All Stars 2010 Announced

2010 GAA All Stars:

Goalkeeper

Brendan McVeigh (Down)

Full-backs

Peter Kelly (Kildare)

Michael Shields (Cork)

Charlie Harrison (Sligo)

Paudie Kissane (Cork)

Graham Canty (Cork)

Philip Jordan (Tyrone)

Midfield:

Paddy Keenan (Louth)

Aidan Walsh (Cork)

Half-Forwards

Daniel Hughes (Down)

Martin Clarke (Down)

Johnny Doyle (Kildare)

Full-Forwards

Colm Cooper (Kerry)

Bernard Brogan (Dublin)

Benny Coulter (Down)

Footballer of the Year Nominations: Bernard Brogan (Dublin); Michael Shields (Cork); Danny Hughes (Down)

Young Footballer of the Year Nominations: Aidan Walsh (Cork); Peter Kelly (Kildare); Graham Reilly (Meath)

I find it hard to argue with any of them TBH.

I'd have John Galvin in there over Walsh at midfield.. Other than that it's hard to argue with the rest.

Special congratulations must go to Paddy Keenan on making history as Louth's first All Star.

Kelly, Canty and Walsh could consider themselves mildly fortunate to squeak in. I'd have gone for McMahon, McKernan and Galvin in their places.
Not much in it, in all fairness, but Galvin must be considered very,very unlucky.....

Such is the way I suppose.....

fair play to harrison great for him and sligo to have another all-star, would have put ross donovon before charlie myself but still well done

Are the five non Irishmen a first for all stars?

John Galvin, anyone?

Nonetheless it's great to see some recognition for Paddy Keenan.

its a ridiculous system. Canty and walsh have been given allstars just to bring cork's overall total up. Mckernan and galvin shouldve got them

I thought the Dubs may have won a few more, especially the mid fielder lad.

However the "selectors" have played clever and picked from provincial finalists like the old days and picked Gooch simply because he was the best player in the championship.

There are three Down forwards, although two of those are not forwards in the old sense of the word, as the are not "scoring" forwards, or at least the ability to score consistently from play would not be their forte. Hughes and especially Clarke are talented players, but there are hundreds of Hughes out there, all it really takes is ten months hard training and some football ability. i mean is he really better than say Shine or Goulding?

Such however is the game as played in 2010.

The usual nonsense .....

I've always been very critical of the AllStars and the process which selects them but this year, I agree with a lot of the selections.

The big talking points would appear to be the Cork forwards, John Galvin, Noel O'Leary and Kevin McKernan missing out. Which I think is fair enough as all had claims. Maybe the selection of Canty ahead of team-mate O'Leary and McKernan is the only one I find strange.

From the three goalkeepers nominated, the best one was picked.

Full-back line is fairly similiar to what I would have went with. I wasn't impressed with Kevin reilly's non-nomination but Shields deservedly in there. The claim that McMahon, taken apart by the Meath forwards, should be in there instead of Charlie Harrison is crazy. Harrison is an epitomy of the ideal corner-back in today's world, realible, tenacious and comfortable on the ball.

Half-back line, well Philip Jordan was the best half-back all year and picks up one. The other two are the most questionable decisions in the whole team particularly Canty. He's probably in there on longevity of career rather than 2010 performances.

Midfield was always going to be pick two from three and John Galvin is the unfortunate one. Wouldn't have argued if he was selected ahead of one of the other two either, its just the way it is that someone had to lose out. Don't agree with the Aidan Walsh critics, he was immense all year under-performing once and that was the Roscommon game. He'll pick up plenty more AllStars in the future too.

Marty Clarke and John Doyle were moral certs in the half-forward line and Danny Hughes probably deserves the last spot. I wouldn't agree with my fellow countymen that any of the Meath players should have got one, in fact Sheridan and Kenny were probably fortunate to be nominated. The only bad luck that befell Graham Reilly was that he was probably looking for an award on the most competitive line.

Cooper was my player of the year and has to be included. A magician, a genius, a great, and all the other superlatives too. He couldn't be left out. And Brogan was always going to get one to keep the Dubs quiet which left James Kavanagh and Benny Coulter in contention for the last spot. And I agree Kavanagh is slightly unfortunate but I couldn't have any qualms with Coulter being selected ahead of him.

Overall, a very satisfying team and one that is a very fair reflection of the leading performers in championship 2010.

Looking at some of the selections I would imagine that Glen Whelan, Kevin Kilbane and Paul McShane may well appear next year ....

Very good analysis Loyal and, like you, I'd agree with most of the team.

For me, McVeigh, Shields, Jordan, Brogan and Cooper are beyond argument, the outstanding players in their positions this year.

After that, in the full-backs, Philly & Justin McMahon must have been close, but you couldn't argue that they were more deserving than Harrison and Kelly. Likewise Noel O'Leary in comparison to Paudi Kissane at HB.

In midfield, it was pick any 2 from 3, with John Galvin being unlucky. Aidan Walsh's all-star was totally deserved. For the whole year, he was the driving force in the country's best midfield, and dominated that area in the final.

Half-forwards, well Marty Clarke got his all-star on the back of 2 games, but in the absence of much competition he probably just about deserved it. John Doyle and Danny Hughes were also worthy winners. Paddy Kelly and Graham Reilly were worthy nominees, but the right 3 probably won.

Cooper and Brogan were certainties for me, but Coulter can consider himself lucky. He was poor when Down lost both in Ulster and in the final, although he did put in big displays in a couple of other games. Like Clarke, perhaps he got in on reputation, but Goulding and Kavanagh would have been equally controversial picks ahead of him.

Which leaves me with the one big controversy - Graham Canty. This one is hardest to understand, and while Kevin McKernan can feel most aggrieved, so too can all the other nominees in the half-back category. Still though, overall, only one glaring mistake for inclusions, and nobody can say that they were absolutely robbed of one.

A fair enough selection, although the wide spread of counties represented, added to the lack of any Cork forwards, tends to support the opinion that standards were low this year, with a great levelling out amongst most sides.

Well if Marty Clarke got his nomination on the back of two games so did Charlie Harrison. Don't get me wrong I am a longtime admirer of CH and even had him on my fantasy GAA team on here a couple of seasons ago. But his team beat a dismal Mayo and scraped past a poor Galway team after a replay and then lost the provincial final and were hammered in the qualifiers. I think he was picked on previous season's form if anything but personally I don't think any Sligo player deserved even a nomination. Shields was a given and Kelly had a good season.

At HB I don't agree with Kissane but had posted that Canty would get one (sentiment possibly), Jordan was a cert but McKernan can feel very hard done by.

The half forward line matched my selection as did two thirds of the FF line. Agree that Brogan (not to satisfy the Dubs - just because he was the best forward on view this summer) and Cooper were nailed on but you would have thought Cork would have had at least one (O'Connor) - so Coulter is lucky - especially given that they got 3 others and the winners only got 4 too.

You know my feelings about Walsh's rating in MF - suffice to say that I don't agree and would have had MdMcA or Galvin in before him.

yes loyal brogan got one to keep us dubs quite , yet again you prove your level of gaa has no bounds

Brogan lucky to get one all right.

He's a shoo in for the POTY though

Jayo Cluxton wrote:

You know my feelings about Walsh's rating in MF - suffice to say that I don't agree and would have had MdMcA or Galvin in before him.

MdMcA???? I cannot take your analyis seriously after that comment Jayo. Not an ounce of football in him

dublin deserved at least 2 all stars , but for a dublin player to win at least one is a major achievement as you get all the usual crap from the anti dubs , and believe me it goes all the way to the top , cork should have at least one forward as the league and all ireland champions to only have 4 and not one forward proves that its just a PR exercise

whiterbananas wrote:MdMcA???? I cannot take your analyis seriously after that
comment Jayo. Not an ounce of football in him

Well if he got nominated he must have done something ..... though maybe not.

I suppose we should remember that journalists pick these teams. Many probably haven't pulled on a pair of boots since they were 8...........

I think in general the selections are ok. One or two players could count themselves lucky. Probably Graham Canty( a great player) as he was injured for two matches at least. Other player who could have got in is Daniel Goulding at the expense of Benny.

TC and Loyal have sensible musings here.

Benny was poor in the two games Down really needed him, and Canty has been selected on the strength of 30 minutes against Down. Mind you Brian Whelehan once won one at full forward having played exactly 35 minutes in the role so.....


As stated earlier I think M.D MacAulay should have got the nod, and I am pleased to see that my particular Tyrone hero, Jordan, was honoured.

Bernard FOTY, first to win either the AllStar FOTY or Texaco FOTY having not played in the All-Ireland final. Does that say more about Bernard or the lack of top footballers on show in the Final, well I'm yet to figure.

I felt he had a very good year but being made the only outlet for which Dublin scores could come obviously made him look outstanding. The arrival of a presence like O'Gara helped too. As I said before, John Doyle and Dessie Dolan spent careers doing what Bernard did this year. So its hard to say where he lies in the legion of greats. He's no Gooch, who was my FOTY, but around the level of Stephen McDonnell or Dara O'Cinneide I'd say.

Congratulations to him on his award.

Brogan deserves it, as Gooch doesn't need it. Some of his scores from play were fantastic, and his ability to show for the ball, win it, and make use of it, well he did have a great year.

I too was impressed by O'Gara who helped Brogan to win a lot of that ball, but overall I am glad that it went to a scoring forward, rather than the forward ball winner.

Back in 1993 Derry won the All Ireland with a couple of scoring forwards and 3 hard working ball winners especially Dermot Heaney. Those 3 were appreciated but no one was going to nominate Heaney as FOTY, like Galvin and now Hughes.

The times they are a changing but I am glad Brogan won it. He is exciting to watch and nearly as good as Kevi........

patrique wrote:Brogan deserves it, as Gooch doesn't need it. Some of his scores from play were fantastic, and his ability to show for the ball, win it, and make use of it, well he did have a great year.

I too was impressed by O'Gara who helped Brogan to win a lot of that ball, but overall I am glad that it went to a scoring forward, rather than the forward ball winner.

Back in 1993 Derry won the All Ireland with a couple of scoring forwards and 3 hard working ball winners especially Dermot Heaney. Those 3 were appreciated but no one was going to nominate Heaney as FOTY, like Galvin and now Hughes.

The times they are a changing but I am glad Brogan won it. He is exciting to watch and nearly as good as Kevi........

We've been down the O'Gara route before Paddy, played out......