Cullen not among Dublin’s Star dozen

BRYAN CULLEN yesterday became only the third All-Ireland winning captain since the turn of the last decade not to be selected as an All Star nomination.

The Dublin skipper was not among the 12 selected from the side that beat Kerry in last month’s final.

Eleven of that team were acknowledged in the GAA-GPA All Stars sponsored by Opel team along with super sub Kevin McManamon whose goal turned the decider in Dublin’s favour.

Aside from Cullen, Barry Cahill, Mick Fitzsimons and James McCarthy were the three other final starters who were overlooked for nominations.

However, it was Fitzsimons and McCarthy who probably had the strongest cases for inclusion.

Ironically, Kerry duo Declan and Darran O’Sullivan, the two otherwinning captains who failed to be considered for All-Stars in 2009 and ‘06 respectively, are included.

Not surprisingly, Dublin’s dozen was the best representation, one better than 2010 champions Cork’s total of 11 last year, followed by runners-up Kerry with nine.

Both counties are represented in each line and Donegal, who garnered seven nominations, and Kildare, who picked up five, figuring in all but midfield and the half-forwards.

Alan Brogan, Karl Lacey and Darran O’Sullivan, who yesterday received player of the month awards for June, July and September respectively as nominated by journalists and voted by GPA members, are expected to be in the running for the footballer of the year award.

Ger Brennan and Denis Bastick are perhaps the most contentious additions although the latter had impressive performances against Kildare and Tyrone.

Paul Flynn was only second to Alan Brogan in terms of effectiveness throughout Dublin’s successful run while Diarmuid Connolly’s tour de force against Tyrone as well as a major impact in the final minutes of the final couldn’t be discounted.

Similar to 2009, the Brogan and Ó Sé brothers are included with Tomás in the mix to win his sixth All Star and Marc his third.

Anthony Maher may be deemed unlucky in Kerry not to have picked up a slot in midfield alongside Bryan Sheehan.

Tom O’Sullivan and Killian Young are the other two Kerry defenders regarded while Colm Cooper joins the two O’Sullivans in the forwards.

Brendan Kealy’s shot-stopping sees him facing Dublin’s All-Ireland winner Stephen Cluxton and Donegal’s Paul Durkan for the No1 position.

Three Cork men are in the shake-up: Alan O’Connor after an excellent Munster campaign andqualifier against Down, Donncha O’Connor who scored a goal in all but one of the county’s five championship games and Paddy Kelly, whose early season form was sensational.

Receiving seven considerations, two more than their fellow provincial winners and semi-finalists Mayo, Donegal may realise it’s pundits not journalists who have more beef with their style of football.

Lacey and Michael Murphy, Donegal’s two 2009 nominees, will be joined in the Conference Centre in Dublin on October 21 by Paul Durkan, Neil McGee, Frank McGlynn, Kevin Cassidy and Colm McFadden.

Mayo have five down for deliberation although Richie Feeney, Kevin McLoughlin and Ger Cafferkey were not too far off the radar either.

Despite being defeated twice in this year’s championship, Kildare enjoy the same number as Mayo with the majority of their selections coming in the defence where Michael Foley and Hugh McGrillen can’t be discounted for gongs in the full-back line.

Wexford’s Ciarán Lyng is unfortunate not to be recognised in either of the forward lines although team-mate Ben Brosnan picked up a deserved mention to go along with his player of the month award for May.

Ulster’s proportion is finished by Tyrone duo Joe McMahon and Seán Cavanagh with Derry’s Eoin Bradley appreciated for his stand-out provincial campaign before he picked up a cruciate injury before the final defeat to Donegal.

Just three of last year’s All Star winners are included in this year’s short-list — 2010 footballer of the year Bernard Brogan, Kildare’s John Doyle and Kerry captain Colm Cooper.

All but one of the eight provincial finalists feature in the 45 candidates with Roscommon missing out despite Donie Shine having another fine season. In total, nine counties feature in the nominations with Leinster leading the way on 18, followed by Munster (12), then Ulster (10) and Mayo’s quintet marking Connacht’s five.

All Star nominations

Goalkeepers: Brendan Kealy (Kerry), Stephen Cluxton (Dublin), Paul Durkan (Donegal).

Full Backs: Michael Foley (Kildare), Neil McGee (Donegal), Frank McGlynn (Donegal), Marc Ó Sé (Kerry), Rory O’Carroll (Dublin), Tom O’Sullivan (Kerry), Joe McMahon (Tyrone), Hugh McGrillen (Kildare), Cian O’Sullivan (Dublin).

Half backs: Karl Lacey (Donegal), Donal Vaughan (Mayo), Trevor Mortimer (Mayo), Kevin Nolan (Dublin), Kevin Cassidy (Donegal), Emmet Bolton (Kildare), Tomás Ó Sé (Kerry), Killian Young (Kerry), Ger Brennan (Dublin).

Midfielders: Bryan Sheehan (Kerry), Michael Darragh Macauley (Dublin), Alan O’Connor (Cork), Seán Cavanagh (Tyrone), John Doyle (Kildare), Denis Bastick (Dublin).

Half Forwards: Ben Brosnan (Wexford), Alan Brogan (Dublin), Darran O’Sullivan (Kerry), Declan O’Sullivan (Kerry), Paul Flynn (Dublin), Alan Dillon (Mayo), Kevin McManamon (Dublin), Paddy Kelly (Cork), Eamonn Callaghan (Kildare).

Full forwards: Donnacha O’Connor (Cork), Michael Murphy (Donegal), Bernard Brogan (Dublin), Colm Cooper (Kerry), Andy Moran (Mayo), Colm McFadden (Donegal), Eoin Bradley (Derry), Diarmuid Connolly (Dublin), Cillian O’Connor (Mayo).

County by county breakdown: Dublin 12, Kerry 9, Donegal 7, Mayo 5, Kildare 5, Cork 3, Tyrone 2, Wexford 1, Derry 1.

Picture; Winners of the GAA GPA Player of the Month Awards sponsored by Opel, from left, September winner Darran O'Sullivan, Kerry, June winner Alan Brogan, Dublin, July winner Karl Lacey, Donegal, and May winner Ben Brosnan, Wexford, in attendance at the football nominee announcements for the 2011 GAA GPA All-Stars at Croke Park yesterday. Picture: Brian Lawless / SPORTSFILE