Sunday Game Team of the Year

black&white wrote:One of either Charlie or Ross were unlucky not to get a mention. The Rossie and Down games probably blotted the copy-books enough to keep them out of the team, but then the same logic could have been applied to McMahon in respect of the Meath game (and corner backs are a lot more responsible for goals than points).

Quirke getting in ahead of McVeigh is a joke to be honest. McVeigh pulled off some exceptional saves throughout the year (yesterday included), and it seemed like the Quirke choice was more to ensure that Cork had enough players in the 15.

Doyle was also extremely unlucky to miss out, but being honest I'd pick Gooch and Brogan ahead of him too. Whilst he racked up an impressive scoring haul, he played more games than anyone (except Brogan... I think!). He didn't stand out in any games in the way that Brogan or Gooch did this year. Unlucky to have Goulding picked ahead of him alright, but similar to Quirke, winners tend to get picked that bit easier.

totally agree B&W i cant even remember Quirke getting his jersey dirty never mind making saves. Mc Veigh was the best keeper on view all year made some exceptional saves including 2 or 3 against Kerry which won the game in the end.

Cant understand Shinners comment about his kickouts, at the end of the day he did what he could after that its up to the guys out the field to meet him half way

bocerty wrote:Cant understand Shinners comment about his kickouts, at the end of the day he did what he could after that its up to the guys out the field to meet him half way

In fairness to Shinners, she obviously doesn't watch any Ulster games, as evidenced by virtually no Ulster players getting a look in on her elongated list. Nor Munster games either, for that matter, given how easily the Gooch was dismissed.

Ger Brennan? Daryl Flynn? Michael Dara MacAuley? Rory O'Carroll? Seamus Kenny? Shinners, there is life beyond Leinster.

Usually these awards are divvied up among the last 4 in the main. Leinster had two teams in the last four. I think Doyle and Kavanagh can consider themselves very unlucky not to have made the cut. Its humorous here sometimes when you defend your county or province you are accused of sniping or being thin skinned. MD McAuley has every right to be mentioned among this season's best midfielders.

I'd disagree on MacAuley, Jayo. He wouldn't have been in my top 4, coming in behind Galvin, Walsh, Keenan and even Dick Clerkin.

I don't think that Shinners was defending her province - I didn't get any sense of seige mentality from her post. I was just pointing out that she was ignoring the claims of players from other provinces.

Thomas Clarke wrote:I'd disagree on MacAuley, Jayo. He wouldn't have been in my top 4, coming in behind Galvin, Walsh, Keenan and even Dick Clerkin.
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Keenan had a good season but they were routed in MF by Dublin. Walsh was poor enough for me most of the season but had an excellent game yesterday. Clerkin? Surely Dermot Earley is worth a mention then as even though he was injured he had more game time than Clerkin, and probably Galvin.

Jayo Cluxton wrote:

Thomas Clarke wrote:I'd disagree on MacAuley, Jayo. He wouldn't have been in my top 4, coming in behind Galvin, Walsh, Keenan and even Dick Clerkin.
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Keenan had a good season but they were routed in MF by Dublin. Walsh was poor enough for me most of the season but had an excellent game yesterday. Clerkin? Surely Dermot Earley is worth a mention then as even though he was injured he had more game time than Clerkin, and probably Galvin.

My 2 would be Galvin and Walsh. Walsh, as you would say, 'routed' the Dublin midfield in the semi-final, and saw off both Kerry midfielders in both Munster games.

Clerkin would have been at least on a par with MacAuley, slightly ahead in my opinion. He was excellent in the Ulster championship. Earley was injured almost all year and, when fit, his performances were not as good as last year.

Galvin and Walsh for me. The 2 most consistently good mifielders all year.

Saw no routing of the Dublin midfield by Walsh who had an average enough game with some atrocious shooting. Nicholas Murphy made all the diffrence IMO when introduced.

Jayo Cluxton wrote:Usually these awards are divvied up among the last 4 in the main. Leinster had two teams in the last four. I think Doyle and Kavanagh can consider themselves very unlucky not to have made the cut. Its humorous here sometimes when you defend your county or province you are accused of sniping or being thin skinned. MD McAuley has every right to be mentioned among this season's best midfielders.

i have to admit McAuley didnt really impress me at the start of the season but as the season went on he done enough to at least be in with a shout of making the team of the year - great work rate and a good athlete good enough pair of hands but the feet would need a bit of work. But for a first season he did ok.

But as someone said last week we would need to see him in action for another season or too before we can make an accurate judgement on him.

As regards the Sunday Game last night
I though the format was an awful Grind -
Firstly they should have shown more footage from the game - Another 10-15 minutes of action.
For balance maybe the panel should be extended to four for the AI final discussion one from each province
Should have had someone from Dublin or Meath as a panelist.
The eight "experts" does not work Firstly when one person is being spoken there are several others in camera which
looks very akward - (Banty for e.g) as is having to sit and look calm whilst being praised like BB or looking unoffended like Johnny Doyle.
There were three panelists - eight "experts" - 2 managers and half a dozen Cork players all interviewed
There is only so many times you can ask the same question

Down were first to ball in first half
Slick play from forwards
Didn't create goal chances
Cork a bit sluggish in first 30 mins
Cork changes were important
Down changes were strange
Cork won most ball in midfield
Goulding and O Connor handled the pressure
Cork could have had two goals and a penalty
Cork deserved to win

Not a whole pile more to be said so it would have been better to fill the programme with more action
and less repetive questions-

Also Des needs a desk or something to lean on - He looks like a rabbit in the headlamps sitting on a chair wondering what to do with his hands

My team of the year:

Quirke (Cork)
Carey (Cork)
Shields (Cork)
Harrison (Sligo)
Kissane (Cork)
McKernan (Down)
Bolton (Kildare)
Keenan (Louth)
Galvin (Limerick) - McAuley??? Dont make me laugh
Hughes (Down)
Clarke (Down)
Reilly (Meath) - Cant believe he's being overlooked by everyone
Doyle (Kildare) - Player of The Year
O Connor (Cork) - Came up with the big scores under pressure unlike brogan
Kavanagh (Kildare)

No Mayo men? ........

Jayo Cluxton wrote:No Mayo men? ........

Actually had The Mort included but replaced him with johnny doyle. Wasnt The Mort's greatest ever season in fairness but i still thought he showed enough class to be considered. However, such is the attitude on this site that i wouldve been just accused of bias if i included him. A sad situation when a man cant express his opinion for fear of having his head bitten off

whiterbananas wrote:My team of the year:

Quirke (Cork)
Carey (Cork)
Shields (Cork)
Harrison (Sligo)
Kissane (Cork)
McKernan (Down)
Bolton (Kildare)
Keenan (Louth)
Galvin (Limerick) - McAuley??? Dont make me laugh
Hughes (Down)
Clarke (Down)
Reilly (Meath) - Cant believe he's being overlooked by everyone
Doyle (Kildare) - Player of The Year
O Connor (Cork) - Came up with the big scores under pressure unlike brogan
Kavanagh (Kildare)

Not sure on Kavanagh or Reilly in the forward line - Think a few of the following would require consideration
Gooch, Goulding, Donie Shine,Bryan Sheehan and PAdraig Joyce - Michael Murphy nearly won an U-21 title on his won but would admit he didn't get much of a gallop in the Senior championship.

whiterbananas wrote:A sad situation when a man cant express his opinion for fear of having his head bitten off

Very true .........

whiterbananas wrote:

Jayo Cluxton wrote:No Mayo men? ........

Actually had The Mort included but replaced him with johnny doyle. Wasnt The Mort's greatest ever season in fairness but i still thought he showed enough class to be considered. However, such is the attitude on this site that i wouldve been just accused of bias if i included him. A sad situation when a man cant express his opinion for fear of having his head bitten off

I didn't think it was Doyle's best either. He was very poor in two games against Antrim and didn't do a lot against Down, apart from the "Gazza" moment at the end.

I would have had Alan Brogan ahead of him.

I must say that Mugsy had a good season this year.............

Jayo Cluxton wrote:Sunday Game Team of the Year

Alan Quirke (Cork) - disagree
Peter Kelly (Kildare) - disagree
Michael Shields (Cork) - disagree
Philly McMahon (Dublin) - surprised
Paudie Kissane (Cork) - disagree
Kevin McKernan (Down) - agree
Emmet Bolton (Kildare) - yes probably
Paddy Keenan (Louth) - agree
MD McAuley (Dublin) - surprised but agree
Danny Hughes (Down) - agree
Marty Clarke (Down) - held today but agree
Paddy Kelly (Cork) - disagree would have had James Kavanagh there
Daniel Goulding (Cork) - on today agree
Bernard Brogan (Dublin) - absolutely .. but at FF ....
Colm Cooper (Kerry) - hmmm had a great season personally alright

No Johnny Doyle, no Coulter, Donie Shine ..........

not sure how Paddy Kelly made that team - Galvin had a better season than him and he only played 2 fooking games

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:My Team of the Year:

Brendan Murphy
Charlie Harrison - Kevin Reilly - Ross Donovan
Noel O'Leary - Mike McCarthy - Philip Jordan
Paddy Keenan - Aidan Walsh
Bryan Cullen - Marty Clarke - James Kavanagh
Colm Cooper - Benny Coulter - Johnny Doyle

The goalkeeper is anybody's guess but I went for the Meath man. Just on his ability to read a situation and prevent goal chances, each of the three times he was beaten arguably produced a moment of magic from the opposing team.

Backs as eluded to last night on the Sunday Game were a reflection of the systems employed by the teams of those backs rather than stand out performances. Kelly and Bolton from Kildare, McKernan of Down and McMahon of Dublin were an indication of this. The two Sligo lads were terrific in discipline and application and both deserve inclusion. Mike McCarthy was terrific again for Kerry. O'Leary, for his final performance, gets him in and Reilly and Jordan, surely were much of the reason their teams won silverware.

Midfield saw numerous contenders emerge but Keenan and Walsh are the most worthy receiptants. The analysis of Walsh by both JonSmith and JayoCluxton on here has been poor to say the least.

Coulter and Doyle have been doing what Bernard Brogan has been doing this year, all their lives and they get the nod ahead of him for that reason. Really any of that three should form two of the full-forward line. Instead of Bernard, I though I'd select a Dublin player who represented what their system was about all year and so a rejuvanated Cullen gets the call. Cooper, Clarke and Kavanagh, in that order as the three best footballers over the course of the season pick themsleves.

My team of the year:

Stephen Cluxton (Dublin)

Michael Shields (Cork)
Rory O'Carroll (Dublin)
Peter Kelly (Kildare)
Paudie Kissane (Cork)
Kevin McKernan (Down)
Emmet Bolton (Kildare)

Paddy Keenan (Louth)
MD McAuley (Dublin)

Danny Hughes (Down)
Marty Clarke (Down)
James Kavanagh (Kildare)
Daniel Goulding (Cork)
Bernard Brogan (Dublin)
Benny Coulter (Down)

some players like O' Leary are getting included in the team of the year on the back of yesterdays game which i dont have a problem with - but i would have though yesterdays game was also a reason to discount Kissane from the team, he had a poor enough game and should have been called ashore long before he was

Thomas Clarke wrote:I'd disagree on MacAuley, Jayo. He wouldn't have been in my top 4, coming in behind Galvin, Walsh, Keenan and even Dick Clerkin.

I don't think that Shinners was defending her province - I didn't get any sense of seige mentality from her post. I was just pointing out that she was ignoring the claims of players from other provinces.

Whatever about Walsh and Galvin but coming behind Keenan and Clerkin thats laughable.....