THE SELECTION of Istrabraq as Ireland's favourite horse of the last 25 years, as voted for by the Irish public, ahead of Dawn Run, Moscow Flyer, Danoli, Vintage Crop and Limestone Lad, got a massive thumbs-up from yours truly.

The three-times Champion Hurdle winner was a class act, and watching him and Charlie Swan bound clear up the famous Cheltenham hill was pure poetry in motion, and the award is deserved recognition for a true equine great.

This aligned with the recent announcement of the top Leinster football and hurling teams of the last quarter of a century got 'Inside Right' thinking about our own favourite Irish sporting legends in different codes.

Favourite might not be the ideal word to use, maybe whom we consider to be the best would be more appropriate.

We'll start off with hurling. D.J. Carey definitely gets the nod in this category. Many might say that Henry Shefflin has surpassed the Gowran man with his recent achievements and medal haul, but for sheer artistry the 'dodger' can't be beaten.

Sometimes you just have to stand back and applaud pure genius.

Football is a tougher one to call. Skilful forwards immediately spring to mind. The likes of Peter Canavan, Pádraig Joyce, Oisín McConville and Matty Forde would grace any field in any era, but 'Inside Right's pick goes to the footballing enigma that is Maurice Fitzgerald.

His casual, almost lazy style of play may not feature in any training manual, but his ability to take a score was second to none and his wonderful curling point from the sideline against Dublin in 2001 will live long in the memory.

In soccer, Ireland's number one of the last 25 years is undoubtedly Mr. Roy Keane. His performances in the qualifiers for the 2002 World Cup were simply awesome, at times almost singlehandedly dragging us to the finals in Japan and South Korea. What happened in Saipan will always set the argument in motion, whatever side you choose to take, but 'Inside Right' is leaving that can of worms firmly closed, for the time being at least.

However, only the really blinkered few could argue with the fact that when Keane wore the green of Ireland he was a class apart, although Paul McGrath would have to get an honourable mention.

When it comes to jockeys we'd have to stick to the teak-tough world of National Hunt racing as flat racing just doesn't produce the same thrills and spills. We'll share this hypothetical award between Tony McCoy and Ruby Walsh, both master horsemen with polar opposite styles, one typified by strength and determination, the other by finesse and style.

In the world of boxing, thankfully Barry McGuigan just about squeezes into our timeframe of 25 years because Steve Collins isn't the most likable in the world and Bernard Dunne has yet to fully convince. Katie Taylor comes in as a close runner-up for her domination of women's boxing in recent years.

In athletics, although admittedly not the most exciting personality in the world, Sonia O'Sullivan was undoubtedly Ireland's star on the track and fair play to her for lifting the profile of athletics in the country.

In golf, our major man Pádraig Harrington wins hands down and in snooker Ken Doherty gets the coveted 'Inside Right' award for being an all-round good bloke as well as a dab hand around the green baize.

So there we go, a host of imaginary awards for the mantelpieces. Of course there's a litany of sports that were left by the wayside, but space constraints have sadly denied us the chance to make picks from the world of darts, showjumping, bogsnorkelling and the like.

Maybe in another 25 years!