The All-Stars awards show has just concluded on RTÉ2 and, from our perspective, there were no surprises with how the two Footballer of the Year awards went.
In the Young Footballer of the Year category we couldn’t lose – probably just as well, seeing how we got shafted in the All-Stars – as all three players on the shortlist came from within our ranks. Eoghan McLaughlin and Tommy Conroy fully deserved to be included in this list but Oisín Mullin’s storming performance in December’s All-Ireland final meant he was always the strong favourite to win and so it proved.
Winning the YFOTY award caps a remarkable debut year at Senior inter-county level for the Kilmaine player who yesterday morning was also named on the 2020 All-Star team. Both awards are, though, no more than he’s deserved as Oisín was a very strong performer for us throughout the year. Hearty congrats to him.
It’s also worth noting that Oisín’s win brings to five the number of times players from the county have won this award over the last decade. Cillian and Diarmuid O’Connor were both back-to-back winners in previous years and, assuming Oisín is still eligible on age grounds this year (I’m not sure, to be honest, whether he is or not), I wouldn’t bet against him emulating that particular feat.
Cillian was on the shortlist tonight for the Footballer of the Year award. Despite another shoot-the-lights-out Championship campaign, in which he was, for the first time in ages, untroubled by injury, and notwithstanding the extremely persuasive case in his favour made by Colin Sheridan, this prize was always heading in Dublin’s direction and was won tonight by Brian Fenton.
Oisin will be 21 this year.
Yes Oisin will be eligible again this year as he is u21 this year. Eoghan and Tommy will be u22.
Well done Oisin. The top scorer in the country doesn’t get player of the year that’s a bit mad Ted maybe we’ll win a few tik tok awards
Oisín was always going to win that. He is a class act with so many good years ahead for him. Top scorer doesn’t mean best footballer. Fenton is a freak of nature and an incredibe player in fairness totally deserving POTY
Did anyone see the piece in the Sunday world a couple of weeks ago about All-Ireland final top scorer? Mike Sheehy is 1st, 3 or 4pts ahead of Rock, Gooch is 3rd, 1 ahead of cillian but Sheehy played 8 games rock and Gooch 7 and cillian on their tails with just 5 games. This again shows how special a player he is.
Cillian has played in 6 finals. Gooch played in 9 by my count. Wouldn’t lose any sleep over these awards but thought Cillian deserved it. He was the outstanding individual in the championship.
Congratulations to Oísean, brilliant debut season well deserved..We definitely were a bit shortchanged… It’s hard not to appreciate just how good the winner of the player of the year is, and a very likeable fellow, Brian Fenton but for the first 3 quarters of the All Ireland final, Diarmuid O Connor had the upper hand…Such is life, the All Stars have always been skewed… Kevin McLoughlin once again, I don’t how many times been overlooked.. Very strong case for Paddy Durcan as well but at least he has a well deserved All Star..It was interesting as Marty Morrissey introduced the 3 winner’s in the Full Forward line…Dean Rock was introduced as ‘Dublins all time higest scorer’ but the ‘our Cillian O Connor, the all time higest scorer in the Championship, and the player with the highest ever score in a championship Match’ had no such preamble from Marty…Wonder why is that Marty?.. The subtle RTE bias doesn’t go as far the insult for a debate on the championship involving Pat Gilroy, and Des Cahill, but it didn’t go unnoticed either Marty.
Congratulations to Oisín and Cillian on their deserved all star’s and of course Oisin’s YPOY award…
Only found out last night that the late Darragh Doherty (Mayo Minor 2013) was Oisin’s first cousin, football in that family
The Dubs dominance is on par with Covid19, when will we see an end to it.
Well done Oisín, or OhSheen as Ger Canning would have it (to add to his AID ANNE O’Shea). A stellar year – I predict the debates about Oisín in future will be where best to play him.
Wouldn’t it be great this year, any which way, to have another three nominees? The Mayo News and indeed other well-informed posters here have been trailing names of those most likely to succeed in the coming season. Personally, my list of players to watch, to lower the bar somewhat, would be:
* Paul Towey – have seen but glimpses; would like to get the full flavour
* Aidan Orme – really liked the look of him in the county championship
* Barry Duffy – in here at JPs’ behest!! I did look at the Balla/Kiltimagh match and was slightly unerwhelmed, but JP speaks very highly of him.
* David McBrien – looked useful against Galway and against Breaffy. Would like to see more
Well done to Oisín, Tommy and Eoghan for having great breakthrough seasons. Great to have a monopoly on the YPOTY award. Now who else wants to put their hand up in the coming season and can those 3 progress further? I believe so
Well done Oisín, fully deserved and hopefully plenty more good years to come with Mayo. Given the amount of young talent that is breaking through we should be challenging for time to come.
The team that wins the All-Ireland will always sweep the awards, unfortunately until we land the big one some of the deserving ones will lose out.
I stand corrected wideball. I meant to say 6 for cillian. Anyway it’s another stat that has me in awe of his achievements on the field. I don’t say that lightly but when you see his scoring over the years it’s just phenomenal
Any ideas on replacement for David Clarke on the panel
Well done again to Oisin on winning the Independent Sportstar of the year 2020. Now let’s see some other young flyers step up and be like him for the county and push Mayo over the line for the big one.
Congratulations to Oisín and Cillian. I see Oisín also won the Irish Independent young sports star of the year. He deserved that one too.
i felt gutted when Cillian didnt get POTY . Rest my case now
Congrats to Oisin and Cillian, I honestly believe we will be back in Croker sooner than you think.
The retired lads are a massive loss, but time moves on, but we are lucky to have such great young talent coming on stream.
Those new lads Oisin Tommy and Eoin, together with Flynn Carr and many more wont be found wanting.
Every effort should be made to ensure those lads are looked after, and if possible suitable employment in our own County made possible, so that they dont have to go further afield.
Pat – 3 keepers on the panel last year, Jennings or McNicholas will probably be brought into developement panel.
Does anyone think Oisin would be more useful further up the pitch ,like midfield I’m talking.
Don’t think he’s tall enough for midfield long term. Would be good to see him at half back, although we’re well stocked there already.
@Catcol Barry Duffy does need to back himself a bit more and play with more confidence. Playing at senior club level might help him.
Latest news over here in John bulls land is all restrictions will be lifted by June 21st hopefully Ireland will be on a similar time scale so we can finally get over there to see family and friends and of course get to a few games
If you look at how effective Oisin was in the first half against Dublin when Con came upfield and then the end of the first half and the second Half when Con was probably told stay inside it makes the point that Oisin is more effective in a half back role.
Oisin played all his underage club football at half backs and his clubmates were surprised when he was picked in the full back line for Mayo. He was simply unmarkable at underage club level.
We are going to have to go without any actual GAA sporting action for the foreseeable future.. The only suggestion that I can think of at the moment that is remotely connected to Gaelic Football, is that we all watch the Aussies Women’s game, coverage on TG4 on Saturdays.. Last weekend Cora did in Australia what she often done in Ireland and scored 4 Goals in a Match.. And we can marvel at the good weather the Aussies seem to be blessed with, and the actual real life crowds of people at the Matchs, far fetched as seems to us in Ireland right now. As well as Cora Stanton to look out for, we have the two Kelly’s, Niamh and Grace and Sarah Rowe… Don’t you just envy those girls?