It’s been a cracking season of club football.
The best thing is, it’s not over yet. As the new year begins, for the club players lucky enough to be still involved, heads will turn to the business end of the All-Ireland club Championship.
Our eyes will be watching closely.
1. Goalkeeper – Shane Murphy (Dr. Crokes, Kerry)
Dr Crokes were unable to repeat their All-Ireland winning heroics of the previous season, but net-minder Shane Murphy couldn’t be faulted for that.
That’s because their number one was the next thing to faultless in their whole campaign. Has great reflexes, agility, flexibility and bravery.
"I'd have this fella on the Kerry team" – @osemarc2 has been very impressed with @drcrokesgaa keeper Shane Murphy. #ClubChampionships pic.twitter.com/lfEkE2lcGy
— eir Sport (@eirSport) October 7, 2017
Everything you’d want from a goalkeeper, and though they went down badly in the Munster final to Nemo Rangers, it would have been much worse for the Kerry men were it not for some improbable saves from this man.
2. Right corner back – Karl McKaigue (Slaughtneil, Derry)
This is the list of direct opponents he’s kept scoreless in the Derry Championship.
Derry SFC
- James Kearney (Swatragh)
- Conleith Gilligan (Ballinderry)
- Danny Tallon (Glen)
- Shane Mulgrew (Ballinascreen)
This is the list of direct opponents he’s kept scoreless in Ulster.
In 12 championship games across both codes – Karl McKaigue has scored 0-6 but held his direct opponent scoreless in 11 games … only Danny Toner (B’galget) scored off him #GAA @GACSlaughtneil
— Michael McMullan (@malmcmullan) December 14, 2017
Ulster SFC
- Jerome Johnston (Kilcoo)
- Ronan O’Neill (Omagh)
- Ryan McHugh (Kilcar)
- Seanie Johnston (Cavan Gaels)
No corner forward has registered a score on him all year.
What else could you possibly want from a corner back?
3. Full back – Liam Healy (Moorefield, Kildare)
The 23-year-old minds the house with the fearlessness and ferocity of a White House guard dog. Growls and snarls at his opponents, it always take something special for the Moorefield inside line to be cut open.
Meet our Leinster Finalists – Liam Healy.
Best of luck to Liam, the team & management in the AIB Leinster Club SFC Final this Sunday.
Moorefield v St. Lomans
O'Moore Park, Portlaoise, 2pm #Moores2017 #TheToughest pic.twitter.com/KWuynUyBAF— Moorefield GAA (@MoorefieldGaa) December 8, 2017
4. Left corner back – Liam Silke (Corofin, Galway)
Man-of-the-match in Corofin’s Connacht final victory over Castlebar, the Galway defender wasn’t in any mood for letting anything past him that day.
He’s been like that for most of the year. But nullifying attackers seems so easy for him, with that strength, speed and skill of his.
5. Right half back – Mark Dempsey (Moorefield, Kildare)
The future of Kildare football has already arrived. The 18-year-old half back has coasted through a victorious Kildare and Leinster campaign, displaying the fearlessness of youth and the experience of a seasoned campaigner on his way.
So eager, so tenacious, so steely.
Meet our Leinster Finalists –
Mark Dempsey.Best of luck to Mark, the team & management in the AIB Leinster Club SFC Final this Sunday.
Moorefield v St. Lomans
O'Moore Park, Portlaoise, 2pm #Moores2017 #TheToughest pic.twitter.com/zew2Brjt1g— Moorefield GAA (@MoorefieldGaa) December 13, 2017
6. Centre back – Chrissy McKaigue (Slaughtneil, Derry)
Mr. Consistency.
And when Chrissy McKaigue puts perfect performance after perfect performance again and again and again, it makes you wonder what it would take for him to have a bad game in the maroon of Slaughtneil.
He's a different species https://t.co/t8oDIT9Dxy
— GAA JOE (@GAA__JOE) November 24, 2017
Something extraordinary.
7. Left half back – Dylan Wall (Corofin)
A blistering half back, an attacking weapon, a tigerish defender.
The 21-year-old played at half forward for the Galway minors in 2014, but he’s yet to don a senior maroon jersey. Next year could well, and should well be his year to right that wrong.
Kevin Walsh will have been taking notice. He will be taking notice.
For now, this man will be focusing on his club, and if he keeps doing what he’s doing, he’ll be going even further in the right direction.
8. Midfield – Shane Aherne (Stradbally, Waterford)
It was disgraceful that the Waterford football final was played one week after the Munster decider but these men weren’t for moping about.
Shane Aherne has been one of the best if not the best club footballers in the county over the last few years, and he delivered on the biggest stage of all this year.
Tenth Conway Cup in seventeen years for Stradbally Shane Aherne named man of the match pic.twitter.com/UdyT3ODnrW
— Tomás McCarthy (@tomasmcc) December 3, 2017
9. Midfield – Paul Sharry (St. Loman’s, Westmeath)
You really would have to feel for St. Loman’s for the heart-wrenching way they lost that Leinster final. You’d have to feel for Paul Sharry. The midfield maestro turned in a performance for the ages in Portlaoise, kicking a left foot, 4o yard special as the clock ticked towards 60.
Intense start to the @gaaleinster final! Paul Sharry has just kicked @StLomansGAAClub into the lead, 0-02, 0-01 #TheToughest pic.twitter.com/DclpQ3bJhv
— AIB_GAA (@AIB_GAA) December 17, 2017
Loman’s must have thought they had it won. Sharry didn’t deserve to lose. That will be a bitter pill to swallow, but knowing his character, he’ll be back, and he’ll bring them back with hi.
10. Left half forward – Ronan O’Toole (St. Loman’s, Westmeath)
O’Toole isn’t the future of Westmeath football, because he just has to be the now. With a mere swing of that left peg he can make a ball scream, he can turn a defender inside out and he can amaze a crowd.
Watch this space https://t.co/FfWGd2CIQx
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) December 20, 2017
He has pace to burn, a work-ethic to match and his skill-set is so wide-ranging it should come with a warning.
11. Centre half forward – Luke Connolly (Nemo Rangers, Cork)
Kicked ten points in a man-of-the-match display in the Munster final. That’s just another day for one of the most consistent club footballers in Munster.
Because Luke Connolly is a class act.
Just watch this.
Some skill from Luke Connolly in the drawn County Final against St. Finbarr's#nemorangers #CorkGAA #NemoSkills @NemoRangersGAA pic.twitter.com/ioq2K27fE7
— Nemo Rangers Archive (@nemo_archive) December 20, 2017
12. Right half forward – Eanna O’Connor (Moorefield, Kildare)
The calls for Jack O’Connor’s son to be recalled to the Kildare set-up are so loud that Cian O’Neill will have to take heed. O’Connor is a weapon up front for the Leinster champions, as he proved on the biggest stage of all in O’Moore Park two weeks ago.
Congratulations to Éanna O'Connor who was voted Kildare GAA Senior Club Footballer of the Year.
Éanna has had a superb season for the Senior team this year & we wish him the very best of luck in the AIB Leinster Club SFC Final this Sunday. pic.twitter.com/6bSbj7skmH
— Moorefield GAA (@MoorefieldGaa) December 5, 2017
Deadly accurate and pace to burn.
13. Left corner forward – Paddy Small (Ballymun Kickhams, Dublin)
“Look, Paddy has all the attributes, I know by him he’s really committed and he’d love to get down (to the Dublin seniors) and I definitely think he’s not far off he’s a brilliant player.”
Those were the words of his clubmate James McCarthy. Any Dubs who watched the county senior championship this year were even more effusive in their praise.
Because John Small’s younger brother is different gravy. He racked up 1-11 from play between the county quarter and semi-finals against Kilmacud Crokes and St.Brigid’s respectively.
He’s still only 21.
14. Full forward – Neil Douglas (Castlebar Mitchels, Mayo)
The most consistent club forward in Mayo over the last few years was at it again this year. That’s what the Mitchels expect from him now, that’s what he always delivers.
Was a class apart in the Connacht final against Corofin and certainly didn’t deserve to lose that game.
He was a class apart all year.
Stephen Rochford, your move.
15. Left corner forward – Paddy McBrearty (Kilcar, Donegal)
Possesses the sweetest left foot in Gaelic football. Give him a sniff at goal and you’re already too late. Allow him to swing that luscious left peg and the O’Neill’s size five is generally ballooning over the black stop.
Prowls, hunts and hounds the play, before he darts like the clappers of hell. Then there’s no stopping him with his stocky quads pumping like pistons and his head of steam blowing him towards the goal.
Fired Kilcar to a county title. Nearly brought them to an Ulster crown.
All the talk was about Paddy McBrearty's left foot after Slaughtneil overpowered Kilcar https://t.co/CcMSLhF1zT
— Paul mc Caffrey (@BUNDORAN12) November 12, 2017
