Best 15 hurlers you saw in the flesh

supernova5 · 23-02-2023 3:49pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120278596#Comment_120278596

you surely have to mean Mullane's striking off his right? Jesus didn't he get at least 85% of his scores off his left

Ragwort and Stones · 23-02-2023 4:45pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120279511#Comment_120279511

He did but he scudded more shot off his left side. I saw him play countless matches and speed meant he was on a lot of ball and got a lot of scores. But he was nowhere near the skill levels of Paul Flynn or Ken McGrath.

I think the whole love me county stuff, the tears and the flamboyancy fooled a lot of people regarding his place at the very top table of hurlers. In my opinion. He doesn't belong in the same league as Eoin Kelly Tipp or hurlers with skill levels like that.

Ragwort and Stones · 23-02-2023 4:55pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120279229#Comment_120279229

John Troy was a genius in the 90s, ahead of his time in terms of skills. He wasn't beefed up to the hilt, some of the time he had a belly on him! But that's why I like him, everything he had was natural. Take away what modern training has done for certain hurlers and they wouldn't be too far ahead of Troy on the basics. Considering in the 90s you had a lot of hurlers who were cumbersome by today's standards.

My 10 honourable mentions are pretty interchangeable with my top 15. My finishers if you like. Even at that great hurlers like Seanie McMahon, Liam Dunne etc have been left out. You could pick 4 or 5 great teams. I love Lynch, Hegarty and Kelly. Though think Kelly's free taking is lacking in comparison with Reid especially.

Mad about baa baas · 24-02-2023 9:34am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120279756#Comment_120279756

In the all Ireland of 2008 when Waterford never got going. Mullane still got his 4/5 points from play

Ragwort and Stones · 24-02-2023 12:12pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120282301#Comment_120282301

He got 3 points. Which was a good return. Just a personal thing with me, very good hurler but not in the real top tier.

billyhead · 24-02-2023 2:17pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120278596#Comment_120278596

You have too many from KK.

flasher0030 · 24-02-2023 2:50pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120278596#Comment_120278596

Based on that first 15, you are saying that nobody under the age of 35 currently playing the game is as good as those that have since retired. That doesn't make any sense, considering the achievements of Limerick and the outstanding performers on that team.

MattressRick · 24-02-2023 10:30pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120282920#Comment_120282920

By today's standards 3 points is nearly expected in the first half from a forward but 15 years ago it was nearly man of the match stuff.

I always thought mullane was one of the greats of the last 40 years. Seemed impossible to hold scoreless.

MattressRick · 24-02-2023 10:35pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120269670#Comment_120269670

My own tuppence on that is that hurling has gotten much looser in the last few years. Players roam everywhere and a few of Hegartys scores in last year's final were in open country in his own half with the nearest man about a mile away. He obviously had thr accuracy to score them but when it's man to man he doesn't get those big returns. Fintan Burke went very tight and physical on him in last year's semi final and kept him scoreless.

A great player Hegarty, no doubt. I think he'd have scored in finals in the last 15 years but I don't think he'd have scored much either with a Tommy Walsh up his hole all day.

Bass Reeves · 24-02-2023 11:03pm

You also have to allow the change in ball technology. The ball nowadays is a faster lighter ball. It makes long range scores easier.

People need to realize you can only pick a maximum of two per county. You also have to factor in there is only really a core of ten hurling teams and two of them Cork and Kilkenny have won over half the AI during the last fifty years and you can only pick four players from those two counties

evolvingtipperary101 · 25-02-2023 12:02am

Hurls of yester year:

Hurls of today:

MattressRick · 25-02-2023 12:44am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120285667#Comment_120285667

Great post. I think the bás has to be below a certain size doesn't it according to the rulebook? I think I read a few years back that a lot of outfield players hurleys these days are illegal. Could be wrong on that. But Hegartys there looks wrong. Christ you'd never mishit a ball.

PeggyShippen · 25-02-2023 10:49am

Hegartys scoring achievements in All Ireland finals over the last 3 years will probably never be surpassed. The ability to 'up' his game for the biggest day of all is a testament to him. Joe,TJ,Kelly ect..none have done his numbers from play in All Ireland finals . What I like most about Hegarty is he knows how good he is and isn't shy about it. He also caught 2 big balls when Kilkenny were threatening to pull ahead last year. One he flicked to Morrissey to restore Limericks lead.

Hes gone games where he was relatively quiet. Fintan Burke did a good job last year but Limerick weren't great in that semi. Hegarty was consistently excellent last year in Munster.

Pogue eile · 03-03-2023 5:26pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120286398#Comment_120286398

I'm not so sure about that, phenomenal figures indeed but you couldn't say that they will never be surpassed. He has scored 3-14 in total from play in his last three finals. Seamie Callinan for example scored 3-10 from play in his last three finals, its very impressive but not unbeatable. Hurling in general is becoming a higher scoring game as it evolves so all these records could look a lot less impressive in 20 years time.

Best 15 hurlers you saw in the flesh

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