So who do we reckon will get an all star from Dublin? Fenton surely a shoe in for POTY so he’s a definite. Philly and Cooper have to be definites also. I hope James gets one but being missing against Donegal and the early black in the first final might cause him to lose out. Cluxton for the keeper spot for me again.
Forwards weren’t there usual outstanding selves this year bit I still think Dermo and Rock deserve All Stars. Kev an outside chance probably at Rocks expense.
Just aside, will tickets be available for the All Star after party?
Would be very near mine too, but the reality of what they choose could well be different. I would think Tipp would have to get one, and the obvious candidate would be Quinliven in the full forward line instead of Kevin Mc.
It could be an all Mayo half back line, although I don’t think it should be. McCarthy should also get a look in as he is probably the best half back in the country. Maybe this year he didn’t do the high profile stuff that gets you All Stars, but that should not be necessary.
As weird as it sounds, Cluxton may not be a certainty either. With Paddy Power he has equal odds with Kelly for the goal keeping spot. This is after probably one of the greatest displays of the art in the second half of the final. Now I think it is a given, among everyone, that he has re-defined the role and is the best practitioner of it. This in itself isn’t necessarily enough to win you an All Star every year, but in a year where he was outstanding, it most definitely should. As far as I can see, Kelly is only up there in the ranking because he made the final and he didn’t have the high profile turnover that Cluxton did against Kerry. So a year where nothing goes wrong is judged as better then a year where everything goes exceptionally right, bar one instance (although that does sum up a lot of the media’s thinking right enough).
Fenton seems a shoe-in for POTY, although I think it should be Connelly. Fenton is fantastic and vital to the team etc. But Connelly is the heart beat. Fenton gets to operate in the relative freedom of the middle of the field, Connolly is an area where every ball has to be fought for and every touch is vital. If you look at his every play in both games of the final, his use of the ball (although under huge pressure) is phenomenal. A sort of urban myth has crept up that Keegan won the dual between the two, he didn’t. Keegan is very very good, and is going to do damage against any team. But Connelly was our most influential forward in both games (both games that we led for the entirety apart from 11 minutes), that is inconsistent with the idea that the defender won the dual.
I’d be sceptical how much influence he’d have had with Keegan on the pitch for 70 mins.
He completely left keegan for the goal - a point that has been missed here
Very little between the half back line, all were pretty good all year, Keegan a cert, but Durcan and Small get one as they had better finals that Cian, James Mc or Boyle.
Cluxton
Harrison
Cooper
Philly
James Mc
Keegan
Durcan
Fenton
Donnelly
Connolly
Kilkenny
A. Moran (as I don’t think Tyrone will get two)
Rock
Geany
Quinlivan
Connolly not getting a player of the year award demonstrates how they are influenced too much by media etc. Fenton and Kilkenny had fine seasons, but they are operating in relative freedom in a lot of instances. Connelly was hugely marked in every game and still came up with the goods. He was also responsible for some of the best demonstrations of skill in the year.
Keegan likewise is very very good, but he was not in the reckoning for this until his high profile black card in the replay.
I’ve seen Philly in everyone’s team, will he get one? While he’s been very solid I don’t think he hit the heights of last year (where he could have been POTY) and think the selectors might see it as a spot where they can wriggle a Tyrone or extra Mayo name in with McCarron or Higgins.
