Football All-Stars 2014

[From the Bunker]

Donnacha Walsh is better than Connolly as well.
I think the allstars were so evenly divided this year because any of the 4 could have won Sam on their day.
But it's very dull for the rest of us. Armagh deserved an award on behalf of fallen women such as Meath and Galway.

Ah sure ye have the Sticks game to keep ye entertained with All Stars when ye are not doing well with the Big Ball!

[Mike Sheehy]

I must say,  it has been a very satisfying year indeed.

Sam in the Kingdom where he belongs, AI minor champions and all the begrudgers spitting bile.

good times, good times indeed 

[BennyHarp]

I must say,  it has been a very satisfying year indeed.

Sam in the Kingdom where he belongs, AI minor champions and all the begrudgers spitting bile.

good times, good times indeed 

At last - you appreciate how we felt in 2008. 

[Captain Obvious]

I think the last time All Ireland winning Kerry side only won five All-Stars was in 1997 which is fair enough as this years Kerry team were the worst to win Sam since then. I think two All-Stars each would have been enough for the semi final losers and two All-Stars (one each) at least should have gone to a few quarter final losers.

[Farrandeelin]

I think the last time All Ireland winning Kerry side only won five All-Stars was in 1997 which is fair enough as this years Kerry team were the worst to win Sam since then. I think two All-Stars each would have been enough for the semi final losers and two All-Stars (one each) at least should have gone to a few quarter final losers.

Which Mayo player would you leave out if it was down to 2 from the semifinalists?

[moysider]

I think the last time All Ireland winning Kerry side only won five All-Stars was in 1997 which is fair enough as this years Kerry team were the worst to win Sam since then. I think two All-Stars each would have been enough for the semi final losers and two All-Stars (one each) at least should have gone to a few quarter final losers.

If Kerry had gone out in first semi final, probably only O Donoghue and Moran would have got All Stars. Donaghy's cameo bagged Kerry another AI and himself and 2 xtra Kerrymen All Stars. Those are the swings.
Mayo s 3 were very worthy and not just because Mayo pushed the eventual winners harder than anybody else. Only losing because of a mixture of endemic naiveness and misfortune. However from a Mayo point view nobody else was really very close. Makes you wonder what could have happened if likes of Keegan, McLoughlin, O Sheas, Doherty and Moran could have gone from 6/7 to 8/9 out of 10 in Croke Park and er.... Limerick.

[moysider]

I think the last time All Ireland winning Kerry side only won five All-Stars was in 1997 which is fair enough as this years Kerry team were the worst to win Sam since then. I think two All-Stars each would have been enough for the semi final losers and two All-Stars (one each) at least should have gone to a few quarter final losers.

Which Mayo player would you leave out if it was down to 2 from the semifinalists?

One couldn t leave any out imo.

I suppose you could pick All-Stars on a quota system but........
Back in the day all the provincial winners used to get one it seemed. Now it looks like its down to the last 4.
It is very difficult to make a case for a performance earlier in the year when intensity is lower and quality not as good.

[Captain Obvious]

I think the last time All Ireland winning Kerry side only won five All-Stars was in 1997 which is fair enough as this years Kerry team were the worst to win Sam since then. I think two All-Stars each would have been enough for the semi final losers and two All-Stars (one each) at least should have gone to a few quarter final losers.

Which Mayo player would you leave out if it was down to 2 from the semifinalists?

Boyle or Higgins I suppose. Mayos defence wasn't as strong as the last two years yet you got the most All-Stars from that area this year? Armagh reached the quarter final defeating and holding Tyrone to a low score along the way and lost by just one point to Donegal I have seen All-Stars won for less.

[Mike Sheehy]

I must say,  it has been a very satisfying year indeed.

Sam in the Kingdom where he belongs, AI minor champions and all the begrudgers spitting bile.

good times, good times indeed 

At last - you appreciate how we felt in 2008. 

I'm more concerned with how ye are feeing right now....... 
Don't worry. There is always the McKenna cup.

[Wildweasel74]

I myself would not awarded Donaghy an all-star for what, 2 games and half, how that a basis for the best team of players through the whole year, better call it the team of august/September and not all star team of the year. Its up there with Canavan getting an all-star instead of McGugian cause who he is.
The all-stars have been a running joke now for 20 odd years since Brian Whelehan in the hurling did not get one but go Hurler of the year. Murphy should be at full forward. Its time they went back to picking players in fixed positions, the only way the hard decisions will be made, Though O`Shea should have got one.

[BennyCake]

I myself would not awarded Donaghy an all-star for what, 2 games and half, how that a basis for the best team of players through the whole year, better call it the team of august/September and not all star team of the year. Its up there with Canavan getting an all-star instead of McGugian cause who he is.
The all-stars have been a running joke now for 20 odd years since Brian Whelehan in the hurling did not get one but go Hurler of the year. Murphy should be at full forward. Its time they went back to picking players in fixed positions, the only way the hard decisions will be made, Though O`Shea should have got one.

What?! Did that really happen? And I thought Ronan Clarke was hard done by in 2002!

[screenexile]

I am not a big fan of this 'award' as too often it flies in the face of reality.  Players picked to get them an award rather than picked in the position they played.

Surprising to see only 5 for Kerry and 3 each for beaten semi-finalists.  Fairly sure if Dublin won the AI, they would have 7-9 All Stars.  Poor selection to 3 Dubs honoured; these guys destroyed inferior division two/three teams and then when the crunch came they were nowhere to be seen against Donegal.  PF and DC were excellent for the first 20 minutes of that game, but when the team needed them to deliver scores in the second half they failed.  Connelly definitely deserved one he was excellent even in that second half. Flynn was not there when it mattered; he got a 'handy' one I feel.  Unbelievably James Mccarthy gets an all-star despite their whole half-back line getting destroyed against Donegal.  This is the award I have most issues with; I can't see any way he deserved one.

For me Aidan O'Mahony is the big looser, he is nine years older than Michael Murphy and completely nullified him in the biggest game of the year.  He was fantastic all year for us and definitely deserved one ahead of McCarthy. Frank McGlynn & Thompson deserved one ahead of McCarthy as well.  A special mention for Donncha Walsh, another consistently good year for him, in my view well deserving of an all-star but alas he doesn't have the media profile of other candidates; hopefully a county final; medal on Sunday will make-up for his omission.

Bullshit AOM had six players in front of him helping him mark no-one. At least Mc carthy takes respnsibility for marking his bloody man!

AOM was replaced against Mayo. I was surprised Mc Carthy got one but it should have been Mc Glynn to get one not AOM.

Next you'll be telling me Donncha Walsh is a better player then Flynn and Connolly. There is no wing forward in Ireland that could lace their boots. flynn is up there with the Doohers and Spillane's as one of the finest wing forwards ever to play the game.

Walsh is a good player but  This idea that he's turned into Paul Galvin overnight is Kerry created and nobody else. I think for his level of natural ability he's carved out a very good career for himself and good luck to him.

But he wouldn't get into Dublin's half forward line never mind being selected ahead of of either of our wing forwards. Five was  a fair number when you consider Kerry's soft route to the final. Bar Mayo you beat no-one to get there.

You've built up a huge number of all-irelands beating shit teams on route to an AI semi final every godamn year.

Dublin have won 9/10 Leinsters... are you seriously using that argument against Kerry??

[orangeman]

I myself would not awarded Donaghy an all-star for what, 2 games and half, how that a basis for the best team of players through the whole year, better call it the team of august/September and not all star team of the year. Its up there with Canavan getting an all-star instead of McGugian cause who he is.
The all-stars have been a running joke now for 20 odd years since Brian Whelehan in the hurling did not get one but go Hurler of the year. Murphy should be at full forward. Its time they went back to picking players in fixed positions, the only way the hard decisions will be made, Though O`Shea should have got one.

What?! Did that really happen? And I thought Ronan Clarke was hard done by in 2002!

Read all about it here - http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic-games/whelahan-all-star-omission-when-player-of-year-still-haunts-selection-discussions-1.1971773

[moysider]

I think the last time All Ireland winning Kerry side only won five All-Stars was in 1997 which is fair enough as this years Kerry team were the worst to win Sam since then. I think two All-Stars each would have been enough for the semi final losers and two All-Stars (one each) at least should have gone to a few quarter final losers.

Which Mayo player would you leave out if it was down to 2 from the semifinalists?

Boyle or Higgins I suppose. Mayos defence wasn't as strong as the last two years yet you got the most All-Stars from that area this year? Armagh reached the quarter final defeating and holding Tyrone to a low score along the way and lost by just one point to Donegal I have seen All-Stars won for less.

That would be dreadful! 2 little lads that not only held their own, were putting out other's fires as well.
This was in a team set-up that was not as defensive as likes of Armagh, Donegal or Kerry. The reason our defence wasn t as strong as the last 2 years is because it was never strong in the last 2 years! Dunno where that nonsense came from but if people read enough shite often enough they believe it.
Horan always used his backs to take up the attack and forwards as the first defenders. No blanket or sweepers. It meant that when we lost ball going forward ( which we often did and the rock we perished on frequently) we were scrambling at the back. The fact that we managed to get so close with that system is a miracle in itself. Look what happened the Dublin team that thought they could go toe to toe.
Higgins and Boyle are probably the 2 most deserving All Stars of all those selected under the circumstances.

[Captain Obvious]

I think the last time All Ireland winning Kerry side only won five All-Stars was in 1997 which is fair enough as this years Kerry team were the worst to win Sam since then. I think two All-Stars each would have been enough for the semi final losers and two All-Stars (one each) at least should have gone to a few quarter final losers.

Which Mayo player would you leave out if it was down to 2 from the semifinalists?

Boyle or Higgins I suppose. Mayos defence wasn't as strong as the last two years yet you got the most All-Stars from that area this year? Armagh reached the quarter final defeating and holding Tyrone to a low score along the way and lost by just one point to Donegal I have seen All-Stars won for less.

That would be dreadful! 2 little lads that not only held their own, were putting out other's fires as well.
This was in a team set-up that was not as defensive as likes of Armagh, Donegal or Kerry. The reason our defence wasn t as strong as the last 2 years is because it was never strong in the last 2 years! Dunno where that nonsense came from but if people read enough shite often enough they believe it.
Horan always used his backs to take up the attack and forwards as the first defenders. No blanket or sweepers. It meant that when we lost ball going forward ( which we often did and the rock we perished on frequently) we were scrambling at the back. The fact that we managed to get so close with that system is a miracle in itself. Look what happened the Dublin team that thought they could go toe to toe.
Higgins and Boyle are probably the 2 most deserving All Stars of all those selected under the circumstances.

Mayo conceded something like twenty three goals in league and championship this year to just eight last year. When this thread started I too had all three Mayo men selected as All-Stars however my feeling since is All-Stars possibly should be more spread out and not just confined to just the four semi finalists.