The 2024 All Stars football team will be revealed on Thursday morning, with All-Ireland champions Armagh expected to be the best represented county on the final 15.
The selection committees for both the football and hurling All Stars will meet on Wednesday to finalise the respective teams.
The hurling side will be announced during the PwC GAA All Stars banquet at the RDS on Friday night. There are likely to be several first-time winners on both teams.
On the football front, a total of 11 Armagh players have been nominated, while beaten All-Ireland finalists Galway have eight. Donegal have received seven, while there are four each from Kerry, Dublin and Louth, two apiece for Tyrone, Mayo and Roscommon players and one from Cork.
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Armagh’s last All Star was Ronan Clarke in 2008, so any Orchard County winners this time around would be picking up a maiden accolade.
Blaine Hughes is in the running for the goalkeeping position but Armagh’s number one faces stiff competition from Tyrone’s Niall Morgan and Donegal’s Shaun Patton. All three Ulster goalkeepers had outstanding seasons, so the final decision is likely to boil down to a debate over kick-out effectiveness and each player’s overall impact on the game.
Barry McCambridge looks certain to pick up a spot in the full-back line. The versatile Clann Éireann man has enjoyed a dream season, both at club and county level. Last weekend he helped his club win the Armagh SFC title.
McCambridge has been shortlisted for the Footballer of the Year accolade as well, alongside Galway’s Paul Conroy and John Maher. It would be a surprise if all three were not included on the team of the year.
With McCambridge likely to take up one of the three slots in the full-back line, Armagh will be hoping Aaron McKay can also win a place after his tremendous season in orange.
Johnny McGrath was selected at corner back on The Sunday Game team and the Galway defender will be a strong contender to take a place on the All Star selection. He has also been shortlisted for Young Footballer of the Year.
Armagh’s best shout at a place in the half-back line would appear to be captain Aidan Forker.
Donegal’s Péadar Mogan and Ryan McHugh were a dynamic duo haring forward from deep all season, causing massive problems for opposing defences. However, it might be a case where only one of the two make the team because Galway’s Dylan McHugh was so instrumental in the Tribesmen’s run to the All-Ireland final that he is considered a very strong candidate for one of the two wing back berths.
Donegal’s Brendan McCole, Kerry’s Tom O’Sullivan and Brian Ó Beaglaoich, Louth’s fast-transitioning Craig Lennon and Roscommon’s Brian Stack are all likely to be in the debate for inclusion in the defence on the team.
At midfield, Armagh’s Niall Grimley and Ben Crealey have both been nominated but with Conroy almost certain to win one of the two spots in the middle of the field, the sole remaining spot will be hotly contested.
Dublin’s Brian Fenton, Louth’s Tommy Durnin and Donegal’s Michael Langan complete the sextet of midfield nominees. However, the committee has the latitude to select Maher at midfield, even though he has been nominated as a forward.
Such a scenario might not arise, but it is clear the selection of Maher will have a significant impact on the overall make-up of the team because his positioning opens or closes an opportunity in another area of the field.
Should the Galway all-rounder be selected in the half-forward line, then that will cut off a place for one of the 18 nominated attackers.
Either way, Armagh will be hopeful of landing at least three positions up front with Rian O’Neill, Conor Turbitt and Oisín Conaty their leading contenders in attack.
Rory Grugan has also been nominated but he might struggle to make the 15 given the calibre of players he is up against for one of the six positions.
Aside from Maher, Rob Finnerty – who went off injured during the early stages of the All-Ireland final – looks to be Galway’s strongest contender for an All Star in attack, though Shane Walsh and Cillian McDaid are also nominated.
Indeed, Finnerty and Turbitt are likely to pick up two of the three places on the inside line, leaving one spot up for grabs between the likes of Louth’s Sam Mulroy, Donegal’s Oisín Gallen, Kerry’s David Clifford and Dublin’s Con O’Callaghan.
The final 15 will be revealed on Thursday morning with Armagh expected to outdo Dublin’s tally of five All Stars in 2023. Kerry’s All-Ireland triumph in 2022 was acknowledged with seven All Stars that season, while 2021 champions Tyrone picked up eight All Stars.
Clare are expected to dominate the hurling selection when it is named on Friday night with the league and All-Ireland winners having 14 players included on the list of 45 nominees.
Beaten All-Ireland finalists Cork have 10 players nominated, Limerick nine, Kilkenny four, and two each from Waterford, Wexford, Dublin and Antrim.
Seven has been the magic number in terms of recipients on the hurling front in recent years. Limerick received seven All Stars in 2022 and 2023. However, the all-conquering Treaty County made history in 2021 by winning an unprecedented 12 All Stars.
The winners of the Footballer of the Year (Barry McCambridge, Paul Conroy, John Maher), Young Footballer (Oisín Conaty, Johnny McGrath, Ciarán Moore), Hurler (Shane O’Donnell, Kyle Hayes, Darragh Fitzgibbon) and Young Hurler (Adam Hogan, Eoin Downey, Cathal O’Neill) categories will also be announced on Friday night. The 2024 PwC GAA All Stars will be shown live on RTÉ One, starting at 7.30.
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