Roll up, roll up for the 'It doesn't matter how many twitter followers you have' GAA Twitter followers ranking'.
On Saturday, the jilted Mayo management team of 2015 made plain their low opinion of those weak souls who would use Twitter followers as a metric of success.
The GAA needs to get beyond such primitive thinking. Frankly, who cares about All-Ireland medals when you've 90,000 Twitter followers in your back pocket?
Though, you might notice that some of the players who excel in this department also do rather well on the All-Ireland medal front. Something to think about.
Current players
1. Bernard Brogan - 91.8k
Mo chlann agus Sam aréir! pic.twitter.com/MEERQIbx9z
— Bernard Brogan (@bernardbrogan) December 18, 2016
Bernard doesn't just have his four All-Ireland medals to keep him company but 91.8 thousand of these beauties. This is what it's all about. Among current players, he towers above everyone on this list.
Alas, he cannot compete with a couple of the luminaries of yesteryear.
He remains 26k behind Lar Corbett in the all-time list.
2. Colm Cooper - 66.5k
Cooper joined Twitter in February 2012 and has rocketed up the table in the intervening years. He now sits in a clear second in the table with 66.5k followers.
It's a mark of his standing that he has reached this number without being terribly active on the platform. His last tweet that wasn't a retweet was sent on 13th October.
Generally reserves his tweets for shout-outs to his sponsors or when a Kerry teammate retires.
Thanks @Back_Baller . Good to rocking and rolling this week #CountyFinal #feelgood pic.twitter.com/jdPhjtnDPu
— colm cooper (@colmcooper13) October 13, 2016
3. Michael Murphy - 48.2k
Sitting pretty in third with a cool 48.2k. While putting in the hard yards required to accumulate this number, Michael Murphy still found the time to win an All-Ireland medal in 2012 under Jim McGuinness's exacting regime. How does he do it?
Lovely evening in Donegal Town presenting GAA kits to local clubs @SuperValuIRL @officialgaa #KitsForKids pic.twitter.com/9wfbx8DrRT
— Michael Murphy (@murphm95) September 13, 2016
4. Joe Canning - 46.5k
The top ranked hurler on the list. Joe Canning has amassed a formidable highlight reel and currently sits on 46.5k twitter followers.
Some boyyyyyyy! @JackCarty1
— Joe Canning (@JoeyCan88) December 17, 2016
5. Aidan O'Shea - 40.3k
Aidan has recently taken heat for his twitter followers. Not directly. We cite the opening of this article. Considering that he is the only Mayo player mixing it these elevated Twitter circles, he must be who's being talked about.
Any claims that he might be overly preoccupied with twitter are rather belied by the fact that his last tweet that wasn't a retweet was sent on 2nd December.
.@GACSlaughtneil some achievement ?? #unreal #3in1year
— Aidan O'Shea (@AIDOXI) November 27, 2016
6. Darran O'Sullivan - 38.2k
The former QPR U12 player is a regular tweeter on all manner of sports. 38.2k followers is a fine reward. The second highest active Kerry footballer on the list.
Get in, great start now lets kick on #mufc #zlatan
— Darran O'Sullivan (@Darransull86) December 17, 2016
7. Paul Flynn - 31.7k
@Flinto23 has an impressive haul of 31,718 twitter followers. He's miles behind his Dublin teammate, er, @bernardbrogan but a respectable performance from Flynn all the same.
Thanks @Legacy_Consult for the Christmas card #NiceTouch ?? pic.twitter.com/2PJVwk0g3x
— Paul Flynn (@Flinto23) December 19, 2016
8. Karl Lacey - 29.9k
Lacey, now in his early 30s, built up an impressive twitter following. Despite the allegedly oppressive and fanatical management of Jim McGuinness, this is true of many of his Donegal teammates.
Schippers can move ?? @Euro_Champs
— Karl Lacey (@KarlLacey4) July 8, 2016
9. Mark McHugh - 28.3k
An All-Star in 2012, Mark McHugh is the second Donegal man in the top 10 of GAA players with the most Twitter followers.
His wikipedia page (clearly defaced) informs us that, in addition to his 28.3k followers, he has earned comparisons with Lionel Messi "from admirers across sport." His wikipedia page also tells us that he is modest enough to admit that "his club does not have many big games."
Brilliant show on @rte about what stupid decisions our governments have made in the past. It really would make your blood boil...#Atlantic
— Mark McHugh (@MarkMcHugh1) December 8, 2016
10. Eoin Cadogan 25k
This could all change very soon. Eoin Cadogan is currently eight followers ahead of Ciaran Kilkenny. Word that Kilkenny is trailing the Corkman so narrowly might see the Dublin support mobilise to punish Kilkenny into the top 10.
Customer seating area & free wifi in Penneys Liffey valley...An essential commodity for all men dragged out shopping ??
— Eoin Cadogan (@cads3) December 19, 2016
All-Time list
For the purposes of the all-time list, we are including only those who've played senior inter-county. Thus, Shane Long (131k followers) and Chris O'Dowd (694k followers) are excluded.
1. Lar Corbett - 117k
A giant of the twittersphere, it recently used it when trying to track down a thief in his pub. In addition to this, Lar is an engaging interviewee. His response to his aged critic on Babs on Off the Ball is particularly delightful.
2. Paul Galvin - 98.7k
Was for a time top of the pile before Larry powered by him.
3. Bernard Brogan - 91.8k
See above.
4. Joe Brolly - 89.7k
The giant that is @JoeBrolly1993. For those young millenials who only follow him for his lip, his twitterhandle references the year Derry won their senior All-Ireland title.
5. Colm Cooper - 66.5k
See above.
6. Donal Óg Cusack - 50k
