LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN
Spring stars from seven different counties make their All-Star cases early
THERE is a lot of football to be played before any call will be needed to hire those monkey suits for the GAA’s very own Oscars, the All-Stars. But Allianz League form matters — it forms part of the criteria when it comes to the selection of the end-of-year teams although, ultimately, the system is weighted heavily in favour of how teams perform in the Championship — and already some of the game’s top players have put their hands up early for consideration.
When picking a team based on League form, pragmatism dictates that any selection is almost exclusively drawn from the top tier. Division 1 players benefit from a higher level of exposure, while their performances carry more weight on the basis that they are playing against the best.
It’s a similar picture in the Championship, where the teams are usually now made up from those who reach the last four — last year’s team was effectively a Dublin/Mayo combination as they made up all but two places on the final team.
A League selection, due to the equality of games and exposure is a more democratic exercise, as can be seen by our selection, but winners Dublin come in once more with the highest number of representatives.
However, players from seven counties make our spring team including Cavan’s Dara McVeety, whose sustained brilliance defied the handicap of playing in a lower division, to make the final selection.
1 RORY BEGGAN (MONAGHAN)
Hot competition from Galway’s Ruairi Lavelle, who also conceded just the one goal, but Beggan was key to Monaghan’s game-plan.
His kicking from the tee and from placed balls — he finished the campaign with 0-8 from frees — was of the highest quality, while he pulled off a string of match-defining saves throughout the competition.
2 EOGHAN BAN GALLAGHER (DONEGAL)
More of a utility player than a cornerback, but whatever his position, this kid is designed to thrill.
He is blessed with terrific upper-body strength and searing pace, which makes him difficult to stop.
If there is a prototype footballer designed for what is now labelled as the ‘transition’, the Killybegs clubman sets that standard.
3 SEAN ANDY Ó CEALLAIGH (GALWAY)
Galway have paid a heavy price in recent seasons for not having a specialist full-back on whom they can lean, but O Ceallaigh is a force of nature who marries the physical presence of an old-time with number with the dynamism so coveted in the modern game.
4 EOGHAN KERIN (GALWAY)
What the Annaghdown man lacks in size — he is just 5ft 8in — he makes up for in attitude. A clothtight-in-your-face defender, capable of suffocating the best of attacking talent, he is a forward’s worst nightmare.
There was a reason why Galway had the best defensive record — seven shut-outs in eight games — and he was a big part of it.
5 PAUL MURPHY (KERRY)
For all of Kerry’s youthful promise, it was one of their more experienced players in Murphy who held things together.
With the exception of a difficult afternoon on Ciaran Kilkenny, he excelled in the Kerry defence and provided the badly needed leadership that ultimately kept them afloat.
6 JONNY COOPER (DUBLIN)
His displacement of Cian O’Sullivan as the leader of the Dublin defence may have been subtle but it has been emphatic.
The four-time All-Ireland medal winner spent most of this spring at centre-back, where his ability to break up play, turnover possession and counter with some threat made him the best this spring by a distance.
7 KARL O’CONNELL (MONAGHAN)
Tight call with Galway’s Johnny Heaney — the latter switched between the half-back and half-forward lines to huge effect — but O’Connell’s explosiveness has been a huge part of Monaghan’s threat over the past couple of seasons.
He was at his electric best this spring, not least in an outstanding performance in his team’s victory over Kerry.
8 BRIAN FENTON (DUBLIN)
The best midfielder in the game by a country mile; the Raheny man is blessed with the complete skill set.
He is a prolific winner of aerial ball, his creative instincts with ball in hand are sharper than most centre-forwards and he can sting too as evidenced by the 1-9 he scored from play.
9 MATTIE DONNELLY (TYRONE)
He played in fits and starts — and in truth played more as a link player than an orthodox midfielder — but without him Tyrone would have been in all sorts of bother.
He kicked a huge injury-time winner against Kildare, while he also knocked over 0-4 against Mayo in his team’s best performance of the League.
10 DARA McVEETY (CAVAN)
The most under-rated footballer in the country over the past three seasons but his value is well known in Cavan, where he was the driving force who led them to promotion.
He is ferocious in recovering ball, is in danger of smoking his GPS vest every time he togs out and can play a bit too. He looks likely to miss the Ulster opener against Donegal, which could cost Cavan dearly.
11 DAMIEN COMER (GALWAY)
He was the League’s stand-out full-forward, but he is moved out here to accommodate others and in recognition of the reality that he can play anywhere.
He is such a physically imposing figure that preventing him winning the ball is nigh on impossible, and with it in hand he is a potent force as evidenced by the 1-17 he scored from play.
12 CIARÁN KILKENNY (DUBLIN)
Another that could be picked at full-forward, but this guy is a movable feast.
He reminded us of what a talent he is when he was returned to a more orthodox strike role, racking up 2-18 in open play, but he can still drop deep to get the champions moving.
He heads into the summer as the front-runner for Player of the Year.
13 PADDY McBREARTY (DONEGAL)
He has only one kicking leg and, because of injury he only got to use it in four games but such is his talent he still makes this team.
He amassed 0-30 in those four games — 0-11 coming from open play — and right now there is not a hotter inside forward in the game.
14 DEAN ROCK (DUBLIN)
He will never be an eye-grabber but his consistency continues to astonish. It would be wrong to dismiss him as just a free-taking specialist — although 0-22 of his 1-28 this spring came from placed balls — as his intelligence and movement make him a potent force in open play.
15 LEE BRENNAN (TYRONE)
The wonder is that it has taken this long for Tyrone to cotton onto his value, but once he was given extended game-time the Trillick clubman showed his manager Mickey Harte just what he has been missing. Outside of his potency — he scored 2-20 in six outings (2-6 from play) — he is a bag of tricks who brings that bit of badly needed devilment to the Red Hands’ attack.