The top 15 without an All-Ireland

DUBLIN’S dominance since 2013 has the feel of golf, peak Tiger Woods era, when a generation chasing a major had the misfortune to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Supremely talented maybe, but just not enough to match the greatest player of his time.

Here is a ‘Best 15’ of current players yet to win an All-Ireland that is populated in the main by Mayo men. Victory won’t just secure a first senior title since 1951 but give just reward to some of the county’s finest ever talents.

Dublin’s run of four consecutive National League titles — a 36match unbeaten streak in League and Championship only ended by Kerry earlier this year — means that a whole swathe of players from around the country haven’t got a look-in in terms of national honours.

Depending on tomorrow’s result, the list could have a very different look come the final whistle of the final. 1 DAVID CLARKE (MAYO)

In a parallel universe, Mayo’s number one isn’t dropped for last year’s All-Ireland final replay and his county head into tomorrow’s final chasing back-to-back titles. Shot-stopper supreme. Stephen Cluxton on the short-list for Footballer of the Year yet Clarke is the reason why Dublin’s net-minder might not even win an All Star.

2 COLM BOYLE (MAYO)

Whether his timed substitution is linked to GPS stats has been one of the riddles of the summer. In the mould of Higgins in terms of electric, aggressive running with the ball in hand. Fearless. Defiant.

Tough nut too. Another pack leader who has done it consistently for so many years.

3 CHRISSY McKAIGUE (DERRY)

Truly inspiration for Slaughtneil en route to the All-Ireland club final, epitomised by winning his man-on-man battle with St Vincents man Diarmuid Connolly hands down in the semi-final. A totemic presence with Derry too.

4 KEITH HIGGINS (MAYO)

Rolled back the clock in the quarter-final replay against Roscommon with one of the great Croke Park displays. Such a dynamic, crowd-lifting presence on the ball. Remember too, the impact he had in the first half of the 2013 final against Dublin as a roving centre-forward. A natural leader.

5 LEE KEEGAN (MAYO)

It takes a luminous talent to win Footballer of the Year against the grain, when your county doesn’t land the big one. Fitting that he already enjoyed walking up the steps of the Hogan Stand on final day, victorious with his intermediate club Westport back in February.

Devastating on the front foot –— witness his goal in last year’s final replay, yet one of the game’s best man-markers — just ask Diarmuid Connolly. Not just one of the great wing-backs but versatile enough to play in any line.

6 KEVIN McKERNAN (DOWN)

The heartbeat of the Down team, as he showed again this summer. Another product of the modern game: athletic, mobile and classy on the ball. A natural leader who makes the perfect fit as captain. Came so close to removing himself from this list in the summer of 2010.

7 PETER HARTE (TYRONE)

Another adaptable performer with a sublime skill-set. Seems to glide over the ground with the ball. If there’s someone who sums up the breakneck Tyrone counter-attack, it’s Harte (below), whether starting or finishing a length-of-field move.

8 MATTIE DONNELLY (TYRONE)

One of those players Seán Cavanagh mentioned that would grace any of the Tyrone teams that won three All-Irelands. Cut from the Mickey Harte mould of being custom-built to slot into any outfield line — with the vast skill set to match. A two-footed player who is so comfortable on the ball, has been one of Tyrone’s go-to men since he was handed a senior jersey.

9 GARY BRENNAN (CLARE)

A litmus test for any footballer right now is this: would he make it into the Dublin senior starting 15? Just look at how Jim Gavin’s bench for the semi-final featured two former Footballer of the Year winners. With Brennan, you’d have to think his raw power and presence, his outstanding aerial ability, and his experience of being Clare’s go-to man on any given Sunday, would make him the perfect foil for the boxto-box engine of a Brian Fenton or James McCarthy.

10 ANDY MORAN (MAYO)

So popular amongst supporters, long before he put himself in with a shot at Footballer of the Year with a string of sensational performances this summer. At 33, has defied time and injury to do more than anyone to break that Kerry hex. One of the good guys, too.

11 AIDAN O’SHEA (MAYO)

Force of talent and personality makes him a lightning rod for praise and criticism alike. A bear of a man in possession, has that vital ability to break the tackle and protect the ball and get his team on the front foot. A talisman for Mayo. A big final day is surely a motivating force after wrecking ball performances on so many other days. Takes major cojones too to embrace a man-marking role on Kieran Donaghy given the inevitable circus, and also to soak up the lessons for the replayed semi-final against Kerry.

12 MICHAEL QUINLIVAN (TIPPERARY)

Such a different style of player to the county’s former shooting star Declan Browne yet in that same bracket of a rare talent. If Browne was a finisher supreme, Quinlivan (left) too has an eye for a matchwinning goal — the Munster club final strike against Nemo Rangers in 2015 almost matched for drama with his goal to secure promotion from Division Three and deprive Armagh at the same time back in April.

A target man on edge of square who is equally adept as primary ball-winner anywhere around the middle third. Class act.

13 CONOR McMANUS (MONAGHAN)

Another who passes the Dublin starting 15 test. Given the champions’ bench featured Bernard Brogan and Paul Flynn the last day against Tyrone, that is saying something. Takes serious mental strength to carry the burden of chief scorer pretty much every time Monaghan take to the field. Pace, power, ball-winning ability, lethal finisher — the complete package.

14 MICHAEL MEEHAN (GALWAY)

A dazzling career at school, colleges, club and county level — just one truncated by injury. Defied the odds and medical opinion to make it back as part of the senior set-up this summer. His 10 points in the rain against Kerry in the 2008 All-Ireland quarter-final remains a thing of wonder. So too, the logic-defying goaled free against Cork in 2013 with 10 men on the line.

15 CILLIAN O’CONNOR (MAYO)

The conversation about Mayo lacking a marquee forward ended when this guy came along. Twice Young Footballer of the Year. Scoring rate simply off the charts — Championship top scorer for three years running. So much more than a dead-ball specialist. Despite dip in form this summer, proven man for the big day, as shown by the nerveless manner in which he kicked a remarkable equalising point in last year’s drawn final.