More controversy with curious judgment calls
Let’s start with the positives. Only a churl would find fault with a full forward line of Colm Cooper, Bernard Brogan and Benny Coulter. Michael Shields was the best full back in the country this year even when severely under the cosh on Brogan in the semi-final.
Despite a below par final, Paudie Kissane is rewarded for a season of wholehearted endeavour that was often the wellspring for therelentless supply of ball into hisforward division and Paddy Keenan’s and Philip Jordan’s selection is areminder to us all that perhaps the provincial titles do matter.
The half forward line of Hughes, Clarke and Doyle would make a fearsome attacking unit and all are match-winners in their own right.
Paddy Kelly must be wondering, however, what he has to do to get a gong after two seasons of consistent labour and sporadic artistry. It would not be uncharacteristic of the selection committee to compensate next year, if he has anything like the two seasons he’s just had.
Now the negatives: Brendan McVeigh’s selection in goal would seem to suggest that a spectacular individual performance (againstKerry in this year’s quarter-final) is more valued than an experienced player (Alan Quirke) reinventing himself over the course of a season to become a key tactical player on a winning team. Quirke’s role in Cork’s All Ireland win appears to have gone unnoticed, which is a pity because he was the best goalie in this year’s championship. Peter Kelly andCharlie Harrison are fine defenders but are they better than Justin McMahon, Marc Ó Sé and perhaps even, Philip McMahon?
More pertinently, did they perform better under the klieg lights than those three?
It’s hard to avoid the conclusion that the selectors are being romantic in selecting a youngster with a great future and a gritty corner back from a lesser light ahead of two of three stars from established superpowers.
The standout 24 carat piece of codology comes at centre back with the selection of Graham Canty.
It wasn’t a vintage year for half backs but regardless of which way you approach the Canty issue it is difficult to come up with a good reason to select him as one of the best in the game in 2010.
Many observers of the game subscribe to the notion of Canty being the spiritual leader of the Cork team and there have been times over the course of the last decade when his heroism has nearly convinced me of the same but the cold, stark fact is that Graham Canty did not have a good season in 2010.
The halo effect has certainly taken hold. With the interchangeability of players and positions in the modern game, would it not have been better to hand Noel O’Leary the slot at centre back for a job well done in the final and many other jobs well done before September?
I’ve long given up trying to second guess All Star selection committees but in order to be taken seriously they’re going to have to sooner or later outline in a transparent manner what strict criteria are adhered to when they sit down and select teams.
