The shortlist for this season’s Club Stars Team of the Year was published in this week’s Mayo News – full details here.
A total of 35 players are on the shortlist, with ten clubs represented this year. As expected, Senior champions Ballintubber lead the way with eleven nominees, followed by beaten county finalists Ballaghaderreen on eight.
Other clubs to feature this year are Ballina Stephenites (five nominees), Castlebar Mitchels (three) and Belmullet (two), with Davitts, Breaffy and Knockmore on one apiece. As usual there are a few wild card nominations from the Intermediate ranks, with champions The Neale bagging two while Ballyhaunis get one.
The final fifteen on the Team of the Year will be announced at the annual Club Stars banquet. Now in its 15th year, the banquet takes place at Knockranny House Hotel in Westport on Saturday, 11th January. A grand, handy date that is too, what with the FBD semi-final clash with Galway – our first outing in 2020 – throwing in at MacHale Park at 2pm the following day.
Tickets for the event will be on sale next week and will be available online – details here. Over the coming weeks there’ll be announcements of various award winners and special guests on the night.
A top class event the clubs star. And brilliant how charity are involved as well. Great to see club players get the recognition they deserve after all the training and dedication they give all year. Only thing I can’t make sense of is how Aiden O Shea is nominated. Don’t get me wrong he was outstanding this year for Mayo and nearly is always Mayo’s best player in every match but I don’t think he deserved a nomination this year. Young Padraig O’Hora from Ballina didnt give him a ball in the quarter final in McHale park that night. And O’Hora played very well himself. Maybe I’m wrong but that’s just my opinion.
I agree with the above comment. Having been at many of the club games this year the team I would pick is:
1 Rory Byrne Mitchels
2 Gary Loftus Tubber
3 Brian Murphy Tubber
4 David Drake Ballagh
5 Padraig O’Hora Ballina
6 Michael Plunkett Tubber
7 Shairoze Akram Ballagh
8 Jason Gibbons Tubber
9 Diarmaid O’Connor Tubber
10 Ciaran Treacy Ballina
11 Cian Hanley Ballagh
12 Brian Walsh Tubber
13 Andy Moran Ballagh
14 Cillian O’Connor Tubber
15 Tommy Conroy The Neale
Subs 16 Walsh Tubber 17 Cunniffe Ballagh 18 Coleman Tubber 19 Higgins Ballyhaunis 20 Irwin Ballina 21 Cosgrave The Neale 22 Boylan Belmullet 23 Doohan Ballagh 24 O’Malley Tubber.
I really like the look of your team Patriot and would fully agree with most of your nominees. Only ones I’d argue on are Cian Hanley and Cillian O’Connor – feel that Ciaran Gavin and Gary Boylan have been equal if not better in the half forward and full forward lines respectively. Certainly some tough calls will have to be made by the selection committee !
45…cillian was the difference in the belmullet quarter final,brilliant in the semi final and final..what more does he have to do to please some people..?gary boylan may be a good prospect time will tell but his team were knocked out at the quarter final and to put him in ahead of Cillian is just mind boggling
Interesting choice there Patriot.
Base on the little I saw, Callaghan of Ballagh is worth a place surely?
Nice see young King from my home club nominated. Surprised no Darren McHale or Aiden Orme giving their scoring exploits and fact knockmore won league. As mentioned above the nominees can be a bit ad hoc Aidan a great player but at club level this year did he stand out?
Pity the team announced could not play a mayo development team (similar to the underdogs lineup) with all the proceeds going to a local chosen charity. Win win situation Horan gets another look at players to impress, can only help with the development of the players, and the supporters get to see hopefully a good competitive game while contributing to a good cause.
“We’ve been seen as the Mayo of Roscommon club football which is not a good thing really” nice insulting comment there, Niall Daly (as quoted in the Irish Indo). I’m sure our Mayo boys will look forward to meeting you next Summer.
If it’s bad being the Mayo of ros club football, I wonder how shite and embarrassing it must be being the roscommon of roscommon club football??!
*as quoted on RTE website I meant!
Not insulting at all, Mr Daly was talking about all the finals they (Pearses) lost before finding getting over the line last month. And if you add then up It was Mayo like with senior All ireland final loses.
Didn’t see the Niall Daly quote, but I don’t take it as an insult.
The fact that Pearse’s got over the line shows setbacks can always be overcome.