Football

Revealed: The top scorers still playing Championship football in Ulster

Tyrone's Sean Cavanagh is the highest scoring playing still playing in Ulster. Picture by Philip Walsh
Tyrone's Sean Cavanagh is the highest scoring playing still playing in Ulster. Picture by Philip Walsh Tyrone's Sean Cavanagh is the highest scoring playing still playing in Ulster. Picture by Philip Walsh

PUTTING the ball over the bar, or better still, into the back of the net, takes skill and a cool head - especially in the crucible of the Championship. Some forwards have great games, some special seasons, while others are able to deliver match-winning totals year after year.

Andy Watters and Cahair O’Kane have rummaged through the record books to come up with the best scorers in Ulster who are still plying their trade…

1. Sean Cavanagh (Tyrone)

TOTAL: 9-173

Championship games: 86

Scoring average: 2.32 points per game

IT’S no surprise to see the Moy man at the head of the list given his longevity, and his is a rare case where the statistics do justice to the player.

Since scoring 1-2 on his Championship debut against Armagh 15 years ago, he has gone on to amass a huge tally and maintained a powerful average over that time. Has only failed to score in a game twice since 2011.

2002: 1-2 (Armagh), 0-2 (Armagh R); 0-0 (Wexford), 0-1 (Leitrim Q), 0-0 (Derry), 0-0 (Sligo)

2003: 0-0 (Derry), 0-3 (Derry R), 0-0 (Antrim), 0-2 (Down), 0-1 (Down R), 1-2 (Monaghan AIQF), 0-1 (Kerry), 0-0 v Armagh

2004: 0-4 (Derry), 0-1 (Fermanagh), 0-0 (Donegal), 1-1 (Down Q), 0-3 (Galway Q), 0-3 Laois (Q), 0-0 (Mayo AIQF)

2005: 0-2 (Down), 0-1 (Cavan R), 0-1 (Armagh), 0-0 (Armagh R), 0-3 (Dublin AIQF), 0-2 (Dublin AIQF R), 0-2 (Armagh AISF), 0-0 (Kerry AIF)

2006: 0-0 (Derry) 0-0 (Louth Q), 0-1 (Laois Q)

2007: 0-1 (Fermanagh), 0-1 (Donegal), 0-4 (Monaghan), 1-0 (Meath AIQF)

2008: 1-1 (Down), 0-4 (Down R), 0-3 (Louth Q), 0-0 (Westmeath), 0-4 (Mayo Q), 1-2 (Dublin AIQF), 0-4 (Wexford AISF), 0-5 (Kerry AIF)

2009: 0-2 (Armagh), 0-1 (Derry), 1-4 (Antrim), 0-0 (Kildare), 0-0 (Cork)

2010: 0-3 (Antrim), 0-3 (Down), 0-3 (Monaghan), 0-0 (Dublin)

2011: 0-4 (Monaghan), 0-2 (Donegal), 0-2 (Longford Q), 0-1 (Armagh Q), 2-3 (Roscommon Q), 0-4 (Dublin AIQF)

2012: -

2013: 0-2 (Donegal), 0-6 (Offaly Q), 0-2 (Roscommon Q), 0-4 (Kildare Q), 0-8 (Meath Q), 0-5 (Monaghan AIQF), 0-2 (Mayo AISF)

2014: 0-5 (Down), 0-5 (Louth Q), 0-5 (Armagh Q)

2015: 0-4 (Donegal), 0-2 (Limerick Q), 0-2 (Meath Q), 0-3 (Tipperary Q), 0-3 (Sligo Q), 0-1 (Monaghan AIQF), 0-0 (Kerry AISF)

2016: 0-1 (Derry), 0-1 (Cavan), 0-2 (Cavan R), 0-3 (Donegal), 0-0 (Mayo AIQF)

2017: 0-7 (Derry), 0-1 (Donegal)

2 Conor McManus (Monaghan)

TOTAL: 5-148

Championship games: 41

Scoring average: 3.97 points per game

BEGAN his inter-county life as a wing-back which explains the low tallies in the first couple of seasons, but has grown since then into arguably the best forward in the country. His average is second only to Sean Quigley but over almost twice as many games, and since 2011 he has repeatedly run up big tallies in Championship football. Will surely leapfrog Sean Cavanagh in time.

2007: 0-1 (Down), 0-0 (Derry), 0-0 (Tyrone), 0-0 (Donegal)

2008: 0-1 (Fermanagh), 0-1 (Derry), 0-1 (Donegal), 0-0 (Kerry)

2009: 0-0 (Derry), 0-4 (Armagh Q), 0-1 (Derry Q)

2010: 0-1 (Armagh), 0-3 (Fermanagh), 0-2 (Tyrone), 0-1 (Kildare Q)

2011: 0-6 (Tyrone), 0-2 (Offaly Q)

2012: 0-2 (Antrim), 0-5 (Down), 0-5 (Laois Q)

2013: 0-4 (Antrim), 0-6 (Cavan), 0-3 (Donegal), 0-6 (Tyrone AIQF)

2014: 0-6 (Tyrone), 0-2 (Armagh), 1-7 (Armagh (R)), 0-1 (Donegal), 0-5 (Kildare Q), 0-6 (Dublin AIQF)

2015: 0-7 (Cavan), 1-6 (Fermanagh), 0-6 (Donegal), 0-7 (Tyrone AIQF)

2016: 0-8 (Down), 0-8 (Donegal), 1-4 (Donegal R), 0-4 (Longford Q)

2017: 1-3 (Fermanagh), 1-4 (Cavan), 0-6 (Down)

3 Michael Murphy (Donegal)

TOTAL: 2-119

Championship games: 37

Scoring average: 3.37 points per game

MURPHY’S first-minute goal against Mayo sent Donegal on their way to winning the All-Ireland final of 2012 so it’s a surprise that the Glenswilly clubman hasn’t scored one since then September Sunday.

The fact that he is used predominantly in midfield these days is the root cause of that but Murphy’s prowess from frees means he is almost always among the scorers. Has been held scoreless just twice in the Championship – by Dublin back in his debut year of 2011 and by Monaghan in the 2013 Ulster final – but you’d always want Murphy in your team.

2011: 0-3 (Antrim), 0-1 (Cavan), 0-2 (Tyrone), 1-2 (Derry); 0-3 (Kildare AIQF), 0-0 (Dublin AISF)

2012: 0-3 (Derry), 0-3 (Tyrone), 0-1 (Down); 0-3 (Kerry AIQF), 0-3 (Cork AISF), 1-4 (Mayo AIF)

2013: 0-3 (Tyrone), 0-5 (Down), 0-0 (Monaghan); 0-2 (Laois), 0-6 (Mayo AIQF)

2014: 0-4 (Derry), 0-3 (Antrim), 0-2 (Monaghan); 0-5 (Armagh AIQF), 0-3 (Dublin AISF), 0-4 (Kerry AIF)

2015: 0-3 (Tyrone), 0-5 (Armagh), 0-2 (Down), 0-2 (Monaghan), 0-3 (Galway), 0-8 (Mayo AIQF)

2016: 0-1 (Fermanagh), 0-3 (Monaghan), 0-5 (Monaghan R), 0-2 (Tyrone); 0-2 (Cork), 0-6 (Dublin AIQF)

2017: 0-6 (Antrim), 0-3 (Tyrone); 0-3 Longford (Q)

4 Mark Lynch (Derry)

TOTAL: 6-91

Championship games: 41

Scoring average: 2.65 points per game

AFTER coming on to the scene as Derry reached the All-Ireland semi-final in 2004, Lynch has gone on to mark himself out as a regular scorer for Derry despite playing a large chunk of his career out of the attack. Hit his very best in 2014 and had they enjoyed a better summer, he would most likely have won an Allstar. His inspirational 0-7 against Cavan last year was his second highest tally, having hit 0-8 against the Breffnimen in an extra-time Qualifier defeat in 2013.

2004: 0-0 (Limerick), 0-0 (Kerry)

2005: 0-0 (Monaghan), 0-1 (Armagh), 0-2 (Down Q), 0-2 (Limerick Q), 0-1 (Laois Q)

2006: 0-0 (Tyrone), 0-0 (Donegal), 0-1 (Kildare Q), 0-0 (Longford Q)

2007: 1-1 (Antrim), 0-1 (Monaghan), 0-1 (Armagh Q), 0-2 (Laois Q), 0-0 (Dublin AIQF)

2008: 0-0 (Donegal), 0-0 (Fermanagh), 0-2 (Monaghan Q)

2009: 0-0 (Monaghan), 0-0 (Tyrone), 0-2 (Monaghan Q), 0-3 (Donegal Q)

2010: 0-4 (Armagh), 0-4 (Carlow Q), 0-5 (Westmeath Q), 0-2 (Kildare Q)

2011: 0-1 (Fermanagh), 1-2 (Armagh), 0-0 (Donegal), 0-0 (Kildare Q)

2012: 0-1 (Donegal), 0-1 (Longford)

2013: 1-1 (Down), 0-1 (Sligo Q), 0-0 (Down Q), 0-8 (Cavan Q)

2014: 0-4 (Donegal), 1-4 (Longford Q)

2015: 0-5 (Down), 0-2 (Donegal), 0-6 (Wexford Q), 0-0 (Galway Q)

2016: 0-1 (Tyrone), 0-2 (Louth Q), 0-6 (Meath Q), 0-7 (Cavan Q), 1-4 (Tipperary Q)

2017: 0-1 (Waterford Q), 1-0 (Mayo Q)

5 Sean Quigley (Fermanagh)

TOTAL: 8-74

Championship games: 22

Scoring average: 4.45 points per game

THE Roslea clubman didn’t register a score on debut and managed just three points in his first five Championship outings.

But then he took off. Since 2013 Quigley has been capable of posting the sort of match-winning totals that have allowed Fermanagh to become a force to be reckoned with.

He amassed 3-14 in two games in the 2014 campaign and followed that up with 3-39 the following year (including a whopping 1-8 against Dublin at Croke Park) as the Ernemen made it to the All-Ireland quarter-finals.

With a scoring average of 4.5 points per game, Quigley is statistically the most dangerous forward in Ulster.

2011: 0-0 (Derry); 0-0 (London Q)

2012: 0-2 (Down); 0-0 (Cavan Q)

2013: 0-1 (Cavan); 0-6 (Westmeath Q), 0-4 (Cavan Q)

2014: 1-6 (Antrim); 2-8 (Laois Q)

2015: 1-4 (Antrim), 0-5 (Mon); 0-14 (Antrim Q), 1-3 (Roscommon Q), 0-2 (Westmeath Q), 1-8 (Dublin AIQF)

2016: 1-1 (Antrim), 0-1 (Donegal); 0-4 (Wexford Q), 1-1 (Mayo Q)

2017: 0-2 (Monaghan); 0-2 (Armagh Q)

6 Jamie Clarke (Armagh)

TOTAL: 11-58

Championship games: 26

Scoring average: 3.5 points per game

ON his day, the Crossmaglen maestro can destroy a defence and only Sean Cavanagh can rival his Championship tally of 11 goals so far, including a debut ‘major’ against Derry back in 2010.

Six of those goals came against Wicklow in the Qualifiers and there are also a couple against Leitrim, but Clarke has been a consistent contributor for the Orchardmen, weighing in with 20 points in seven games as Armagh reached the All-Ireland quarter-final in 2014.

2010: 1-0 (Derry), 0-2 (Monaghan); 0-2 (Fermanagh Q), 0-1 (Dublin Q)

2011: 1-2 (Down), 0-1 (Derry); 0-5 (Wicklow Q), 2-2 (Wicklow RQ), 0-0 (Tyrone Q)

2012: 0-5 (Tyrone); 1-3 (Roscommon Q)

2013: 0-0 (Cavan); 2-3 (Wicklow Q), 2-3 (Leitrim Q)

2014: 0-4 (Cavan), 0-3 (Monaghan), 0-5 (Monaghan R), 0-3 (Tyrone); 0-4 (Roscommon Q), 0-1 (Meath Q), 0-0 (Donegal AIQF)

2015: 0-0 (Donegal); 2-4 (Wicklow Q), 0-1 (Galway Q)

2016: Did not play

2017: 0-1 (Down); 0-3 (Fermanagh Q)

7 Darren McCurry (Tyrone)

TOTAL: 2-83

Championship games: 27

Scoring average: 3.29 points per game

THE curveball among the group, you probably wouldn’t have expected to see McCurry’s name so high on the list, yet his scoring rate stands up against anybody’s. Given how many of his games have been off the bench, his stats are remarkable. He’s accounted for 19 per cent of Tyrone’s scores since 2012, more than any other player.

2012: 0-4 (Roscommon Q), 0-1 (Kerry Q)

2013: 0-8 (Offaly Q), 0-6 (Roscommon Q), 0-3 (Kildare Q), 0-5 (Meath Q), 0-2 (Monaghan AIQF), 0-4 (Mayo AISF)

2014: 1-2 (Down), 0-2 (Down R), 0-4 (Monaghan), 0-6 (Louth Q), 0-2 (Armagh Q)

2015: 1-0 (Donegal), 0-1 (Limerick Q), 0-1 (Meath Q), 0-5 (Tipperary Q), 0-8 (Sligo Q), 0-6 (Monaghan AIQF), 0-3 (Kerry AISF)

2016: 0-4 (Derry), 0-1 (Cavan), 0-0 (Cavan R), 0-1 (Donegal), 0-1 (Mayo AIQF)

2017: 0-3 (Derry), 0-0 (Donegal)

8 Seanie Johnston (Cavan and Kildare)

TOTAL: 0-87

Championship games: 28

Scoring average: 3.11 points per game

THE richly-talented Johnston has scored for and against his native Cavan and for and against his temporarily adopted Kildare after he transferred to the Leinster outfit for the 2012 and 2013 seasons. Has yet to register a Championship a goal, but he has weighed in with points galore. His best haul so far came in the 2008 season when he landed 20 in three games.

2004: 0-1 (Down)

2005: 0-3 (Meath Q)

2006: 0-6 (Down); 0-6 (Kildare Q)

2007: 0-1 (Down)

2008: 0-8 (Antrim), 0-6 (Armagh); 0-6 (Kildare Q)

2009: 0-5 (Fermanagh), 0-4 (Antrim); 0-3 (Wicklow Q)

2010: 0-3 (Fermanagh); 0-6 (Wicklow Q) 0-1 (Cork Q)

2011: 0-1 (Donegal); 0-3 (Longford Q)

2012: 0-1 (Cavan Q), 0-2 (Limerick Q)

2013: 0-1 (Offaly), 0-0 (Dublin); 0-1 (Louth Q), 0-1 (Tyrone Q)

2014: Did not play

2015: Did not play

2016: 0-7 (Armagh), 0-1 (Tyrone); 0-3 (Carlow Q), 0-1 (Derry Q)

2017: 0-4 (Monaghan); 0-2 (Offaly Q)

9 Patrick McBrearty (Donegal)

TOTAL: 4-74

Championship games: 39

Scoring average: 2.21 points per game

THRUST into the limelight as a teenager, it’s hard to believe that this is McBrearty’s seventh Championship season at the age of just 24. His scoring was slow to take off, largely down to the presence of Colm McFadden as the team’s chief finisher. But the Kilcar man’s rate has rapidly improved and his 0-11 against Cork last year was one of the finest individual displays in Croke Park in recent times.

2011: 0-0 (Antrim), 1-3 (Cavan), 0-1 (Tyrone), 0-0 (Derry), 0-1 (Kildare AIQF), 0-0 (Dublin AISF)

2012: 0-0 (Cavan), 0-0 (Derry), 0-1 (Tyrone), 0-1 (Down), 0-0 (Kerry AIQF), 0-0 (Cork AISF), 0-0 (Mayo AIF)

2013: 0-2 (Tyrone), 0-1 (Down), 0-0 (Monaghan), 0-3 (Laois Q), 0-0 (Mayo AIQF)

2014: 0-1 (Derry), 0-0 (Antrim), 0-3 (Monaghan), 0-2 (Armagh AIQF), 0-2 (Dublin AISF), 0-2 (Kerry AIF)

2015: 0-2 (Tyrone), 1-1 (Armagh), 0-2 (Derry), 0-6 (Monaghan), 1-1 (Galway Q), 0-0 (Mayo AIQF)

2016: 0-3 (Fermanagh), 0-2 (Monaghan), 0-4 (Monaghan R), 0-3 (Tyrone), 0-11 (Cork Q), 0-3 (Dublin AIQF)

2017: 1-2 (Antrim), 0-6 (Tyrone), 0-5 (Longford Q)

10. Tomas Corrigan (Fermanagh)

TOTAL: 2-66

Championship games: 19

Scoring average: 3.78 points per game

LIKE his team-mate Sean Quigley, Corrigan got off to a slow start in the Championship and posted only nine points in his first three seasons.

After missing 2014, he returned with a bang the following year and never looked back. A dead-eye from placed balls – frees and sidelines – Corrigan finished the 2016 season with a total of 2-9 against Westmeath and Dublin and continued his good work by registering 29 points the following season.

2011: 0-0 (Derry); 0-1 (London Q)

2012: 0-1 (Down); 0-3 (Cavan Q)

2013: 0-2 (Cavan); 0-2 (Westmeath Q), 0-0 (Cavan Q)

2014: Did not play

2015: 0-1 (Antrim), 0-2 (Monaghan); 0-0 (Antrim Q), 0-5 (Roscommon Q), 1-7 (Westmeath Q), 1-2 (Dublin AIQF)

2016: 0-9 (Antrim), 0-7 (Donegal); 0-9 (Wexford Q), 0-4 (Mayo Q)

2017: 0-5 (Monaghan); 0-6 (Armagh Q)

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Average points per game table

Sean Quigley: 4.45

Donal O’Hare: 4.12

Conor McManus: 3.97

CJ McGourty: 3.88

Tomás Corrigan: 3.78

Jamie Clarke: 3.50

Michael Murphy: 3.37

Darren McCurry: 3.29

Seanie Johnston: 3.11

James Kielt: 2.95

Mark Lynch: 2.65

Sean Cavanagh: 2.32

Patrick McBrearty: 2.21

Stefan Campbell: 2.05

Tomás McCann: 2.04

Aidan Carr: 2.03

Peter Harte: 1.75

Mattie Donnelly: 1.31