YOU MIGHT NOT agree with every choice but here are our picks for the 2015 GAA/GPA Allstar football awards, which will be announced live tomorrow night on RTÉ One.
Goalkeeper
1. Brendan Kealy (Kerry)
James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
Breakdown: It’s hard to look past Kerry stopper Brendan Kealy for a first Allstar. Stephen Cluxton’s meltdown in the drawn semi-final against Mayo counted against him in the nominations and Paul Durcan and Rory Beggan, while excellent, probably needed Donegal and Monaghan to feature at the business end of the championship.
Kealy was rock solid, his standout moment coming against Tyrone when he made a fine stop to deny Mark Bradley and nix a late comeback.
Full backs
2. Shane Enright (Kerry)
James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
3. Rory O’Carroll (Dublin)
Source: Tommy Grealy/INPHO
4. Philly McMahon (Dublin)
James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
Breakdown: No real surprises here in a full-back line made up entirely of All-Ireland finalists. Rory O'Carroll is the foundation on which Dublin's defence has been built while Philly McMahon has been the outstanding player of the summer, even if the Footballer of the Year award goes to one of his team-mates.
Shane Enright is the definition of a sticky corner back and was consistently effective in shutting down his marker and limiting their influence.
Honourable mentions also go to Jonny Cooper, and Ronan McNamee of Tyrone.
Half backs
5. Lee Keegan (Mayo)
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Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
6. Cian O'Sullivan (Dublin)
Morgan Treacy / INPHO
Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
Possibly the easiest of the three lines to fill. Footballer of the Year nominee Jack McCaffrey and Cian O'Sullivan, the key man in Jim Gavin's more refined defensive system, are dead certs.
James McCarthy is desperately unlucky to miss out after a magnificent season but Lee Keegan's ability to seamlessly transition from diligent defence to lethal attack earns him the nod.
Midfielders
8. Brian Fenton (Dublin)
James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
At the beginning of August, it seemed almost unthinkable to name a midfield line without David Moran but the O'Rahilly's man never managed to impose himself in either the All-Ireland semi-final or final.
It was Anthony Maher who stood out for Kerry in both of those games and he is selected alongside Dublin's newest star Brian Fenton who showed experience beyond his years in a collection of all-action displays.
For the first time since 2011, Paul Flynn's performances do not merit an Allstar and it brings a number of worthy candidates into the picture in the half-forward line.
On his return from a long injury lay-off, Ciaran Kilkenny's playmaking was outstanding, while at the tender age of 31, it is only right that Donnchadh Walsh finally gets the Allstar recognition that is now long overdue.
Like Moran in midfield, Diarmuid Connolly appeared nailed on until an uncharacteristically quiet finish to the season, so the final slot will probably be fought out between Diarmuid O'Connor, brother Cillian (the full-forward line is packed enough as is) and Tyrone's Mattie Donnelly. It's a marginal call but Donnelly gets the nod from us.
With 6-20 from play at the age of 31, it's obvious that Bernard Brogan is thriving in his re-invented role and the Footballer of the Year candidate is guaranteed his place in the full-forward line.
Aidan O'Shea's arguably had more impact on the early stages of the championship than any other player with a series of disruptive physical performances at full-forward, while Conor McManus was virtually unmarkable at times in leading Monaghan to another Ulster title.
It leaves no room for James O'Donoghue, while Paddy Andrews' late-season sparkle won't quite be enough to force him into the picture.
We’ve had a go at picking the 2015 GAA/GPA Allstar football team
YOU MIGHT NOT agree with every choice but here are our picks for the 2015 GAA/GPA Allstar football awards, which will be announced live tomorrow night on RTÉ One.
Goalkeeper
1. Brendan Kealy (Kerry)
Breakdown: It’s hard to look past Kerry stopper Brendan Kealy for a first Allstar. Stephen Cluxton’s meltdown in the drawn semi-final against Mayo counted against him in the nominations and Paul Durcan and Rory Beggan, while excellent, probably needed Donegal and Monaghan to feature at the business end of the championship.
Kealy was rock solid, his standout moment coming against Tyrone when he made a fine stop to deny Mark Bradley and nix a late comeback.
Full backs
2. Shane Enright (Kerry)
3. Rory O’Carroll (Dublin)
4. Philly McMahon (Dublin)
Breakdown: No real surprises here in a full-back line made up entirely of All-Ireland finalists. Rory O'Carroll is the foundation on which Dublin's defence has been built while Philly McMahon has been the outstanding player of the summer, even if the Footballer of the Year award goes to one of his team-mates.
Shane Enright is the definition of a sticky corner back and was consistently effective in shutting down his marker and limiting their influence.
Honourable mentions also go to Jonny Cooper, and Ronan McNamee of Tyrone.
Half backs
5. Lee Keegan (Mayo)
6. Cian O'Sullivan (Dublin)
7. Jack McCaffrey (Dublin)
Breakdown:
Possibly the easiest of the three lines to fill. Footballer of the Year nominee Jack McCaffrey and Cian O'Sullivan, the key man in Jim Gavin's more refined defensive system, are dead certs.
James McCarthy is desperately unlucky to miss out after a magnificent season but Lee Keegan's ability to seamlessly transition from diligent defence to lethal attack earns him the nod.
Midfielders
8. Brian Fenton (Dublin)
9. Anthony Maher (Kerry)
Breakdown:
At the beginning of August, it seemed almost unthinkable to name a midfield line without David Moran but the O'Rahilly's man never managed to impose himself in either the All-Ireland semi-final or final.
It was Anthony Maher who stood out for Kerry in both of those games and he is selected alongside Dublin's newest star Brian Fenton who showed experience beyond his years in a collection of all-action displays.
Half forwards
10. Mattie Donnelly (Tyrone)
11. Ciaran Kilkenny (Dublin)
12. Donnchadh Walsh (Kerry)
Breakdown:
For the first time since 2011, Paul Flynn's performances do not merit an Allstar and it brings a number of worthy candidates into the picture in the half-forward line.
On his return from a long injury lay-off, Ciaran Kilkenny's playmaking was outstanding, while at the tender age of 31, it is only right that Donnchadh Walsh finally gets the Allstar recognition that is now long overdue.
Like Moran in midfield, Diarmuid Connolly appeared nailed on until an uncharacteristically quiet finish to the season, so the final slot will probably be fought out between Diarmuid O'Connor, brother Cillian (the full-forward line is packed enough as is) and Tyrone's Mattie Donnelly. It's a marginal call but Donnelly gets the nod from us.
Full forwards
13. Bernard Brogan (Dublin)
14. Aidan O'Shea (Mayo)
15. Conor McManus (Monaghan)
Breakdown:
With 6-20 from play at the age of 31, it's obvious that Bernard Brogan is thriving in his re-invented role and the Footballer of the Year candidate is guaranteed his place in the full-forward line.
Aidan O'Shea's arguably had more impact on the early stages of the championship than any other player with a series of disruptive physical performances at full-forward, while Conor McManus was virtually unmarkable at times in leading Monaghan to another Ulster title.
It leaves no room for James O'Donoghue, while Paddy Andrews' late-season sparkle won't quite be enough to force him into the picture.
7 from Kilkenny, 4 from Galway: Here’s the 2015 Allstar hurling team of the year
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