Kerry top football All-Star nominations

Back-to-back All-Ireland SFC champions Kerry have topped the list of nominations for the Vodafone GAA All Star awards for 2007 which were announced this evening.

The O'Se brothers Marc, Tomas and Darragh, are among the ten players nominated from Pat O'Shea's Kerry side. Both Marc and Darragh received All Stars last year while Tomas was picked on the half-back line of the 2005 selection.

Meanwhile, two other sets of brothers have also been nominated with Monaghan duo Damien and Tommy Freeman in contention as are Alan and Bernard Brogan of Dublin.

The Farney county'ss progress in the All-Ireland series and positive displays in Ulster, where they were beaten by Tyrone in the final, have earned Seamus McEnaney's side two other nominations with defenders Dessie Mone and Gary McQuaid also in contention for awards.

It is Monaghan's highest representation in the All Star nominations since they won the league in the 1980s. Dublin received the second highest number for nominations with goalkeeper Stephen Cluxton searching for his third All Star, having won the coveted award last year and also in 2002.

Connacht champions Sligo have received two nominations, both in defence, with Ross Donovan and Michael McNamara both searching for their first honour.

Ironically, Sligo's 2002 All Star and goal-scorer in the Connacht final Eamonn O'Hara is not in contention for an award. Ulster winners Tyrone received three nominations - Conor Gormley, Sean Cavanagh and Raymond Mulgrew.

A total of nine of last year's Vodafone All Stars have been nominated again for football awards.

Along with Cluxton, Alan Brogan and the two O'Se brothers, Karl Lacey (Donegal), Aidan O'Mahony (Kerry), Nicholas Murphy (Cork), Paul Galvin (Kerry) and Kieran Donaghy (Kerry) are all in contention for awards again this year.

The county breakdown is: Kerry (10), Dublin (7), Cork (6), Meath (6), Monaghan (4), Tyrone (3), Derry (3), Sligo (2), Galway (1), Donegal (1), Louth (1), Kildare (1).

The Vodafone GAA All-Stars Hurling nominees will be announced tomorrow.

The Vodafone GAA All-Stars Football nominees for 2007 are:

GOALKEEPERS: Stephen Cluxton (Dublin); Brendan Murphy (Meath); Diarmuid Murphy (Kerry).

FULL-BACKS: Marc O'Se (Kerry); Kevin McCloy (Derry); Graham Canty (Cork); Darren Fay (Meath); David Henry (Dublin); Conor Gormley (Tyrone); Ross Donovan (Sligo); Dessie Mone (Monaghan); Karl Lacey (Donegal).

HALF-BACKS: Tomas O'Se (Kerry); Aidan O Mahony (Kerry); Killian Young (Kerry); Barry Cahill (Dublin); Michael McNamara (Sligo); Noel O'Leary (Cork); Gary McQuaid (Monaghan); Damien Freeman (Monaghan); Caoimhin King (Meath).

MIDFIELD: Ciaran Whelan (Dublin); Darragh O'Se (Kerry); Nicholas Murphy (Cork); Fergal Doherty (Derry); Sean Cavanagh (Tyrone); Paddy Keenan (Louth).

HALF-FORWARDS: Declan O'Sullivan (Kerry); Paul Galvin (Kerry); Alan Brogan (Dublin); Bernard Brogan (Dublin); Anthony Moyles (Meath); Stephen Bray (Meath); Raymond Mulgrew (Tyrone); John Doyle (Kildare); Nicky Joyce (Galway).

FULL-FORWARDS: Colm Cooper (Kerry); Kieran Donaghy (Kerry); Thomas Freeman (Monaghan); Paddy Bradley (Derry); Donncha O'Connor (Cork); James Masters (Cork); Michael Cussen (Cork); Graham Geraghty (Meath); Mark Vaughan (Dublin).