Pick Your All Stars

[thebandit]

Monaghan Men

Probables:
Tommy and Damien Freeman

Possibles:
Dessie Mone (Monaghan's player of the championship so far imo)
Eoin Lennon
Paul Finlay

[thewobbler]

From what I've seen, Gary McQuaid has been as good as any Monaghan player this season.

Was outstanding against Down and Tyrone.

[DJGaliv]

I'm struggling to see why Masters should get an allstar. Is it for kicking high scores against shite like Tipp and Limerick? Or a few frees, and a generally poor game against a mediocre Louth team?

Cork will get knocked out by Meath, and so won't really be involved in the allstars, maybe Nicholas Murphy if they're looking for midfielders. Cork didn't do make too much of an impression so far, only beating Limerick, Tipp and Louth.
Breakthrough provincial winners like Sligo will get a token allstar like O'Hara.
Tyrone will be lucky to get any. They're a top side, and that will tell against them as there's not many players who really hit their peak, even though they won an Ulster.
Monaghan will get another token allstar after a big season. Damien Freeman or Dessie Mone I'd say, as they'll be struggling for defenders.
Dublin should get a couple with Cluxton, Keaney, Vaughn and Brogan the most likely if they beat Derry.
Kerry will have the likes of the Ó Sé's, Cooper and maybe Donaghy and O'Mahoney up there if they beat Monaghan.

It all depends on the lineup of the final. You need big performances in relatively tight high standard games to get an allstar.

As for Galway, Nicky Joyce is as deserving of an allstar as James Masters. He'd be the only nomination I'd put forward from Galway as it's been a poor year for us.

[AZOffaly]

Cork also gave Kerry a good game in the Munster final, and game within a bad penalty call of beating them. They've also beaten your provincial champions. Lets see how they get on against Meath, but as it stands both Masters and Murphy would be in with a good shout. I'm anticipating that Masters will be ruled out so therefore he won't get an Allstar

[Wee Roddy]

The reality is if Derry and Monaghan lose this weekend they will get none. Sligo are more likely to get one as they are provincial champions. If Tyrone were to get one for winning a provincial then it would be Conor Gormley, but although i think he is easily in the top couple in Ireland, the fact that Tyrone  were one of the favourites (unjustifiably) goes against him or any Tyrone player getting one. What odds would you get on Geraghty getting player of the year?

[DJGaliv]

Cork also gave Kerry a good game in the Munster final, and game within a bad penalty call of beating them. They've also beaten your provincial champions. Lets see how they get on against Meath, but as it stands both Masters and Murphy would be in with a good shout. I'm anticipating that Masters will be ruled out so therefore he won't get an Allstar

Nobody will get an allstar based on performances in that tripe that masqueraded for intercounty football on Saturday. Masters was pretty ineffectual in it too. As for doing well in losing to Kerry in a provincial final, that's not where or how allstars are earned.

[AZOffaly]

Masters has scored 0-13 in his last 3 games (4 v Kerry and Sligo, 5 v Louth). Add in his 3-14 against Limerick and Tipp and he is in good form. Any forward that chips in 4 or 5 a game has a chance of an All Star, injuries permitting, especially if his team gets to an All Ireland.

[DJGaliv]

Fair enough, based on statistics he'd be up there. However he only got five points from play in total in his last three games! Nicky Joyce got four points from play in each of his last three championship games from wing forward, and he won't even be considered. You have to light up Croker against serious contenders to get one and Masters and Joyce haven't done that. And that's why he won't get an allstar in my opinion.

I'd have Bray, Farrell, and Freeman far ahead of him, with maybe Vaughn, Keaney, Bradley, Corey and Cooper alongside him right now for a place in the full-forward line.  Bearing in mind Dublin, Kerry, Derry and Monaghan haven't played their quarter finals yet, they stand a far better chance than Masters does. This is not even accounting for his injury that has ruled him out for the season.

[The Real Laoislad]

How would you have Vaughan? He played one decent match against Meath

[tintin25]

Fair enough, based on statistics he'd be up there. However he only got five points from play in total in his last three games! Nicky Joyce got four points from play in each of his last three championship games from wing forward, and he won't even be considered. You have to light up Croker against serious contenders to get one and Masters and Joyce haven't done that. And that's why he won't get an allstar in my opinion.

I'd have Bray, Farrell, and Freeman far ahead of him, with maybe Vaughn, Keaney, Bradley, Corey and Cooper alongside him right now for a place in the full-forward line.  Bearing in mind Dublin, Kerry, Derry and Monaghan haven't played their quarter finals yet, they stand a far better chance than Masters does. This is not even accounting for his injury that has ruled him out for the season.

Agree with this. Yes, Masters is sitting at the top of the scoring charts but it's very misleading. He's managed to rack up big scores (The majority of which are frees btw) against the likes of Tipp, Limerick and Louth(Hardly big guns in the modern game). Masters has potential to win an All-star but not this year. The likes of T Freeman, Muldoon, Keaney, Brogan, Cooper, Brosnan to name a few would be far more deserving at the moment.

[DJGaliv]

How would you have Vaughan? He played one decent match against Meath

I'd put him on the fringes of selection as he's been vital to the Dublin team, the journalists love him, and I can see Dublin beating Derry with him very much involved. He's also relatively new to the team, and so his rise to prominence is more noticeable. With the full glare of the media destined to be on a Dublin Kerry semi-final, if Dublin win, he'll be very close. I'm not saying he's the best corner forward in Ireland, just that he stands as good a chance as Masters.

[Puckoon]

I think conor gormley has shown in every game, that hes the best back in the country, from 2-7 he might be the most desired player in the country if he was available for any team to get their hands on him. Surely grounds for an all star this year?

[AZOffaly]

Lads, I'm not saying Masters has one in the bag. What I'm saying is that he's going well at the moment, and if he continued at that rate he would be very close. (I'm discounting his 3-14 against Limerick and Tipp). I also said that he will be passed out if he is injured, precisely for the reason that he would have to play well in an All Ireland semi final (at least) and Final to get one.

[Maguire01]

The reality is if Derry and Monaghan lose this weekend they will get none. Sligo are more likely to get one as they are provincial champions.

So Sligo would get one just because they beat New York (!), Roscommon and Galway,
But
Derry wouldn't get one after beating Armagh, Mayo and Laois
and
Monaghan wouldn't get one after beating Down, Derry and Donegal

seems fair......


Also, would negative publicity regarding both Paddy Bradley and Graham Geraghty not have any imact on selections?
Regardless, Paddy Bradley is only starting to play now anyway - he done nothing in his appearance with Antrim, and very little against Monaghan as well.  On another unrelated (to all-stars) note, do Croke Park not have an onligation to follow up on the fact that the Paddy Bradley case was referred back to Derry Co. Board, yet they seem to have just ignored it?

[Rav67]

How u play at Croker nearly always dictates who gets the end of year gongs.
But at the minute I'd say Gormley, Whelan, T.Freeman, Bray and Gooch are near certainties, with strong possibilities if they keep up form for McCloy, Mone, Fay, D.Freeman, Geraghty, Muldoon, Keaney.  Am certain Paddy Bradley will play well against the Dubs and if he does and Derry win and get another game he'll probably get one, he deserves it because he's the best player in Ireland at the minute withoute an all-star.