Maurice Brosnan: The All-Stars and the illusion of the individual

There are so many moving parts in Gaelic football now that no player truly stands alone.

ILLUSION OF THE INDIVIDUAL: David Clifford’s genius has been, and will continue to be, enough to win singular games. It was never a sustainable path to claim successive championships. Picture: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

It is not only in the afterglow of success that the raw components required for it reveal themselves. But that is how it often goes. Only after the adventurer has scaled the summit do we trace, belatedly, the route that carried them there.

One of the most enduring images to emerge from last year’s All-Stars event was the collection of interviews with friends and family of the victorious Armagh outfit. Tommy Coleman is one of those stalwarts who has fulfilled every role within Clann Éireann GAC. His unfiltered pride burst from the screen as he reflected on the fact his club, who never had an All-Star before, suddenly had two.