Tyrone's all-conquering heroes were today rewarded for their magnificent third All-Ireland title in six years as seven of their players were named GAA Football All Stars for 2008.
The All Star winners will be presented with their awards this Friday night, October 17th, at a gala banquet at Dublin's City West Hotel when this year's hurling All Stars will also be announced live on RTÉ 1.
In all, five counties are represented on this year's football All Stars selection, with players from beaten finalists Kerry as well as Westmeath, Leinster champions Dublin and Ulster Champions, Armagh joining the seven Tyrone stars on this year's selection.
Tyrone's haul tops that of last year's All Ireland Champions Kerry, who had six players selected in the 2007 football All Stars team. However, there was consolation for the beaten All Ireland finalists, with four of the Kerry team selected on this year's All Stars. Among them is Colm Cooper, who picked up his fifth award, more awards than any other member of this year's All Stars.
Two other players, Tyrone's All-Ireland final man-of-the-match Sean Cavanagh and Kerry's centre half back Tomás Ó Sé, collected their fourth awards, while Tyrone's Conor Gormley, Philip Jordan and Brian Dooher all landed their third awards.
Three players, Tomás Ó Sé, Declan O'Sullivan and Colm Cooper, all from Kerry, are the only back-to-back All Stars this year.
One more piece of business will be decided at Friday night's awards ceremony for Sean Cavanagh, Brian Dooher and Colm Cooper, who are short-listed for the Player of the Year Award, again sponsored by Vodafone, which will also be announced live on the night.
For Cavanagh, today's All Star caps an amazing two months. The Moy clubman was also honoured Vodafone Player of the Month for both August and September and in the same period was appointed captain of Irish International Rules squad.
There are five new All Stars in this year's selection: Justin McMahon, Davy Harte and Enda McGinley from Tyrone; Gary Connaughton, Westmeath; and Shane Ryan, Dublin.
The county breakdown is:Tyrone (7), Kerry (4), Westmeath (2), Armagh (1) and Dubllin (1)
The Vodafone GAA Football All Stars for 2008 are:
Goalkeeper
1 Gary Connaughton (Westmeath)
Full Backs
2 Conor Gormley (Tyrone) All Star '03, '05
3 Justin McMahon (Tyrone)
4 John Keane (Westmeath) All Star '04
Half Backs
5 Davy Harte (Tyrone)
6 Tomás Ó Sé (Kerry) All Star '04, '05. '07
7 Philip Jordan (Tyrone) All Star '03, '05
Midfield
8 Enda McGinley (Tyrone)
9 Shane Ryan (Dublin)
Half Forwards
10 Brian Dooher (Tyrone) All Star '03, '05
11 Declan O'Sullivan (Kerry) All Star '07
12 Seán Cavanagh (Tyrone) All Star '03, '04, '05
Full Forwards
13 Colm Cooper (Kerry) All Star '02, '04, '05, '07
14 Kieran Donaghy (Kerry) All Star '06
15 Ronan Clarke (Armagh) All Star '06