Irish Sports
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11 Jul 12
11:20
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A personal list of my top ten acts of bravery in sporting terms
1.ARKLE
KING GEORGE ST STEPHENS DAY 1966
He probably fractured his pedal bone at the second fence and jumped left from then on,he was conceding a stone and a half to Dormant,in obvious pain he bravely tried his heart out but was caught and passed by Dormant and hobbled across the line in second place,he never raced again.
2.DAVE OLEARY
ITALY 1990
After falling out with Jack Charlton and been out in the cold,he was finally brought back.In the penalty shoot out against Romainia when others went missing he bravely took the deciding penalty.
3.DAWN RUN
CHELTENHAM 1986
"the mares beginning to get up" the immortal words of Peter OSullevan describe perfectly the brave rally of Dawn Run to win the Gold Cup.
She did not deserve what happened later.
4.STEPHEN ROCHE
TOUR DE FRANCE 1987
Pedro Delgado was in yellow but he needed to increase his lead because Roche was a superior descender and time trialist,on La Plagne Delgado sailed away from a struggling Roche but when they reached the summit Roche had bravely fought back to finish just behind Delgado.
5.JOHNNY DOOLEY
CROKE PARK 1994
In the All Ireland Hurling final of 1994 Offaly were trailing Limerick by five points with minutes remaining,there was a 21 yard free,he bravely disobeyed a sideline instruction and went for goal and scored.
6.PADRAIG HARRINGTON
THREE BRAVE SHOTS
CARNOUSTIE 2007
Leading playing the eighteenth he twice put his ball into Barry's Burn so playing five he hit a marvellous and brave chip from 40 yards and holed the putt.
ROYAL BIRKDALE 2008
He was leading by two,was nearly 300 yards on the par five seventeenth,it was windy,out of bounds lurked,out came a wood he stitched it for an eagle.
OAKLAND HILLS 2008
Playing the seventeenth level with Garcia,he hit a cracker into 12feet on the par three,Garcia hit his shot into 4 feet,Harrington holed his putt which caused Garcia to miss.
7.OLLIE CAMPBELL
AUSTRALIA 1979
Quiet and reserved where Tony Ward was brash,Campbell a far superior out half was picked for Ireland ahead of the egotistical Tony Ward for the match with Australia,he bravely grabbed the opportunity with both hands by landing penalties from all over the pitch and winning both tests.
8.STEPHEN CLUXTON
CROKE PARK 2011
A free in injury time,Dublin level with Kerry,an All Ireland at stake,a baying crowd and up pops the ice cool goalie Stephen Cluxton,straight between the posts.
He is an amateur.
9.MARTIN DONNELLY
JEREZ 1990
A horrific crash in practice for the Spanish Grand Prix,car disintegrated but back came the brave Martin Donnelly to return to driving albeit at a lower level.
10.CHRISTY OCONNOR JUNIOR
THE BELFRY 1989
Christy had trailed Fred Couples throughout the Ryder Cup match but levelled at the sixteenth,they wer all square playing the last,OConnors drive was 70 yards behind his opponent,he picked up a two iron hit it 200 yards to within four feet,this act of bravery caused Couples to collapse and concede OConnors putt for the match with the Ryder Cup ending in a tie.
1.ARKLE
KING GEORGE ST STEPHENS DAY 1966
He probably fractured his pedal bone at the second fence and jumped left from then on,he was conceding a stone and a half to Dormant,in obvious pain he bravely tried his heart out but was caught and passed by Dormant and hobbled across the line in second place,he never raced again.
2.DAVE OLEARY
ITALY 1990
After falling out with Jack Charlton and been out in the cold,he was finally brought back.In the penalty shoot out against Romainia when others went missing he bravely took the deciding penalty.
3.DAWN RUN
CHELTENHAM 1986
"the mares beginning to get up" the immortal words of Peter OSullevan describe perfectly the brave rally of Dawn Run to win the Gold Cup.
She did not deserve what happened later.
4.STEPHEN ROCHE
TOUR DE FRANCE 1987
Pedro Delgado was in yellow but he needed to increase his lead because Roche was a superior descender and time trialist,on La Plagne Delgado sailed away from a struggling Roche but when they reached the summit Roche had bravely fought back to finish just behind Delgado.
5.JOHNNY DOOLEY
CROKE PARK 1994
In the All Ireland Hurling final of 1994 Offaly were trailing Limerick by five points with minutes remaining,there was a 21 yard free,he bravely disobeyed a sideline instruction and went for goal and scored.
6.PADRAIG HARRINGTON
THREE BRAVE SHOTS
CARNOUSTIE 2007
Leading playing the eighteenth he twice put his ball into Barry's Burn so playing five he hit a marvellous and brave chip from 40 yards and holed the putt.
ROYAL BIRKDALE 2008
He was leading by two,was nearly 300 yards on the par five seventeenth,it was windy,out of bounds lurked,out came a wood he stitched it for an eagle.
OAKLAND HILLS 2008
Playing the seventeenth level with Garcia,he hit a cracker into 12feet on the par three,Garcia hit his shot into 4 feet,Harrington holed his putt which caused Garcia to miss.
7.OLLIE CAMPBELL
AUSTRALIA 1979
Quiet and reserved where Tony Ward was brash,Campbell a far superior out half was picked for Ireland ahead of the egotistical Tony Ward for the match with Australia,he bravely grabbed the opportunity with both hands by landing penalties from all over the pitch and winning both tests.
8.STEPHEN CLUXTON
CROKE PARK 2011
A free in injury time,Dublin level with Kerry,an All Ireland at stake,a baying crowd and up pops the ice cool goalie Stephen Cluxton,straight between the posts.
He is an amateur.
9.MARTIN DONNELLY
JEREZ 1990
A horrific crash in practice for the Spanish Grand Prix,car disintegrated but back came the brave Martin Donnelly to return to driving albeit at a lower level.
10.CHRISTY OCONNOR JUNIOR
THE BELFRY 1989
Christy had trailed Fred Couples throughout the Ryder Cup match but levelled at the sixteenth,they wer all square playing the last,OConnors drive was 70 yards behind his opponent,he picked up a two iron hit it 200 yards to within four feet,this act of bravery caused Couples to collapse and concede OConnors putt for the match with the Ryder Cup ending in a tie.
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Replies: 37
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I think you're missing one and as much as it pains me to say it Shamrock Rovers 2011/12 Qualification for the Europa league group stages was a very brave effort and should be included before some of those Campbell, Cluxton and Donnelly, i'd actually still keep O'Connor Junior and have Roche top, also some great individual performances for the Irish football team down though the ages by Keane, McGrath and Dunne.
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The animal story imo should not be included in this and certainly does not deserve to be number 1 not a cruel story like the one you told above, that sounds more like embarrassing Irish sports stories, The horse "obviously in pain", and jockey races on?! I hope he got a ban for risking the horses life. I think Roche, a human risked his 'own' life to win, for me that's the ultimate.
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Arkle wasn't an animal,he was an adored sporting superstar.
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Would be with Rocketfingers on this although I have not seen the race.
If the horse was carrying an obvious injury, which a competent jockey should pick up on, knowing the horse etc, then it is a disgrace that the horse was forced to complete the race. |
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1. Razldazl Billy pissing up in the Irish Derby Final despite being injured
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Outandgoodnight taking the Puppy Derby field head on at Harolds Cross rather than being duped into chasing the hare.
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Wildman has not got the needed IQ level to differentiate between being made risk your life which is what happened in the Arkle race according to his mini report, and risking your own life yourself for the pursuit of glory which Roche did. One is cruel beyond words the other is bravery beyond admiration.
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I was at Kempton that day,Arkle jumped to the left and made some uncharacteristic mistakes he led for most of the race but was being challenged by Terry Biddlecombe at the second last when his horse fell leaving Arkle clear,he jumped the last well clear and it was then that his stride shortened,he was hobbling when Dormant sailed by,as he passed the post we all knew there was something seriously wrong but these were different times,it never dawned on any of us that you would pull up a horse.
The English are a nation of animal lovers yet I never heard a complaint about Pat Taaffe and that race,the only complaint I remember was the year previously when they said Arkle was so good he broke Dunkirks heart leading to a fatal fall and saying it was unfair to ask horses to race against Arkle. |
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I remember the time at Exeter, Kauto Star's first chase race and he fell at the last iirc Ruby Walsh hopped back on board and just failed to get back up. After Ruby apologised to the trainer and owner for getting beat while the trainer Paul Nicholls (A man who would have been going for the trainer's title) ate him for just getting back up, that's some difference how both nations look upon their horses imo.
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That wasn't his first chase Rocket, his first chase he smashed Foreman at Newbury
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I love animals but the snag of raising them to human status means the end of racing.Horses are killed regularly racing its a part of the sport I hate but if they were not racing they wouldn't be around,there sole function is to race remove that function and you remove that breed.
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Some of the Dunlops should be in any list . Not a fan of road racing myself , think you have to be very brave ( or slightly mad ) to travel at up to 200 mph on a motor bike on an open road ( as distinct from a circuit ) . But the bravery element certainly has to put some of them in a list .
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And that's exactly what you did in your first post to a certain extent Wildman. God everything has to be pointed out to the dull Wildman.
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Agreed Kelly,
I would not have Campbell on here, nor Dooley. They were performing the role that they were there for. Dave O'Leary was a senior member of the squad and it would have been an act of cowardice not to step forward rather than act of bravery in taking the penalty. |
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Don't post often on here. Good thread.
You would have to include Danoli on this list. Which race though? Cheltenham, Aintree or Hennessey at Leop. I was a huge Dorans Pride fan but you have to admire the guts of trainer, jockey and horse. A peoples champion. Not the greatest NH horse ever but thats why there will always be more people goin jumping in this country. All wore their heart on their sleeves. There really should be a documentary done on the Dorans vs Danoli saga! |
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Strange and ironic to have Roche in this list,Just because doping is endemic throughout cycling does not make it acceptable.
Roche's name appears in a blood test file/ document which has been authenticated as genuine and marked against his name under Treated (with EPO) is Yes. (see page 285 of Matt Rendell's Biography of Marco Pantani for details). . |
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To be fair if Roche was on it you can be sure the man who finished in front of him was and so was the man behind him and the one behind him and the one behind him etc etc.
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EPO was not illegal in the year Roche won the Tour, Giro and World Championships.
Therefore any attempt to taint his achievements in this particular year with EPO allegations are a complete non starter. |
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Galway Leinster Final 2012
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Bassanio Dave OLeary came on as a sub,he was a senior player but had just come in from the cold,Jack didn't like him,he would have been an easy scapegoat.
There were ten outfield players only four had taken a penalty,where were the others,where was Paul McGrath,where was Christ Morris,hiding.It was the only penalty OLeary ever took and it was the best of the five. |
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Wouldn't have Harrington's win at Carnoustie as brave. He virtually choked it away but got lucky because he was up against an even bigger choker.
The eagle at Birkdale was brilliant though. |
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So Ozymandius by your reckoning cheating is not cheating if you have a pharmacist who is ahead of the testers?
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Cheating is not cheating if you haven't done anything illegal
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Galwayman, Roche did not break any regulations by availing of EPO in 1987. Nor did any of his rivals who also availed of it.
In any professional sport participants simply have to to avail of any training tool or supplement that maximises their perfromance within the rules provided. So did he cheat in 1987 by using EPO? No. |
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Sean kelly 1987 Vuelta, racing with infected boils on his arse..............thats brave
Paul McGrath Giants Stadium 1994 |
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Bravest thing done by an Irish Sportsman ( represented Ireland ) was Jason McAteer appearing on Question of Sport, you knew what you were in for when he picked his number on the Picture Board and gave an Actor as the answer. His Team Captain trying to tell him its a Question of Sport, the clue is in the title.
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I can see your point, but my own view that using something that isn't tested for because A. the testers don't know about it or B. they can't test for it is cheating.
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Bernard Dunne v Ricardo Cordoba
Absolutely no idea how he beat him, no idea how he survived the 5th round but he somehow did to stop him in the 11th when he was a mile behind on all 3 cards. |
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yeah !cluxton nonchalantly troting up 70 yards to the left as u view it from hill 16,dosent even think about it,places the ball and slots over it over the bar in a matter of seconds,and deep down u known hes not going to miss.thats bottle.a terrific guy as well,always has time for the kids with their ma and dads.imo he is the best goalkeeper in gaelic football in the history of the game!!
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,"always has time for the kids with their ma and dads"
Kingrat,displaying his compassionate side eloquently with less colourful language. U have more faces than the town clock chap  |
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Liam bradys peno for juve to win the league? (even tho he was told they were replacing him with platini)
katie taylor deserves a mention, arguably our greatest athlete ever. |
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i guess bradys aint really irish sport.
still, some player all the same |
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unforgettable race, the great john treacy 5000m win over steve ovett
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVxxaj1j9nE |
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wildmanfromborneo revealing him/her/self as dark rosaleen
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honourable mention for the late great Jim Stynes, a truly remarkable man and a great athlete. first non aussie to win the brownlow as im sure many will know.
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Stynes bravery right at the top of the tree even if outside of the actual sporting arena.
Katie Taylor doesn't qualify. This is bravery rather than sporting feats and no bravery required when she cannot be hit!!! |
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