DUBLIN AND MAYO lead the way for the 2016 GAA-GPA Opel All-Star football nominees with both counties receiving 11 nominations each.
Both counties top the 45-player shortlist for this year’s awards with Ulster champions Tyrone next in line with six nominees.
All-Ireland semi-finalists Tipperary have five nominations while Munster kingpins Kerry and Connacht champions Galway have four apiece.
Next up is Donegal on three while Clare’s Gary Brennan is their sole representative.
The team will be selected next month with the awards presented at a banquet in Dublin’s Convention Centre on Friday 4 November.
The list of nominees in full is:
Goalkeepers
1. Evan Comerford (Tipperary)
2. Stephen Cluxton (Dublin)
3. David Clarke (Mayo)
Defenders
1. Jonny Cooper (Dublin)
2. Brendan Harrison (Mayo)
3. Keith Higgins (Mayo)
4. Cian O’Sullivan (Dublin)
5. Lee Keegan (Mayo)
6. Colm Boyle (Mayo)
7. Philly McMahon (Dublin)
8. Ryan McHugh (Donegal)
9. Cathal McCarron (Tyrone)
10. John Small (Dublin)
11. Patrick Durcan (Mayo)
12. Shane Enright (Kerry)
13. Declan Kyne (Galway)
14. James McCarthy (Dublin)
15. Kevin McLoughlin (Mayo)
16. Paddy McGrath (Donegal)
17. Killian Young (Kerry)
18. Robbie Kiely (Tipperary)
Midfielders
1. Brian Fenton (Dublin)
2. Peter Acheson (Tipperary)
3. Matthew Donnelly (Tyrone)
4. Gary Brennan (Clare)
5. Colm Cavanagh (Tyrone)
6. Paul Conroy (Galway)
Forwards
1. Ciarán Kilkenny (Dublin)
2. Diarmuid Connolly (Dublin)
3. Dean Rock (Dublin)
4. Kevin McManamon (Dublin)
5. Paul Geaney (Kerry)
6. Michael Quinlivan (Tipperary)
7. Andy Moran (Mayo)
8. Conor Sweeney (Tipperary)
9. Aidan O’Shea (Mayo)
10. Paul Murphy (Kerry)
11. Cillian O’Connor (Mayo)
12. Damien Comer (Galway)
13. Diarmuid O’Connor (Mayo)
14. Peter Harte (Tyrone)
15. Danny Cummins (Galway)
16. Patrick McBrearty (Donegal)
17. Seán Cavanagh (Tyrone)
18. Niall Sludden (Tyrone)
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With Kevin mcloughlin nominated as a defender does that mean even the All Stars are reverting to a sweeper!
Haha, that would happen sometime in next century!! It’s a very good point though as the traditional idea of players from 2 – 15 having a specific designation on the field is dead. So the idea of the all stars fielding their 6 – 2 – 6 split seems odd. Peter Harte gets nominated as a forward despite fact he played at 7 all year yet McHugh played same role for Donegal, played at 5, and is nominated in defence?
All Stars are a load of shite anyway as far as I’m concerned. They’re the oscars of the GAA but they’re made to look very outdated given modern fluid systems currently employed by all inter county teams
Donal Vaughan??
@Brian Murray: You can keep looking, but he aint there!
Is that Niall Sludden of the 2010 Leinster Final refereeing Sluddens?
He’s a nephew I think. Is Martin still not welcome in Drogheda?
Martin has been blackballed from Louth…
Was JP Rooney blackballed as well, considering he kicked the ball away 3 times from a Meath player about to take a free near the end, thus ensuring so much injury time was played….
I think JP and the other point scorers were blackballed as their points caused the ref to add on additional time due to time being lost on kickouts.
Players who kicked wides were too, as were those who took sideline balls and the ones who took their time over frees, running down the clock.
It’s the third biggest villain in Louth history after Oliver Cromwell and Joe Sheridan.
I think Clarke should be the All Star. What happened in the final only goes to show just how important he was to Mayo!
Midfield will be interesting judging by the nominations, a case of Fenton and… Glad the nominations weren’t lazy and just lumped in the finalist pairings because outside of Fenton both had very average midfielders!
Who decides the nominations? Cannot understand the big deal made out of this every year.
Pat Spillane picks them all !
1. Comerford
2. Harrison
3. Cooper
4. McMahon
5. Keegan
6. Boyle
7. Mchugh
8. Fenton
9. Acheson
10. Harte
11. Connolly
12. Kilkenny
13. Geaney
14. Quinlivan
15. ?
Just an opinion and I know a couple won’t actually get an all star
Aidan o shea? That’s a good one, At least the have a sence of humour!
Not a bad selection in fairness, not too many obvious omissions. Most of the team picks itself I think. Interesting to see who gets to partner Fenton at midfield. Comerford might be the surprise (to some) choice for goalkeeper.
Connor Mc Manus???
Would anyone know why Harte was picked in the forwards?