A tough year for picking Allstars

THIS is a tougher year than usual to be an Allstar selector, with very few positions/players picking themselves.

For me anyway, the only automatics are corner-back Ollie Canning, full-back Noel Hickey, wing-back JJ Delaney, and forwards, Henry Shefflin and Martin Comerford.

It is no co-incidence that four of the five listed above come from All-Ireland champions Kilkenny, again the outstanding hurling team in the land, retaining both National League and All-Ireland titles in impressive fashion.

For the rest, a deep breath and here we go.

Goalkeeper: of the three nominated, Damien Fitzhenry, Brendan Cummins and James McGarry, I go for McGarry. Fitzhenry and Cummins are magnificent keepers, Fitzhenry with the added bonus of being an almost unstoppable penalty-taker.

Neither is there doubt that the finest individual display of goalkeeping this year came from Cummins, against Kilkenny in the All-Ireland semi-final. However, for his consistency, not just this year, but over the past six seasons, I go for quiet man McGarry this time out. He's long overdue.

Unlike the real Allstar selectors, I'm picking my team strictly on position.

Almost. Right-corner-back, from the official list there's only Michael Kavanagh and Wayne Sherlock; I would have considered Brian Quinn of Clare and Damien Joyce of Galway worth a mention, both of whom did well all year, though Joyce was burned slightly by Lar Corbett in the All-Ireland quarter-final.

I'm really torn here, there isn't a tougher decision in the whole line-up, but I give the nod to Kavanagh, as consistently-brilliant a defender as there is.

Full-back goes to Hickey after a magnificent season. The other contender, Darragh Ryan, was unfortunate with injury through the season.

In the other corner? There's Diarmuid O'Sullivan (also contending at full-back) and Offaly's David Franks having a super year but another of my automatics gets in here, Ollie Canning of Galway. Simply sensational.

The half-back line, Kilkenny and Cork nominated en-bloc, along with Declan Ruth, Liam Dunne, Colm Cassidy, Ciaran Herron of Antrim, Paul Kelly. The 5-spot is difficult. On the official nominations, it's between Sean Dowling of Kilkenny and Tom Kenny of Cork, but I'm going to put the cat among the pigeons.

Kenny played in a variety of positions in the League, showing well when put at wing-back in Munster. Did well also in the two semi-finals against Wexford, struggled in the All-Ireland final.

With last year's Allstar Richie Mullally in superb form again early on, Dowling didn't get his chance 'til late, took it with both hands when it came. But I'm ignoring both, breaking a code of my own, and going for Wayne Sherlock. No apologies to anyone.

Centre-back, due respect to Peter Barry, I have it between Ronan Curran and Declan Ruth, and shade it to the Wexford-man. Curran is coming, will probably get the official nod which will be fair enough. I go for Ruth. To complete that line, JJ Delaney. Here again, no question, despite solid claims by the rest.

Midfield: Derek Lyng, Tommy Walsh, Colin Lynch, John Gardiner, Benny Dunne, Conal Keaney. A minefield, not because of the quality, more the equality of a less-than-vintage crop. Very tempting to give one to Dubliner Keaney, not as a sop, but as reward for a spectacular year.

Lynch would have been there put for his sending-off against Cork which was foolish to say the least. Gardiner is another coming talent. Tommy Walsh was outstanding in the League, but ended up in the half-forward line for the championship. My midfield however is the Kilkenny and Tipp duo of Derek Lyng and Benny Dunne.

Centre-forward: Henry, who else? Paul Codd and Larry Murphy alternated very well there for Wexford, Conor Gleeson was strong for Tipperary, young Niall McCarthy had a terrific debut season for Cork, but strictly in hurling terms, Henry is closer to God than any.

On the wings, there are a host of contenders with John Hoyne, Ben O'Connor, Michael 'Mitch' Jordan, Brendan Murphy of Offaly, John Mullane of Waterford, and putting in the occasional appearance, young Tommy Walsh of Kilkenny.

I am going for O'Connor on one wing, Mullane on the other and I wish I had room for Walsh and Hoyne.

However, Kilkenny are doing well enough on this team, and perhaps because of local knowledge, I believe Ben O'Connor to be one of the best forwards in the country at the moment, while Mullane has been a revelation.

Inside, Martin Comerford is my automatic full-forward, thus eliminating Joe Deane and the Wexford pair mentioned above. In the corners then, and as in the wings above, we'll have to take the two together, since corner-forwards have a habit of crossing anyway.

We have the new Cork sensation, Setanta Ó hAilpín, Eoin Kelly, equally precocious but now long-established with Tipp, Jordan again, Paul Flynn of Waterford, Eddie Brennan, Rory Hanniffy, Tomas McGrane of the Dubs. A lot of strong claims but I go for Setanta and Brennan; speed, goal-scorers.

Diarmuid O'Flynn's Allstars: J. McGarry (Kilkenny); M. Kavanagh (Kilkenny), N. Hickey (Kilkenny), O. Canning (Galway); W. Sherlock (Cork), D. Ruth (Wexford), JJ Delaney (Kilkenny); D. Lyng (Kilkenny), B. Dunne (Tipperary); B. O'Connor (Cork), H. Shefflin (Kilkenny), J. Mullane (Waterford); Setanta O hAilpín (Cork), M. Comerford (Kilkenny), E. Brennan (Kilkenny).

Young player-of-the-year: Tommy Walsh (Kilkenny), because he deserves something for his year, and the other contenders have enough.

Senior player-of-the-year: JJ Delaney (Kilkenny), and I know, he was U-21, but the senior accolade is enough.