PHILLY McMAHON joked the GAA’s All-Star selection committee may have revelled in finally getting a chance to share the love this year.
Ordinarily Dublin or Kerry lead the way or at least take up a significant chunk of the 15 awardees.
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However, both endured Championship campaigns to forget.
Galway pulled off a momentous comeback to dump The Dubs out at the All-Ireland quarter-finals despite their star men largely playing through injuries.
And it wasn’t much better for Kerry who trudged past Derry at the same stage before being out-fought and out-played in an extra-time battle versus eventual champions Armagh.
Reacting to the news that not a single player from the two traditional powers made the cut this year, the Ballymun Kickhams man quipped it must have made for a welcome change.
He tweeted: “How happy would you say the All-Star committee were choosing this year’s All-Stars? They had to wait 21 years. #nodubs #nokerry”
There’s a real freshness about this year’s selection as there are 14 first-time recipients.
Kieran McGeeney’s men lead the way with six whilst runners-up Galway have five, with two from Donegal and one apiece from Louth and Tyrone.
Armagh had not won an All-Star since Ronan Clarke in 2008 but now have a player in every outfield line.
Orchard stopper Blaine Hughes was just edged out by Tyrone’s Niall Morgan, who got the nod in goal.
The Red Hands failed to reach the last eight but their No 1 impressed with his kickouts and open play.
In front of him, Armagh’s Barry McCambridge is picked in the full-back line and is in line to be crowned Footballer of the Year after firing 2-5 from play this summer.
Team-mate Aaron McKay missed out despite hitting the net in their 1-11 to 0-13 final win over Galway.
Skipper Aidan Forker also got the nod for the Ulstermen after a season of outstanding leadership and marauding runs.
Team-mate Ben Crealey is picked in midfield. He fired 0-2 in their All-Ireland final win and laid on the ball for Stefan Campbell in the lead-up to McKay’s goal.
Midfield partner Niall Grimley was unlucky to lose out but their inside men of Rían O’Neill, Oisín Conaty and Conor Turbitt are all honoured.
O’Neill was a colossus in attack and was man of the match against the Kingdom.
Conaty won that same gong after a plundering 0-3 from play in the Sam Maguire decider and is hot favourite to be named Young Footballer of the Year tomorrow night at the RDS.
‘Turbo’ Turbitt kicked 0-5 against the Kingdom and amassed 3-22 in total across the Championship.
The hurling panel along with the Player of the Year winners in both codes will be revealed at the gala event tomorrow night.
