1. Niall Morgan (Tyrone)
THE Edendork man is, and has been for a couple of years now, the best goalkeeper in Ireland. For a lot of this year, he was there with Darragh Canavan as Tyrone’s best player full stop. Brilliant kicking display against Donegal the first day and then two superb high catches in Ballybofey in the group. Would have been the first goalkeeper to score a championship goal if Niall Devlin had squared it back to him rather than going himself against Clare. Rough on Blaine Hughes who was superb too.
2. Aaron McKay (Armagh)
THE Dromintee man has developed into a really intelligent defender. Was predominantly utilised as Armagh’s sweeper throughout the summer but more than comfortable slipping into man-marking duties as he often would during games. Leader of their defence, he dictates and organises everything around him. A stellar season capped by an iconic moment as he palmed home the only goal in the All-Ireland final.
3. Brendan McCole (Donegal)
HE’D been a doubt coming into the championship but it all quickly washed away as he nullified Shane McGuigan to start a superb run of performances that ended with a really aggressive and effective display against Damien Comer. Marked Darragh Canavan twice, keeping him scoreless from play in Ballybofey and kept Brian Hurley to a point from play down in Cork. Has taken real ownership of a position Donegal thought they’d struggle to fill when Neil McGee retired.
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PLAYER OF THE YEAR
4. Barry McCambridge (Armagh)
THE size of his displays in the All-Ireland series are such that they have completely dwarfed his omission from the team until they brought him in to pick Shane McGuigan in Celtic Park during the round-robin series. That he’s now odds-on for the GAA’s Footballer of the Year award says enough about how he did against McGuigan, Shane Walsh (twice), David Clifford and Diarmuid Murtagh. The 1-1 he hit against Roscommon and his crucial punched goal against Kerry added further weight. The Clann Eireann man came from nowhere and is my player of the year.
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5. Mattie Donnelly (Tyrone)
DO not be fooled into thinking this is some tokenistic selection because he’s recovered from yet another serious injury and ought to have retired a couple of times over now because of the injuries. Mattie Donnelly came back into the Tyrone team for the summer and was absolutely superb. He was outstanding against Cavan, the best player on the pitch in their narrow Ulster semi-final loss to Donegal, dictated the game that day. Did a lot of good stuff in Ballybofey and against Cork too, and one of few to emerge from Roscommon in credit. Even forget all the reasons for him not to have a great season. He did, regardless.
6. Caolan McGonagle (Donegal)
ONE of the first things Jim McGuinness did was hand Caolan McGonagle the number six shirt and have him mimic the role Colm Cavanagh played for Tyrone at the height of his career. McGonagle revelled in it. He got himself in outstanding shape and became a fearsome one-man blanket that protected the Donegal goal. His defensive positioning and organisation of those around him were outstanding. Some man for a dramatic full-length diving block too.
7. Peadar Mogan (Donegal)
IT’S a rare feat to win back-to-back player of the month awards but that’s where Mogan’s summer was at. Kicked five points from play in the All-Ireland quarter-final win over Louth having just taken Darren McCurry to task right from corner-back in Ballybofey. He gave Donegal their platform in the first half of the Ulster final, the one man that Armagh couldn’t tie down. Galway’s concentration on him in the semi-final made for a frustrating end to the year but that was a mark of respect in itself.
8. Ben Crealey (Armagh)
CREALEY has been around long enough that it would be hard to call this his breakout summer but his performances were so far above the level of any previous summer that you might get away with it. Developed a real knack of not only getting himself in good attacking positions but converting the scores, becoming a Michael Langan-esque figure in the Armagh attacking machine. Big turnover right at the end of the All-Ireland final. Was outstanding aerially in Celtic Park and had a good Ulster final as well.
9. Niall Grimley (Armagh)
HIS story will forever be remembered alongside the tale of Armagh’s All-Ireland success. His first game came in the group stage against Derry when the door was opened by Ciaran Mackin’s injury. Grimley grasped the change. He was outstanding that day in Celtic Park and went on to produce a series of brilliant displays. Kicked back-to-back points at a crucial stage of the first half against Kerry when they were struggling and his point in the final from just inside the 45′ was a huge moment.
10. Stefan Campbell (Armagh)
CAMPBELL is the curveball in the Allstar team. He didn’t make our initial list of nominations and there might be eyebrows raised considering his relative lack of game time but in terms of his impact on Armagh’s success, very few contributed more greatly. Turned the momentum of every game he came into. Fisted the equaliser against Galway to top the group. Tormented Kerry once he got into it. Straight in and set up the goal in the final. Had started the Ulster final and had a good second half that day. His contributions tend to be in dramatic bursts, but so effective.
11. Rian O’Neill (Armagh)
A BIT like how people have seen his manager, it has taken time for some to be convinced of what Rian O’Neill brings. Given a role permanently away from the full-forward line this year, either at midfield or effectively operating as a third man there with Crealey and Grimley, O’Neill’s calling card this year was how he stepped up in really big moments. The point against Kerry stands out naturally, as does his last-gasp catch in his own goalmouth. The one he kicked in the first half of the final was superb, but he also had such a hand in their counter-attacking play in the second half. A season of leadership.
12. Oisin Conaty (Armagh)
THE former Northern Ireland schoolboy international chose Gaelic football two years ago and lit it up this summer. His man of the match display in the All-Ireland final came on top of an outstanding afternoon in the Ulster final too, where he penned Ryan McHugh back and tracked him with real diligence. Tore into Roscommon and really hurt them in the quarter-final and then after a dip against Kerry, he took advantage of a switch of wings in the final. His confidence was up after his first score and he never looked back. Frighteningly quick.
13. Oisin Gallen (Donegal)
BALLYBOFEY’S finest took another big step forward in his career this year, becoming the ultimate focal point in Donegal’s attack. The display of point-taking he gave in the first half of the Ulster final was absolutely sublime. Right foot (his natural stronger leg), left foot, fist, everything. Kicked three in the first half of the All-Ireland final as well, two of them off his left. Even when he was quieter, such as against Tyrone in MacCumhaill Park, he still kicked two from play. If they can start to get 70 minutes out of him, there will be few forwards in Ireland to match him.
14. Darragh Canavan (Tyrone)
OVER the last eighteen months, Canavan has gone from potential to performance. You can poke holes in his season, that he didn’t trouble the scoreboard enough in the two games against Donegal, but for what he brings and what he gives to Tyrone, and the joy with which he plays, it’s easier to look at the good. Like, even when he didn’t score in Ballybofey, he still produced moments of brilliance and was a whisker away from one of the goals of the season. Brilliant against Cavan and Cork in particular, did his best to prevent their defeat by Roscommon. Edges out Andrew Murnin.
15. Conor Turbitt (Armagh)
A TURBO-charged summer, if you’ll forgive the pun. The Clann Eireann man had particularly brilliant games in the Ulster final and the All-Ireland semi-final win over Kerry. Hit three points in the group stage draw with Galway, 1-2 against Roscommon and 1-4 in the group stage win over Derry. Very similar season to that of Oisin Gallen and they’re not dissimilar players, with Turbitt’s ability to go on his weaker left foot elevating him on to a new plain. The focal point of all they did.
Vote now: The Allstars are based largely on public vote so have your say now at https://allstars.irishnews.com/ – voting closes today (Friday 2nd August).
