The Sporting Success of Northern Ireland

Yamanoto

awec wrote: »

I think the point is that Best, McIlroy, Frampton, McCoy etc are or were among the very best of their sports, if not the best.

Not really the case for Harrington, Duff, Wheelan, Giles and the likes.

John Giles is rightly still considered an absolute great of the game.

To use a Rugby analogy, George Best was a talent akin to Rupeni Caucaunibuca - mesmeric & dazzling at times, but ultimately flawed and lacking the selflessness all truly great team players possess.

Speaking of which, here's another Ulsterman who's considered by many to be the greatest ever Lion.

fullstop

Dirty Dingus McGee wrote: »

Lucky for everyone Jack Nicklaus got old.

For 18 months he was the best in the world.He won the most majors of anyone between 2007 and 2008.

Lee Westwood and Luke Donald both got to world number 1 yet they can never rightfully claim to be the best at any time during their career because they never won a major.

Ask any golfer which they would prefer world number 1 or a major.Harrington won more majors than anyone else across those 2 years.

Tiger won 2 majors, 3 WGCs and a total of 11 tournaments across 07 & 08, but yeah Harrington was the best in the world with 3 majors and the Irish Open over the same time span :rolleyes:

Regardless, the start of this debate was someone insinuating that PH was on the same level as McIlroy, which he wasn't. McIlroy was number 1 and has more majors, and he's only 28.

Avatar MIA wrote: »

Similarly lucky for McIlroy Tiger imploded when he did.

Yeah you're right, like it's not as if McIlroy set an all-time scoring record in winning the US Open or won the PGA by the biggest ever margin or anything, is it...

He also beat Tiger on the back 9 on Sunday to win the Honda in '12, when did Podge do that when Tiger was in contention?

Dirty Dingus McGee

fullstop wrote: »

Tiger won 2 majors, 3 WGCs and a total of 11 tournaments across 07 & 08, but yeah Harrington was the best in the world with 3 majors and the Irish Open over the same time span :rolleyes:

Regardless, the start of this debate was someone insinuating that PH was on the same level as McIlroy, which he wasn't. McIlroy was number 1 and has more majors, and he's only 28.



Yeah you're right, like it's not as if McIlroy set an all-time scoring record in winning the US Open or won the PGA by the biggest ever margin or anything, is it...

He also beat Tiger on the back 9 on Sunday to win the Honda in '12, when did Podge do that when Tiger was in contention?

So it's Padraig Harrington's fault that Woods imploded when he did. Lucky for everyone that Jack Niklaus got old then.

Harrington won the PGA tour player of the year in 2008.The PGA tour considered him the best player in the world in 2008.

Anyway the whole thread is stupid.I could pick a random city around the world with a similar population as NI and come up with more great sportsmen that NI produced so the whole thread is based on their being a great achievement despite the success NI had not actually being that great it's just the usual clapping ourselves on the back lark that makes people thinks it's better than it is.

fullstop

Dirty Dingus McGee wrote: »

So it's Padraig Harrington's fault that Woods imploded when he did. Lucky for everyone that Jack Niklaus got old then.

Harrington won the PGA tour player of the year in 2008.The PGA tour considered him the best player in the world in 2008.

Yeah cause thats what I said You clearly haven't a clue so I'll leave you to it

Dirty Dingus McGee

fullstop wrote: »

Yeah cause thats what I said You clearly haven't a clue so I'll leave you to it

I never said that was what you said.

If the PGA tour considered him their best player in 2008 then my opinion that he was the best player in the world back then is pretty accurate.

fullstop

Dirty Dingus McGee wrote: »

I never said that was what you said.

If the PGA tour considered him their best player in 2008 then my opinion that he was the best player in the world back then is pretty accurate.

He was the best player in the world over the course of July and August that year, I'll agree with you on that. But that's a very short period of time. Tiger missed the second half of the year and still won 4 times. Singh won 3 times and won the money list, PH finished 8th. The reason he won player of the year were because he defended the Open and was the first European to win the PGA in years.

DEFTLEFTHAND

Ultimate Seduction wrote: »

You are obviously from the six counties yourself so I understand a bit of bias, but Gurney is no where near as good as you seem to believe. His scoring is strong but not near elite yet. He may win a world title in the future but he seems to be fairly weak minded too, head either drops or he gets visibly angry when the going gets tough, so I doubt it.

No from Tipp.

What I'm saying is if he can get his finishing down to an elite level and curb his mental issues then I believe he has the potential to win a world title.

One of the most natural throws that you'll ever see.

DEFTLEFTHAND

fullstop wrote: »

4 actually, Fred Daly as well.

Thanks for that, a terrible omission on my part.

Until 2007 Daly was the only Irish man ever to win a Major.

LordSutch

Mary Peters.

Matt123321

Is from Clones and competed for Ireland in the Commonwealth games.

However as a professional he was a Northern Ireland boxer. It was seen as the easiest way to achieve the goal of becoming world champion.

Due to the politics of boxing it is easier for a Northerner to map a route to a World Title challenge.

The UK has six area champions, (England: southern area, midlands, northern area, then Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland), and if you become an area champion in a weight division, you earn an entitlement to challenge for the British Title within the year. Because the British Boxing Board of Control is quite a prominent organisation (especially in terms or European boxing), if you become British Champion, you seem to automatically be installed as the mandatory challenger for European and Commonwealth titles, and it also seems to be quite well recognised by the various organisations that have World titles

timthumbni

Matt123321 wrote: »

Is from Clones and competed for Ireland in the Commonwealth games.

However as a professional he was a Northern Ireland boxer. It was seen as the easiest way to achieve the goal of becoming world champion.

Due to the politics of boxing it is easier for a Northerner to map a route to a World Title challenge.

The UK has six area champions, (England: southern area, midlands, northern area, then Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland), and if you become an area champion in a weight division, you earn an entitlement to challenge for the British Title within the year. Because the British Boxing Board of Control is quite a prominent organisation (especially in terms or European boxing), if you become British Champion, you seem to automatically be installed as the mandatory challenger for European and Commonwealth titles, and it also seems to be quite well recognised by the various organisations that have World titles

I thought wee Barry was great. In the middle of
The troubles all the unionists/nationalists supported him. What a guy...

Dyr

mfceiling wrote: »

The lack of shooting medals was simple...they weren't allowed to wear their balaclavas.

How were they "flukey" with other sports? McIlroy flukey? Frampton flukey?

it was their refusal to handle the firearms without gloves during competition that screwed em

dd972

Could be something to do with the feistiness up there shared by both communities. They can be more refreshingly upfront than the mealy mouthed denizens of the three other provinces.

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

Ulysses Gaze

awec wrote: »

I think the point is that Best, McIlroy, Frampton, McCoy etc are or were among the very best of their sports, if not the best.

Not really the case for Harrington, Duff, Wheelan, Giles and the likes.

Roy Keane>George Best

And before the arguments start.

More trophies than Best
Played at a higher level much longer for Man Utd and captained the club to unprecedented success.
Played at a World Cup.
And was undoubtedly one of the best Midfield players in the World for a number of years.

And I am neither a Utd fan nor a fan of Keane either.

Alf Veedersane

fullstop wrote: »

McIlroy is a phenomenon and when he's on nobody will beat him.

He'd want to find that 'on' button again.

Maybe if he finds it, he might elevate himself above that other phenomenon, Ray Floyd.

I really want him to find it, fwiw, but let's not het carried away yet.

fullstop

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

He'd want to find that 'on' button again.

Maybe if he finds it, he might elevate himself above that other phenomenon, Ray Floyd.

I really want him to find it, fwiw, but let's not het carried away yet.

Yeah only the 4 majors so far, shyte he is :rolleyes:

maryishere

Ulysses Gaze wrote: »

Roy Keane>George Best

After making his debut for United aged 17, Best scored 179 goals from 470 appearances over 11 years, and was the club's top goalscorer in the league for five consecutive seasons.

Keane did not, and Keane was lucky to be part of a great bunch of other Man utd players at a glory time in the clubs history.

Best was talented.

Alf Veedersane

fullstop wrote: »

Yeah only the 4 majors so far, shyte he is :rolleyes:

Where did I say he was shyte?

holyhead

N.I. certainly has produced it's share of geniuses over the past 50 years. George Best was arguably the finest football player from this island ever. Pat Jennings was one of the finest goalkeepers to play in the English league. Norman Whiteside had the potential to be a world class footballer but a combination of lack of pace and injuries put pay to his career. Not sure if Martin O'Neill would have been classed as brilliant but along with GB he was the second player from the North to win a European Cup medal. Open to correction on that! Van Morrison's brilliance in music has entertained the world for over 50 years. Alex Higgins was genius at snooker. Rory McIlroy seems similarly blessed at golf.
Purely as a matter of interest are all the aforementioned Protestant?

BrianBoru00

A here - I was coming on here to engage in some debate . . . . .





but someone suggested Carl Frampton as an all time great :-(

PTH2009

Well not exactly a great yet but Daryl Gurney from Derry won the PDC World Grand Prix Darts tournament in Dublin earlier and become the first irish man to win a major darts title

dd972

Patww79 wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Munster, Leinster and Connaught.

timthumbni

holyhead wrote: »

N.I. certainly has produced it's share of geniuses over the past 50 years. George Best was arguably the finest football player from this island ever. Pat Jennings was one of the finest goalkeepers to play in the English league. Norman Whiteside had the potential to be a world class footballer but a combination of lack of pace and injuries put pay to his career. Not sure if Martin O'Neill would have been classed as brilliant but along with GB he was the second player from the North to win a European Cup medal. Open to correction on that! Van Morrison's brilliance in music has entertained the world for over 50 years. Alex Higgins was genius at snooker. Rory McIlroy seems similarly blessed at golf.
Purely as a matter of interest are all the aforementioned Protestant?

No, and I am the one accused of being sectarian on here. Lol.

BTw whiteside was a beast. I remember him bossing about hard men Spanish defenders and he had only just turned 17.

timthumbni

And btw re Keane better than best... totally different players. Roy was a great player but best was the Messi of his time. He was so far beyond the rest that he often toyed with them. Drink was the problem but in 100 years people will still watch the tricks of best. No one will be watching Roy grumpy Keane....

Skylinehead

maryishere wrote: »

After making his debut for United aged 17, Best scored 179 goals from 470 appearances over 11 years, and was the club's top goalscorer in the league for five consecutive seasons.

Keane did not, and Keane was lucky to be part of a great bunch of other Man utd players at a glory time in the clubs history.

Best was talented.

Neither did Pat Jennings for anyone. What a ridiculously poor post.

jmayo

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

Think about it, a tiny country, 6 counties. 1 million people.

But yet they have produced great sporting heros for their size. George Best, a great in his time, unfortunately of course his bad habits caught up with him and his career petered out far too early. He was only 27 when things went wrong. When he should have been in his prime.

Then think of motorsport, Eddie Irvine, Joey Dunlop.

Nordies really do punch above their weight in the global sporting world. On a per captia basis they're streets ahead of us southerners.

FFS you start listing off great Northern Irish sports people and drag in mortosports and fail to mention John Watson winner of 5 GPs and raced in F1 for over 10 years.

And you forgot Kris Meeke who has competed in WRC since 2011 and has 5 wins to his name, two this year.

Oh and ever heard of Rally driver Paddy Hopkirk ?
He was one of the drivers that put the Mini Cooper on the map in the 1960s.

LordSutch wrote: »

Mary Peters.

Another huge ommission in the OP's list.

Ulysses Gaze wrote: »

Roy Keane>George Best

And before the arguments start.

More trophies than Best
Played at a higher level much longer for Man Utd and captained the club to unprecedented success.
Played at a World Cup.
And was undoubtedly one of the best Midfield players in the World for a number of years.

And I am neither a Utd fan nor a fan of Keane either.

Using the trophies, medals, number of appearances in Europe or WC for your country and captaincy argument, Gary Neville was a better player than George Best. :rolleyes:

Are you seriously going to argue that one ?

George Best was a better footballer than Keane, end of discussion.

Oh and he pulled more girls, did more druges, did more drink, but wasn't as big an opionated spanner.

LordSutch

Dame Mary Peters, George Best, Pat Jennings ....

timthumbni

LordSutch wrote: »

Dame Mary Peters, George Best, Pat Jennings ....

Pat had hands on him like 2 shovels. Plus he had the deepest voice I have ever ever heard in my life.

timthumbni

And we have just qualified for the pay offs for the World Cup. Probably will get stuffed but great for us either way. Good luck to you lot in the republic tomorrow. I hope we don’t get drawn against each other for many reasons.

Main one being I think youse would beat us.....

BBDBB

A great bunch of lads