AND THEN THERE were four.
Kerry, Tyrone, Dublin and Mayo are the quartet still in with a shout of lifting Sam Maguire and that means those four counties will command the lions share of the 2015 Allstar awards.
So let’s nail our colours to the mast and figure out the Allstar football team if it was picked now.
When we sat down last year to select an August Allstar side, it contained four players from the eventual selection. So clearly there’s scope for improvement.
Of course there’s a lot of action to be played between now and the end of the season, and that will largely influence the outcome.
There’ll be plenty of you that won’t agree with this side but that’s where the comments section comes in handy.
So here it is, The42′s August Allstar football team…
Goalkeeper
1. Brendan Kealy (Kerry)
Back between the posts for Kerry this year, Kealy has been solid and dependable while also pulling off a critical save in the Munster final replay. After conceding six goals in Munster, kept a clean sheet against Kildare.
Honourable mentions go to…
Stephen Cluxton, David Clarke and Niall Morgan all remain in the running, and while Monaghan have already exited the championship, Rory Beggan impressed in Ulster.
Full-Back Line
2. Shane Enright (Kerry)
3. Ronan McNamee (Tyrone)
4. Keith Higgins (Mayo)
Éamonn Fitzmaurice’s trust in Shane Enright has been justified with the Tarbert man proving to be an expert man-marker, particularly in the two-game Munster saga with Cork.
Ronan McNamee has anchored Tyrone’s challenge at the back and his point against Monaghan was one of the highlights of that game. Mayo captain Keith Higgins has won three Allstars on the bounce and is well placed to claim a personal four-in-a-row.
Honourable mentions go to…
Paul Murphy’s return has been an asset for Kerry while Marc Ó Sé’s class continues to endure. It’s been a good summer to date as well for Dublin’s Rory O’Carroll, Philly McMahon and Johnny Cooper.
Half-Back Line
5. Lee Keegan (Mayo)
6. Peter Harte (Tyrone)
7. Jack McCaffrey (Dublin)
Lee Keegan’s rampaging attacking play has been at the heart of Mayo’s progress this summer, even if there is a question over whether that sparkling goal against Donegal was deliberate.
Peter Harte could easily be fitted in to the half-forward line such is his versatility but what’s certain is the major impact he has had on Tyrone’s summer march.
And Jack McCaffrey has been back to his explosive best on the flank of the Dublin defence.
Honourable mentions go to…
Jonathan Lyne has nailed down a regular starting berth for Kerry with consistent displays, Cian O’Sullivan has solved Dublin’s centre-back dilemma while Donal Vaughan and Karl O’Connell shone for Mayo and Monaghan respectively.
Midfield
8. David Moran (Kerry)
9. Seamus O’Shea (Mayo)
Moran was man-of-the-match last time out against Kildare and probably should have received that award in his previous match against Cork. He’s been terrific this season for Kerry.
Seamus O’Shea’s prowess around the middle has allowed Mayo to release his brother Aidan to attack in a move that has greatly benefited their aspirations.
Honourable mentions go to…
Mattie Donnelly has been magnificent for Tyrone and he is a strong contender and Tom Parsons has brought plenty to the table for Mayo. Anthony Maher and Neil Gallagher have drawn admirers with their displays as well.
Half-Forward Line
10. Donnchadh Walsh (Kerry)
11. Diarmuid Connolly (Dublin)
12. Ciaran Kilkenny (Dublin)
Walsh is one of the most under-rated players in the Kerry game but his input has been key for the Kingdom this year.
Connolly has continued to pull the strings for Dublin with mesmeric attacking showings and Kilkenny has demonstrated just how badly Dublin missed him last year when he tore his cruciate.
Honourable mentions go to…
Diarmuid O’Connor is the clear favourite for Young Footballer of the Year with his showings for Mayo while teammate Jason Doherty has also impressed. Paul Flynn, Tiernan McCann, Stephen O’Brien and Odhrán Mac Niallais have also all caught the eye.
Full-Forward Line
13. Conor McManus (Monaghan)
14. Aidan O’Shea (Mayo)
15. Bernard Brogan (Dublin)
Monaghan captain McManus may get squeezed out in the final analysis but he was in stellar form during all of his side’s championship outings.
Aidan O’Shea and Bernard Brogan’s performances speak volumes for their importance to the Mayo and Dublin setups. Both will be integral players in the 30 August collision in Croke Park.
Honourable mentions go to…
The Kerry pair of James O’Donoghue and Paul Geaney, along with the Tyrone duo of Darren McCurry and Conor McAliskey, have impressed at various stages while Sean Quigley was excellent in Fermanagh’s summer journey.
