What’s that painful Father Ted line? “Of course, they all have lovely bottoms…”
We’re not scrambling here, trying to say everyone’s a winner or that they’re all All-Stars in our eyes, but when there are only 15 names awarded at the end of the year, it’s hard not to feel a little sympathy for some footballers, especially when some of them could feel hard-done-by with Friday’s decision.
The official 2017 football All-Stars team was decent enough in the end but the judges probably tried to accommodate too many names from the right counties to avoid too much of a backlash rather than just pick the best player from each position. There isn’t too much you could really change from the final team but Tiernan McCann would definitely have felt a little short-changed on the night after a stunning season for Tyrone.
It was a tough selection but he was the best, writes @ConanDoherty https://t.co/VG82MDl2nq
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) November 4, 2017
There were others too though who must surely have been in the discussion, so much so that it makes for a heck of a reserve All-Star team.
1. Stephen Cluxton (Dublin)
Nominated for Footballer of the Year but didn’t make the All-Star team, he was probably most aggrieved on the night after another terrific season – better than terrific, Cluxton-esque.
2. Jonny Cooper (Dublin)
Michael Fitzsimons got the nod in the full back line probably for his shift on Conor McManus but Cooper was his usual steel wall self and added a piercing attacking intent to his game.
3. Philly McMahon (Dublin)
One of the best players in the country the last few years, the Dubliner was plagued with injury at the start of the campaign but slotted back in seamlessly and played another huge part in getting them over the line against Mayo.
4. Brendan Harrison (Mayo)
It seems that, no matter who you put in his way, he’ll gobble them up. Chris Barrett stole the plaudits and rightly so towards the end of the summer but Harrison is a picture of unshakable consistency in the full back line for Mayo.
5. Tiernan McCann (Tyrone)
He was the best wing back in the country this year.
6. John Small (Dublin)
A proper, old school defender. Fires himself into collisions with a smile on his face, makes momentum-swinging interventions every 10 minutes and does any job asked of him – man-marking, holding the line, or as an attacking wing back.
7. Lee Keegan (Mayo)
Another man who must be peeved at his exclusion. When the chips were down, it was Lee Keegan who delivered for Mayo time after time.
8. Tom Parsons (Mayo)
Pure class. Seems to have everything. His aerial ability is polished with pure composure as if he can stop up there and have a look around before picking the ball off a carrier-service puff of air. Goes through a mountain of defensive work and is a tireless driving force.
9. Enda Smith (Roscommon)
Absolutely outstanding as the Rossies won the Connacht championship. Inspirational scores, game-winning big plays.
10. Peter Harte (Tyrone)
As effortless as ever. As graceful as ever. As beautiful as ever.
11. Jason Doherty (Mayo)
He could certainly be credited with changing Mayo’s fortunes. Recalled into the team for the Cork game and started a production line that was so badly missing in the Mayo factory. He took the ball from the backs, he fed the inside forwards. He made that a reliable, churning routine. If it wasn’t for his ball-winning on the 45′, Andy Moran would never have won Footballer of the Year and Mayo might never have made it back to the final.
Jason Doherty: The @MayoGAA unsung hero https://t.co/uJecYigaad
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) July 24, 2017
12. Mattie Donnelly (Tyrone)
His stats against Armagh really showed what he was about. An ever-present, all-action, no-nonsense warrior for Tyrone, he combines frightening physicality with a touch of class.
13. Jamie Clarke (Amragh)
Really kicked into gear as Armagh overcame a bad loss in the first round to make it the whole way to Croke Park and beat Kildare there as well. Clarke was the ball-winner supreme, he was the playmaker and he was the finisher. He was Jamie Clarke again.
14. Connaire Harrison (Down)
A real brute. A nuisance. A beast. Any ball in his direction was a worthwhile venture and it usually ended with two defenders on their arses and him barging his way towards goals.
15. Cillian O’Connor (Mayo)
The championship top scorer who hit the second most from play in the country, Cillian O’Connor averaged 7.5 points per game and he was another big reason for Moran’s performances as he peeled out often and early and picked out his partner further inside.
Kieran Hughes and Brian Fenton were probably unluckiest to miss out to miss out for a second time but, as two midfielders, they were really up against it – firstly with McCarthy and Cavanagh and now with Parsons and Smith.
Team breakdown:
- Mayo (5)
- Dublin (4)
- Tyrone (3)
- Armagh (1)
- Down (1)
- Roscommon (1)
