The only certainty about team selections, whether current or past, is that they invariably draw the emphatic conclusion that those involved are hopelessly bad judges, who also have their conclusions clouded by bias.
When it comes to GAA, the assessment of selectors is even harsher because of the parochial nature of the games. So, irrespective of the players that appear today as the top team drawn from the All-Star selections of the past 50 years, there will be a large proportion of readers who will disagree.
That’s inevitable with such a subjective exercise and doesn’t make anyone right or wrong. It’s not a provable science but rather an opinion.
Some obvious questions will arise with the football selection. Why so many Kerrymen (seven)? Why only three of Dublin’s current record-breaking crew? Why is there no place for Martin O’Connell, who was chosen on the Team of the Millennium?
Firstly, this is not an actual team in the playing sense but rather a choice of individual players. Contenders were assessed on their merits, without taking county breakdown into account.
It ended with Kerry having seven. If you don’t agree with such a big representation, here’s the question – which of them would you omit? In fact, there will be criticisms that another Kerryman, Maurice Fitzgerald, isn’t included. If so, who would he replace?
Séamus Moynihan’s inclusion, rather than O’Connell, at left half-back, will dismay Royals who will point to their man’s selection on the Millennium team as proof of his special talents. There’s no disputing that, but Moynihan was only half-way through his career in 2000. Selection at a given point doesn’t mean you remain No 1 forever.
As for only three of the current Dublin squad (Stephen Cluxton, James McCarthy and Brian Fenton) being aboard, the same question applies? Which others are more entitled to a place than those selected? Besides, the Dublin story is still unfolding, with the likes of Ciarán Kilkenny, Con O’Callaghan and Jack McCaffrey (if he returns) good enough to be strong contenders in a similar exercise in a few years’ time.
Note: Those on the team are not included in the 2-3-4-5 in other positions even if they played there.
GOALKEEPER
STEPHEN CLUXTON (Dublin)
What is it with Dublin and goalkeeping excellence? Cluxton (2002 to the present), John O’Leary (1980-’97) and Paddy Cullen (1967-’79) have won 15 All-Star awards between them in a 6-5-4 share-out. Incredibly, the trio have been Dublin’s first choice at No 1 for 50 of the past 54 years (Davy Byrne had the honour for four seasons in 1998-2001). Cullen and O’Leary set exceptionally high standards, but even they have been surpassed by Cluxton who, at the age of 39, shows no signs of decline. O’Leary heads the rest of the contenders after a brilliant career in which he played in all 70 of Dublin’s championship games for 18 seasons.
2. John O’Leary (Dublin); 3. Martin Furlong (Offaly); 4. Paddy Cullen (Dublin); 5. Billy Morgan (Cork).
RIGHT FULL-BACK
ROBBIE O’MALLEY (Meath)
Since their role is essentially a containing exercise (at least it used to be), corner-backs rarely win Player of the Year awards. When they do, it’s because they have not only carried out the basics with maximum efficiency, but also brought something extra to their game. O’Malley achieved that in 1988, doing enough to beat off strong opposition for the top individual award in a year when Meath completed the All-Ireland double. It earned him a second All-Star award and he took a third two years later.
2. Páidí Ó Sé (Kerry); 3. Marc Ó Sé (Kerry); 4. Harry Keegan (Roscommon); 5. Jonny Cooper (Dublin).
FULL-BACK
JOHN O’KEEFFE (Kerry)
Questions always arise as to how even the best players from previous generations would fare in the modern game. In O’Keeffe’s case, there’s no need to consider it for long. His athleticism, game-reading, flexibility and general footballing know-how would have thrived in any era. His brilliant career took him from centre-back to midfield (where he won his first All-Star in 1973) to full-back, where he won four more All-Stars and a Footballer of the Year award in 1975. Whether in air or ground wars, O’Keeffe was equally effective, the latter best exemplified in his fascinating duels with Jimmy Keaveney in the second half of the 1970s.
2. Darren Fay (Meath); 3. Mick Lyons (Meath); 4. Neil McGee (Donegal); 5. Kevin Kehilly (Cork).
LEFT FULL-BACK
KEITH HIGGINS (Mayo)
Four All-Star awards and seven nominations between 2006 and 2017 highlight the very high level where Higgins operated for such a long time. Left corner-back was his favourite territory, but there were times when Mayo relocated him to attack in an attempt to harness his energy and determination close to the opposition goal. The only member of our team without an All-Ireland senior medal, he edges out Robbie Kelleher and Tony Scullion, two other four-time All-Stars.
2. Robbie Kelleher (Dublin); 3 Tony Scullion (Derry) 4; Anthony Lynch (Cork); 5. Philly McMahon (Dublin).
RIGHT HALF-BACK
TOMÁS Ó SÉ (Kerry)
Four awards at No 5 and one at No 6 takes him into the exclusive five-star club. He leads a top-class field in the ultra-competitive right-half position, but deserves No 1 on the basis that he combined the defensive and attacking side of the game better than anybody else. It was backed up by a fiercely competitive spirit that was also a hallmark of brothers Darragh and Marc and his uncle Páidí.
2. Lee Keegan (Mayo); 3. Tommy Drumm (Dublin); 4. Niall Cahalane (Cork); 5. Paul Curran (Dublin).
CENTRE HALF-BACK
JAMES McCARTHY (Dublin)
OK, so he’s not a specialist centre-back in the traditional sense, but one of his three All-Stars was won there. And given his consistent excellence in the half-back line and at midfield since making his debut as a 19-year-old in 2010, he cannot be left out of the ultimate All-Star selection. Choosing him at centre-half rules out a string of top contenders, led by Kieran McGeeney, an imposing presence at the heart of the Armagh defence for many years, while also being an excellent captain.
2. Kieran McGeeney (Armagh); 3. Glenn Ryan (Kildare); 4. Tom Spillane (Kerry); 5. Karl Lacey (Donegal).
LEFT HALF-BACK
SÉAMUS MOYNIHAN (Kerry)
Martin O’Connell was chosen at left half-back on the Team of the Millennium in 2000 at a time when Moynihan’s career was in full flow. By the time the Kerryman finished in 2006, he had added several more layers to his reputation as the defensive all-rounder. The 2000 Footballer of the Year was a brilliant game-reader, who always seemed to get to the point of action ahead of most others. In possession, he wasted very little.
2. Jack McCaffrey (Dublin); 3. Martin O’Connell (Meath); 4. Seán Óg de Paor (Galway); 5. Philip Jordan (Tyrone).
MIDFIELD
JACK O’SHEA (Kerry)
Six successive All-Star awards in 1980-’85 and four Footballer of the Year awards in 1980, ’81, ’84 and ’85 underlines just how influential he was in the many Kerry successes of that era. An automatic choice for one of the midfield positions on the ultimate All-Star team, he is also a top candidate for the best player of the last 50 years award. High fielding, intelligent use of possession and hard work combined to produce a prototype for the ideal midfielder.
MIDFIELD
BRIAN FENTON (Dublin)
He overtakes fellow Dub Brian Mullins for the second midfield position. Fenton’s record of having gone all six seasons without featuring on a losing championship team since making his debut in 2015 is quite remarkable. He has made an immense contribution to establishing Dublin’s unprecedented dominance. Still only 27, there’s a lot more to come from the Raheny man.
3. Brian Mullins (Dublin); 4. Seán Cavanagh (Tyrone); 5. Darragh Ó Sé (Kerry); 6. Anthony Tohill (Derry); 7. John McDermott (Meath); 8. Dermot Earley Snr (Roscommon); 9. Willie Bryan (Offaly); 10. Kevin Walsh (Galway).
RIGHT HALF-FORWARD
MATT CONNOR (Offaly)
A road accident ended his football career at the age of 24, in 1984, but he made such a lasting impression in the six years beforehand that he is an automatic choice on this team. He had so many exceptional skills that he would have been equally effective in any of the six forward positions. Unmarkable on his best days, his perfect balance enabled him to create shooting space in the tightest of corners.
2. Trevor Giles (Meath); 3. Ja Fallon (Galway); 4.Ger Power (Kerry); 5. Anton O’Toole (Dublin).
CENTRE HALF-FORWARD
LARRY TOMPKINS (Kildare & Cork)
It was on Leeside that he enjoyed the big successes, but he had earlier made his mark in his native Kildare, having launched his senior career as a 17-year-old. In a truly bizarre bad call, the Lilywhites lost him over the cost of an airfare, presenting Cork with a super talent who played a hugely important role, usually from centre-forward, in steering them out from under Kerry’s giant thumb in 1987 before going on to enjoy the best era in the county’s history.
2. Michael Murphy (Donegal); 3. Ciarán Kilkenny (Dublin); 4. Declan O’Sullivan (Kerry); 5. Alan Brogan (Dublin).
LEFT HALF-FORWARD
PAT SPILLANE (Kerry)
Nine All-Star awards, six consecutively in 1976-’81 and a treble in 1984-’86, leave Spillane at the top of the individual honours list. Ahead of his time in terms of breaking free of traditional positioning, he popped up in every outfield line in search of action. His long-range kicking skills yielded a high points return, often under immense pressure. Footballer of the Year in 1978 and 1986.
2. Michael Donnellan (Galway); 3. Mickey Kearins (Sligo); 4. Greg Blaney (Down); 5. Diarmuid Connolly (Dublin).
RIGHT FULL-FORWARD
MIKEY SHEEHY (Kerry)
Sheehy (seven All-Stars) or Colm Cooper (eight) – who comes first? It would be a very difficult call (with Sheehy just having the edge) between them if all their awards had been won from right full-forward, but since Cooper is also eligible at No 15, where he won his first honour in his debut year (2002), the dilemma sorts itself and both can be included. Sheehy takes the No 13 berth, a deserved reward for a career where his scoring exploits were phenomenal.
2. Colm O’Rourke (Meath); 3. Jimmy Barry-Murphy (Cork); 4. Martin McHugh (Donegal); 5. Mickey Linden (Down).
FULL-FORWARD
PETER CANAVAN (Tyrone)
Six All-Star awards (three at full-forward, one each at 10, 11 and 13) between 1994 and 2005 leaves it only a question of which position Canavan should occupy. Placing him at full-forward rules out some heavy-hitters, but Canavan did his best work close to goal, not just in their All-Ireland-winning era but also before Tyrone made the big breakthrough.
2. Pádraic Joyce (Galway); 3. Eoin Liston (Kerry); 4. Jimmy Keaveney (Dublin); 5. Kieran Donaghy (Kerry).
LEFT FULL-FORWARD
COLM COOPER (Kerry)
Those who watched him develop as a youngster in Dr Crokes had no doubt he would be a huge star. That became apparent to the rest of the football fraternity when he made his debut as a 19-year-old in 2002. He proved very quickly that he had the skills and temperament to thrive at top level, which he did in a gloriously decorated career that lasted until 2016.
2. Maurice Fitzgerald (Kerry); 3. Bernard Brogan (Dublin); 4. John Egan (Kerry); 5. Stephen O’Neill (Tyrone).
