The nominations list for this year’s All-Stars was published earlier this morning. We’ve got six on it this year – Colm Boyle, Keith Higgins, Lee Keegan, Aidan and Seamus O’Shea and Cillian O’Connor – and the list features ten different counties. Kerry, as you’d expect, lead the way with eleven, Donegal and Dublin both have nine, Monaghan have four, Armagh have two and there’s one each from Tipperary, Derry, Cork and Galway. The full list, which includes the POTY and YPOTY shortlist, is here.
As I’ve said before, I’m sanguine enough about how many gongs we’ll get when they’re handed out on the 24th of this month. I think two – Keith and Cillian – is all we’ll get, though a strong case could of course be made for at least one more.
Time for a poll on it, I reckon, to see which of our lads you think should be mounting the podium in a few weeks time. I’ve set the poll up so you can vote for your top two choices. That’s not to say we won’t win three (though I’ve already said that I think we won’t) but it should help to illuminate whom from the six nominated are most likely to prevail.
Which Mayo players will win an All-Star this year?
- Keith Higgins (46%, 277 Votes)
- Cillian O'Connor (42%, 255 Votes)
- Colm Boyle (9%, 56 Votes)
- Aidan O'Shea (2%, 11 Votes)
- Seamus O'Shea (0%, 3 Votes)
- Lee Keegan (0%, 2 Votes)
Total Voters: 317
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I think Boyle will make it 3 for Mayo. There is not a finer half back in the country. As good as Keegan is I believe Boyles performances this year have surpassed Lee. He is worth a selection alone for THAT shoulder in the Galway match.
We’ll get 2, and that’s fair enough for me. Boyle is the only other who might deserve one, but I can’t see him getting it
Some strange positionings might point to who will get what. Naming murphy in half forwards means Star will prob get one. Putting Paul murphy in fullback line might allow Boyle get it in the half back line.
Durcan
murphy
mcgee
higgins
mccarthy
crowley
boyle
gallagher
moran
connolly
murphy
flynn
oconnor
donaghy
odonoghue.
Kerry 5, Donegal 4, dubs 3, mayo 3
Can’t really disagree with that lineup Puckout, would have thought AOS was in for one but with Murph at 11 and two Dubs either side its hard to see him get it
I think Kerry will get 6 as O Mahony totally tattoo’d Murphy in the final and his contribution was nullified as a result. Considering this is probably his last year and he is nine years older than Murphy he has to get one. I think Boyle should sneak in ahead of McCarthy and I also think O Shea should get one ahead of either Flynn or Connolly, no other player led so bravely or had a more telling contribution from a half forward position this year. Murphy is a dead cert and as he has been moved to the half forward line they are clearly going to give one to Donaghy with O Connor and O Donoghue inside. Rumour down here that Donaghy is player of the month so he will nail it if that is true.
Is Murphy in the half forwards to accomadate Reilly,s mate?Pity All-Stars are based on semi and final,it would be great to see Colin O Riordan get one,great young player from a weak county.Hard to see Boyle or Oshea get one but hopefully.
I have very little interest in the All Stars. If we got none it wouldn’t unduly bother me. The only thing that I am interested in right now is who we can bring into the squad to strengthen our chances next year and how our present players face up to the challenge of another year of hard work and dedication.
Me too diehard !
And conor Mortimer will get one for his new book! Can you imagine if he had actually won an allireland? He’d probably have a movie coming out for the Christmas and a line of clothing and aftershave.
Seriously though, I think Cillian oconnor, Higgins and Boyle are likely. If we had got fair play against Kerry we would have 7 or 8 nailed on allstars.
If Keith Higgins wins an All-Star this year, will he become the first Mayo player to win three awards? That will be a great achievement for him. Maybe our captain for next season?
I cannot see the logic of nominating Murphy in the half forwards as he invariably wore the No. 14 jersey all year. If he cannot beat Donaghy for that position it is his tough luck – he was not the best No.14 this year.
That Mayo, arguably the best team in the country should only get two or even three All Stars is a bit of a joke.
Diarmuid Connolly is a certainty. They are hardly going to short list him for player of the year and then not give him an all star. Puckouts selection will be very close. I’d say o Mahoney will get one of the half back slots though, leaving Boyle and mc carthy to fight out the last position. Unfortunately AOS hasn’t a hope as Flynn Murphy and Connolly will be automatic picks in the half forward line.
Please say ye are joking about Conor morts book lads? He’s hardly bringing one out is he? I always thought there’s an unwritten rule that GAA players don’t release books without at least one Celtic cross, then again cake curran just released one. Although he did at least win a club all Ireland medal. Be interesting to read morts take on leaving the mayo panel in 2012.
Should probably have posted this in Real Men Wanted Here: some excerpts from Roy Keane’s ‘new’ autobiography, with some interesting thoughts on leadership amongst other things:
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/oct/07/roy-keane-abba-robbie-savage-ellis-short-pablo-counago
Mac
You should listen to currant cake being interviewed on newstalk podcast. He’s a very interesting fella, crazy like a fox and I’d say he has a positive effect on anyone around him. There was rumors that he was on mcstay ticket for managing Mayo, judging by how he thinks they’re so good in his interview I’d say it’s true.
Colm cooper interview is another worth listening too, a gentleman and what any young lad should try and be on the field.
Am I the only one who actually thinks Mort’s book will be a very interesting read?
I’m really intrigued as to his take on 2012
Not trying to open a can of worms here but I remain convinced we’d have won the final that year if we had him
If morts book is about his football life he should stop it in its tracks and pretend he was only having us on. It’s as cringeworthy as foxford going on about admiral brown founding the argentine navy 200 years ago , or the western people getting excited if some English soap star visits mayo for a holiday. Jesus, win something or produce something of our own, please.
Cant agree with you Ciaran on winning the AI in 2012 if we had Mortimer…….bit on the small side for full back!!
Really sickened to see “BIG ARSE” get player of the month. Might be my green and red tinted glass’s but f**k it I’m sickened ;-(
Sure we would Ciaran. I mean, look at the huge impact he had on the League final that year.
I see the McHale circus has rolled onto another county or two. Better off to be out of that.
Galway/New York for us in the semi final in Salthill. Trying to plan my year – in the event of a Connacht Final against Roscommon would it be played in Castlebar or where?
Not the draw I hoped for. Galway will have 2 games before playing us in Salthill. We go straight into semi. If Galway were to win Connacht they would have to play 4 teams to do so. That must be a record but its ideal for K Walsh, handy games v New York and Leitrim before facing us at home. Reckon Evans and Ross will be delighted with draw as well
Yeah 2015 Championship has the permutations of a probable Mayo team meeting Meath in the quarter final and the Dubs in the semi final. On the other side probable Kerry meeting with Monaghan in the quarter and Donegal/Armagh in the semi. I’m not being dismissive, Tipperary have a heavily camouflaged team but we will beat them,, Cork wont be as naive in 2015 and will come in as underdogs,, very dangerous but we should have their nimber,,,. Galway will have a game in hand and will pose Mayo great difficulty as a result, under new management they could be a dangerous ticket but I can’t see Mayo going down as they have too much quality and have a real battle quality as they will see this as an opportunity to indelibly stamp their status as Kings of Connaught. Roscommon pulled the rabbit from the hat this summer and Mayo won’t be fooled twice. Tyrone and Cavan could be dangerous as could be Derry but I expect a Donegal/Armagh v Monaghan final ( depending on the new Donegal managers ability ). The losing provincial finalists will probably sneak through against the qualifiers but don’t be surprised if we have a surprise or two,,,,. Next years final could be Kerry v Mayo as I think Mayo will not fear Dublin and it will be the first real engagement the Dubs will encounter,, Mayo are hungry and will be ruthless in this campaign due to their near misses and realisation that they almost have the full package to deliver( once they get one or two critical positions sorted and the new management team will inspire creativity ) Kerry will be dangerous as well as Tommy Walsh will be back and Gooch will be available to do his thing if he has the fitness to regain his position ( not saying that lightly as this a serious injury for a 32yr old player to get over ). There will probably be a few retirements but they will be very dangerous. The Dubs displayed that no team is unbeatable and all teams from the quarters on will be acutely aware of that fact next year. I am going on the presumption that kerry will beat either of the northern possibilities and mayo will survive any upset but i think we could all be in for a real cliff hanger on September 20th 2015. God spare us, May the best team win
@Gamechanger10 Kerryman, do ye take cuteness pills for breakfast and crafty tablets at night to come up with the things that ye come out with? You couldn’t make it up. Ye only have the All-Ireland title a few weeks and the mind games are starting already! Thats yer game all of the time, build up the opposition and play down yer own chances! The merry go round starts again. The thing is, everyone falls for it too, yes hype up the Dubs and Mayo, play down Kerry’s chances. The O’Se brothers etc. were hyping us up all year and playing down Kerry’s chances and it worked to a tee. Why was this? Because Kerry knew there was a big chance that the two teams would meet in a semi-final. Even though Kerry put in a lot better performance against Cork than we did, we were pretty much over whelming favourites against Kerry. It never ends. Here in Mayo we just have to get our own house in order. Forget about getting revenge against Kerry, this is the trap we fell into the last two years, In 2013 we were fixated on Donegal and this year we were all thinking about the Dubs. We can’t do the same with Kerry next year. Fix our own leaky roof first rather than looking at our neighbours roof.
Ha ha not trying to play the poor card HopeSpringsEternal,
Kerry will as far as I’m concerned be one or the favourites to lift Sam in 2015. This is because Walsh will add a significant ingredient to the team, he will bring professionalism, experience, height, power and no small amount of skill. If he hadn’t gone down under I think we would have won at least another title over the past five years. All of the team and subs have gained valuable banks of experience and confidence this year which will be great to draw on in a tight game next year (which is only 71 days away). Dublin are smarting after losing the Late Late Show slot, not to mention the second victory in their five in a row gimme. I think once Dublin had beaten Donegal (well) in that semi final either Mayo or Kerry would have taken them in the final. They were just reading the script and the lower division teams were confirming to them that the scribes were spot on. If Brogan or Connolly had buried either of their shots it was lights out no matter what the “bauld Jommy” did after that. This would have allowed them to sleepwalk for another three weeks before Mayo or Kerry woke them up with a reality check, now don’t get me wrong they are a bloody fine team going forward but dis you see the defending after the Titanic hit the iceberg,,, it was shockingly poor. I think If Donegal were not so fettered to that God awful system they could have done better, after Donaghys goal they woke up briefly and kicked three wonderful points only to retreat again into the formation they swore allegiance so faithfully to. I think football instinct is learned over the years growing up and on the training fields, it’s a natural thing and to deny a player the opportunity to express it is only bad for the game in the long term. I think every neutral in Ireland would love to see Mayo lift Sam, particularly this team which are only a bounce away from it, I hope your new management bring the same effort and professionalism to the table as Horan and his team. I’m afraid they will have to be tactically more astute than their predecessors were as cuteness and delayed reactions probably cost those players medals I’m afraid !! Regardless good luck next year, and with Gods help, the Championship be our biggest worry in 2015. Ciarrai Abu
We lost the last 3 All Irelands due to our inabillity to deal with high balls into our full back line—indeed you could add in 2006. I am not blaming the players–we need a defensive system.
Also, our inabillity to deal with high balls in midfield.
Would be very disappointed if Colm boyle did not get one….he is everything that is good about the new breed of mayo footballer ….
Good call puckout, not many nailed the All Stars like that.. Impressed ,,,,,