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12 of the best | Dublin's Mount Rushmore absentees

Naturally enough for a county of its size, there was always going to be disagreement about who ma...



Naturally enough for a county of its size, there was always going to be disagreement about who made the Dublin sporting Mount Rushmore.

It was the last of our 32 county series, and the one that unquestionably caused the most debate and discussion.

Ultimately, the final four were chosen on OTB AM this morning - with Paul McGrath, Jim Gavin, Pádraig Harrington, and Michael Carruth making the cut from North Dublin and South Dublin shortlists.

That of course left a plethora of big names missing out - here are just 12 of those that didn't make the cut, but have achieved fantastic things in their own sporting spheres.

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SOCCER - John Giles

The don of Irish soccer, Giles carved out an extraordinarily successful career at club level with Manchester United and Leeds United.

Some will argue he should have been in the final four, and his achievements cannot be understated - the FAI voted him the greatest Irish player of the previous 50 years back in 2004.

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ATHLETICS - Eamonn Coghlan

The 'Chairman of the Boards' is one of our greatest athletes. The Drimnagh native finished 4th in the Olympic Games on two occasions, and was crowned world champion in the 5,000 metres in 1983.

Coghlan was extremely competitive on the U.S. indoor circuit, breaking the indoor mile world record on three occasions.

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RUGBY - Brian O'Driscoll

Former Irish captain, Lions star, Grand Slam winner, and Leinster legend, O'Driscoll is perhaps this country's greatest ever with the oval ball.

He is the fourth most-capped player in rugby union history, and has scored more Six Nations tries than anyone else.

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SOCCER - Robbie Keane

What can you say about Robbie that hasn't already been said?

Our record international goalscorer with 68, Keane had an excellent club career with the likes of Spurs, Inter Milan, Liverpool and Los Angeles Galaxy.

5 June 2002; Robbie Keane, Republic of Ireland, scores against Germany. FIFA World Cup Finals, Group E, Republic of Ireland v Germany, Ibaraki Stadium, Ibaraki, Japan. Picture credit: David Maher / SPORTSFILE

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SNOOKER - Ken Doherty

The 'Darlin' of Dublin' had the entire nation captivated for those final frames in 1997 as he beat the 'King of the Crucible' Stephen Hendry and won the World Snooker Championship.

Doherty went on to make two further finals, losing in 1998 and 2003, but that victory in Sheffield 23 years ago still stands as one of this country's great sporting achievements.

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GAELIC FOOTBALL - Stephen Cluxton

The man who took the kick in 2011 to secure Dublin's first All-Ireland title in 16 years. The man who has captained the Dubs to six All-Ireland's, more than any other wearing the armband for any county.

Cluxton has transformed the goalkeeping position in gaelic football, and he has also changed the way the game is played generally.

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SOCCER - Liam Brady

Just look at the success he helped bring to the clubs he represented during his career.

Brady won a couple of Serie A titles with Juventus, and the FA Cup with Arsenal, at a time when the prestige of that trophy was at its apex.

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CYCLING - Stephen Roche

Roche was just the second of two cyclists to win the Triple Crown - the Tour de France and Giro d'Italia general classification, and the world road race championship.

That period of great Irish cycling success in the late 80s was spearheaded by Roche and Sean Kelly.

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SOCCER - Damien Duff

Duff won two Premier League titles in his four years with Chelsea, and he also saw success at Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle United, and Fulham.

He won 100 international appearances over a 14-year period, and scored for the Republic of Ireland at the 2002 World Cup.

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GAELIC FOOTBALL - Kevin 'Heffo' Heffernan

'Heffo' captained Dublin to the All-Ireland in 1958, but it was his managerial exploits leading 'Heffo's Army' that cemented his legacy.

He steered the team to three All-Ireland's between 1974 and 1983, and huge crowds attended his funeral in Dublin after his passing in January 2013.

28 August 1983; Dublin manager Kevin Heffernan at the final whistle. All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Semi-Final Replay, Dublin v Cork, Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Cork. Picture credit: Ray McManus / SPORTSFILE

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RUGBY - Johnny Sexton

The 35-year-old was World Rugby Player of the Year in 2018 - becoming just the second Irishman, after Keith Wood, to win the award.

He remains one of the leaders in the Leinster and Ireland set-ups, and is one of the highest points-scorers in the history of the international game.

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SOCCER - Kevin Moran

A true dual star, Moran won two All-Ireland senior titles with Dublin, before crossing the channel to play with Manchester United.

He spent a decade at Old Trafford, winning two FA Cup medals in the process.

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Missed any of our Mount Rushmore county-by-county series? Watch back all episodes here! 

Here is Nathan Murphy's selection of Mayo

Here is Colm Boohig's selection of Cork

Here is Will O'Callaghan and Paul Rouse's selection of Offaly

Here is Shane Hannon and Gráinne McElwain's selection of Monaghan

Here is Diarmuid Lyng and Liam Griffin's selection of Wexford

Here is Neil Treacy and Jack Anderson's selection of Limerick

Here is Enda Coll and Kieran Cunningham's selection of Donegal

Here is Máire-Treasa Nic-Cheallaigh and Michael Lyster's selection of Galway

Here is Adrian Barry and Conor Moore's selection of Westmeath

Here is Ronan Mullen and Dan McDonnell's selection of Louth

Here is Alan Quinlan and Michael Quinlivan's selection of Tipperary

Here is Tommy Rooney and Hector Ó'hEochagáin's selection of Meath

Here is Conor Deegan and Donal O'Neill's selection of Down

Here is Ger Gilroy and Joe Molloy's selection of Kildare

Here is Thom Malone and Paul Howard's selection of Wicklow

Here is Dave McIntyre and Paul Fitzpatrick's selection of Cavan

Here is Arthur O'Dea and Alan Cawley's selection of Sligo

Here is Eoin Sheahan and Kieran Donaghy's selection of Kerry

Here is Cliona Foley and Shane Keegan's selection of Laois

Here is Enda McGinley and Orla Bannon's selection of Tyrone

Here is Oisin Langan and Jessie Barr's selection of Waterford

Here is Enda McEvoy and Gary Halpin's selection of Kilkenny

Here is Cahair O'Kane and Chrissy McKaigue's selection of Derry

Here is Declan Bogue and Colm Bradley's selection of Fermanagh

Here is Jamesie O'Connor and Syl O'Connor's selection of Clare

Here is Tommy Conlon and Sean McGoldrick's selection of Leitrim

Here is Aaron Kernan and Niall McCoy's selection of Armagh

Here is Brendan Hennessy and Patrick Mullins' selection of Carlow

Here is Shane Curran and John Caulfield's selection of Roscommon

Here is Ciarán Barr and Neil McManus' selection of Antrim

Here is Mickey Quinn and Denis Connerton's selection of Longford

Here is the selection of North Dublin

Here is Stephen Doyle and Phil Egan's selection of South Dublin

Here is John Duggan and Brian Kerr's selection of Dublin

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Brian O'Driscoll Dublin Dublin GAA Eamonn Coghlan John Giles Liam Brady Mount Rushmore Stephen Cluxton