Cluxton claim not strongest

IS there a danger of the Player of the Year award turning into the GAA’s equivalent of a lifetime achievement award? With Joe Canning favourite to scoop the hurling gong, ahead of Jamie Barron and Gearoid McInerney, and Stephen Cluxton favourite to land the football award should Dublin win today, there’s a sense that this award is going to players for what they have done over their career – rather than in 2017, even allowing for Canning’s moment of magic against Tipp. Cluxton had stronger claims in 2011 and 2013 than this summer and even though his restarts are as flawless, as ever, he has very little actual shot-stopping to do.