AS WE PREPARE to enter a new decade, let’s take a look back on the players who lit up the 2010s in football and hurling. 

For the teams we’ve selected, we’ve tried to take into consideration what players contributed over the course of the full decade. 

On the football side, the likes of Colm Cooper, Neil McGee and Colm Boyle will feel aggrieved to miss out, while Tony Kelly, Padraic Mannion and Noel Connors were difficult omissions on the hurling front. 

10 Dubs make our football selection, which sums up the domination they’ve enjoyed since 2011. 

The hurling team is made up of six Kilkenny stars, while Tipperary are next best represented with four. 

************

Football

1. Stephen Cluxton (Dublin)

2. Jonny Cooper (Dublin)
3. Cian O’Sullivan (Dublin)
4. Keith Higgins (Mayo)

5. Lee Keegan (Mayo)
6. James McCarthy (Dublin)
7. Jack McCaffrey (Dublin)

8. Brian Fenton (Dublin)
9. Aidan O’Shea (Mayo)

10. Paul Flynn (Dublin)
11. Ciaran Kilkenny (Dublin)
12. Diarmuid Connolly (Dublin)

13. Conor McManus (Monaghan)
14. Michael Murphy (Donegal)
15. Bernard Brogan (Dublin)

Unlucky to miss out: Colm Cooper, Colm Boyle, Neil McGee, Andy Moran, Con O’Callaghan, Mattie Donnelly and Karl Lacey.

Hurling

1. Eoin Murphy (Kilkenny)

2. Paul Murphy (Kilkenny)
3. Daithi Burke (Galway)
4. JJ Delaney (Kilkenny)

5. Brendan Maher (Tipperary)
6. Michael ‘Brick’ Walsh (Waterford)
7. Padraic Maher (Tipperary)

8. Michael Fennelly (Kilkenny)
9. David Burke (Galway)

10. Richie Hogan (Kilkenny)
11. TJ Reid (Kilkenny)
12. Noel McGrath (Tipperary)

13. Patrick Horgan (Cork)
14. Seamus Callanan (Tipperary)
15. Joe Canning (Galway)

Unlucky to miss out: Austin Gleeson, Padraic Mannion, Tony Kelly, Jackie Tyrrell, John Mullane and Noel Connors.

 ************

Do you agree with our selections? Of course you don’t! Let us know where we got it wrong in the comments section.  

The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!