All-Stars 2008

[Onlooker]

I would not agree with Mattie Forde deserving an All Star this year.  Both Redmond Barry and Ciaran Lyng contributed more for Wexford in 2008.

[gallsman]

Whatever about Armagh going out at the QF stage, Ronan Clarke was one of the top two forwards in the country this year and must surely (but prob won't) get one.

[Gold]

1. Gallagher - Fermanagh (no outstanding candidate really  )
2. McMenamin - Tyrone (should be in the half back line where he really shone but moved back to make way for O'Se)
3. McMahon - Tyrone
4. Lynch - Cork (not outstanding but there has to be some Cork representation in the team)
5. Harte - Tyrone
6. Gormley - Tyrone (will prob get one here, even though he rarely played this position and wasn't all that great overall this year)
7. O'Se - Kerry (not outstanding but token Kerry back)
8. Cavanagh - Tyrone (in midfield to make way for a few Kerry men in the forward line) POTY
9. McGinley - Tyrone
10. Dooher - Tyrone
11. Barry - Wexford
12. A Brogan - Dublin (token Dub)
13. Cooper - Kerry (again not at his terrific best this year but in to boost Kerry numbers)
14. Walsh - Kerry YPOTY
15. Forde - Wexford

When trying to pick this team it was really striking how few outstanding candidates there were for many of the positions. This in part is probably due to the overall championships being essentially spurred on by a collective effort rather than individual displays, but it must also be said that the overall quality of the championship this year was disappointingly way below average again.

why the obssession with Anthony Lynch never mind Cluxton??

no f**king way shud he get an allstar--ever

[paddypastit]

When trying to pick this team it was really striking how few outstanding candidates there were for many of the positions. This in part is probably due to the overall championships being essentially spurred on by a collective effort rather than individual displays, but it must also be said that the overall quality of the championship this year was disappointingly way below average again.

Agre with the first half of this statement but not entirely with the second.  For sure it was not a vintage year but there were enough good moments and good stories - certainly from mid July on for it to be classed as 'way below average'

That said I could in some respects see a spread of All Stars moreso than in most years. Generally it is the two AIF teams with up to a handful of other 'deserving' cases.  This time around the impact of Tyrone's defeat over Kerry will I thinhk be that they will dominate, with a few Kerry gongs and more than the average thrown about elsewhere. Aside from the two finalists, there were the four provincial winners and two great 'stories' (Fermanagh and Wexford), eacxh of whom wil have a some chance of getting a nose in there.

Dealing with the latter two firstly.

For Fermanagh, the absence of any compelling case for goalkeeper among anyone othert than Pascal McConnell and an All Star for one game is probabaly a strech so Ronan Gallaher has to have a real chance.

Reality is there wil have to be a Wexford man and on form it has to be Lyng as he was their form man and he gave Tyrone a riun for their money for a while.

In terms of the provincial champions if Dublin get one it could really only be Shane Ryan as he did dominate Dublin's championship up their day of departure.

Likewise for Armagh, Ronan Clarke could be the only truly national impact star this year.  For Cork it is a toss up between Pearce O'Neill, Anthony Lynch and possibly Michael Cussen - Lynch will have less competition.  In the west, one could only really make the case for Padraic Joyce (Meehan was brilliant vs Kerry but no so much elksewhere) and even then, he was onloy compeling against Mayo.

For me then, there are only 24 - even that is a stretch in some cases - in the running.

The 15 that I think will emerge as All Stars and the others in contention are (the stretches are in orange)

                         Ronan Gallaher
Ryan McManamin   Justin McMahon  Anthony Lynch                 [Marc O'Se]
Tomas O'Se         Conor Gormley    Philip Jordan                     [Davey Harte / Aidan O'Mahoney]
         Enda McGinley         Shane Ryan                                 [Dara O'Se / Peirce O'Neill / Paul McGrane]
Brian Dooher        Colm Cooper       Joe McMahon                   [Declan O'Sullivan / Pierce O'Neill / Padraic Joyce]
Kieran Lyng          Sean Cavanagh   Ronan Clarke                    [Kieran Donaghy]

I would argue that the backs are pretty close there.  Those four Tyrone lads have to be in there really and there would be a strong shout too for Davy Harte instead of O'Se, as there could be for Aidan O'Mahoney along the half back line or Marc O'Se in the FB line.  None of the rest of the Kerry backs went that well this year. I'm not a big Lynch fan to be honest (he's far from the sweet angel painted by media in my observation) but there haven't been any great LFB performers this year - Gourley was a touch off his Tyrone colleagues, Reidy was in and out and none of the FBs of any of the provincial winners really shone while he actually did play well for Cork. I'd buy the possibility of shunting him though in favour of Gormley in the corner to accomodate Davey Harte

In MF, McGinley stands out and I've excluded O'Se on the baisis that he got sent off twice and missed the AI S/F.  I know the sendings off rule is gone out of the All Stars but twice in high summer is a bit much.  None of Fermanagh, Galway or Wexford had a stand out MF. You could though make the case for any of Dublin's Ryan, Armagh's McGrane or Cork's O'Neill.  Of the three, and allowing for the reality that no other Dublin player was as influential as he in the Leinster win, I'd choose Ryan.

Dooher has had a fits and starts year but his influence has risen beyond just his physical contribution (which is still huge) and you couldn't make the case for any other RHF ahead of him. Cooper and Cavanagh were stand out.  I think Clarke had his best year ever and was the major reason Armagh won Ulster and Lyng as mentioned was the man this year for Wexford.  I'm plumping for Joe McMahon there in the basis that he was a star in that role in both the Q/F and S/F and was a star again in the Final and deserves to be on this selection, moreso than anyone that replaced him in that forward role on the Tyrone team in the final or any of his opponents (bar Declan O'Sullivan) - either in the final or earlier .  Padraic Joyce has a faint shout but I don't honestly think his case exceeds that of any of the others.

One could make the case then for Declan O'Sullivan in the HF line or could move Cavanagh out and put Donagahy in at FF as despite a quiet AIF, he was hugely influential in Kerry getting that far. O'Neill as I mentioned could also slot in there.  I've not put in Tommy Walsh as althoughg mercurial and YPOTY IMO, his impact on games owes as much, if not more to his opportunity in the team and forward line that he is part of whereas Lyng and Clarke had more to do off their own bat to be effective, and were.

In total that would be 8 for Tyrone, 2 for Kerry, and one each for Cork, Fermanagh, Dublin, Wexford and Armaghg. That might seen harsh on Kerry but few of their players were good throughoput their campaign whereas that rump of Tyrone lads were effective pretty much every day once they got their engine restarted.

[stephenite]

I'll be surprised if Red Barry doesn't pick up an All Star

[saffron sam2]

I think its a very open call for all stars this year, only really 4 certs as far a i can see..........

I reckon there are nine certs - McMenamin, Gormley, Jordan, McGinley, Dooher, Cavanagh, Donaghy, Cooper and Clarke.

The rest will be number balancing exercises.

Tyrone also have calls (with varying degrees of validity and justification) for Justin McMahon, Davy Harte, McCullagh and Peter Canavan. A couple of the O'Se bros will be there or thereabouts, as will Declan O'Sullivan, O'Mahony has excluded himself. Shane Ryan is best placed of the Dubs and Redmond Barry should get any call over Lyng and Forde. Gallagher and McCluskey of Fermanagh are worthy of nominations and one award here wouldn't be a great surprise. Cork have a genuine contender in O'Neill. The competition among the forwards is stronger and as such I see either O'Neill or Barry missing out. Unless Ryan is picked at half back.

Gallagher

McMenamin
McNulty
O'Se (very soft one here)

O'Se
Gormley
Jordan

Ryan / O'Neill
McGinley

Dooher
Cooper
Barry

Clarke
Cavanagh
Donaghy

[gander]

                         Ronan Gallaher
Ryan McManamin   Justin McMahon  Marc O'Se
Tomas O'Se         Conor Gormley    Philip Jordan
         Enda McGinley         Dara O'Se                              
Brian Dooher        Colm Cooper       Declan O'Sullivan
Kieran Lyng          Sean Cavanagh   Ronan Clarke    

I'd say its a toss up between Dooher and Cavanagh for Player of the Year, Tommy walsh will prob get young player of the year

[Real1995]

I notice that alot of people are leaving out Michael Meehan here, i thought he gave one of the best performances of the year against kerry....

[Onion Bag]

Whatever about Armagh going out at the QF stage, Ronan Clarke was one of the top two forwards in the country this year and must surely (but prob won't) get one.

agreed

[SidelineKick]

Surely Paddy Bradley will slabber his way to one again?

no worse than peter canavans token all star in '05

[Bogball XV]

I cannot understand how anyone could name an allstar team and leave out Donaghy.  He is the single most influential player for Kerry imo.

[GalwayBayBoy]

I notice that alot of people are leaving out Michael Meehan here, i thought he gave one of the best performances of the year against kerry....

I doubt he'll get one to be honest. It was probably the individual performance of the championship but he probably needed at least one other good display along with it to get an All-Star. He wasn't bad in Connacht but didn't have any really excellent game until he reached Croke Park.

Padraig Joyce in contrast was outstanding in the Connacht championship but had a quiet enough game against Kerry.

[mouview]

I cannot understand how anyone could name an allstar team and leave out Donaghy.  He is the single most influential player for Kerry imo.

Not at all. His influence yesterday was minimal and Finian Hanley contained him well enough in the Galway game. Played ok in the 2nd of the 3 Cork games but was fairly quiet in the others. Needs to be the subject of some revisionism IMHO.

[GalwayBayBoy]

I cannot understand how anyone could name an allstar team and leave out Donaghy.  He is the single most influential player for Kerry imo.

Not at all. His influence yesterday was minimal and Finian Hanley contained him well enough in the Galway game. Played ok in the 2nd of the 3 Cork games but was fairly quiet in the others. Needs to be the subject of some revisionism IMHO.

Have to agree there. Donaghy was well held in the quarters by Galway and in the final by Tyrone. Had a good semi-final alright but having two quiet games in the last few matches isn't what you'd exactly call All-Star form.

[Dinny Breen]

Tut! Tut! No mention of John Doyle, the Championship top scorer......