Dubs dominate with a magnificent seven
SEVEN of Dublin’s four-in-a-row champions are represented in this year’s GAA GPA PWC AllStar football team.
Jonny Cooper, James McCarthy, Jack McCaffrey, Brian Fenton, Ciarán Kilkenny, Brian Howard and Paul Mannion all made the final cut.
It is no surprise that Dublin dominated this year’s selection and it is the third time in four years that they have walked away with seven gongs.
Given the magnitude of their achievement, it could be argued that Jim Gavin’s champions have been short-changed, especially as the Kerry team they emulated received a record nine awards when they completed the four-ina-row in 1981.
However, Dublin’s haul this year is set against a more competitive backdrop, given the introduction of the Super 8s which were expected to encourage a wider spread of representatives.
It held true to that promise with six counties represented on this year’s team. Three from Monaghan’s squad won awards, two from Tyrone’s All-Ireland finalists and one each from Donegal, Galway and Kerry. This contrasts sharply with 12 months ago when 13 places were shared by Dublin and Mayo.
Tyrone are arguably the big losers here, their two places won through the combined efforts of Padraig Hampsey and Colm Cavanagh. That represents the lowest haul for beaten All-Ireland finalists since Cork received a solitary award in 2007.
This year, the committee of national GAA journalists were given the latitude to pick players outside the position they were nominated in. This is reflected in Cavanagh’s presence in the team at full-back.
Cavanagh had been nominated at midfield but his position in the full-back line is validated by his role as sweeper throughout the summer, while Brian Howard, who played as very much a middle eight player is moved from the half-forward line to midfield.
In total, seven players will be picking up an award for the first time at tomorrow night’s annual banquet at Dublin’s National Convention Centre.
Monaghan pair Rory Beggan and Karl O’Connell, Hampsey (Tyrone) Eoghan Ban Gallagher (Donegal), Shane Walsh (Galway), David Clifford (Kerry) and Dublin rookie Howard are all first time winners.
Beggan’s selection means that Dublin captain Stephen Cluxton misses out yet again – the last of his five awards coming in 2013.
However, Beggan’s position on the team can hardly be a source of contention in a season when his kicking skills, both from long distance frees and from the kicking tee had a significant influence in Monaghan’s run to the All-Ireland semi-final.
His 0-17 tally meant that he finished behind Conor McManus as his team’s second highest scorer, while the range of his restarts were without equal and gifted his team a direct route to the opposition’s scoring zone.
He is joined on the team by his Farney teammates Karl O’Connell and McManus, which makes it their biggest ever haul — they had previously won two in 1985 and 2013.
And in winning a third award, McManus equals county legend Nudie Hughes as Monaghan’s most celebrated player in the 47year history of the scheme.
In all, just four of last year’s selection have made it onto this year’s team — understandable given Mayo’s early summer exit. The Dublin trio of McCaffrey, McCarthy and Mannion, along with Tyrone veteran Cavanagh, have all been selected again.
The Footballer of the Year, which will come from an all-Dublin shortlist of Jack McCaffrey, Ciarán Kilkenny and Brian Fenton will be decided by a poll of GAA members, the result of which will be revealed tomorrow night.
The Young Player of the Year award is expected to come down to a straight choice between Dublin’s Brian Howard and Kerry’s David Clifford, with Tyrone defender Michael McKernan also having been nominated.
‘Tyrone are arguably the biggest losers here’