamus Moynihan.

A legend. Inspirational on many levels.


(I have plenty photos of baby KerryNorth sitting/sleeping/drooling in Sam during the Golden years - but alas, I was too young to take it all in - so to have our own golden period, and our own golden boys is something I'm thankful for everyday)

Ciarraí Abú

Glad to see people beginning to call what we have had since '96 what it really is.....

[trevor73]

Current Era

1 Maurice 'GOD' Fitzgerald
2 Seamus Moynihan

Golden Years

1 Mikey Sheehy
2 John Egan


Trev

[lostinmayo]

for me has to be Moynihan, performance once never dipped, not even in a meaningless east kerry league game, super league they called it...

Maurice did give me the most magical moments though

[Piggy]

does anyone else think john egan didnt get half the praise he deserved for the part he played on the golden team

[austinstacksabu]

The most overrated underrated player on the Golden Team I think is the phrase Tom Humphries used to describe him once, or was it Con Houlihan.

[branch]

scan1 said:

does anyone else think john egan didnt get half the praise he deserved for the part he played on the golden team

I thoroughly agree Piggy, John Egan was the one player who would always pull it out of the fire when Kerry needed it, this is referred to in Tom Humphries book about the Kerry vs Dublin rivalry during the Golden Years! And I have to admit after Jack O'Shea and Darragh he is defintely one of my favourite players.

[kerrygold]

the one thing about that kerry team is that it was riddled with truely great great footballers who will stand the test of time,its hard to pick one over the other.

their record says it all,10 finals in 12 seasons,8 won.