John Divilly: Dublin's All-Star haul keeps the silverware flowing in the capital
Dublin players celebrate as referee David Coldrick blows the full-time whistle at the end of the All-Ireland final win over Mayo. Picture: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
How do you define an All-Star? A principal performer during the 2020 football season. A player who consistently delivered skillful performances during the league and championship?
Those are my terms and conditions but I think the selectors forgot the early part of 2020 and instead concentrated on the Autumn and Winter Series.
With stadiums void of thunderous applause, players displayed their skills to the millions of armchair viewers with ice in their veins. There is no perfect All-Star team. Ten counties were nominated this year, yet 31 teams participated in the championship. Will there be unanimous agreement with the chosen 15 today? Has there ever been agreement with the chosen 15?
Unequivocally the answer is no, but with no Trump tweets or league football on the immediate horizon, this year’s All-Star selection and omissions is a conversation starter. Let’s start with the freshmen of the team.
Some of the most memorable moments of the Championship were provided by the boys in blue, the Breffini boys. A cocktail of Magic and Lazarus last autumn. Preliminary round, away to Monaghan and seven points adrift at half-time. Looking grim and no way back? They clawed it back level as we entered the final minute. Extra-time ensued. Deadlocked again until a 50-yard free presents Cavan with a chance to win it. Goalkeeper and captain Raymond Galligan steps up, nails it and Monaghan are sent packing for the second consecutive year.
Next up they unconvincingly see off Antrim and line up an Ulster semi-final against Down. Ten points down at half-time. They surely can’t pull another Houdini act against Down? They did. One of the greatest comebacks is executed and Cavan prevail.
They’ll warm Donegal up for a tilt at the Dubs as Donegal are serious All-Ireland contenders? Not this Cavan team. Undazzled they produced a majestic performance combined with trojan teamwork and grit. This grit oozes out in the performances of Raymond Galligan, Padraig Faulkner and Thomas Galligan.
Two other gritty players receiving their first national gong are Niall Scully and John Small. Templeogue Synge Street’s Scully has foraged, under the radar, for several seasons unselfishly tracking all over the pitch linking play, collecting breaks, getting scores and winning scorable frees. He almost goes unnoticed due to the high calibre that surrounds him in the Dublin attack but now his All-Star picture will hang proudly beside the Blue Panther on the Crumlin Road in Dublin 12.
In contrast, the performances of John Small have never gone under the radar and are routinely debated around the country such is his robust and zealous on-field nature. He’s given the unenviable task of snubbing out some of the best playmakers in the country. He carries out these duties unapologetically and occasionally crosses the line. In 2020, John Small walked the line as did two other first-timers, the M&M’s, Oisín Mullin and Eoin Murchan.
Mullin and Murchan are the speed-merchants of the 2020 team and both played with great flexibility and fluidity moving intermittently between full and half-back lines. The similarities include speed and tenacity but their defensive outlook is different. Murchan is calculated and deliberate in his attacking runs whereas Mullin is the young bull, aggressive and undistracted.
There will be cries that both are lucky to make this team as both their county colleagues, Rob McDaid and Paddy Durcan also had an exceptional year. Both McDaid and Durcan had to depart the All-Ireland final for different reasons and these small margins will no doubt have weighed on the selection committee.
Small margins could have separated the Ballyporeen shooter Conor Sweeney from appearing in an All-Ireland final. The Tipp captain, who was also nominated in 2016 , finished the 2020 season with a warranted accolade. The multi-talented former Rockwell College rugby captain finished second in the overall scoring charts with 2-27 and kept Tipp’s hopes alive with a breath-taking sideline which kept them in the championship. His leadership and accuracy propelled Tipp to a famous Munster title and he certainly caused Mayo plenty of headaches in the semi-final.
If he had converted his goal chance in the first half it could have been even better though!
It could have ended better too for the Championship top scorer Cillian O’Connor. Amassing 5-40 was an incredible personal haul as his ferocious appetite for silverware goes on. The silverware keeps on flowing in the capital though.
Cuala's duo of Con O’Callaghan and Mick Fitzsimons have once again brought honour and glory to the Dalkey club. They captured the Senior B club title over the summer and then drove Dublin on to another All-Ireland.
James McCarthy and Dean Rock again demonstrated their unison and cohesion in collaborating to score the quickest goal in an All-Ireland final whilst once again both Brian Fenton and Ciarán Kilkenny displayed their sublime talents to all and sundry and will battle it out to take home the POTY.
Congratulations, one and all.
