Kerry top 2009 GAA Football All-Stars Nominations

All Ireland and National League Champions Kerry have been rewarded for another memorable season, with all bar three of the team that started in Sunday’s final win over Cork nominated for 2009 GAA Football All Stars, sponsored by Vodafone.

Thu, 24 Sep, 2009 - 22:37

In all, 12 counties are represented in the nominations list, compared to seven in hurling, with defeated finalists Cork having the second highest total with 10 nominees, Tyrone third with five and Dublin in fourth with four nominees.

Champions Kerry also have two players – Paul Galvin and Tomas Ó Sé - shortlisted for Footballer of the Year, with Cork’s Graham Canty the other nominee. The Young Footballer of the Year will be decided between Donegal’s Michael Murphy, Cork’s Colm O’Neill and Mayo’s Aidan O’Shea.

Only five of last year’s All Stars team are nominated – Kerry’s Tomas Ó Sé, Declan O’Sullivan and Colm Cooper and Tyrone’s Justin McMahon and Davy Harte.

Wicklow are rewarded for a year in which they played a record six championship games by having two players nominated, Leighton Glynn and Ciarán Hyland. They will be hoping to join the Garden County’s sole recipient to date on the All Stars list, Kevin O’Brien.

Antrim, through June Player of the Month Michael McCann, have their first nominee since 2000 while Mayo’s Trevor Mortimer will be hoping to join his brothers Kenneth (1996) and Conor (2006) on the All-Stars thanks to his nomination with teammate Andy Moran. Kildare’s Dermot Earley – Player of the Month in June – will be hoping to collect his second All Star, having won an award 11 years ago.

Limerick have also been rewarded for a strong season in which they ran Cork close in the Munster final before losing by a single point to eventual semi-finalists Meath in the qualifiers, with two nominees in defender Johnny McCarthy and midfielder John Galvin, who was also nominated in 2004.

Kerry’s Tadhg Kennelly is one of 17 first time nominees, capping a truly memorable year in which he fulfilled his dream of emulating his late father Tim by winning his first All Ireland senior medal. Kennelly, who returned from Australia in March, also became the first Irishman to win both an All Ireland and AFL Premiership title.

Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael Criostóir Ó Cuana said: “Now that all 90 hurling and football nominees have been chosen, the guessing game among GAA fans will begin. Off the field, the All Stars is one of the highlights of the year for the GAA. Apart from honouring the most outstanding performers in both codes throughout the year, it is also gives us an opportunity to reflect on the season, one that I think we all agree will provide us with many great memories long into the future.”

Vodafone Consumer Director Carolan Lennon added: “We have been happily associated for the past 12 years with the All Stars awards scheme, which is one pillar of our overall association with the GAA, which also includes sponsorship of the All Ireland Senior Football Championship. The All Stars and, indeed, the Player of the Month scheme, which we also sponsor, are excellent opportunities to highlight again the outstanding performers of the season and we are very much looking forward to the announcement of the winners at the All Stars banquet on Friday, October 16th.”

The 2009 GAA Football All Stars nominations are:

Goalkeepers:

Stephen Cluxton (Dublin)

Diarmuid Murphy (Kerry)

Alan Quirke (Cork)

Full Backs:

Tommy Griffin (Kerry)

Tom O’Sullivan (Kerry)

Marc Ó Sé (Kerry)

Anthony Lynch (Cork)

Michael Shields (Cork)

Ciarán Hyland (Wicklow)