First-time winner Galvin is the 1,000th Allstar

THE honour of being the player to receive the 1,000th award at tomorrow night’s Vodafone GAA Allstar banquet has fallen to Kerry footballer Paul Galvin.

Selected at right half-forward on a team which includes Wexford’s first football award-winner in Matty Forde, he was one of six Kerry players honoured in a seven-county selection.

It represents the widest spread of awards in seven years. Notably, however, Ulster winners Armagh failed to gain representation.

League, Munster and All-Ireland champions Kerry have goalkeeper Diarmuid Murphy, defenders Tom O’Sullivan and Tomás Ó Sé (at the fourth attempt) and Galvin honoured for the first time, but team captain Dara Ó Cinnéide missed out after arguably his best campaign.

Corner-forward Colm Cooper and Michael McCarthy - at left corner-back - each gain their second award, having been chosen previously in 2002 and 2000 respectively.

As predicted, Fermanagh gained inclusion for the first time in 22 years since Peter McGinnity was chosen at right half-forward.

Barry Owens is named at full-back and Marty McGrath gets the nod at midfield.

The other midfield position goes to Tyrone star Sean Cavanagh and it’s the first time since 1993 that both midfielders are from Ulster.

On the last occasion Derry team-mates Brian McGilligan and Anthony Tohill were chosen.

Interestingly, Cavanagh is the only member of last year’s Allstar team to be picked again.

Mayo captain Ciaran McDonald is another first-time award-winner - one of 11 in this category - at centre-forward and the Connacht champions gain a second award, centre-back James Nallen, who won an Allstar in 1996.

Westmeath’s feat in winning the Leinster title for the first time is acknowledged in the selection of defender John Keane at left half-back and Dessie Dolan, their best-known player, at left half-forward.

The county’s only other award in football was won by midfielder Rory O’Connell in 2001.

The team is completed by the selection of Derry’s Enda Muldoon at full-forward.

Since the scheme was introduced in 1971, 990 awards in hurling and football have been chosen.

Since the football presentation will be first tomorrow night, the right half-forward on the team - Paul Galvin from Finuge, who plays hurling with Lixnaw - will have the added distinction of receiving the 1,000th award.

In football, the share-out of the 510 awards to date is as follows: Kerry 95, Dublin 72, Cork 50, Meath 48, Galway 37, Offaly 30, Derry 25, Tyrone 23, Mayo 22, Down and Armagh 19, Roscommon 15, Donegal 14, Kildare 11, Monaghan 6, Laois 5, Sligo, Fermanagh and Westmeath 3, Leitrim, Cavan and Tipperary 2, Antrim, Clare, Wicklow and Wexford 1 each.