The All-Star nominations for 2012 must surely be out any day now. They’re usually released the week after the All-Ireland final is played but I guess the strange position that obtains this year, which sees the destination of the Liam McCarthy still to be decided a week after Sam headed for the hills, has most likely had a knock-on impact on this announcement. Still, they’d need to be getting their skates on because the draw for next year’s championship takes place next Thursday and it’d be a bit daft not to have details of the runners and riders for the 2012 All-Stars out in the public domain before attention starts to turn to next year’s action.
I’m always bemused at how debates tend to spring up – in places such as gaaboard.com and elsewhere – ridiculously early in the championship season about who might be in line for a gong come the Autumn. I’ve seen players like Hugh McGrillen, Ollie Bolton and others being declared as shoo-ins for awards before any of the big contests of the summer have taken place. But now that the year’s action is over, I think it’s safe to start thinking about how this year’s All-Star awards will pan out and, in particular, how many places we might bag out of the chosen fifteen.
It’s probably best to start at the macro level to see how individual counties might do. Donegal will, as is only right, lead the pack and I’d expect them to come away with eight or even nine places on the All-Star team. We should get four – three if the judges are feeling mean-minded but they’d need to be pretty miserly were that to be the outcome – with Cork and Dublin sharing the other three (two for the former and one for the latter would be right, I think).
In terms of nominations, I’d expect us to get at least eight – David Clarke, Keith Higgins, Ger Cafferkey, Lee Keegan, Barry Moran, Kevin McLoughlin, Alan Dillon and Andy Moran should all make the cut – with the possibility that others such as Aidan O’Shea and Cillian O’Connor might also come into the reckoning at this stage. If we stick to the first-named eight, though, then it’s easy enough to narrow the list down to those most likely to make it onto the final fifteen.
Keith is a bolted-on, nailed-down, shoo-in of a certainty, with Kevin and Alan (the latter despite his muted showing in Sunday’s final) also very likely to join him on the podium. That, to my mind at least, means that one of David, Ger, Lee, Barry and Andy will be our other representative on this year’s team.
I don’t think that place will go to David Clarke. He’s the best shot-stopper in the business – as he proved in both the semi and the final – and has had a great year but the winning team’s ‘keeper is always the man in pole position for this place. Moreover, Donegal conceded so few goals over the course of the summer campaign that Paul Durcan is a near-certainty to be named as this year’s No.1 on the All-Star team.
I don’t think Lee Keegan will get it either. Not because he isn’t one of the outstanding half-backs in the country – if there’s a better no.5 out there, I’d like to see him – but simply because that blasted finger injury robbed him of too much game time in the semi-final. Lee was outstanding against Down and he put in a real barnstorming performance in the final too but I think the possibility of a Donegal wipeout across the half-backs or perhaps a desire to accommodate Kevin Nolan there will see the Westport man edged out on this occasion. He’ll get one yet, though.
Andy won’t make it to the podium either, with his cruciate injury ruling him out of the business end of the campaign. As well as that, the fact that he made the team last year (not that it should have any bearing on events or anything) would also be likely to count against him this time.
That would mean that either Ger Cafferkey or Barry Moran could well be in line for an All-Star. Ger was picked on The Sunday Game team of the year and he’d have strong claims to make the chosen fifteen but so too would Barry, following his three successive MOTM performances against Leitrim, Sligo and Down as well as his solid showings in the semi and final. This is a hard one to call and it could be that the need to include others (Aidan Walsh keeps getting mentioned at midfield, even though I reckon his clueless, self-indulgent second half display against Donegal should rule him out) will be the decisive factor. If it is, then I’d say that Ger is the likelier to prevail.
So – that’s Keith Higgins, Ger Cafferkey, Kevin McLoughlin and Alan Dillon as our likely All-Stars this year. That was easy enough to sort out, wasn’t it?
I would agree on your three locks. Not sure about the fourth. There are several who could just get squeezed. Outside the finalists I’d say Aidan Walsh and Paul Flynn look likely. After that it’s a tough call.
Two for sure Keith Higgins and Kevin McLoughlin. Clarke deserves one but Durkan will get it, wrong in my opinion. Barry Moran might be a surprise and i would like to see Conroy get one. Andy Moran deserves one and anything beyond that we would be in clover.
Lee Keegan and Andy for me are Mayo’s brightest and best -All stars, i know have their own peculiarities in how they are decided.
Anyone see championship matters last night, heartbreaking for Andy to have to do that job beside Mark Mc Hugh, but he did it with class aplenty. Fair play Andy!!
I agree with your analysis WJ, but I would say they wil be fairly mean to us and rub it in…therefore I think only Ger Cafferkey and Kevin McLoughlin will get one. Clark is absoluterly the best keeper, but Durcan will get it simply by being on the winning team
Strange enough, could be wrong, but we for some reason are still carrying some baggage from the manner inwhich we won the semi final versus Dublin…just saying.
Durcan made one save all summer which was from a shot from outside the 13 and wasn’t even placed in the corner. Just because you happen to have 13 defenders in front of your goal doesn’t make you a good goalie. Clarkie made loads of fantastic stops.
I think we will win 4. Ger C, Barry Moran, Kevin Mcloughlin and AN other. This between Keith, Alan D, and possibly Lee K.
I think Cork will get two as well as Dublin. Kevin Nolan, Ciaran Kilkenny, Paul Kerrigan and either Colm O’ Neill or one of the full back line.
Donegal for the rest.
Think McLoughlin, Dillon and Higgins alright and of either Cafferkey, Clarke or Keegan. Four would be justified, anything less wrong.
On another note, I do find it a bit galling to see this piece (http://www.hoganstand.com/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=178250) in the Examiner about Liam McHale giving out about the backroom staff. I am a bit bemused by it, seeing as Liam’s record in management in All Ireland finals isn’t without question – ’04 and Cooper being marked by Kelly/Geraghty, Fergal Kelly playing midfield etc.
Now I don’t wish to start a mud slinging contest and put the guy down but I do think he should have kept his opinions to himself – I’m sure he must have been hurting when people were questioning the back room team in ’04.
It’s a bit much by him and there’s no need for it.
The ful artricle is in the examiner
http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/mchale-we-got-it-wrong-209159.html
he should maybe have tempered his thoughts and said little, considering his poition, but I do agree to a point.
Can’t see how Andy Moran would be even nominated this year apart from the Leitrim game he wasn’t at his best in Connacht final or v Down.
I think we will get five Ger Cafferkey,Keith Higgins,Barry Moran,Alan Dillon and Kevin McLoughlin
Shocking artickle by Mchale.no loyalty.what has he contributed to Clare.wouldnt put him in same bracket as Horan.
Mayo might pick up one or two extra out of pity, but I wouldn’t be that bothered. The All-Stars have all the credibility of the Rose of Tralee as far as I’m concerned. Gave up on them years ago.
We’ll get Keith or Kevin and that’ll be it, in fact we probably wont get Kevin given its only the people who know about football who can see how good he is.
Lets not all be wailing and gnashing the teeth when the actual 15 are announced, we’ll get fuck all coz they will base it all on the fact that we lost the final.
Wonder who will get youbg player of the year that will be Interesting
I agree with Spailpín – the All Stars are a total irrelevance.
What is relevant in Mayo is how our players face into a winter that will test their will and commitment – be they all stars or just ordinary stars. It is not easy for these lads to pick themselves up again. They need our good will and support now more than ever.
Talking of support – it was very disappointing to learn that some of our past inter-county stars got rubbishy tickets for the AI final. I personally know of a former Mayo All Ireland captain who got a ticket at the arse end of the Davin stand when neighbours who never kicked a ball were in the Cusack 305. As a Season Ticket holder I was issued with a 305 ticket but for God’s sake who is more deserving – the likes of me an ordinary GAA member or a former Mayo AI final captain. We need to REALLY support our players (past or present) in ways that recognise their hero staus in the community and not treat them like ‘also rans’.
Agree diehard…our incompetent county board, no doubt!
Dont think he will get it but Cluxton is by a mile the best keeper in the country, maybe the best goal keeper we have seen in Gaelic Football. He is also the best free taker in the game, the All Stars are about media opinion mostly and Mayo should get Higgins, Dillon and McLoughlin, with McLoughlin also getting a nomination for player of the year in my opinion. Barry Moran has a 50/50 chance with a 30/70 chance for Keegan, cant see Cafferkey, Clark or O’She getting one but might get a nomination, Nobody is talking about Boyle but should get a nomination at least. I would rate his contribution as greater than that of Clark, Cafferkey or O’Shea I will be delighted if we get more than 3. Our strongest sector is our defence but Donegal are so strong there it will make it tough for anybody else to get one there, I think Karl Lacey will be a deserved player of the year, when all is said and done. Murphy, McFadden, McHugh and Lacey are certs for Donegal. I have to agree with Diehard, two ex mayo players were seated near me the lower tier corner of the Hogan, Canal End behind the goal line, offically the Hogan Stand, you would see much better from the Hill, but don’t get me started about tickets, I know what I see with my own eyes, others that were there can make up their own mind. Still to lose another All Ireland final drains the energy from you, dosent help to see Galway fans heading west after their team gave everything but could not compete with the Cats, But the way it is, we have to lick our wounds, dust ourselves off and hope for better next year. We got to the All Ireland final a year too soon, lessons to be learned by everybody. James Horan has done a fantastic job since talking over, but he too will have to have a look at himself and the decisions made last Sunday, much too slow in making changes, taught Jason Doherthy should have been withdrawn after the 2 goals went in against us, the way Donegal defend we were not going to get that goal chance for Jason which was the reason for him being there in the first place I presume. Also I taught Aiden O’She did’nt last the 70 minutes (The lad done well to get himself as fit as he did following serious injury) sticking him in as a big full forward hoping for something to happen against a congested and very well organised Donegal defence was never going to work for me. We had options on the bench and could have used our resorces earlier, most notably Richie Feeny and Jason Gibbons. I taught Richie Feeny has been outstanding every minute that he has been on the pitch for us this year. He must have been pushing very hard for a starting position. I wonder does he suffer a bit from being so very capable of playing in so many different positions and then the manager waits to see where he can best deploy him. In any event he waited too long last Sunday, its easy in hindsight but what I what I would have done is first is withdraw Jason Dorethy, put Vaughan in center forward and Richie wing back. Vaughan spent plenty of time CHF last Sunday and caused problems there for Donegal but teams are wiser now to Donie’s forays into oppisition territory and a hole was left to be exploiotated in our half back line. So anyway after thinking about it for a week, that’s what I would have done. Would it have worked any better,I have’nt got the foggiest but I can can console myself that we at least could have won it, if only in hindsight!
I have to agree 100% with Diehard. Former county players should be at the top of the list when it comes to handing out tickets. Current club players and officials second. Season ticket holders next. Buying a season ticket for myself and the family this year not for the expectation of an All Ireland ticket but because we want to support the team and get good value for it. If we get tickets for the top end of the Davin for next years final then great, wouldnt expect a quality seat but would expect to get in ahead of corporate hand outs and people who have connections.
Players past and present put so much effort and commitment into providing us with so many happy memories they deserve to be looked after.
A few daft suggestions for All Stars here, in my opinion. I know League form is supposed to be considered, but even still I wouldn’t have Andy Moran near a nomination. In his first two Championship games he actually wasn’t anywhere close to his normally high standards. Also, you may well be right WJ with your predictions but I would have Barry Moran in ahead of Ger Caff. Ger had a very solid year but Barry is more deserving I feel. Certainly more so than Aidan Walsh who, as far as I can see, is a bit a media darling.
Current format for selecting all-stars has no credibility. Players like Carlows Brendan Murphy, Meaths Donal Keoghan and Longfords Sean McCormack are far more deserving cases than most mentoined above. Mayo should have McLoughlin and Higgins end of. John me auld buddy, what are you smoking – suggesting Andy Moran or even Conroy?
“Aidan Walsh keeps getting mentioned at midfield, even though I reckon his clueless, self-indulgent second half display against Donegal should rule him out”…Sounds a bit harsh WJ, but I havent watched the match back yet on TV. I will eventually bring myself to do it.
That was Cork’s Aidan Walsh I was talking about, Coilltemach, not our Aidan!
That clears it up – Thanks for that
: )
James a stor you are correct, higgins and McLoughlin are the two. I was acting the goat with the rest but if people are serious about Dillon and I am not , sure why not Andy and Conroy. At least Conroy came from his second final having shown us his ability.
Spailpin is right, all stars are a joke, since Kildare once got 3 for losing a Leinster semi in 1997 I gave up on them, however since we lost the latest All Ireland final what’s left of my brain is gone astray. I am treading carefully because what I would like to say is not on “message” and I am reduced to writing crap…I know, most of my stuff is crap anyway but with Mayo at the moment , I am beyond pain and in a dangerous place called indifference.
We had a chance to win an All Ireland and failed, we will get back to a final I suppose but I then expect us to repeat every stupid mistake we did in the previous six. Aghhh …I better stop or I might get a few slaps across the wrist from those easily upset.
No need to be afraid about gettin a few slaps from others John a mhac-you’re
doing a good enough job beatin yoursel’ up!!
Lads the all stars may be flawed but it is still a big honour for any Player to receive one. Losing all Ireland finalists almost always get a minimum of 3 all stars, apart from mayo in 97, 04, and 06 when I think we got 2 each time. Therefore don’t expect too many this year. In my opinion we deserve 4 given we hammered down in the quarters, and had a number of outstanding performers in the semi, even in the final the likes of keegan and Kevin mc played well. James, the all stars have been selected in recent years almost exclusively on 7 games, the four quarters, two semis and final, with selection weighted heavily towards semis and the final. Therefore the names you mentioned are non runners and that is the reality, whether it’s fair or not is another matter entirely.
Flynn from Dublin deserves one, and colm o neill from cork. I cant think of any other standout performers from either side at the business end if the season, maybe mc auley from dub at 11. Other than that, if selection follows the same format as recent years, the remaining 13 should be divided 9/4 between Donegal and mayo respectively. However given that most of the hacks who select these things are from Leinster I won’t be holding my breath.
By the way ive noticed a couple of people now saying Donal keoghan of Meath deserves an all star ahead of frank mc Glynn and Keith Higgins! A team hammered by Laois in the qualifiers, are people being serious?!
Shocking articles by McHale and Brolly. Brolly is a poor excuse for a journalist but McHale. Shocking drivel from both.
All Brolly has is sensationalism- and Mchale was a much better footballer than coach. So disloyal- hope he is never on the receiving end from a Mayo point of view.
John C…please continue
anyone have a link to Brolly’s article?
It was in the Irish Mail on Sunday yesterday and as far as I know they don’t provide free access to their content. Just as well, it was exactly the kind of classy stuff you’d expect from that clown, the less said about it the better.
fair enough WJ…no chance of me getting a copy of that over here anyway…just as well I suppose.
From gaaboard
Mayo fans on twitter have posted the key points of Brolly’s article on the Daily Mail.
– Game was over after 10mins & 4 point win for Donegal is like 10 point win for any other team
– If Mayo were to reach the final again,the losing Semi finalists should go instead of them to save shame on Mayo
– Mayo should be rewarded a team holiday if they reach the All Ireland cause they would keep their dignity and that it will save the GAA more embarrassment of another losing final for Mayo
— If the team psychologist Kieran Shannon stays with them any longer,he will need psychological services himself
Very degrading stuff from Brolly, it says it all about this country with so many good people unemployed and emigrating that a highly paid barrister can double job as a journalist and write this vitirol. Lad needs the ch”te kicked out of him.
Think Dillon had a great year and would be a cert along with Higgins (not too sure why he is a dead cert) and keegan.
Think people on here ? why Dillon should get an All Star he is a top player and has had an excellent season, I think if Lacey had marked McLoughlin in the final Dillon would have been more prominent.
Also those suggesting Conroy deserves an All Star if Dillon gets one should have a look back over the season we have just had.
As for the rest Cafferkey deserves one best full back all year, and Clarke.
That’s my lot just sick of seeing Alan Dillon not getting his due praise on here he’s been our best player over the last 6-8 years by far.
I don’t really want to give that pile of crap written by Brolly any further oxygen but for anyone who hasn’t yet seen and wants to do so it’s available here.
Alan Dillon is already an all-star remember that JC and Higgins and McLoughlin are not yet, he owes nothing to this county nor his club since I remember. If there were ever comparisons done to past or present players he’d wipe the floor with his achievements to date and has two / three of the best years ahead, before he calls a day, see the way he’s playing. He’s marked by the top dog defenders year in year bar no other player on our team – give the lad some credit. It saddening to think we are that small minded on this blog to think otherwise. He’s an All-Star and will pick up his second in a few weeks time, no doubt, joining a small bunch of elite players this county has i.e. Willie Joe Padden, Dermot Flanagan, Kenneth Mortimer, James Horan and James Nallen who are the only five Mayo players ever selected twice. In fact I have no doubt he’ll be our 1st Mayo player to be selected for 3. Andy Moran for all his positives is still lagging way behind Dillon in terms of championship & league performances in the red & green, personnel accolades – MOTM in most cases, capps to date and has a way to go even to seen in the same light. Last year was Andys only stand out season, given his first all star, but where was he until last year at 28, Maughan and Morans regimes didn’t see him. Dillon is our third highest scorer off all time in the county behind only C Mortimer & Jinky Joe. Horan has done wonder with Andy I agree and he’s our main target man at the end of the square but coupled with his latest injuries will for sure loose that yard of pace he already struggles with. If any man deserves an all-Ireland Dillon does so let’s rally the troops in the next while, quit the horsemanure and support one another, these lads know there’s a way more left in the tank and us supports likewise.
It really is sickening to read Brolly’s condescending comments. Fair enough, we were beaten, we all know why, and to be fair, he points out many of those shortcomings…….but for him to the share with us the thoughts of his buddy Pat Gilroy, still seething over the semi final loss, over a few pints…utterly classless.
Look, the ONLY way we can address this is to go out next year, set some goals early such as winning, not just competing, but winning the league and then setting up to win the All Ireland.
Dont be tip towing around this issue, grow some…we all kniow what we want, so lets have it out and make our intentions clear to the oposition.
watched the final again, definitely one that could have been won, no rose tinted glasses involved. It looks like Mayo are very close, if donegal are to be used as a yardstick. all lines played well apart from ff line, they dropped far too many balls to be productive but even then they worked like machines to win it back etc. I think cafferkey,keegan,higgins,mcloughlin,dillon and boyle are all worth nominating. When you see the quality of ball they play and the workrate they are going to be a tough nut to crack in 2013 for all teams. Tactically, horan was nearly right, though hindsight is 20/20. It would have taken 2 lads to hold murphy and who are you leaving free to protect against him?If donegal were kept at bay until Mayo settled into the game it would have ended differently. but thats hindsight, we”ll know for the next time.
Tactically Horan was not bad and Donegal were rattled, but not making the substitutes in time was a real problem. Feeney on at number 11 after 25/30 mins, SOS and Gibbons on after 40 mins needed to be done badly. It still bothers how he did not act faster.
Just read that clown brolly’s article,its disgraceful.I only read it now as I would’nt buy that rag of a paper.I find it down right insulting to our players and our county.I would urge all Mayo people to boycott it and encourage the Co Board to take some sort of action.They sat on their hands after what he said about Donal Vaughan in the League final.I’ve felt all year that Donal has’nt been the same player since.We must defend our own.No other county would take it,nor would I expect them to.We were called whingers in 96 but this is not whingeing it’s only doing what’s right.If we keep taking it, we,ll keep getting it.How that fool can slate a team that did us proud all year is beyond me,and how RTE who we all pay for, keep him, just shows what they are too.
Nephin, I agree 100%, he wasn’t the same man after the league final. Brolly doesn’t deserve further analysis in my opinion, he’s an amadán. Has he kids? does he realise that his own self immortilisation may have a future consequense for his own kids? and would he really care. Personally I didn’t think we were good enough to win the AI this year, there is a bit to do in the to build for next year. God’s honest truth I have no doubt we can win it in the next 2 years. If so I’ll die happy!
10 All Star nominations for Mayo and O’Connor in the running for young player of the year again.
David Clarke,Ger Cafferkey,Keith Higgins,Colm Boyle,Lee Keegan,Aidan O’Shea,Barry Moran,Kevin McLoughlin,Alan Dillon,Andy Moran
While it is tempting to simply dismiss Brolly’s comments as drivel which can simply be ignored their public nautre is such that it is almost impossible for the players to be immune to their effect… did you see what Brolly wrote about you and so on. For that reason it is vital that this Mayo team maintain the progress made this year by absorbing all such comment, considering it for any value it might have before consigning it to the bin and moving on.
Leaving aside his attention seeking comments (which did the trick as far as he is concerned) his ‘analysis’ of Mayo boils down to five points:
1. Mayo only got into the game becasue Donegal went defensive when 7 points up –
It is an obvious point to make, certainly there was a feeling in the ground that Donegal were almost as stunned at their start as Mayo were but having watched the game again to say that Donegal ‘sat back’ does not necessarily stack up. Donegal’s second goal was fortuitous (poor refereeing decision, hit the post etc.) but Clarke’s save, Horan’s switches and the ‘on field’ advice of James Nallen helped to settle the team. It is true that Mayo never got closer than three points but had they added composure to the chances that their workrate created in the 2nd half they would have been within one of Donegal with all to play for. Match management is something that can be worked upon and they have valuable experience to draw upon.
2. Horan is clueless as a manager based on his desicion to move O’Shea inside –
Overall Horan had an excellent campaign but I think when he analyises his own preformance in the final he will find room for improvement. His defencesive switches in the 1st half helped to settle the team, however with a bench that had proven itself arguably the substitutions in the 2nd half could have come earlier. The O’Shea move was interesting though because even though he didn’t win any clean ball, he sucked-in up to four defenders at times creating space for others to exploit around the 40, again with some composure this could have been capitalised on to greater effect – some team next year will. James Horan has a solid base as a manage developed and given his approach to date I have little doubt that he will continue to improve.
3. Mayo lack a killer instinct –
I don’t buy this and nor should the team. It has correctly been commented upon elsewhere that it is unfair to link this team to those of the ’90’, ’04 and ’06 however there is one shared trait that I have observed at all of Mayo’s finals and it has little to do with a killer instinct and more to do with the intensity of their start. In 04 and particular 06 I was struck by the intesity of Kerry’s warm-up routine (in 06 they quite literally bounced off and punched each other for 5 mins before the match started) in contrast with the more sediate Mayo routine. Agian before the final this year I was struck by the pace and intensity of Donegal’s immediate pre-match rountine. Mayo’s was structured but lacked the sharpness of Donegal’s effort. In all cases the opposition bolted from the starters blocks leaving Mayo chasing the game within minutes. While people’s views may differ on the importance of the immediate pre-match rountine I feel it is something that Mayo could improve upon for future outings.
4. Dilllon is overrated
He is not but in the absence of Moran he was carrying an exceptional load of responsibility and he was clearly targeted by the Donegal defence as a whole and not just Lacey. Doherty’s performance is also instructive while I think he is improving nicely he has a tendency to lower his head when carrying the ball and as a result he does not see the overlaps and runs that others are making. On many occasion in the 1st half those runs (which are so often picked out by Moran) were been made by Dillon and were simply not picked out. These are issues that are easily worked on in training and with the benefit of another season their collective awareness should improve as should their individual performances. Dillon is an all star.
5. Mayo’s ‘tactical fouling’ was punished early and as a result they couldnt get into the game-
There was some talk before the game that Mayo were about 18 months behind Donegal in terms of their development as a team; their tackling is reavling in this regard. Leaving the goals aside I though that Mayo’s defensive effort/system was excellent and improved on their semi-final performace however while their fitness stood up well they were not able to match Donegal’s strength in the tackle and this resulted in a number of turnovers. Mayo are behind Dongeal (who are the fittest and strongest team in the country) particularly in terms of the physical strength of their players but equally (And I say this form experience) the development of the kind of strength required takes time and Mayo are clearly progressing in this regard. I do not share the pessimism regarding the departure of Cian O’Neil (I know of a number of strength and conditioning trainers who could do an equally good if not better job. I’m not familiar with his proposed replacement but he seems to be well regarded) what is more important is that the team continue to buy into the work he started, that senior players ensure it is continued and set ever increasing standards for themselves. That in itself fosters a ‘hardness’ within the group that can and will stand to them in big games. In short they must stick at it they are on the right track.
Overall Brolly’s analysis is rather superficial but it is clear that Mayo has work to do to get back to another final and to win it. What is different this time? We have a young team with an honest management set up that have shown great resolve in the white heat of an All-Ireland final. If they take the lessons from this defeat in and apply them in a sober and ruthless fashion they will be successful.
I really needed to get all that of my chest:)
Nice analysis Prof.
Agree with most points.
I do question the uproar over the warm up.
Between the warm ups and the throw in, there was the meeting of the President, the parade, a minute’s silence and Amhrán na bhFiann before everyone got into their positions.
I question what the point of being so warmed up is if you then have to take a ten or fifteen minute break. I think a man of Cian O’Neill’s experience would have known this – I don’t believe for a second the respective warm ups made much difference on the day.
Fair play to Brolly on his donating a kidney to his friend – but his attacks on Mayo were purely sensationalist. He might be a good human being but he remains a poor excuse of an analyst.
Well Willie Joe, that was some bit of forecasting, congrats, were you giving out the gongs this year??!! The obvious gripe for Mayo fans is Kevin McLoughlin, he can feel aggrieved, he was our best player in the final I thought. His time will come though. For Ger and Lee it should give them a great boost and will be good for them in future.
It didn’t, to be honest, take all that much forecasting, Michael, and very few of us – including myself – would have thought that Kevin would be the one to lose out. Every year there are a few bad calls made on the All-Star team and unfortunately Kevin was the one in the firing line on this occasion. Hopefully it’ll give him the motivation to come back even stronger next year. I’m delighted Lee got one though.