Tyrone dominate players' team with nine awards

THE ANNOUNCEMENT of the Gaelic Players Association (GPA) Teams of the Year, coming as they do on the heels of the GAA All Stars, invariably becomes a compare and contrast exercise, and yesterday's football announcement was no exception. All-Ireland champions Tyrone are once again to the fore, but in gaining nine of the 15 representatives compared to seven on the All Star football team, their dominance is even more telling.

And again, only five counties are represented in total - Tyrone, Kerry, Wexford, Westmeath and Galway - with the contrast here being that one each from Wexford and Galway make the GPA team, while a Dublin and Armagh player made the All Star team.

Tyrone's representation is all over the team, starting with two of the full backs - Justin McMahon and Conor Gormley - and the entire half back line - Davy Harte, Philip Jordan and Ryan McMenamin. They also took one of the midfield positions - Enda McGinley - and three of the six forward positions - Brian Dooher, Joe McMahon and Seán Cavanagh.

Beaten All-Ireland finalists Kerry have just three players included (compared to four on the All Star team) - Darragh Ó Sé at midfield, along with Declan O'Sullivan and Colm Cooper.

One of the main talking points about the All Star selection was that neither of the two beaten All-Ireland semi-finalists had players on the team, and the GPA selection has at least found room for Wexford and their goalkeeper Anthony Masterson, while Cork - who also won the Munster title - again come away with nothing.

The GPA team is completed by Westmeath defender John Keane and Galway forward Michael Meehan, the sole Connacht representative (the province had no one on the All Star team).

The GPA hurling team of the year will be announced next Monday, ahead of next Friday's awards banquet in Dublin.

Unlike the All Stars, which is selected by media representatives, the GPA teams of the year are based on the votes of players, with the nominees agreed upon by a selection committee, which was chaired by former Kerry manager Jack O'Connor.

"These awards recognise not only the outstanding talent and personal accomplishments of these individual footballers but also their immense dedication to the game throughout the year," said O'Connor.

In making the announcement yesterday, O'Connor was inevitably questioned on his possible return to the Kerry management job, following Pat O'Shea's decision to step aside. While he is known to be the top candidate of the Kerry County Board's selection committee, O'Connor merely stated that "such reports were pure speculation and it wouldn't be fair for him to comment on the matter".

GAA FOOTBALL ALL STARS 2008: Gary Connaughton (Westmeath); Conor Gormley (Tyrone), Justin McMahon (Tyrone), John Keane (Westmeath); Davy Harte (Tyrone), Tomás Ó Sé (Kerry), Philip Jordan (Tyrone); Enda McGinley (Tyrone), Shane Ryan (Dublin); Brian Dooher (Tyrone), Declan O'Sullivan (Kerry), Seán Cavanagh (Tyrone); Colm Cooper (Kerry), Kieran Donaghy (Kerry), Ronan Clarke (Armagh).