IN YOUR COURSE of watching entire seasons play out in Gaelic football, you will recognise the universal truth that players being in ‘All Star’ form at any stage other than the last month, does not count.
A good league campaign nowadays carries no weight whatsoever. The All-Star system is a carve up of the All-Ireland finalists (winners get one or two more for the sake of optics), along with a smattering from the beaten semi-finalists.
And in truth, a sparkling and eye-catching performance on the biggest day of all will do more than an entire winter of league football and a starring role in a provincial series.
So without further ado, we present The 42 awards, held a few days before the final, without the All-Ireland final weighting. Casual dress please.
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1. Rory Beggan (Monaghan – Scotstown)
The actual All-Star will go to whoever wins the final between Shane Ryan or Stephen Cluxton, but for the good old ‘Body Of Work’, Rory Beggan was a standout goalkeeper for his scoring, his four clean sheets in playing a superior quality of opposition and two shoot out saves against Armagh.
2. Conor McCluskey (Derry – Magherafelt)
His performances last year flew under the radar as Derry’s breakthrough Ulster triumph led to a clamour for an All-Star for Chrissy McKaigue. But McCluskey’s level of performance has been sky-high over the course of the last two seasons and he is a key component of Derry’s transition.
3. Michael Fitzsimons (Dublin – Cuala)
Has perfected the habit of just squeezing more and more out of his direct opponent. Tommy Conroy started the quarter-final like a train for Mayo before Fitzsimons was handed the role, and likewise for Conor McManus in the semi-final.
4. Tom O’Sullivan (Kerry – Dingle)
A playmaking corner-back, it is no surprise to recently learn that while at school, his former teacher Eamonn Fitzmaurice would regularly shunt him up front to spark games to life. His constant scoring threat is a forwards’ nightmare.
5. Conor McCarthy (Monaghan – Scotstown)
Undoubtedly talented, McCarthy’s skills were not always best seen in a Monaghan jersey as he got caught in endless cycles of ball-recycling. Manager Vinny Corey figured it out, handed him a wing-back role and trusted in his timing. Clutch scores shows the genius of the move.
6. Gareth McKinless (Derry – Ballinderry)
As game as a pheasant, McKinless is a critical element of the Derry attack. A few seasons ago in a Division Three final against Offaly he showed this ability to a national audience. He has been refining and honing it since.
7. Gavin White (Kerry – Dr Crokes)
His ability to get up and down the pitch is sensational and his goal against Derry in retrospect looks critical now. At top speed, most players display their exertion. White barely has a hair out of place.
8. James McCarthy (Dublin – Ballymun Kickhams)
If this is the swansong, you couldn’t imagine a more regal finish to an incredible year. He turned 33 in March but his hitting, tackling, aggression has been off the scale and despite all the formulations Dublin try in midfield alongside Brian Fenton, they always return to McCarthy.
9. Brendan Rogers (Derry – Slaughtneil)
Ever since Brian McIver was in charge of Derry, the county team depended on Rogers making runs from the full-back line to carve out moves to score. The arrival of Eoin McEvoy has allowed Rogers to do all that from the middle of the park now. Nailed on no matter what.
10. Brian Fenton (Dublin – Raheny)
Now that forward ranks have been neatly split into half; those that feed the middle third warzone, and then the finishers, half forwards are barely perceptible now. We push Fenton into the half forwards as it is his positive attacking play in closing stage of games that have the Dubs back.
11. Sean O’Shea (Kerry – Kenmare)
On taking the pass from Tony Brosnan, after he took The Pass from David Clifford in their quarter-final against Tyrone, he could have just slammed it first time to the net. Instead, he waited and waited until it was just too easy for him. His battling qualities were hugely needed against Derry. Just a class act.
12. Darragh Canavan (Tyrone – Errigal Ciarán)
In all likelihood, the June footballer of the month will not get an All-Star, but apart from being bested by Tom O’Sullivan in the quarter-final, he showed plenty of quality in dragging Tyrone through the group stage games against Armagh and Donegal.
13. Con O’Callaghan (Dublin – Cuala)
Many will go for Colm Basquel, but in an overall sense, Con O’Callaghan has been the most consistent Dublin forward this season. He is one impressive game away from nailing an All-Star.
14. David Clifford (Kerry – Fossa)
Footballer Of The Year for the second year in a row, no doubt. Superhuman. The best we have ever seen. Just Kerry’s luck to have him, eh? Everyone else is so happy for them.
15. Shane McGuigan (Derry – Slaughtneil)
There’s a touch of the Arjen Robbens about McGuigan in that opponents know he wants to get the ball onto his left foot, but he has a wonderful sidestep to get goalside of his opponent. He will lose his top-scorer record on Sunday, but get the All-Star.