Dublin lead the way again with 13 players on All-Star shortlist

The Dublin team celebrate with the Sam Maguire Cup as All-Ireland Champions for the sixth year in a row. Thirteen of the successful side were rewarded with All-Star nominations. Picture: INPHO/Morgan Treacy

All-Ireland SFC champions Dublin have repeated their 2019 haul of 13 PwC All-Star nominations for their six-in-a-row season last year.

Nine of the team shortlisted in 2019 comprise a fifth of the 45 footballers listed - Stephen Cluxton, Michael Fitzsimons, David Byrne, John Small, Brian Fenton, James McCarthy, Ciarán Kilkenny, Con O’Callaghan and Dean Rock. Robbie McDaid, Eoin Murchan, Seán Bugler and Niall Scully are the new faces for Brian Howard, Jack McCaffrey, Michael Darragh Macauley and Paul Mannion.

Repeating their 2017 tally, runners-up Mayo have picked up 12 nominations with Cillian O’Connor a footballer of the year candidate alongside Dublin pair Brian Fenton and Ciarán Kilkenny. It is the third time the duo have been nominated for the top individual award, the previous times coming in 2016 when Lee Keegan won out against them and ‘18 when Fenton was honoured.

Three of Mayo’s seven nominees have been shortlisted for young footballer of the year - Tommy Conroy, Eoghan MacLaughlin and Oisín Mullin. Of the 30 who started last month’s final, Dublin’s Jonny Cooper and Paddy Small and the Mayo trio of Stephen Coen, Conor Loftus and Diarmuid O’Connor are the five to miss out.

Munster champions Tipperary have received four nominations - Kevin Fahey and Bill Maher in defence, Colin O’Riordan in midfield and captain Conor Sweeney in attack. It is one less than their total nominations in 2016 when they also lost an All-Ireland semi-final against Mayo and Sweeney was among their quintet. Declan Browne and Michael Quinlivan are Tipperary’s only All-Stars.

It also marks O’Riordan’s second nomination after he was acknowledged in 2014. The Sydney Swans man made a heroic return to help his county lift a first Munster SFC title in 85 years when they beat Cork in Páirc Uí Chaoimh. His choice in midfield will surprise some given Steven O’Brien and Liam Casey played there but such was his fielding particularly in that game that he was favoured.

Munster picked up seven nominations in total with Cork captain Ian Maguire earning his first. Since the county’s last provincial success in 2012, just Brian Hurley twice and James Loughrey once have been nominated for All-Stars.

David Clifford is shortlisted for a third consecutive season having made his senior debut in 2018. Only Clifford and Fenton stand a chance of a third consecutive All-Star and they are among the six 2019 All-Stars from last season, Cluxton, Fitzsimons, Durcan and O’Callaghan being the other four.

Iain Corbett becomes Limerick’s first All-Star nomination since John Galvin in 2010. They somewhat surprisingly didn’t pick up any when they reached the quarter-finals the following year. Centre-back Corbett is rewarded for an impressive year in guiding Limerick to Division 3.

Ulster winners Cavan beat their previous record of six All-Stars in 1997 with seven for this past year. Cousins Raymond and Thomas Galligan, regarded as their strongest shouts for All-Stars, are joined by Ciarán Brady, Pádraig Faulkner, Gerard Smith, Gearóid McKiernan and Martin Reilly. Since the scheme’s inception in 1971, Cavan have won just two All-Stars, Ollie Brady and Dermot McCabe.

Donegal, who Cavan beat in their provincial final, are represented by Peadar Mogan, Michael Langan and Ciarán Thompson, while Armagh’s Aidan Forker is also included, bringing Ulster’s total to 11. Galway are rewarded for a strong start to 2020 with captain Shane Walsh and Paul Conroy included, meaning Connacht have the strongest presence in the 45 with 14.

Apart from the half a dozen of last year’s 15 who are again nominated, another seven were in the 2019 45 - Byrne, McCarthy, Small, Kilkenny, Rock (Dublin) and Chris Barrett and Aidan O’Shea (Mayo). All four semi-final captains are included - Cluxton, O’Shea, Galligan and Sweeney.

As with the hurling nominations, players who are nominated in one area can be chosen for an All-Star in another. For example, Dublin star McCarthy could be considered for an All-Star in defence where he has played this past season as might Thomas Galligan in midfield.

An awards show in the 50th year of the All-Stars has been pencilled in for Saturday, February 20 on RTÉ with the football team announced the morning of the awards and the hurlers on the night. The hurling nominations will be announced tomorrow morning.

2020: All-Star Football Nominations

GOALKEEPERS: Stephen Cluxton (Dublin), David Clarke (Mayo), Raymond Galligan (Cavan).

DEFENDERS: David Byrne, Michael Fitzsimons, Robbie McDaid, Eoin Murchan, John Small (all Dublin); Chris Barrett, Patrick Durcan, Lee Keegan, Eoghan McLaughlin, Oisín Mullin (all Mayo); Ciarán Brady, Pádraig Faulkner, Gerard Smith (all Cavan); Bill Maher, Kevin Fahey (both Tipperary); Aidan Forker (Armagh); Peadar Mogan (Donegal); Iain Corbett (Limerick).

MIDFIELDERS: Brian Fenton, James McCarthy (both Dublin): Matthew Ruane (Mayo); Gearóid McKiernan (Cavan); Ian Maguire (Cork); Colin O’Riordan (Tipperary).

FORWARDS: Seán Bugler, Ciarán Kilkenny, Con O’Callaghan, Dean Rock, Niall Scully (all Dublin); Tommy Conroy, Kevin McLoughlin, Cillian O’Connor, Ryan O’Donoghue, Aidan O’Shea (all Mayo); Thomas Galligan, Martin Reilly (both Cavan); Conor Sweeney (Tipperary); Michael Langan, Ciarán Thompson (both Donegal); Paul Conroy, Shane Walsh (both Galway), David Clifford (Kerry).

Breakdown (10 counties): Dublin 13; Mayo 12; Cavan 7; Tipperary 4; Donegal 3; Galway 2; Armagh, Cork, Kerry, Limerick all 1.

Footballer of the year nominees: Brian Fenton, Ciarán Kilkenny (Dublin); Cillian O’Connor (Mayo).

Young footballer of the year nominees: Tommy Conroy, Oisín Mullin, Eoghan MacLaughlin (Mayo).