All stars football team: While the GAA and the GPA appear set to move closer together there should be some of evidence of what keeps them apart with the announcement today of the All Star football selection for 2006.
Last month the GPA provided plenty of controversy with their inaugural football and hurling teams of the year, and the GAA get their turn this week with the 35th edition of the All Stars.
In a slightly new departure, the GAA announce their football selection at a press briefing in Dublin this afternoon. The hurling selection follows on Friday evening, announced "live" during the television broadcast of the annual banquet.
While both award schemes have the same aim - lining out a team of the year from one to 15 - the selection process is different. The GPA team is decided by a player vote, following a football committee's selection of three players in each position.
The All Stars remain the choice of representatives of the media, without any player input.
The GPA team included some surprises, not least of all the fact that just one Kerry forward was included on the selection, while three Mayo forwards were honoured. Kerry did have six representatives (Marc Ó Sé, Tom O'Sullivan, Séamus Moynihan, Aidan O'Mahony, Darragh Ó Sé and Kieran Donaghy) and they're not expected to do much better in today's All Star selection.
They have nine players nominated, with Paul Galvin the biggest threat to displace one of the Mayo forwards. After that, it's not expected the teams will differ to any great extent.
Dublin gained eight nominations and All-Ireland finalists Mayo six, while Munster and Ulster champions Cork and Armagh gained five each. Just three of last year's All Star team are in line to repeat their honour - Kerry's Colm Cooper and Armagh's Paul McGrane and Steven McDonnell - although none of them are expected to make the final cut.
Meanwhile, the GAA meet this weekend to conclude their master fixture list for 2007, including all the national football and hurling league fixtures.
One of the dates agreed in principal is Dublin's opening football league game on the first weekend in February, which is set to be the first game played under floodlights at Croke Park, with either Kerry or Tyrone likely to provide the opposition. All fixtures must then go to Central Council on December 9th for final approval.
And, elsewhere, Glenswilly clubman and midfielder Neil Gallagher has been named Donegal senior football captain for the forthcoming season.
ALL STARS SELECTION COMMITTEE: Martin Breheny (Irish Independent), Jim O'Sullivan (Irish Examiner), Brian Carthy (RTÉ Radio), Michael Lyster (RTÉ TV), Eamon O'Hara (Irish News), Peter Sweeney (Irish Star), Martan Ó Ciadhra (RnaG), Seán Moran (The Irish Times), Adrian Logan (UTV), Alan Milton (Irish Sun), Keith Duggan (The Irish Times), Colm Keys (Irish Independent), Frank Roche (Evening Herald) and Seán McGoldrick (Sunday World).
All Star nominations
Goalkeeper: S Cluxton (Dublin), G Connaughton (Westmeath), A Quirke (Cork); Full back: M Ó Sé (Kerry), T O'Sullivan (Kerry), P Griffin (Dublin), K Lacey (Donegal), B Owens (Fermanagh), F Bellew (Armagh), J Higgins (Laois), G Canty (Cork), K Higgins (Mayo); Half back: S Moynihan (Kerry), A O'Mahony (Kerry), B Cullen (Dublin), G Spillane (Cork), P Gardiner (Mayo), A Kernan (Armagh), K Slattery (Offaly), B Dunnion (Donegal), D Blake (Galway); Midfield: N Murphy (Cork), D Ó Sé (Kerry), R McGarrity (Mayo), C Whelan (Dublin), S Ryan (Dublin), P McGrane (Armagh); Half forward: A Dillon (Mayo), C McDonald (Mayo), P Galvin (Kerry), S O'Sullivan (Kerry), A Brogan (Dublin), J Sherlock (Dublin), C Keaney (Dublin), P Barden (Longford), R Munnelly (Laois); Full forward: K Donaghy (Kerry), C Cooper (Kerry), R Clarke (Armagh), S McDonnell (Armagh), C Mortimer (Mayo), J Masters (Cork), N McNamee (Offaly), P Bradley (Derry), B Kavanagh (Longford).
GPA team of the year
1 S Cluxton (Dublin); 2 M Ó Sé (Kerry), 3 B Owens (Fermanagh) 4 T O'Sullivan (Kerry); 5 S Moynihan (Kerry), 6 B Cullen (Dublin), 7 A O'Mahony (Kerry); 8 N Murphy (Cork), 9 D Ó Sé (Kerry); 10 A Dillon (Mayo), 11 A Brogan (Dublin), 12 C McDonald (Mayo); 13 C Mortimer (Mayo), 14 K Donaghy (Kerry), 15 R Clarke (Armagh).
Weekend Fixtures
SUNDAY
Leinster club SHC final: Birr (Offaly) v Ballyhale Shamrocks (Kilkenny), Portlaoise, 2.0, J McGrath (Westmeath).
Leinster club SFC semi-final: Tyrrellspass (Westmeath) v Moorefield (Kildare), Mullingar, 2.0, D Fahy (Longford).
Connacht club SFC final: St Brigid's (Roscommon) v Corofin (Galway), Hyde Park, 2.0, V Neary (Mayo).
Ulster club SFC semi-final: Clontibret (Monaghan) v Crossmaglen (Armagh), Breffni Park, 2.0, C Reynolds (Down). Semi-final replay: Errigal Ciarán (Tyrone) v Ballinderry (Derry), Casement Park, 1.45, P McEnaney (Monaghan).
Munster club SFC semi-finals: Aherlow (Tipperary) v The Nire (Waterford), Cashel, 2.0, M Collins (Cork); Nemo Rangers (Cork) v Dr Crokes (Kerry), Páirc Uí Chaoimh, 2.45, B Tyrell (Tipperary).
