The All STArS AT 50: To miss out

Bantry Blues.

ANTHONY LYNCH

IN 1999 Anthony Lynch won his first of two All Stars playing with Cork. The Ballyvourney born Naomh Abán man also has one Celtic Cross, five Munster Senior Football medals and three National League honours in his bulging trophy cabinet. Honoured with his second All Star in 2002, Lynch was, and still is, regarded as one of the finest defenders to ever represent his club, division and county. Lynch’s two All Stars were testament to his influence on the game in the late 90s and early noughties.

CIARAN O’SULLIVAN

CIARAN O’Sullivan represented Cork for 14 years mainly in the half back line. In 1999, he was honoured with an All Star and has five Munster titles and a National League medal to his name. A native of Urhan O’Sullivan represented his club, his county and the Beara division with pride and his highly regarded throughout the county for his efforts.

PHILIP CLIFFORD

IN 1999 Bantry’s Philip Clifford won his first and only All-Star award – the same year he captained the senior Rebels. In Clifford’s six years with the senior squad he claimed two Munster medals as well as a National League title. Clifford was versatile as an attacking player, but was best known for his endeavours as a full-forward.

KEVIN O’DWYER

KEVIN O’Dwyer was Cork’s goal keeper during the period of 1995 to 2005 claiming an All-Star award for his troubles in 1999. O’Dwyer also had success with his club, O’Donovan Rossa when they claimed the All Ireland Club title for the first time in their history back in 1992.

NICHOLAS MURPHY

CARRIGALINE’S Nicolas Murphy was a colossus in the midfield for Cork for almost 15 years claiming an All Star in 2006. In that time, he won one All Ireland, five Munster crowns and five National League medals. Murphy retired from the inter-county scene back in 2012 after lining out for his beloved county 49 times. A legendary figure in the game Leeside.

GER SPILLANE

ANOTHER of the famous 2010 All Ireland winning side, Ballygarvan’s Ger Spillane won his only All Star in 2009 as the side was right at the peak of their powers. Two leagues, three provincial crowns and seven years in the blood and bandage show just what a talent Spillane was for his county.

GRAHAM CANTY

LIKE Larry Tomkins, Graham Canty has been awarded with three All Stars during what was a magnificent and successful career. Canty won his all Stars in 2007, 2009 and 2010 with the first being secured at corner back while the other pair were given for his performances at centre-back. Canty captained Cork when they won their seventh and final All Ireland in 2010 and will forever be recognised as one of the most impressive, committed and successful Cork footballers of all time. Canty represented his county for 13 years claiming 61 caps in the blood and bandage and also won one senior county club title with his beloved

WHEN it comes to quality defenders Cork’s Michael Shields has to go down as one of the best Cork has ever produced. A pair of All Stars in 2009 and 2010, both at full back, Shields became a constant in Cork’s rear-guard for almost 13 years representing the senior squad with pride from 2005 to 2017. Shields still plays his club football with his beloved St Finbarr’s but will likely always be remembered as the man that led cork to the 2010 Sam Maguire, the county’s last major success on the national stage.

JOHN MISKELLA

BALLINCOLLIG’S John Miskella received his one and only All Star in 2019 after impressing for Cork for many years. Miskella started his career with Cork in 1999 and finished up in 2011 after securing an All-Ireland title in 2010. Miskella also won four Munster Senior medals and three National Leagues during a quality career in red.

PEARSE O’NEILL

AGHADA’S Pearse O’Neill was an All Star in 2009. The accountant also bagged four Munster titles and one All Ireland win during his eight-year career in Cork’s famous colours. O’Neill played in a host of positions excelling at centre forward and midfield – he was at number 11 when securing the individual honour.

DANIEL GOULDING

HE may have won his All Star back in 2009 but Éire Óg’s Daniel Goulding continues to impress for his club year on year. For Cork, Goulding was a hugely significant attacking threat winning two Munsters, two Leagues and one All Ireland medal. Goulding will be key when Éire Óg play Mallow in the final of the Senior A Football championship later this year.

PAUDIE KISSANE.

THE Mourneabbey area has become more synonymous with ladies’ football in recent times however back in 2010 the area was known more so as the home of one of Cork’s most reliable and dedicated half backs, Paudie Kissane. An All-Ireland winner in 2010, Kissane also won an All Star for his efforts that year. Kissane also collected three national Leagues and two Munster medals during an inter-county career that lasted over a decade.

COLM O’NEILL

BALLYCLOUGH’S Colm O’Neill is regarded by many as one of the most potent and feared attackers to ever represent Cork and is one of the last players to get an All Star for his beloved county. A key performer with the rebels for a decade, not even three cruciate knee injuries could stop this corner forward from becoming one of the most successful players in Cork’s recent history – something that was recognised in 2010 when he was selected for an All Star at number 13.

O’Neill was also quite the hurler for his club but he will always be regarded as the quality attacking forward that helped cork to their 2010 All Ireland win.

AIDAN WALSH

ALONG with Colm O’Neill, Aidan Walsh is the last Cork player to claim an All Star for football. Getting the nod in 2012 was Walsh’s second time getting the award after first claiming an All Star in 2010. Prior to his inter-county retirement earlier this year, Walsh dedicated his county attentions to hurling however while hurling became his inter-county focus few could argue that the Kanturk man wasn’t one of the most talented, physical presences in red and white at both codes over the last

(3) Jimmy Barrett (Nemo Rangers)

DURING Cork’s scintillating march to All-Ireland glory in 1973, they bagged 11 goals in their last three games against Kerry (5), Tyrone (3) and Galway (3).

Having exhibited such awesome and devastating fire-power, it was rather surprising that only two Cork forwards, Ray Cummins and Jimmy Barry-Murphy, were accommodated on the All-Star team that year.

The player most unlucky to lose out was unquestionably Jimmy Barrett, who twice found the net in the Munster final and was a goal-scorer as well in the All-Ireland decider.

He scored 4-8 in all over four championship games, which amply illustrates the commendable input to Cork’s success made by a physically powerful corner-forward, who gave sterling service to the county team between 1970 and 1978.

Barrett gained every major honour at club level with Nemo, he garnered All-Ireland glory at u-21 and minor level in both hurling and football, and he won a county senior hurling medal with UCC in 1970.

It’s a rich collection of silverware by any standards, but it would be by no means unfitting if it also contained an All-Star football award.

(4) Noel O’Leary (Kilnamartyra)

IN keeping Down’s talismanic attacker Marty Clarke in check, there is no disputing Noel O’Leary played a key role in Cork’s All-Ireland final success in 2010.

In the process, he embellished his reputation as one of the most tenacious defenders in the business, having performed with remarkable consistency at the top level since making his championship debut in 2003.

Not that O’Leary’s game was all about man-marking, his tremendous pace, power and energy enabled him to link play well between defence and attack, and he was no slouch either when it came to kicking a point from distance.

Such attributes meant he was an automatic choice (apart from the odd occasion when he was unavailable) for a defensive post under Cork managers Larry Tompkins, Billy Morgan and Conor Counihan in turn before reaching the twilight of his career in 2013.

In light of how competently he contained Down’s chief play-maker Clarke on the big day in Croke Park, it must surely have been a marginal call to omit the Kilnamartyra lion-heart from the All-Star team in 2010.

(5) Humphrey Kelleher (Millstreet)

IN the 1974 Munster final at Killarney,

Cork defeated Kerry by 1-11 to 0-7 – a fairly convincing victory on the face of it.

It doesn’t tell the full story, however, because the reigning All-Ireland champions were under severe pressure for most of the first-half, and there might well have been a different outcome but for the heroics of Billy Morgan and Humphrey Kelleher at the back.

Morgan looked unbeatable between the sticks, but I’m sure he’d admit his task was made all the easier as a result of the unwavering defiance displayed by teak-tough Kelleher at the edge of the square.

It left the Millstreet man in pole position for the No 3 slot on the All-Star team, but Cork’s shock defeat at the hands of an unheralded Dublin outfit in the All-Ireland semi-final changed the picture, allowing Sean Doherty – who had the honour of lifting the Sam Maguire after the Dubs added Galway’s scalp in the final – to eventually get the nod from the judges.

Apart from the aforementioned quintet, other Cork footballers who immediately spring to mind in terms of being a little unfortunate not to gain All-Star recognition over the course of their careers are Ballincollig’s Paddy Kelly, Newmarket’s Danny Culloty, Ballingeary’s John O’Driscoll, Midleton’s Colm O’Neill, Nemo Rangers’ Martin Cronin and Éire Óg’s Ciarán Sheehan.