GAA honours inaugural Allstar team line-ups

THE hurlers and footballers chosen on the very first All-Star teams 35 years ago will be honoured at a function in Croke Park today, hosted by the GAA and Vodafone.

The scheme was the brainchild of the four leading Gaelic Games reporters at the time, the late Padraig Puirseal, John D Hickey and Mick Dunne, along with Paddy Downey, the surviving one of the group.

The 1971 teams were notable for a number of reasons, not least the fact that the respective All-Ireland champions Tipperary and Offaly were each limited to four players. Pat Hartigan at full back and Eddie Keher, named alongside Babs Keating in the half forwards, were each to win five awards.