All-Stars 2008

[caraghtyrone]

All-Ireland football champions Tyrone were further rewarded for their efforts today when ten members of the Red Hand team were nominated for this year's Vodafone-sponsored GAA All-Stars.

In all, 13 counties are represented, with beaten finalists Kerry coming a close second to Tyrone in terms of nominees with nine players nominated.

Wexford, the surprise package of this year's All-Ireland championship have four nominees, along with fellow beaten semi-finalists Cork.

Leinster champions Dublin have just three players nominated compared to seven last year.

Connacht champions Galway, who served up one of the best games of the championship with the Kingdom in their quarter-final clash, have received three nominations, while Ulster champions Armagh have received two.

Cavan, Derry, Kildare, and Monaghan complete the list, with one nomination each.

Last year, twelve counties were represented in the nominations, with champions Kerry receiving ten nominations, the same as this year's winners Tyrone, who had three nominations in 2007.

Seven of last year's All-Stars are nominated for a second consecutive year; Marc O'Sé, Tomas O'Sé, Graham Canty, Aidan O'Mahony, Dara O'Sé, Declan O'Sullivan and Colm Cooper.

Dara O'Sé is looking to equal his uncle Páidí's All-Star haul by being nominated for his fifth award. Colm Cooper is also going for award number five.

The final selection will be announced on 15, October, two days prior to the All-Stars Banquet at the City West Hotel.

The GAA Hurling All-Stars nominees will be announced on Thursday at 11pm.

GAA Football All-Star nominees for 2008:

Goalkeeper
Gary Connaughton (Westmeath)
Anthony Masterson (Wexford)
James Reilly (Cavan)


Full Backs
Francie Bellew (Armagh) All-Star '03
Finian Hanley (Galway)
David Henry (Dublin)
Conor Gormley (Tyrone)
Justin McMahon (Tyrone)
Dessie Mone (Monaghan)
John Keane (Westmeath) All-Star '04
Anthony Lynch (Cork) All-Star '99, '02
Marc O'Se (Kerry) All-Star '06, '07


Half Backs
Graham Canty (Cork) All-Star '07
Michael Ennis (Westmeath)
Davy Harte (Tyrone)
Philip Jordan (Tyrone) All-Star '03, '05
Ryan McMenamin (Tyrone) All-Star '05
Ryan McCluskey (Fermanagh)
Thomas McElroy (Fermanagh)
Aidan O'Mahony (Kerry) All-Star '06, '07
Tomas O'Se (Kerry) All-Star '04, '05. '07


Midfield
Fergal Doherty (Derry)
Enda McGinley (Tyrone)
Martin McGrath (Fermanagh) All-Star '04
Darragh O'Se (Kerry) All-Star '00, '02, '06, '07
Shane Ryan (Dublin)
Seamus Scanlon (Kerry)


Half Forwards
Redmond Barry (Wexford)
John Doyle (Kildare)
Sean Cavanagh (Tyrone) All-Star '03, '04, '05
Michael Cussen (Cork)
Pearse O'Neill (Cork)
Brian Dooher (Tyrone) All-Star '03, '05
Colm McCullough (Tyrone)
Padraic Joyce (Galway) All-Star '98, '00, '01
Declan O'Sullivan (Kerry) All-Star '07

Full Forwards
Alan Brogan (Dublin) All-Star '06, '07
Ronan Clarke (Armagh) All-Star '06
Colm Cooper (Kerry) All-Star '02, '04, '05, '07
Kieran Donaghy (Kerry) All-Star '06
Tommy Walsh (Kerry)
Matty Forde (Wexford) All-Star '04
Ciaran Lyng (Wexford)
Tommy McGuigan (Tyrone)
Michael Meehan (Galway)


Small amendment, Conor Gormley won an All Star in 03 and 05 at RHB and CHB respectively

[caraghtyrone]

Sorry posted that wrong there!

Conor Gormley won all stars in 03 and 05 at RHB and CHB resepectively

[screenexile]

Here's my go:

Masterson
McMahon, O'Sé, Gormley
Harte McCluskey Jordan
McGinley and a toss up between Doherty and McGrath, Doherty because Fermanagh already got CHB
Dooher, Cavanagh, Joyce
Lyng, Cooper, Clarke

Wexford 2
Tyrone 7
Kerry 2
Derry 1
Galway 1
Fermanagh 1
Armagh 1

Will Ryan get the other MF beth after McGinley or do Cork deserve one? It will be an interesting call but I'd say I'm not too far wrong.The only reason Wexford get 2 i because there is no standout keeper this year!

[FermPundit]

If I were Gallagher I'd be disgusted - Reilly is a great keeper, but he didn't show that this year, and I can't see how the media could have seen any of his displays.
Other than it's the normal nonsense, I don't know why people bother getting upset about them anymore.

The absence of Gallagher is a joke. He may not have won it but he definitely deserved a nomination.

[ziggysego]

How is Joey McMahon missing on the nomination list?

[tyssam5]

Surely Paddy Bradley will slabber his way to one again?

no worse than peter canavans token all star in '05

You're right there Sideline. Paddy's goal and point in this year All-Ireland final were sublime.

For the lads talking about R. Barry of Wexford, he had some good games but did he even touch the ball in the semi-final?

Justy McM has to be YPOTY. The other option, Walsh, while excellent, will be a sop to the Kerry laden media, and what's with this shite about him 'tiring' on the 50 minute mark? Isn't he 20 years old?

[redhandluke]

Can't understand why big Sean Cav is not nominated in the FF line?

Also Joey McMahon more than most is being penalised for his flexibility - at home in the backs, midfield or forwards - done a great job in all three areas for Tyrone this year.

[Buttofthehill]

From a Dublin point of view, I think Henry is the most deserving. Kept Forde in his pocket in the Leinster Final.

But,as was already said, it might only be a 'token Dub' if he got one.

[nrico2006]

I would be a fan of Francie Bellew but the last 10 in the Wexford game should have scuppered any chances of him receiving a nomination.

[saffron sam2]

Can't understand why big Sean Cav is not nominated in the FF line?

Also Joey McMahon more than most is being penalised for his flexibility - at home in the backs, midfield or forwards - done a great job in all three areas for Tyrone this year.

Or why McMenamin is nominated in the half back line.

The All-Stars system has long since lost any creditibilty it may once have had.

[full back]

Goalkeeper
Gary Connaughton (Westmeath)
Anthony Masterson (Wexford)
James Reilly (Cavan)


Full Backs
Francie Bellew (Armagh) All-Star '03
Finian Hanley (Galway)
David Henry (Dublin)
Conor Gormley (Tyrone)
Justin McMahon (Tyrone)
Dessie Mone (Monaghan)
John Keane (Westmeath) All-Star '04
Anthony Lynch (Cork) All-Star '99, '02
Marc O'Se (Kerry) All-Star '06, '07


Half Backs
Graham Canty (Cork) All-Star '07
Michael Ennis (Westmeath)
Davy Harte (Tyrone)
Philip Jordan (Tyrone) All-Star '03, '05
Ryan McMenamin (Tyrone) All-Star '05
Ryan McCluskey (Fermanagh)
Thomas McElroy (Fermanagh)
Aidan O'Mahony (Kerry) All-Star '06, '07
Tomas O'Se (Kerry) All-Star '04, '05. '07


Midfield
Fergal Doherty (Derry)
Enda McGinley (Tyrone)
Martin McGrath (Fermanagh) All-Star '04
Darragh O'Se (Kerry) All-Star '00, '02, '06, '07
Shane Ryan (Dublin)
Seamus Scanlon (Kerry)


Half Forwards
Redmond Barry (Wexford)
John Doyle (Kildare)
Sean Cavanagh (Tyrone) All-Star '03, '04, '05
Michael Cussen (Cork)
Pearse O'Neill (Cork)
Brian Dooher (Tyrone) All-Star '03, '05
Colm McCullough (Tyrone)
Padraic Joyce (Galway) All-Star '98, '00, '01
Declan O'Sullivan (Kerry) All-Star '07

Full Forwards
Alan Brogan (Dublin) All-Star '06, '07
Ronan Clarke (Armagh) All-Star '06
Colm Cooper (Kerry) All-Star '02, '04, '05, '07
Kieran Donaghy (Kerry) All-Star '06
Tommy Walsh (Kerry)
Matty Forde (Wexford) All-Star '04
Ciaran Lyng (Wexford)
Tommy McGuigan (Tyrone)
Michael Meehan (Galway)

[orangeman]

I would be a fan of Francie Bellwe but the last 10 in the Wexford game should have scuppered any chances of him receiving a nomination.

Ryan Mc Menamin, Marc O'Se, Aidan O'Mahony, Anthony Lynch, Dessie Mone, Conor Gormley etc have all had very uncomfortable moments that lasted more than 10 minutes during matches this summer so it should not preclude Francie from getting a nomination.

[screenexile]

One thing for me is the omission of Damien Freeman. I've watched him destroy Derry now 2 years in a row and he is a fantastic footballer. He has also been one of Monaghan's best players in recent times yet he doesn't seem to get the recognition he deserves from most of the media (although I think he got an Irish News Ulster Allstar this year). Had he been nominated he would have been the other HB along with Harte and Jordan for me!

[Croí na hÉireann]

Good to see us getting some recognition for our year, must be a record though for a team who didn't make it past the semi-finals of their provincial championship or the second round of the qualifiers. No great surprise to see the defence get the nominations, although Flan would surely have been there as well if he hadn't been injured. Glennon up front probably had his best year yet and can't have been too far away either. Doubt if any of them will get the All-Star but they'd be my back up choice in each line (if that's how they decide to award them).

Masterson (Just because Wexford reached the semi)            /Connaughton
Gormley, McMahon, Lynch                                                 /Keane
Jordan, McMenamin, O'Sé                                                 /Ennis
McGinley, McGrath                                                            /Ryan
Cavanagh, Dooher, O'Sullivan                                             /Barry
Clarke, Cooper, Donaghy                                                   /Lyng

[imtommygunn]

The best corner back performance of the year was John Keane v Dublin. Alan Brogan could barely breathe. Don't think Westmeath got far enough for him to get an all star though...

For me the certs are:
McMahon,Tomas O'Se,Jordan, Cavanagh, McGinley, Doooher, Cooper, O'Sullivan

Probables:
Donaghy, Gormlley, McMenamim, Clarke

Up for grabs:
goalie, MF, corner back