2015 All Stars

[Hound]

Connolly's performances in both semis have scuppered it. In Keegan's pocket for 140 minutes.

I think that's ott harsh.
You could also say that Connolly severely limited the influence of the best half back in the country for 140 minutes.
Having watched the replay again, Connolly did a trojan amount of work and got on the ball more than I thought. He made a really crucial tackle on Keith Higgins immediately after the second goal, when Higgins had made his way into the Dubs penalty box. No doubt he was very well marshalled by Mayo, anytime he had the ball he had at least 2 men swarming him, and his footwear wasn't helping him as he slipped a number of times when trying to turn quickly

[macdanger2]

Moving Higgins from CB would be madness – how many were looking for this change before last Saturday?? He gets one roasting and all of a sudden we should move one of our best players out of probably the weakest line in the team with no obvious replacement. If or when his pace genuinely does go (and it takes more than one poor game to make such an assertion), playing as a sweeper would be his best role

This isn't U-10 football where a lot of corner forwards are rubbish, almost invariably the best forwards play in the FF line and that's where you need your best defender

[Maroon Manc]

Moving Higgins from CB would be madness – how many were looking for this change before last Saturday?? He gets one roasting and all of a sudden we should move one of our best players out of probably the weakest line in the team with no obvious replacement. If or when his pace genuinely does go (and it takes more than one poor game to make such an assertion), playing as a sweeper would be his best role

This isn't U-10 football where a lot of corner forwards are rubbish, almost invariably the best forwards play in the FF line and that's where you need your best defender

Depends on the way Mayo play going forward, give the amount of space in your fullback line his pace will be needed but if Mayo were to play a more negative system he should be moved in CHB.

[straightred]

1. Kealy
2. Higgins
3. Enright
4. McMahon
5. Keegan
6. Harte
7. McCaffrey
8. Moran
9. Maher
10. O'Brien
11. Kilkenny
12. Connolly
13. Brogan
14. O'Donoghue
15. McManus

I see PP have Kealy at 2/5 with Beggan @10/1.

Beggan didn't let a goal in since the league match against Dublin on April 5th. I know its all about goals but that discrepancy just seems to be too much to me anyway.

[Il Bomber Destro]

1. Kealy
2. Higgins
3. Enright
4. McMahon
5. Keegan
6. Harte
7. McCaffrey
8. Moran
9. Maher
10. O'Brien
11. Kilkenny
12. Connolly
13. Brogan
14. O'Donoghue
15. McManus

I see PP have Kealy at 2/5 with Beggan @10/1.

Beggan didn't let a goal in since the league match against Dublin on April 5th. I know its all about goals but that discrepancy just seems to be too much to me anyway.

Beggan imploded against Tyrone.

[muppet]

Paddy Andrews 20/1 good odds for an All-Star? Another 0-5 and he'd be a shoo-in

Yea, if he keeps up his form he could be in. Hard to watch all of BB, Connolly, Kilkenny and Flynn (I know he didn't play well against us) and now you have to add Andrews to the list.

[Syferus]

Connolly's performances in both semis have scuppered it. In Keegan's pocket for 140 minutes.

I think that's ott harsh.
You could also say that Connolly severely limited the influence of the best half back in the country for 140 minutes.
Having watched the replay again, Connolly did a trojan amount of work and got on the ball more than I thought. He made a really crucial tackle on Keith Higgins immediately after the second goal, when Higgins had made his way into the Dubs penalty box. No doubt he was very well marshalled by Mayo, anytime he had the ball he had at least 2 men swarming him, and his footwear wasn't helping him as he slipped a number of times when trying to turn quickly

Keegan, the defender, outplayed Connolly going forward. For me that says it all really. A star forward whose best calling card is keeping a HB quiet (he didn't, really) is faint praise Hound.

[AZOffaly]

Not really Syf. It could be the ultimate sacrifice of personal achievement in the cause of the overall team success. I think it might have been the other way around though, i.e. Keegan just broke his heart over 2 days.

[imtommygunn]

It's hard to say who's in for player of the year at this stage.

I don't think there's been a year where there have been less standout candidates. Usually there's one guy near a cert but hard to pick one this year. The big guns in dublin kerry have been a bit quieter.

Bernard Brogan or David Moran I guess?

[Syferus]

It's hard to say who's in for player of the year at this stage.

I don't think there's been a year where there have been less standout candidates. Usually there's one guy near a cert but hard to pick one this year. The big guns in dublin kerry have been a bit quieter.

Bernard Brogan or David Moran I guess?

Not getting Brogan being mentioned in PotY conversations. Maybe it's because I gave the Leinster championship as much effort viewing as many of the team's gave playing but he's been good passing the ball but not much more than that. Beat in the air regularly by his man in the Mayo game. If I had to pick a Dublin player for PotY at this stage it would be Jack Mc or Ciaran Kilkenny.

Likewise I thought Moran was very ineffectual against Tyrone so he has to show well in the final to have any chance. PotY is a bit of a crapshoot this year.

[sid waddell]

1. Paul Durcan (Donegal)
2. Cathal McCarron (Tyrone)
3. Ronan McNamee (Tyrone)
4. Philly McMahon (Dublin)
5. Ryan McHugh (Donegal)
6. Kieran Martin (Westmeath)
7. Jack McCaffrey (Dublin)
8. Anthony Maher (Kerry)
9. Mattie Donnelly (Tyrone)
10. Diarmuid O'Connor (Mayo)
11. Ciaran Kilkenny (Dublin)
12. Stephen O'Brien (Kerry)
13. Conor McManus (Monaghan)
14. Paddy Andrews (Dublin)
15. Bernard Brogan (Dublin)

POTY:
1. Brogan
2. McManus
3. McCaffrey

[oakleaflad]

1. Paul Durcan (Donegal)
2. Cathal McCarron (Tyrone)
3. Ronan McNamee (Tyrone)
4. Philly McMahon (Dublin)
5. Ryan McHugh (Donegal)
6. Kieran Martin (Westmeath)
7. Jack McCaffrey (Dublin)
8. Anthony Maher (Kerry)
9. Mattie Donnelly (Tyrone)
10. Diarmuid O'Connor (Mayo)
11. Ciaran Kilkenny (Dublin)
12. Stephen O'Brien (Kerry)
13. Conor McManus (Monaghan)
14. Paddy Andrews (Dublin)
15. Bernard Brogan (Dublin)

POTY:
1. Brogan
2. McManus
3. McCaffrey

You serious?

[sid waddell]

1. Paul Durcan (Donegal)
2. Cathal McCarron (Tyrone)
3. Ronan McNamee (Tyrone)
4. Philly McMahon (Dublin)
5. Ryan McHugh (Donegal)
6. Kieran Martin (Westmeath)
7. Jack McCaffrey (Dublin)
8. Anthony Maher (Kerry)
9. Mattie Donnelly (Tyrone)
10. Diarmuid O'Connor (Mayo)
11. Ciaran Kilkenny (Dublin)
12. Stephen O'Brien (Kerry)
13. Conor McManus (Monaghan)
14. Paddy Andrews (Dublin)
15. Bernard Brogan (Dublin)

POTY:
1. Brogan
2. McManus
3. McCaffrey

You serious?

Name me one standout 6 in this year's championship. There is none. Weakest position of the lot. Martin may not have played at 6 most of the time but deserves an All-Star more than anybody else who has played in that jersey.

[Syferus]

1. Paul Durcan (Donegal)
2. Cathal McCarron (Tyrone)
3. Ronan McNamee (Tyrone)
4. Philly McMahon (Dublin)
5. Ryan McHugh (Donegal)
6. Kieran Martin (Westmeath)
7. Jack McCaffrey (Dublin)
8. Anthony Maher (Kerry)
9. Mattie Donnelly (Tyrone)
10. Diarmuid O'Connor (Mayo)
11. Ciaran Kilkenny (Dublin)
12. Stephen O'Brien (Kerry)
13. Conor McManus (Monaghan)
14. Paddy Andrews (Dublin)
15. Bernard Brogan (Dublin)

POTY:
1. Brogan
2. McManus
3. McCaffrey

You serious?

Name me one standout 6 in this year's championship. There is none. Weakest position of the lot. Martin may not have played at 6 most of the time but deserves an All-Star more than anybody else who has played in that jersey.

Martin never played centre-back in any of the games I saw him in.

[Hound]

Connolly's performances in both semis have scuppered it. In Keegan's pocket for 140 minutes.

I think that's ott harsh.
You could also say that Connolly severely limited the influence of the best half back in the country for 140 minutes.
Having watched the replay again, Connolly did a trojan amount of work and got on the ball more than I thought. He made a really crucial tackle on Keith Higgins immediately after the second goal, when Higgins had made his way into the Dubs penalty box. No doubt he was very well marshalled by Mayo, anytime he had the ball he had at least 2 men swarming him, and his footwear wasn't helping him as he slipped a number of times when trying to turn quickly

Keegan, the defender, outplayed Connolly going forward. For me that says it all really. A star forward whose best calling card is keeping a HB quiet (he didn't, really) is faint praise Hound.

But it's simply not true to say Keegan completely outplayed Connolly going forward. We saw very little of Keegan as a driving force for Mayo. Certainly you can say Keegan did a great job defensively, but it wasn't easy, it was a very tough battle and Connolly made life difficult for Keegan too