The most decorated GAA goalies

With the greatest of all time, Stephen Cluxton, seemingly confirming his retirement by joining the Dublin management, a look at the most decorated net-minders of all time

By Shaun Casey

Stephen Cluxton (Dublin)

ONE of the most decorated GAA players of all time, Stephen Cluxton looks to have finally hung up the boots. Cluxton, who captained Dublin to seven All-Ireland titles during his playing days, has linked up with former teammate Ger Brennan and is part of the Dublin management ticket for the upcoming season. Hailed as the greatest goalkeeper ever to lace up a pair of boots, Cluxton won nine All-Ireland medals in total, a record equalled only by fellow Dubs James McCarthy and Michael Fitzsimmons. Cluxton kick-started his Dublin career in 2002 and won 18 Leinster titles, five National League medals, seven All-Star awards and picked up the Player of the Year gong in 2019.

Charlie Nelligan (Kerry)

CHARLIE Nelligan guarded the goals during the Kerry golden years and is remembered as one of the best goalkeepers ever to play Gaelic football. Nelligan made his senior inter-county debut with Kerry in the 1976 All-Ireland final, coming off the bench for Paudie O’Mahony, before becoming first choice keeper two years later when he picked up his first of seven All-Ireland medals. He was the net-minder during their drive for five in 1982, having captured the Sam Maguire in the previous four seasons, but the Kingdom just came up short against Offaly. Nelligan did pick up three more Celtic Crosses in ’85, ’86 and ’87 before retiring in 1991 with nine Munster titles, three leagues and two All-Stars.

Paudie O’Mahony (Kerry)

THE Spa clubman played for nine seasons between the Kerry sticks and finished his career with five All-Ireland medals. O’Mahony was the number one choice for their All-Ireland triumph in 1975 but lost his starting spot to Charlie Nelligan soon after and won the rest of his Celtic Crosses from the substitutes’ bench as Mick O’Dwyer’s men missed out on the much sought after five All-Ireland titles in a row in 1982, when he retired from the inter-county scene. O’Mahony stepped away with eight Munster titles to his name, one National League medal and an All-Star award from 1975.

Diarmuid Murphy (Kerry)

MURPHY first came into the Kerry setup as back up for Declan O’Keefe in 2001 and didn’t make his championship debut until the 2004 campaign. The Kingdom won the National League that year and went all the way to collect the Sam Maguire Cup in Jack O’Connor’s first season in charge of the men in green and gold. He picked up another three All-Ireland medals inside four years. After Kerry surrendered their crown to Tyrone in 2005, they bounced back to capture the title in 2006, 2007 and 2009, losing out once again to the Red Hands County in ’08. Murphy won three Munster medals, three league titles and earned three All-Star trophies in ’04, ’05 and ’09.

Paddy Cullen (Dublin)

RECOGNISED as one of the finest GAA goalkeepers ever, Paddy Cullen enjoyed plenty of good days in the Dublin jersey. He actually made his inter-county debut at full-forward in a league clash with Derry but filled in between the stick during the 1967 championship campaign and stayed there for the remainder of his career. He lined out in the number one shirt for 13 seasons and collected three All-Ireland medals during Dublin’s revolution in the 1970s. Cullen collected his first Celtic Cross in 1974 while the Dubs earned two-in-a-row in ’76 and ’77. He also won six Leinster Championships, two leagues, and four All-Star awards.

Martin Furlong (Offaly)

THE Tullamore shot-stopper played for almost 20 years in the green, white and gold of Offaly and is the only player in history to hail from the Faithful County and have three All-Ireland medals. He first lined out at senior level for Offaly in 1966 and was part of their side that won back-to-back crowns in 1971 and 1972. He won a third All-Ireland medal in 1982 when his second-half penalty save from Mickey Sheehy inspired Offaly to take down Kerry’s bid for five-in-a-row. Furlong was awarded the Player of the Year at the end of that year and retired with seven provincial crowns and four All-Stars to his name.

John O’Leary (Dublin)

JOHN O’Leary made his championship debut for Dublin in 1980 when they lost their first Leinster Championship game in seven years, with Offlay seeing them off in the decider. In fact, O’Leary did not achieve any success until 1983 when they regained the Delaney Cup before going all the way to overcome Galway in the All-Ireland final. It was another 12 seasons before O’Leary would see the Sam Maguire again however, and he was captain when they defeated Tyrone in the 1995 decider. He retired in 1997 and won eight Leinster titles, three leagues and five All-Stars during his career.