All Stars 2012

[Donnellys Hollow]

Watched the All Star ceremonies last night, actually gave up on them in 1997 when Kildare got 3 for reaching and losing a Leinster semi final. The presentation was more like a funeral as the players walked past a line of men dressed in black with sombre faces shaking their hands along the lines of "sorry for your troubles" only they were probably saying "well done".

Any system that has tokenism in it is a joke hence giving the Dublin player one. Also giving Dillon from Mayo one when he was hardly spotted in the final as usual and omitting McLoughlin was an absolute joke. My question is this...where was the Kerry man?

You're still banging that drum. 

[Farrandeelin]

Should the All-Stars be scrapped?

[spuds]

Should the All-Stars be scrapped?

Absolutely not, a good distraction this time of the year from the Crossmaglen wankfest here and the rugger and tappy tappy ball elsewhere.
Will never be perfect nor will satisfy all but this team, McLoughlin excepted, is as close to what it should be as possible.

[Wildweasel74]

the  All stars have been fucked up since Brian Whelan didnt get one in 1994, he`s one of the few hurlers of recent years to get on the millennium team. Every year theres always a miss, mostly due to the fact that there is a journalist obession with Dublin, Kerry and the like, Some players are picked on the performance of 2 games, semi -and  final which is alot of crap. Aidan Walsh had a great year but Barry Moran was the best midfielder on view this year. Big Neil had 2 outstanding games but R Bradley was playing midfield for a while earlier in the year. O`Loughlin should be in the team, and Dublin have been poor all year, Flynn was good, but its the token leinster all star at the expense of a Mayo man. Players should be picked from position only, this only came about because the select committee couldnt make the hard choices between picking 2 good player in the same position, the easy way out was to reposition him at the expense of player who actually played the position. McGlynn would have edged out Higgins, and the mayo fullback edge out McGee had this been the case. People will say this doesnt get you the best 15 players of the year but it will get you a properly balanced team. Its funny how rules change, Big Tom Morrissey missed out in `92 having been suspended during the year when he was the best midfielder that year.

[moysider]

the  All stars have been fucked up since Brian Whelan didnt get one in 1994, he`s one of the few hurlers of recent years to get on the millennium team. Every year theres always a miss, mostly due to the fact that there is a journalist obession with Dublin, Kerry and the like, Some players are picked on the performance of 2 games, semi -and  final which is alot of crap. Aidan Walsh had a great year but Barry Moran was the best midfielder on view this year. Big Neil had 2 outstanding games but R Bradley was playing midfield for a while earlier in the year. O`Loughlin should be in the team, and Dublin have been poor all year, Flynn was good, but its the token leinster all star at the expense of a Mayo man. Players should be picked from position only, this only came about because the select committee couldnt make the hard choices between picking 2 good player in the same position, the easy way out was to reposition him at the expense of player who actually played the position. McGlynn would have edged out Higgins, and the mayo fullback edge out McGee had this been the case. People will say this doesnt get you the best 15 players of the year but it will get you a properly balanced team. Its funny how rules change, Big Tom Morrissey missed out in `92 having been suspended during the year when he was the best midfielder that year.

Agree with most of that Wildweasel. But the bit in bold.

McGlynn didnt really play corner back for Donegal. In the final anyway the back 3 were the McGees and the excelllent Paddy MCGrath. McGlynn was otherwise deployed in an attacking role. Higgins unfortunately was left minding the stable once the horse had bolted, and as such was more an orthodox 4 all year. Thompson though lost out.

McHugh wore 12 but was no more a lhf than the man in the moon. McLoughlin had a bit of a connection with the postion.

Supposing county players just wore squad numbers in alphabetical order? Where then would McHugh and McGlynn have been selected?

Is it possible to select All-Stars in traditional formation when no team sets up like that anymore? Maybe just select top 15/20 players per year and forget about trying to make a team of them?

[Sam2011]

Congratulations to Ger, Keith, Lee and Alan on their All Stars and also to Cillian for making history by winning YPOTY for the second year running, some achievement.
Feel sorry for McLoughlin, nothing short of a joke that he didn't get an all star. I suppose it just reinforces the poor standard of GAA journalism there is out there.

[thewobbler]

There's an awful lot of spiteful rubbish on this thread.

Mark McHugh might not have played as a 'traditional' 12 this year but he played 12 in Donegal's system. He is as as deserving of an All Star as almost anyone in recent times and more so than any other half forward in Ireland this year.

Paul Flynn was the best player for a team that nearly got to an AI final. His selection was earned and not political.

Karl Lacey was absolutely outstanding this year and was pivotal in everything Donegal achieved. Their system is built upon twin principles of defensive excellence and precision counter attacking. Lacey was peerless at both. A truly deserving poTY.

[rodney trotter]

Donegal all star selections are a joke. Were the members of the selection panel afraid of being excluded from press conferences? 

Mark McHugh was over hyped all year, just a very fit lad asked to do a particular job on the field and programmed to carry out his role.  Even then his effectiveness faded as the team progressed through semi and final.  Every team has a lad to do this and you will see it even more over the next year.

Karl Lacey as player of the year is another joke. The first time all season he was properly and legally hit coming out of defence was in the final and that ended his game.




What are you talking about, the hit ended his game.. It might have stopped him in his tracks for a few minutes, but it didn't end his game. He was attacking in the Mayo half in the final few minutes, hungry for the ball. He was excellent all year, Donegal didn't get to a provincial final by beating a division 4 team by 20 pts.

Cavan gave game them a good game in Breffni. at least it was a bit competitive.They pullled clear from Derry in the second half and the Tyrone match went to the wire, they blitzed Down in the second half in the Ulster Final. Then tough games against Kerry and Cork, before the final

[From the Bunker]

There's an awful lot of spiteful rubbish on this thread.

Mark McHugh might not have played as a 'traditional' 12 this year but he played 12 in Donegal's system. He is as as deserving of an All Star as almost anyone in recent times and more so than any other half forward in Ireland this year.

Paul Flynn was the best player for a team that nearly got to an AI final. His selection was earned and not political.

Karl Lacey was absolutely outstanding this year and was pivotal in everything Donegal achieved. Their system is built upon twin principles of defensive excellence and precision counter attacking. Lacey was peerless at both. A truly deserving poTY.

Lacey getting POTY is not spiteful rubbish toward Donegal, most if not all of us think completely McFadden deserved it. As with McHugh and Dillon, both went missing on AI final day and were lucky to get picked (Profile really got them over the line). Always thought that there should be nominations from each province initially to give a broader feel to the whole thing. It's mad but in yester years, the League played a part in getting an All star where Anthony Tohill got one in 1995 and i even remember Kevin O'Brien from Baltinglass (Wicklow) getting rewarded for winning a club Championship in 1990.

[antoinse]

Just read John Greene in the Sindo and I think he makes a very valid point not only for Paul Barden but for lads that have been great early in the year -the forgotten - every year. It is amazing that the journalists only see the players in the AI semi and final. Is it a case that they only come onboard for these matches and send the junior reporters to all other matches.

[J70]

Just read John Greene in the Sindo and I think he makes a very valid point not only for Paul Barden but for lads that have been great early in the year -the forgotten - every year. It is amazing that the journalists only see the players in the AI semi and final. Is it a case that they only come onboard for these matches and send the junior reporters to all other matches.

We've had that conversation numerous times on here over the years, with some people agreeing with Greene and others claiming that anyone whose team doesn't get to at least the semi finals doesn't deserve it. Their logic being, apparently, that if these players were THAT good, then their teams would have got further, which seems very weak to me given that its a 15 man game. Their response to that is always that such players, more often than not, will not be facing the top players until the latter stages, which of course ignores the fact that the best players will always be facing the top players on the other side as well. Most counties have a few top class players. Its depth that's the issue.

Although Donegal benefited this year (and last, to a lesser extent) from late competition involvement, I've had to defend the inclusion of Lacey in 06 and 09 when Donegal went out at the quarter finals. This is despite the fact that Lacey, in his corner back days, would be marking men like Stephen McDonnell and Paddy Bradley, even in the early rounds of Ulster. Thankfully, from Lacey's point of view, the men who decide the awards recognized this.

Even in those cases, however, we had to go at least to the quarter finals. When's the last time we had a Declan Browne? Has it happened since the qualifiers came in? When did Mattie Forde win and how far did Wexford go that year?

[IolarCoisCuain]

Just read John Greene in the Sindo and I think he makes a very valid point not only for Paul Barden but for lads that have been great early in the year -the forgotten - every year. It is amazing that the journalists only see the players in the AI semi and final. Is it a case that they only come onboard for these matches and send the junior reporters to all other matches.

We've had that conversation numerous times on here over the years, with some people agreeing with Greene and others claiming that anyone whose team doesn't get to at least the semi finals doesn't deserve it. Their logic being, apparently, that if these players were THAT good, then their teams would have got further, which seems very weak to me given that its a 15 man game. Their response to that is always that such players, more often than not, will not be facing the top players until the latter stages, which of course ignores the fact that the best players will always be facing the top players on the other side as well. Most counties have a few top class players. Its depth that's the issue.

Although Donegal benefited this year (and last, to a lesser extent) from late competition involvement, I've had to defend the inclusion of Lacey in 06 and 09 when Donegal went out at the quarter finals. This is despite the fact that Lacey, in his corner back days, would be marking men like Stephen McDonnell and Paddy Bradley, even in the early rounds of Ulster. Thankfully, from Lacey's point of view, the men who decide the awards recognized this.

Even in those cases, however, we had to go at least to the quarter finals. When's the last time we had a Declan Browne? Has it happened since the qualifiers came in? When did Mattie Forde win and how far did Wexford go that year?

Mattie Forde won his only All-Star in 2004. Wexford lost a Leinster semi to Westmeath that year, and were zapped by Derry in Round 3 of the Qualifiers.

Declan Browne won his All-Star in 2003. If by "a Declan Browne" you mean a man whose county is unsuccessful in the Championship but is a player of such ability as to demand an All-Star, then Declan Browne himself is the last Declan Browne. Before that, I would say you're going back to 1990 and Wicklow's Kevin O'Brien. Otherwise, every other All-Star winner has been on a team that did some sort of business in the Championship. Derry won a scatter in the 1990s when they won the League so regularly - it's interesting to note that this doesn't apply to modern day Cork, the current League specialists.

[imtommygunn]

There were no qualifiers when derry were getting them though. A half decent showing in the province meant more.

I would agree there is some spiteful stuff about donegal here. Typ your post is very bitter to be honest. Maybe lacey should have been second to mcfadden but he was still superb. Maybe you didn't notice but in the all ireland final he was given a marking role on dillon? Also Iirc the hit was a foul though may be wrong on that.

Mchugh also was in the best 3 half forwards this year without a doubt. Mcloughlin instead of dillon and i think the rest is about right.

The best 15 on a year never make the all star team but the unfortunate thing is that the players don't get enough chance to show. John galvin should have had all stars- he'd be the stand out to me. Wexford maybe more last couple of years with good individuals too.

[theticklemister]

Aye I think the league meant a lot more back in the 90s. Derry didnt go far in the cship back then either but the ulster championship was the prime cship back then with live coverage on RTE and BBC. The crowds were much bigger and there were no back door so more emphasis were put on the earlier rounds,and Derry played in some big games back then and we had SUPPORTERS back then believe it or not

[supersarsfields]

Just read John Greene in the Sindo and I think he makes a very valid point not only for Paul Barden but for lads that have been great early in the year -the forgotten - every year. It is amazing that the journalists only see the players in the AI semi and final. Is it a case that they only come onboard for these matches and send the junior reporters to all other matches.

We've had that conversation numerous times on here over the years, with some people agreeing with Greene and others claiming that anyone whose team doesn't get to at least the semi finals doesn't deserve it. Their logic being, apparently, that if these players were THAT good, then their teams would have got further, which seems very weak to me given that its a 15 man game. Their response to that is always that such players, more often than not, will not be facing the top players until the latter stages, which of course ignores the fact that the best players will always be facing the top players on the other side as well. Most counties have a few top class players. Its depth that's the issue.

Although Donegal benefited this year (and last, to a lesser extent) from late competition involvement, I've had to defend the inclusion of Lacey in 06 and 09 when Donegal went out at the quarter finals. This is despite the fact that Lacey, in his corner back days, would be marking men like Stephen McDonnell and Paddy Bradley, even in the early rounds of Ulster. Thankfully, from Lacey's point of view, the men who decide the awards recognized this.

Even in those cases, however, we had to go at least to the quarter finals. When's the last time we had a Declan Browne? Has it happened since the qualifiers came in? When did Mattie Forde win and how far did Wexford go that year?

Mattie Forde won his only All-Star in 2004. Wexford lost a Leinster semi to Westmeath that year, and were zapped by Derry in Round 3 of the Qualifiers.

Declan Browne won his All-Star in 2003. If by "a Declan Browne" you mean a man whose county is unsuccessful in the Championship but is a player of such ability as to demand an All-Star, then Declan Browne himself is the last Declan Browne. Before that, I would say you're going back to 1990 and Wicklow's Kevin O'Brien. Otherwise, every other All-Star winner has been on a team that did some sort of business in the Championship. Derry won a scatter in the 1990s when they won the League so regularly - it's interesting to note that this doesn't apply to modern day Cork, the current League specialists.

Barry Owens a possible mention for his 2006 All star. I think Fermanagh only got to fourth Round of the Qualifiers after an exit to Armagh in the Ulster Semi Final.