Gaelic Games / All Star football nominations: The dominance of Ulster and particularly Tyrone in this year's football championship has been reflected in the Vodafone All Star nominations for 2005.
Ulster players make up over half the nominations, and fill 23 out of the possible 45 places announced yesterday.
As usual, the All-Ireland champions lead the way, with 11 of Tyrone's successful team making the coveted shortlist.
Beaten finalists Kerry, however, haven't done too bad either with eight nominations, the same as beaten semi-finalists Armagh.
Only 10 counties are represented in total, with Galway providing the only Connacht representatives, and Dublin and Laois likewise the only representatives from Leinster.
The All Star football team will be announced on November 23rd, two days before the annual celebration banquet in Dublin. The All Star hurling nominations will be released later today, with that final selection announced live at the banquet.
Tyrone are also certain to dominate the final selection. Their 11 nominations include the veteran Peter Canavan, already a winner of five All Star awards, who announced his retirement in the immediate aftermath of last month's win over Kerry.
Yet Canavan won't find it easy to get his place in a forward line that includes five of his team mates - Brian Dooher, Brian McGuigan, Owen Mulligan, Stephen O'Neill and Enda McGinley. Seán Cavanagh is also nominated at midfield, as are defenders Ryan McMenamin, Philip Jordan, Conor Gormley and Joe McMahon. Their goalkeeper Pascal McConnell is one of the few notable absentees.
Kerry's eight nominations include the three Ó Sé brothers from Ventry - with Tomás, Marc and Darragh all strong contenders for the final list. Goalkeeper Diarmuid Murphy also makes the cut, and is one of only five of last year's All Star selection to make this year's shortlist - the others being team-mates Tomás Ó Sé, Michael McCarthy and Colm Cooper, as well as Seán Cavanagh from Tyrone.
The fact Armagh matched Kerry's eight nominations is proof of their strong influence on this year's championship, cut short by Tyrone in the semi-final.
Paul Hearty is one of the three goalkeeping candidates, while defenders Andy Mallon, Aaron Kernan, Kieran McGeeney and Francie Bellew also make the list. Paul McGrane, Steven McDonnell and Ronan Clarke complete their deserved list of contenders.
Dublin, with six nominees, have the fourth largest representation. Jason Sherlock will feel a little unlucky to miss out after scoring the goal that turned their Leinster semi-final win over Wexford. Stephen O'Shaughnessy and Paul Griffin will contest a place in the defence, Ciarán Whelan at midfield, and Alan Brogan, Bryan Cullen, Tomás Quinn in the forwards.
The 10 counties gaining represented are: Tyrone (11), Armagh (8), Kerry (8), Dublin (6), Cork (3), Laois (3), Derry (2), Galway (2), Cavan (1), Monaghan (1). Cork's poor semi-final performance against Kerry killed off some of their hopes for more.
Mayo goalkeeper David Clarke could well have made one of the goalkeeping positions, but it's Galway's Michael Meehan and Pádraic Joyce who provide the only western representation.
Laois have three nominations in three different sectors, with Aidan Fennelly, Noel Garvan and Ross Munnelly all rewarded for their consistency throughout the summer. Padraig Clancy misses out for one of the midfield positions.
Derry's brave run through the qualifiers has earned them two nominations in defender Kevin McCloy, and forward Paddy Bradley - the latter perhaps getting some compensation for missing out on the Irish team that departs later this week to Australia for the International Rules series.
Elsewhere, Monaghan and Cavan provided the remaining Ulster representation in the form of forward Thomas Freeman and goalkeeper James Reilly.
Among the few counties left wondering why none of their players made it the list could be Wexford, who last year won their first ever All Star football award in Matty Forde. Yet Forde did endure a frustrating summer, and it's full back Philip Wallace who can perhaps feel the hardest done by not to make the shortlist.
Meanwhile, various county management teams for the coming year continue to be approved. Clare hurling manager Anthony Daly will work with his same backroom team of Fr Harry Bohan, Alan Cunningham and Johnny Glynn for another year. Justin McCarthy's Waterford hurling management team will again consist of Nicky Cashin, Seamie Hannon and Kevin Ryan.
Kilkenny manager Brian Cody will head into a seventh successive year with further change, however, following Mick O'Flynn's decision to stand down as trainer. Mick Dempsey takes over that role and continues as selector with Martin Fogarty.
GOALKEEPER:
Paul Hearty (Armagh) Diarmuid Murphy (Kerry) James Reilly (Cavan)
DEFENDERS:
Ryan McMenamin (Tyrone) Philip Jordan (Tyrone) Conor Gormley (Tyrone) Joe McMahon (Tyrone) Andy Mallon (Armagh) Aaron Kernan (Armagh) Kieran McGeeney (Armagh) Francie Bellew (Armagh) Michael McCarthy (Kerry) Tomás Ó Sé (Kerry) Marc Ó Sé (Kerry) Aidan O'Mahony (Kerry) Anthony Lynch (Cork) Graham Canty (Cork) Aidan Fennelly (Laois) Stephen O'Shaughnessy (Dublin) Paul Griffin (Dublin) Kevin McCloy (Derry)
MIDFIELD:
Seán Cavanagh (Tyrone) Paul McGrane (Armagh) Noel Garvan (Laois) Ciarán Whelan (Dublin) Darragh Ó Sé (Kerry) Nicholas Murphy (Cork)
FORWARDS:
Brian Dooher (Tyrone) Brian McGuigan (Tyrone) Owen Mulligan (Tyrone) Peter Canavan (Tyrone) Stephen O'Neill (Tyrone) Enda McGinley (Tyrone) Stephen McDonnell (Armagh) Ronan Clarke (Armagh) Eoin Brosnan (Kerry) Colm Cooper (Kerry) Alan Brogan (Dublin) Bryan Cullen (Dublin) Tomás Quinn (Dublin) Michael Meehan (Galway) Padraic Joyce (Galway) Ross Munnelly (Laois) Paddy Bradley (Derry) Thomas Freeman (Monaghan) .
