James Horan: Football campaign finishes with a craving for more ambition

Without the physical contest, Gaelic football has become a bland game, a disappointing spectacle. Allow more flow in our game please

AWAY FROM HOME: Kerry’s Shane Ryan is chased by Dublin’s Colm Basquel and Con O’Callaghan in Sunday’s All-Ireland final. The huge increase in the use of goalkeepers to create overloads out the field was the biggest tactical innovation we saw this year. Pic: INPHO/Evan Treacy

Is David Clifford still footballer of the year : So many All-Stars and individual awards are decided and given out based on the All-Ireland final and the impact that a player has on it. David Clifford, with all his brilliance, did not have the final he wished for and in the world of awards that has an impact. James McCarthy, the other candidate, was also below his marauding best in Sunday's decider, but has the victory as captain, the story (nine All-Irelands) and now the standing in the game to scoop the award. Brian Fenton came with a late surge also.

Best game of the Championship: Derry v Kerry All-Ireland semi-final. Sunday's final was low on quality in many aspects. Technically too many errors and poor decision-making to constitute a high-level game. However, the endeavour, honesty and effort are to be commended. There was a strain, anxiety and excitement that made it a gripping game right to the end. Games where teams go to win usually end up entertaining! The Derry-Kerry semi-final was a better all-round game.