Annual All Star consternation is unwarranted but unsurprising

IT seems that - as is par for the course every year - the GAA All Stars have caused plenty of people to get their proverbials in a twist.

From Kerry’s point of view Paul Geaney collected the county’s only All Star and it was no more or no less than the Kingdom deserved. Geaney was Kerry’s stand-out footballer this year and got his just reward, and no one could have made a strong argument for the inclusion of another Kerry player in the All Star team.

However, the selection of seven Dubs, six Mayo men, and Colm Cavanagh alongside Geaney has drawn the usual debate and disagreement and consternation.

Personally, I would have had Tom Parsons on the team (probably at Cavanagh’s expense) but then again I saw the Mayo man ‘live’ three times and didn’t see Cavanagh in action for Tyrone at all, except on television. Those things can really colour one’s judgement.

The Dublin and Mayo camps are understandably divided on the goalkeeping award, with David Clarke beating Stephen Cluxton to the gong. Again, for our money Clarke made more outstanding saves and had a greater hand in getting Mayo to the All-Ireland Final than Cluxton did for Dublin, notwithstanding the essential role the latter’s restarts play in Dublin’s game plan.

Seems, too, that some in the capital aren’t happy that for the second year in a row the All-Ireland champions haven’t been rewarded with the Footballer of the Year ward, it going to Mayo’s Andy Moran.

No quibbles from here on that one. Moran had a fantastic season and Championship, and it’s worth noting that this particular award is voted on by inter-county players, and not the panel of journalists and broadcasters who select the All Star 15. Even so, one wonders how much ‘live’ football inter-county footballers (and hurlers) actually go to see, and even if they watch much of the Championship on television?

Moran’s performances in the Mayo forward line generated a lot of newspaper headlines and airwaves time, and one wonders how much of an influence this had on how the players cast their vote for Footballer of the Year (and the Young Footballer of the Year award, which went to Dublin’s Con O’Callaghan).

The media mightn’t know much about the game but they watch an awful lot more games than any inter-county player does over a season, and you can be sure than Moran would have been a pretty unanimous choice by the scribblers and yappers in the press gantry.

Players will tell anyone who listens that individuals accolades, like All Stars, don’t matter to them. Players are liars. Of course these things matter, especially when recognition is from one’s peers. Needless to say Moran would swap his POTY award for a Celtic Cross, but it’s fair reward for a great season. The rest of team will get a trip abroad on the All Star Tour, and best of luck to them for that. It’s the least they deserve.