THE 15 WHO MAKE UP
1 Stephen Cluxton (Dublin) The man who pulls the strings in terms of controlling the game, but Cluxton (right) also reminded us last Sunday that he is still quite the shot-stopper with that crucial save from Jason Doherty.
2 Jonny Cooper (Dublin) Not as commanding as last year, but if you wanted someone with the smarts and aggression to get a job done, you can’t look beyond Cooper (below).
3 Michael Fitzsimons (Dublin) Gets the nod despite a poor show in the final, but at least he was a full-back in a below average year for them, unlike Cian O’Sullivan who was shoe-horned into the Sunday Game’s team of the year.
4 Keith Higgins (Mayo) I have long been a member of this guy’s fan club and he gets better with age. That diving block against Brogan when he was seized with cramp the last day summed him up.
5 Colm Boyle (Mayo) It was a huge mistake to take him off so early last Sunday. Sure he had taken a big hit, but the warrior in him would have seen the game out.
6 Chris Barrett (Mayo) He has been excellent all year but he capped it for me in what I thought was the real man-of-the-match performance in the final. Ferocious tackler.
7 Jack McCaffrey (Dublin) I hope he makes it back as good as ever after suffering that cruciate injury. He was sensational all year and looked set for a huge final.
8 James McCarthy (Dublin) Outplayed in the first half on Sunday but bounced back with a powerful second-half showing. His move to midfield was one of the main reasons why the Dubs are champions again.
9 Tom Parsons (Mayo) Parsons (circled right) developed into one of the leaders on the Mayo team this summer, where his work-rate and ball skills revealed a top class midfielder.
10 Kevin McLoughlin (Mayo) He is everything you would want from a modern half-forward: high energy, strong in the tackle and ability to sting from deep. Outstanding all year.
11 Aidan O’Shea (Mayo) He was superb in the first half last Sunday as he has been for the bulk of the Championship. O’Shea (top right) buried the notion that he
can’t produce the goods in a final.
12 Con O’Callaghan (Dublin) After all the hype, it took him just two minutes to find his stride in the final to score that goal. He has been a revelation all year in a triple All-Ireland-winning season.
13 Paul Geaney (Kerry) Even when Kerry lost their way, this guy’s quality kept shining through. He was under so much pressure against Mayo and still managed to find a way.
14 Andy Moran (Mayo) I know his hamstring was bothering him in the final, but I would still have kept him on until the end because he is that good. His set-ups both for Keegan’s goal and Doherty’s miss were outstanding.
15 Paul Mannion (Dublin) It was fitting that he was the player who turned the screw in the final because he has been the most improved player in this year’s Championship. Mannion (below) has developed into a strong ballwinner, while retaining his eye for goal.