They’re in every county, these lads. The ones that never got the recognition they deserved.
Maybe they were just unfortunate to play at a time when their teams weren’t good enough, maybe others stole their limelight or maybe the media just didn’t warrant these footballers with the praise that they should have but underrated players are a very real and a very prevalent travesty.
From the top of the island to the bottom of it, there are boys who can do things on a football field that most couldn’t even dream up but, somehow, they’ve either almost been forgotten about or deliberately ignored.
Here’s a list of the defenders who deserve more credit.
1. Sean Leo McGoldrick (Derry)
One of the finest footballers most people in this country probably have never seen.
Sean Leo McGoldrick is an absolute gem of a player. Broke through the ranks as a terrifying half forward that could destroy any backline in Derry, then became the county’s most consistent player this decade at wing back.
The difference in the Oak Leafers when the Eoghan Rua man does and doesn’t play is incredible. He’s the one that lifts the siege time and again, he’s one of the coolest players around in possession, and every time he has the ball in his hands – which is a bloody hell of a lot of times – he can make magic happen.
2. Dessie Mone (Monaghan)
As footballers go, Dessie Mone is as complete as they come.
He’s held the fort for Monaghan at centre back, he’s been one of their attacking wing backs, he’s played as a sweeper, he’s man-marked and he’s been deployed as a number 10 too. It doesn’t matter because, anywhere in the middle third, Mone was just playing football and, in that game, he could do it better than most.
He’s a master link man, he’s a tireless runner, he’s an aggressive f**ker. Whatever job Malachy O’Rourke asks Mone to do, he does it with a glorious freedom and he does it effortlessly.
3. Dermot Brady (Longford)
It feels like Dermot Brady has been playing senior football for Longford for 32 years.
He’s a strong, quick, sticky corner back who seemingly lives in attackers’ shorts.
Longford have scalped some of the biggest counties down through the years and it’s Brady hanging off each of their main men every time. He’s a pest that people only really appreciate when their team is headed for an early, unexpected exit at the hands of the O’Farrell County.
4. Ryan McCluskey (Fermanagh)
Has been around the block once or 12 times now at this stage.
He was a crucial part of the team that took Mayo the whole way in the 2004 All-Ireland semi-final and he’s still every bit as important today.
Seems like he’s been around forever – playing club championship against Crossmaglen the whole way back last century would make it feel that way alright.
He’s the one that was always detailed to mark Steven McDonnell, he was given specific assignments on the like of Brendan Devenney and Conor Mortimer too but he’s a classy half back that launches attacks with composed ease from his own side’s 45′.
5. Cathal McCarron (Tyrone)
His off-field problems were distressing and his book is bloody fascinating but Cathal McCarron’s career as a footballer is probably overlooked because he’s had such a colourful story to tell away from the pitch.
If you mention the name McCarron to anyone, his strong, ruthless defending probably wouldn’t be the first thing they think of and yet this man is a an absolute nightmare for opposing fans and forwards.
If McCarron gets a hand on you, you are not getting by and it’s as simple as that. He’s deceptively quick and isn’t often beaten in the air. He probably became one of the first names on Mickey Harte’s team sheet and has progressively added a powerful attacking edge to his game where he bursts forward from defence if grass presents itself.
6. Cian O’Sullivan (Dublin)
It’s all relative and the fact that Cian O’Sullivan wasn’t given an All-Star in 2016 should still grate with a lot of people.
We spent the whole summer talking about Cian O’Sullivan. We discussed how Cian O’Sullivan was the problem for every opposition. Cian O’Sullivan was cleaning up too many loose balls, he was allowed to double up on men and he was allowed to play out from the back to devastating effect and Cian O’Sullivan was the reason everyone was losing against Dublin.
Every team needed to solve the Cian O’Sullivan problem and none of them did and, then, when the All-Stars were listed, Cian O’Sullivan wasn’t included.
This man is underrated because people play down how good he is by saying he gets it too easy. The fact of the matter is that he makes it too easy. He is the perfect centre half back that is the most important instrument in one of the toughest defences of all time.
No-one talks about him like that though – they shrug their shoulders and say he’s a free man.
