Team of the Year

[JC_GUFC]

Sure what better time to start this than before the final day of the season.

GK: Barry Murphy

RB: Simon Madden
CB: Andy Boyle
CB: Brian Gartland
LB: Dane Massey

RM: Conan Byrne
CM: Gearoid Morrissey
CM: Colin Healy
LM: Billy Dennehy

CF: Pat Hoban
CF: Christy Fagan

Manager: John Caulfield


Some notable omissions: Richie Towell the obvious one. I think in a fair few games he wasn't that noticeable whereas others he showed the talent he has. Over the course of the season I think Cork's midfield has kept them going more. Keith Fahey too just didn't think he did much until the last 2 months. Up front obviously once Stuart Taylor left and Gaffney got some game time he was banging them in. Mark O'Sullivan too at Cork has had a great season.


Division 1

GK: Graham Doyle

RB: Jamie Mulhall
CB: Paddy Barrett
CB: Pat Flynn
LB: Colm Horgan

RM: Don Cowan
CM: Stephen Rice
CM: Ryan Connolly
LM: Dylan Connolly

CF: Dave O'Sullivan
CF: Danny Furlong

A bit of messing around with positions here as Colm Horgan generally plays on the right of defence.

Don Cowan hasn't played that much for Longford but destroyed us in their 3-0 win in Terryland.

[Bubba]

Darryl Horgan would be a good option for midfield also

[sullanefc]

I think you'd have to include some city defenders based on our tendency to scrape a lot of 1-0 wins. Murray and D. Dennehy have been solid at centre half. Murray slightly better. B. Lenihan got a cross channel move from full back and captain John Dunleavy has had his best season yet for us.

[JC_GUFC]

Yeah, that's probably a fair shout. To be honest I've only seen City live once this season and Dennehy was sent off in that game (1-0 at UCD) wouldn't argue against dropping Gartland.

[El-Pietro]

Mark McNulty deserves some credit too.

The official team will look something like this

Mark McNulty (17 clean sheets, should be in the running for player of the year)

Massey Gartland Dan Murray Bermingham

Forrester Fahey Towell Byrne

Fagan Hoban

Fahey has no right to be there but hell still get selected, not sure about Massey, I could see Lenihan getting it but hes been gone for 6 weeks

[Acornvilla]

I think Furlong has something like 6 goals from the penalty spot, Sully and Shaw only have one from the pen spot between them for Longford. Shaw had one hell of a second half to the season, I'd nearly have him over Furlong, but hard enough to pick.

[Ezeikial]

Simon Madden is a smashing right back, but Sean Gannon has been significantly better then any other I have seen in that position this season

[harry crumb]

---------------------------------Mark McNulty----------------------------------

Brian Lenihan-------Dan Murray----------Andy Boyle-----------Ian Bermingham


Conan Byrne------Richie Towell----------Gearoid Morrissey--------Daryl Horgan

---------------------Pat Hoban------------------Christy Fagan-----------------------

[White Horse]

---------------------------------Mark McNulty----------------------------------

Brian Lenihan-------Dan Murray----------Andy Boyle-----------Ian Bermingham


Conan Byrne------Richie Towell----------Gearoid Morrissey--------Daryl Horgan

---------------------Pat Hoban------------------Christy Fagan-----------------------

I was thinking along the same lines.

I'm not sure about Lenihan for right back. I think Simon Madden and Sean Gannon are ahead of him.

[WoodquayBoy]

Jake Keegan scored 2 more than Shaw, all from open play, I'd have some issues with JC's team, but not with the front 2 of O'Sullivan and Furlong

[JC_GUFC]

Keegan's ffinished the season very well just like Shaw has as O'Sullivan's goals dried up.

I suppose you could argue Furlong got a hat trick against a weakened Harps side to boost his tally but First Division strikers have been pretty poor. Shels top scoring striker has 3 goals I think!

For Div 1 Gary Shanahan may have a case for RM. Manning probably not played enough to be in team.

[Longfordian]

Ah yeah I wouldn't quibble too much about JC's front two. Gary Shaw had a great second half of the season and especially the final third of it but Furlong was pretty consistent and was always a big threat. Sully managed to have an eight game drought and still end up with 21 league goals and a few assists for Shaw. Great striker.

[De Town]

Division 1

GK: Graham Doyle

RB: Jamie Mulhall
CB: Paddy Barrett
CB: Pat Flynn
LB: Colm Horgan

RM: Don Cowan
CM: Stephen Rice
CM: Ryan Connolly
LM: Dylan Connolly

CF: Dave O'Sullivan
CF: Danny Furlong

A bit of messing around with positions here as Colm Horgan generally plays on the right of defence.

Don Cowan hasn't played that much for Longford but destroyed us in their 3-0 win in Terryland.

I'd agree with most of that. I'd have Pat Sullivan instead of Paddy Barrett and I wouldn't have Don Cowan in there. Sullivan has been immense all season and our success has been based on our back 4 being very solid and settled (well 3 of them anyway, LB has chopped and changed a bit) week in week out. Don is very frustrating. His lack of end product is seriously annoying to watch. There's no real standout left full/left winger in the FD this season.

[Sam_Heggy]

1st Div

Bennion

D McNulty, P Mailey, P Sullivan, N Haverty

G Coughlan, S Rice, G Dempsey, J Molloy

D Furlong, D O'Sullivan

Only 2 easy decisions in picking that team were Furlong and O'Sullivan.

[Olander]

1st Div

Bennion

D McNulty, P Mailey, P Sullivan, N Haverty

G Coughlan, S Rice, G Dempsey, J Molloy

D Furlong, D O'Sullivan

Only 2 easy decisions in picking that team were Furlong and O'Sullivan.
Most of the team of the year shouts so far have been fair enough but there are some seriously daft suggestions in there.

Chris Bennion? He isn't even Longford's first choice keeper.

Gary Dempsey played half a season for Shelbourne.... Ryan Connolly far more deserving of the position.

Jason Molloy isn't even our best left winger and he doesn't start when everybody is available.

Haverty is in and out of Longford's team, he's not a left back.... he couldn't dislodge Flynn or Sullivan (who should both be ahead of Mailey).

McNulty isn't even the top 3 best RB's in the Division, nevermind the best. Horgan/Mulhall far superior players.

[Charlie Darwin]

Baz Murphy
Simon Madden - Andy Boyle - Dan Murray - Dane Massey
Richie Towell - Gearóíd Morrissey
Conan Byrne - Patrick McEleney - Billy Dennehy
Christy Fagan


Quite a difficult one in certain positions. The back four isn't actually that good, to be honest, but they've been the best players I've seen this season in their positions. If you were to pick a 'most talented' back four I'd say only Madden would remain (and even so he had the most competition from other players). I could easily have included Daryl Horgan, Pat Hoban or Rory Gaffney in the attacking positions too.

[Longfordian]

Most of the team of the year shouts so far have been fair enough but there are some seriously daft suggestions in there.

Chris Bennion? He isn't even Longford's first choice keeper.

Gary Dempsey played half a season for Shelbourne.... Ryan Connolly far more deserving of the position.

Jason Molloy isn't even our best left winger and he doesn't start when everybody is available.

Haverty is in and out of Longford's team, he's not a left back.... he couldn't dislodge Flynn or Sullivan (who should both be ahead of Mailey).

McNulty isn't even the top 3 best RB's in the Division, nevermind the best. Horgan/Mulhall far superior players.

I'd have to agree on all Longford related shouts there. Havo is a good player he was on the last two teams of the year for the First. But he was unfortunate that he was up against Flynn and Sullivan at CB and one of the best young players around in Jamie Mulhall at RB, he played a couple of games at LB but can't be in any divisional team. Benno played once in the second half of the season too as he was retiring and TC wanted to give Hunt his chance I think. Hunt had about 12 clean sheets I think if you wanted to include the Town keeper. Graham Doyle is or was the best keeper in the division tho IMO.

[Acornvilla]

The fact that hunt had 12 clean sheets, shows just how good our defense was.

[Longfordian]

The fact that hunt had 12 clean sheets, shows just how good our defense was.

I know he had one er..outspoken.. critic but he's done ok. He hasn't had much to do in any game though which as you say is a sign of how good our defence was. Though maybe the defenders had a better relationship with him, who knows?

[outspoken]

I know he had one er..outspoken.. critic but he's done ok. He hasn't had much to do in any game though which as you say is a sign of how good our defence was. Though maybe the defenders had a better relationship with him, who knows?

Haha think it's fair to say he had more than one critic I remember his first game in waterford he was at fault for 2 goals and de town fans started to sign Chris bennion name, that must have been very off putting for him at the time so to go on the run he did fair play but I would agree the back 4 played a major role in that as he probably only had 2 major saves to make in that run of games.

[bluewhitearmy]

once Stuart Taylor left and Gaffney got some game time he was banging them in.



He played every week when Taylor was there too tbf. Before his last 10 games he had played over 20 and scored 2.

[donnrua]

He played every week when Taylor was there too tbf. Before his last 10 games he had played over 20 and scored 2.
In fairness he did well to get 2 goals in those games when you consider the level of creativity we had under Taylor!

[Sam_Heggy]

Most of the team of the year shouts so far have been fair enough but there are some seriously daft suggestions in there.

Chris Bennion? He isn't even Longford's first choice keeper.

Gary Dempsey played half a season for Shelbourne.... Ryan Connolly far more deserving of the position.

Jason Molloy isn't even our best left winger and he doesn't start when everybody is available.

Haverty is in and out of Longford's team, he's not a left back.... he couldn't dislodge Flynn or Sullivan (who should both be ahead of Mailey).

McNulty isn't even the top 3 best RB's in the Division, nevermind the best. Horgan/Mulhall far superior players.

Only can go on the times I saw these lads.
Bennion is only in for the laugh, there is zero good keepers in the 1st Div. Doyle had a shocker in FP his last 2 visits.

also, McNulty and Mailey both made 1st team of the season 2014. Both were superb all season.

[Olander]

Bennion is only in for the laugh, there is zero good keepers in the 1st Div. Doyle had a shocker in FP his last 2 visits.
Right...... :rolleyes: I wouldn't have Doyle as my my keeper anyway.


McNulty and Mailey both made 1st team of the season 2014. Both were superb all season.
Wrong, they were on the "Pundit arena" team of the year which is selected by some young lad. Doesn't matter a ****e.

To have both of them chosen ahead of the likes of Pat Sullivan is laughable.

[Charlie Darwin]

That Pundit Arena is some ream of ****e but it seems like there's a lot of people who think it's great.

[outspoken]

I'd have to have Pat Flynn over Pat Sullivan (well Id have both in there but in the interest of fairness and all that). Sully missed a few games with suspension and while he is a superb player he does take more risks than Flynn who is just no nonsense and as solid as they come. Pat Flynn has to be in team of the year.

[Charlie Darwin]

I'd have to have Pat Flynn over Pat Sullivan (well Id have both in there but in the interest of fairness and all that). Sully missed a few games with suspension and while he is a superb player he does take more risks than Flynn who is just no nonsense and as solid as they come. Pat Flynn has to be in team of the year.
I've seen Pat Flynn take the odd risk in my time :)

[El-Pietro]

isnt pundit arena basically the same bull**** as the loiblog with most of the same "writers"

[Charlie Darwin]

Nigel said it's not, but I could have sworn the end of the LOI blog coincided perfectly with Pundit Arena suddenly deciding to focus on the LOI, and I think there are a few of the same people involved. I think one of the people who ran the LOI Blog is a Longford fan on here, but I might be wrong.

[TheBoss]

isnt pundit arena basically the same bull**** as the loiblog with most of the same "writers"

Well, I noticed on my Twitter feed some weeks ago that Pundit Arena tweets were appearing on my timeline, and I remember thinking I don't remember following them?, so did a little search and came to realise that @TheLOIBLOG was changed to @PunditArenaLOI. So one can make their own mind up on that, here was one conversation that proves it.

https://twitter.com/PunditArenaLOI/status/387861414586880000

[Darklordsbane]

I think one of the people who ran the LOI Blog is a Longford fan on here, but I might be wrong.

You are quite correct but I dont think he is involved with the Pundits, probably a bit too outspoken on his sometimes blinkered view of Longford, but to be honest he was pretty fair on Loiblog

[Dodge]

---------------------------------Mark McNulty----------------------------------

Brian Lenihan-------Dan Murray----------Andy Boyle-----------Ian Bermingham


Conan Byrne------Richie Towell----------Gearoid Morrissey--------Daryl Horgan

---------------------Pat Hoban------------------Christy Fagan-----------------------

I'd swap Barry Murphy for McNulty and Gannon for Lenihan and that'd be my team. At least until someone points out someone that I've forgot. And it nearly always happens

Others in with a shout include Gaffney, Massey, Shields, Fahey and Duffy

[Dodge]

Nigel said it's not, but I could have sworn the end of the LOI blog coincided perfectly with Pundit Arena suddenly deciding to focus on the LOI, and I think there are a few of the same people involved.

They didn't start to focus on LOI, they just co-opted the LOI blog into their existing site (eg go to their homepage and there's very little chance of any LOI mention). They've moved from trying to be a newsy extratime rival to a buzzfeedy listicles type site.

[dundalkfc10]

---------------------------------Murphy----------------------------------

Gannon-------Murray----------Gartland-----------Ian Bermingham


Meenan------Shields----------Gearoid Morrissey------Conan Byrne

---------------------Pat Hoban------------------Christy Fagan-----------------------



How anyone can pick Towell instead of Shields this season, I do not know....Shields has outperformed Towell in a good 75% of Dundalk games this season!

[Dodge]

How anyone can pick Towell instead of Shields this season, I do not know....Shields has outperformed Towell in a good 75% of Dundalk games this season!


[/I]
The vast majority of us wouldn't have seen 75% of Dundalk games. We're mostly guessing form highlights etc. Best not to take these things too seriously

[dundalkfc10]

The vast majority of us wouldn't have seen 75% of Dundalk games. We're mostly guessing form highlights etc. Best not to take these things too seriously

Ah I understand that, but if we win the League Ive a feeling Towell will win PFAI Player of the Year but he wont even win the Dundalk Player of the Year (Gannon or Hoban are a cert for this), which for some reason is annoying me

[PartySaint]

Ah I understand that, but if we win the League Ive a feeling Towell will win PFAI Player of the Year but he wont even win the Dundalk Player of the Year (Gannon or Hoban are a cert for this), which for some reason is annoying me

Brennan won PFAI player of the year last year and Bolger won the fans player of the year.

[dundalkfc10]

Brennan won PFAI player of the year last year and Bolger won the fans player of the year.

Didnt know that, Bolger before us and after us has been one of the top 5 mindfielders ive ever seen in the LOI but at us he was poor enough, although playing under Sean Connor couldnt have helped

[mcgonigle]

Didnt know that, Bolger before us and after us has been one of the top 5 mindfielders ive ever seen in the LOI but at us he was poor enough, although playing under Sean Connor couldnt have helped

I thought it was Foster who brought him in?

[dundalkfc10]

I thought it was Foster who brought him in?

Sorry it was Foster....I liked Foster but not getting the best of Bolger was one of his biggest mistakes

[Louth4sam]

I'm surprised nobody has Barry Ryan in their teams. He has been outstanding in games against us and just pips Murphy in my opinion.

[Longfordian]

PFAI team for FD:

Doyle (Wex)
Horgan (Gal)
Barrett (Gal)
Sullivan (LTFC)
Desmond (Shels)
Connolly (Shels)
Connolly (Galway)
Rice (LTFC)
Furlong (Wex)
Shaw (LTFC)
O'Sullivan (LTFC)

Furlong, O'Sullivan and Ryan Connolly up for POTY

[El-Pietro]

is that official?

[Longfordian]

Yeah just announced a while ago

[El-Pietro]

delighted for Danny. He had a horrible time in Cork. Great to see him performing again and to be recognised for it. Delighted for Paddy Sull too. He was very popular here, played very well for us at a difficult time for the club.

[Longfordian]

Presume Davy O'Sullivan will most likely win player of the year. He should have won it last year really. 50 plus goals in his first two full seasons in the league is good going.

[atfconline]

It's not a Golden Boot award. Ultimately Gorman's goals helped his team to the title, O'Sullivan's didn't.

[Longfordian]

It's not a Golden Boot award. Ultimately Gorman's goals helped his team to the title, O'Sullivan's didn't.

Fair point I suppose it's usually someone from the champions that wins it but he was the outstanding player in the division last year IMO, more so than this year even. Though he was very good again obviously. It was our defence that cost us the league last year.

[JC_GUFC]

PFAI team for FD:

Doyle (Wex)
Horgan (Gal)
Barrett (Gal)
Sullivan (LTFC)
Desmond (Shels)
Connolly (Shels)
Connolly (Galway)
Rice (LTFC)
Furlong (Wex)
Shaw (LTFC)
O'Sullivan (LTFC)

Furlong, O'Sullivan and Ryan Connolly up for POTY

Picked 8 of 11 in my team! And they've gone 4-3-3 not picking a right mid where I struggled too! Haven't noticed Lee Desmond at all so can't really comment. Amazed Dylan Connolly wasn't nominated for POTY.

Without him Shels would have been 4th.

[Longfordian]

I only really noticed Desmond in our last game v Shels in Tolka he was outstanding. Strong, pacy and good on the ball. Agreed on Connolly also, tremendous prospect.