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09th Sep 2015

#TheToughest Issue: If the football All-Star team was picked now, who would get your vote?

Decisions, decisions

Conan Doherty

With one tie remaining in the All-Ireland championship, there’s still time for heroes and villains.

But if the All-Stars were to be picked right now, who would make your 2015 championship dream team?

In a season with some fairytale stories, many gruelling encounters and even too many one-sided affairs, there’s been no shortage of players that have stood up to the plate and impressed for their counties.

We’ve put together a list of nominees of footballers from each line on the park. All you have to do is vote for your best.

Pick a ‘keeper, pick three full backs, three half backs, two midfielders and so on. Go!

Goalkeepers

GAA Football All Ireland Senior Championship Semi-Final, Croke Park, Dublin 23/8/2015 Kerry vs Tyrone Kerry goalkeeper Brendan Kealy saves a goal bound shot from TyroneÕs Mark Bradley Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Cathal Noonan

It’s been a tough season for netminders with goals flying in all over the place and an apparent increase in emphasis in laying wreck to kickout strategies, but there’s been a few standout performances nonetheless.

Stephen Cluxton’s performance in the replay against Mayo is just about enough to get him the nod, Rory Beggan’s distance and accuracy were a huge part of Monaghan’s plans and Brendan Kealy has been a solid presence for Kerry throughout the season to date.

Full-back line

GAA Football All Ireland Senior Championship Semi-Final, Croke Park, Dublin 23/8/2015 Kerry vs Tyrone Ronan McNamee of Tyrone with Colm Cooper of Kerry Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Donall Farmer Such is the way football has gone that corner backs have to be comfortable at the other end of the field as well as minding their own patch and marking some of the most dangerous forwards in the country. Some of the nominees below are old school, while others are so good on the ball, they’d be just as happy wearing a jersey with two digits on their back (as long as it was 15 or below, of course).

Half-back line

One of the most competitive lines on the pitch when it came to selecting nominees, we threw Peter Harte in there as well even though he spent a large part of his time on the opposition ’40. Any combination of these lads would prove a difficult match for the most potent opposition half-forward line.

Midfielders

Stephen O'Brien, David Moran and Killian Young with Kevin O'Driscoll and Fintan Goold 5/7/2015 David Moran and Anthony Maher are automatic inclusions. The Kerry pair couldn’t have been added in to the nominations list quickly enough as well as Mayo’s O’Shea and Parsons duo, who were second only to the Kingdom’s frightening stronghold in the middle. Tyrone’s Mattie Donnelly has had his best year for the Red Hands to date whilst Brian Fenton has been the one constant for an otherwise unsettled Dublin midfield. Neil Gallagher was his usual uncompromising Neil Gallagher self as Donegal won four games en route to the quarter finals.

Half-forward line

Diarmuid Connolly under pressure from Cillian OÕConnor and Lee Keegan 5/9/2015 Diarmuid Connolly: Who wants to argue otherwise? Diarmuid O’Connor will be one of the favourites for young player of the year whilst Ciaran Kilkenny has led from the front as Dublin surged back to the All-Ireland final. Michael Murphy and Sean Cavanagh – both typically integral to their sides – are included in the half forward line despite roaming roles for the pair throughout the championship. There are a lot of tough decisions to make with this line.Full-forward line thetoughest Jesus, talk about the toughest decision. Conor McManus was exhibiting the sort of form all year that would’ve arguably seen him storm to the Footballer of the Year gong had Monaghan got further than the quarters. Aidan O’Shea ripped through Connacht and Donegal but was silenced against Dublin. Bernard Brogan? He hasn’t shut up all year as he continues to pester the scoreboard. Sean Quigley is the championship’s top scorer, James O’Donoghue has gotten classier the more he has been worked back into the season whilst Darren McCurrie was Tyrone’s biggest threat. Good luck…

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