Who's your money on for the Football All-Stars?

Fri, 04 Oct, 2013 - 09:43

2013 All-Ireland SFC winning captain Stephen Cluxton and 11 of his Dublin team-mates have been nominated for GAA/GPA Football All-Stars awards.

The Dubs' hugely successful season, which included Allianz League, Leinster and All-Ireland title wins, has earned them a dozen All-Star nominees, with their talismanic goalkeeper Cluxton, midfielder Michael Darragh Macauley and Mayo's Lee Keegan shortlisted for the Footballer of the Year honour.

If Cluxton or Macauley triumph, it would be Dublin's third victory in the Footballer of the Year category in four years, following Bernard and Alan Brogan's selections in 2010 and 2011 respectively.

Manager Jim Gavin will have huge pride in seeing nominations at half-back for Jack McCaffrey, James McCarthy and Cian O'Sullivan, while their regular attacking sextet this summer have each earned nods - Paul Flynn, Diarmuid Connolly, Ciarán Kilkenny, Bernard Brogan, Paul Mannion and Paddy Andrews.

Connacht champions and beaten All-Ireland finalists Mayo have ten nominations for the All-Stars team, including the O'Shea brothers - Aidan and Seamus - in midfield and the free-scoring Cillian O'Connor in attack.

Monaghan's first Ulster senior title since 1988 sees them pick up six nominations, with Dessie Mone and Conor McManus chief amongst them, while Kerry and Tyrone, who were beaten All-Ireland semi-finalists, provide five and four nominees respectively.

Killian Clarke, Cian Mackey and Martin Dunne have made the cut for Cavan notably, with Cork, Galway, Meath and 2012 All-Ireland champions Donegal receiving one nomination each along with Connacht runners-up London, who will be hoping that half-forward Lorcan Mulvey can prevail as the Exiles' first ever All-Stars nominee.

Among those deemed unfortunate to miss out are Dublin defender Jonny Cooper, Mayo's rock-solid corner back Tom Cunniffe, Galway forward Michael Meehan, who averaged almost six points per game, and Cork's Daniel Goulding who finished the Championship with 1-27.

All told, only 12 of last year's nominees are included on this year's 45-strong list, with just five players - Paul Flynn, Mayo's Keith Higgins, Keegan and Ger Cafferkey and Donegal's Colm McFadden - in contention for back-to-back All-Star awards.

Meanwhile, Dublin duo Jack McCaffrey and Paul Mannion will battle it out with Mayo sharpshooter Cillian O'Connor for the Young Footballer of the Year award. O'Connor, of course, is chasing a hat-trick in this category after his 2011 and 2012 triumphs.

The final selections will be announced live on Friday, November 8 at the All-Star banquet at Croke Park.

2013 GAA/GPA ALL-STARS TEAM NOMINATIONS:

Goalkeepers -

Stephen Cluxton (Dublin)

Robert Hennelly (Mayo)

Rory Beggan (Monaghan)

Full-Backs -

Rory O'Carroll (Dublin)

Ger Cafferkey (Mayo)

Keith Higgins (Mayo)

Colin Walshe (Monaghan)

Killian Clarke (Cavan)