STARS OF THE SHOW
Four All-ireland titles in row & now another seven All-stars for the all-conquering Dubs
DUBLIN have claimed seven PWC All-stars for the third time in four years on the back of completing their four-in-a-row quest.
The exception was 2016 – when they won six – while this year’s haul falls short of their record of nine in 1977.
But Dublin’s current dominance only leaves three of the coveted gongs for Monaghan, two for Tyrone and one each for Galway, Kerry and Donegal.
There are six first-time winners in all – Rory Beggan, Karl O’connell (both Monaghan), Padraig Hampsey (Tyrone), Brian Howard (Dublin), Ian Burke (Galway) and David Clifford (Kerry).
In a change in the selection system this year, players could be chosen in an area of the field other than that which they were nominated in, which had an impact on the final team.
Despite being nominated among the midfielders and forwards, Colm Cavanagh and Brian Howard were chosen in defence and midfield respectively.
Cavanagh was picked at fullback, a reflection of his sweeping defensive duties with Tyrone despite being listed as midfielder.
Howard being shifted to midfield holds credibility given the range of duties he carried out in a sterling first full season with Dublin.
His selection alongside fellow Raheny man Brian Howard means that the midfield pairing is drawn from the same club for the first time in the 47-year history of the All-star scheme.
It’s only the third time that the two midfielders have come from the same county after Jack O’shea and Sean Walsh (Kerry, 1981) and Anthony Tohill and Brian Mcgilligan (Derry, 1993). With Cavanagh winning his second award to go with brother Sean’s five, they become just the fourth set of siblings to win multiple All-stars alongside the Spillanes and O Ses of Kerry and the Brogans of Dublin.
It’s a record haul of three for All-ireland semi-finalists Monaghan, having previously had two players selected in 1985, 1988 and 2013.
By getting the nod between the posts, Beggan becomes Monaghan’s first All-star goalkeeper since Paddy Linden in 1988.
Beggan saw off competition mainly from Stephen Cluxton on the back of a hugely impressive season, notable for his long and accurate kicking as he scored 0-18 from placed balls over the course of the Championship campaign.
It means that Cluxton has now not won an All-star since 2013 having lost out narrowly in recent years and still shares the record for the goalkeeping position with his fellow countyman John O’leary on five.
Ian Burke becomes Galway’s first All-star since current Tribe boss Kevin Walsh back in 2003, while he is the county’s first attacker to be chosen since Michael Donnellan and Padraic Joyce were picked up front 17 years ago.
Burke was also chosen on the newly created GAA Club Football Team of the Championship this year, making him the first player to achieve the double.
David Clifford crowns a fine debut season with Kerry by winning an All-star, the first teenager to do so since fellow countyman Colm Cooper in 2002.
Maurice Fitzgerald, another Kerryman and current county selector, also achieved the feat of winning an All-star in his debut season at just 19 back in 1988. In all, five players – James Mccarthy, Jack Mccaffrey, Fenton, Ciaran Kilkenny and Conor Mcmanus – are winning their third awards.
It’s the first time since 2006 that there isn’t a player collecting his fourth All-star or better.
The players will be presented with their awards at the annual All-star banquet at Dublin’s Convention Centre tomorrow night, when the hurling team and the player of the year awards will be announced live.