2 All Star Nominations for Offaly

[Rynaghs Biffo]

Kerry dominate the 2006 football All-Star nominees list with nine of their All-Ireland winning side in line to scoop awards.

A total of 13 counties are represented in the list of 45 nominees, with Leinster champions Dublin have the second biggest representation with eight, two more than beaten All-Ireland finalists Mayo. Longford’s great championship run has been recognised with the inclusion of both Paul Barden and Brian Kavanagh in the shortlist.

A third of the group are first-time nominees. They include Cork goalkeeper Alan Quirke and his team-mates Ger Spilliane and James Masters, Mayo defenders Keith Higgins and Peadar Gardiner, Offaly’s Karol Slattery and Niall McNamee and Donegal’s Barry Dunnion.

Sixteen of the nominees feature for the second year in-a-row, while a further 11 of the nominees were selected in 2004, among them Westmeath’s Gary Connaughton, Fermanagh’s Barry Owens, Kerry’s Tom O’Sullivan and the O Se brothers, Marc and Darragh.

The third O Se brother, Tomas, is one of the 12 2005 All-Stars who failed to receive a nomination, and also left out are Galway star Michael Meehan and Mayo captain David Heaney, who was also surprisingly excluded from the GPA’s list of nominations for Team of the Year. Only three of last year’s All-Star team are in the running – Kerry’s Colm Cooper and the Armagh pair Paul McGrane and Steven McDonnell.

Kieran Donaghy, who is among the first-time nominees, is favourite to land the Player of the Year award.

The county breakdown is: Kerry (9), Dublin (8), Mayo (6), Armagh (5), Cork (5), Donegal (2), Laois (2), Offaly (2), Longford (2), Westmeath (1), Fermanagh (1), Galway (1), Derry (1).

The team will be announced on November 22.

2006 Football All-Star Nominations

Goalkeepers: Stephen Cluxton (Dublin), Gary Connuaghton (Westmeath), Alan Quirke (Cork)

Full Backs: Marc O’Se (Kerry), Tom O’Sullivan (Kerry), Paul Griffin (Dublin), Karl Lacey (Donegal), Barry Owens (Fermanagh), Francie Bellew (Armagh), Joe Higgins (Laois), Graham Canty (Cork), Keith Higgins (Mayo)

Half Backs: Seamus Moynihan (Kerry), Aidan O’Mahony (Kerry), Bryan Cullen (Dublin), Ger Spillane (Cork), Peadar Gardiner (Mayo), Aaron Kernan (Armagh), Karol Slattery (Offaly) Barry Dunnion (Donegal), Diarmuid Blake (Galway)

Midfield: Nicholas Murphy (Cork), Darragh O’Se (Kerry), Ronan McGarrity (Mayo) Ciaran Whelan (Dublin), Shane Ryan (Dublin), Paul McGrane (Armagh)

Half Forwards: Alan Dillon (Mayo), Ciaran McDonald (Mayo), Paul Galvin (Kerry) Sean O’Sullivan (Kerry), Alan Brogan (Dublin), Jason Sherlock (Dublin), Conal Keaney (Dublin), Paul Barden (Longford), Ross Munnelly (Laois)

Full Forwards: Kieran Donaghy (Kerry), Colm Cooper (Kerry), Ronan Clarke (Armagh), Steven McDonnell (Armagh), Conor Mortimer (Mayo), James Masters (Cork), Niall McNamee (Offaly) Paddy Bradley (Derry), Brian Kavanagh (Longford)

[Hocker]

Gary Connuaghton (Westmeath)

Paul Griffin (Dublin)
Graham Canty (Cork)
Marc O’Se (Kerry)

Aidan O’Mahony (Kerry)
Bryan Cullen (Dublin)
Peadar Gardiner (Mayo)

Darragh O’Se (Kerry)
Paul McGrane (Armagh)

Ross Munnelly (Laois)
Paul Galvin (Kerry)
Alan Brogan (Dublin)

Kieran Donaghy (Kerry)
Ronan Clarke (Armagh)
Brian Kavanagh (Longford)

I'm sure next year might see at least one offaly footballer, most likely Niall McNamee on the all-star 15 but the above 15 are my pick for this year. Feel free to comment...

The following unlucky to miss out:
Conor Mortimer (Mayo),
James Masters (Cork),
Niall McNamee (Offaly)
Conal Keaney (Dublin),
Ciaran McDonald (Mayo)
Ciaran Whelan (Dublin)
Keith Higgins (Mayo)
Stephen Cluxton (Dublin)
Karl Lacey (Donegal)
Barry Owens (Fermanagh)
Joe Higgins (Laois).

[mykneehurts]

Who'll get young player of the year? There is a strong chance that my college might have the young player in both codes this year.

[True Red]

Munnelly definitely doesnt deserve an All Star.And you have Paul Griifin ahead of Joe Higgins....Eh dont think so.

Nicholas Murphy has to be ahead of McGrane also.

[Heshs Umpire]

As a Laoisman, have to agree Munnelly does not deserve an all-Star this year.
Higgins could be close but his namesake Keith from Mayo might edge it.
If Offaly had beaten Laois and McNamee performed at all well, he'd be a shoe in. Class player.

[Lone Shark]

I would say that Griffin probably does have more of a chance than Keith or Joe Higgins - he was solid all year, I would say Dublin's best player. It's a moot point though, I'd say it'll be the two Kerry corners either side of either Bellew or Canty.

Half back line will certainly have Moynihan in it somewhere along with O'Mahony, and probably either Cullen/Spillane/Gardiner making it up.

O'Sé and Murphy odds on to be the midfield pairing.

Half forwards is a weak enough are - Dillon is the only certainty, and he is a certainty, but Brogan and Galvin are probably front runners to make it up.

Full forward line is intriguing, but I'd say at the end of all it's Donaghy nailed on, Clarke a front runner and Mortimer likely to edge out Masters for third.


Young player of the year is an odd award, because if I'm not mistaken, you have to have made your debut this year - which invariably rules out a lot of players. In theory Donaghy could then get both awards, but I'd say the main player of the year award will be all they'll give him. Hard to know who that leaves, but Alan Quirke, the Cork goalie might be in with a shout, as would Quigley of Laois I'd say. Hurling will be easier, one of Tennyson, Fogarty or Cha Fitz if he's eligible.

[True Red]

See joe bergin has got a hurling All Star nomination

[Rynaghs Biffo]

Great to see Joe get a nomination, he's showing signs of how he's coming of age, he has a long career ahead of him.

Can anyone recall when we last got nominations for football and hurling all-stars?