Best MacRory 15?
18th Mar 2011
Marty Clarke was special 5 or 6 years ago, and before that you could go all the way back to James McCartan and Dermot McNicholl - serious contenders for the all-time MacRory team if ever one is chosen.
Another contender emerged on St Patrick's Day, 2011. I knew he was good before, but not this good. Two fantastic goals winning the BT MacRory Cup for St Colman's Newry, blistering pace and a deadly finish.
Yet while the celebrations were in full swing, Caolan Mooney sloped off quietly down the tunnel to the dressing-room where he quietly put his injured leg up with a bag of ice on it.
"I'm just happy to win, that's all that matters", said Mooney, who already has his eyes seriously set on winning another Hogan. This fella not only is the best, he wants to be the very best. He wants to make history before he jets off to Australia.
So there I was, sitting in the winners dressing-room with the star of the show and a bag of ice. I couldn't help notice posters on the walls showing a fella with his head in his hands, dejected after a defeat.
Caolan explained that it was from a MacRory semi-final two years ago when St Colman's lost to the Academy. It's no wonder the boy wonder pays so much tribute to Cathal Murr-inho and his management team.
They've made history together.
Come to think of it - let's pick the MacRory Cup Team of the Century or whatever period you like. I can only pick from the players I have seen so here goes, off the top of my head.. you can help me out here... and by the way I'm going with their performances in the MacRory, not their future careers...
1 - Matthew McNeice
2 - Paul McGurk
3 - Ronan Hamill
4 - Ciaran Smith
5 - Gerard O'Kane
6 - SM Lockhart
7 - Roderick Skelly
8 - Anthony Tohill
9 - Mark Lynch
10 - Liam O'Hare
11 - Marty Clarke
12 - Caolan Mooney
13 - James McCartan
14 - Dermot McNicholl
15 - Greg Blaney
Thanks for your comments so far. I've already made a few changes might make one or two more...
'I'm desperate to win the Hogan Cup' - Caolan Mooney, St Colman's Newry
Video
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Comments
seamus - 31 Mar 2011
I'd have Niall McKenna over Mark Lynch myself, if we're basing it solely on MacRory performance. Seem to remember Lynch switching between full forward and midfield in his final year anyway. I'd say McKenna was more consistent. Agree on Dyas though, remember Kevin McKernan getting injured in the quarter final replay against Dungannon and Dyas was immense.
cg - 20 Mar 2011
kevin dyas was the reason marty clarke never got his macrory in 06 he is a definte selection, caaried the abbey to both the macrory and hogan in 06. marked clarke out of it in 06 and scored 2 goals in the hogan final. shocked that he is not in it at half back
worried admirer - 20 Mar 2011
Any MacRory select team without Greg Blaney doesn't have a hope, move over Marty Clarke
Fair point. But not move over Marty, move over Ollie Reel!
supporter - 19 Mar 2011
i like your article above.Why did you not include caolan in your team if you think he is so good?
OOps! Good point - Sorry Colm Bradley, you've just lost your place!
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