Armagh in 11th heaven with All-Star nominations while key man leads Footballer of Year candidates
The PwC Footballer of the Year award will go to Galway or Armagh for the first time in over two decades after the shortlist of nominees was unveiled today while the Orchard county also have 11 All Star nominations after their breakthrough All-Ireland triumph.
Armagh’s Barry McCambridge will go up against Galway pair John Maher and Paul Conroy for the highest individual accolade in the game. Their nominations, made by a committee of GAA journalists, means the stand out trio are almost certain to land All Star awards.
Man marking defender McCambridge, who has an eye for a score, and midfield colossus Maher, both 25, emerged from relative obscurity to be two of the leading lights of the summer.
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Conroy (35) has been knocking around the top end of the inter-county game since making his senior debut in 2008, and is viewed as the early frontrunner for the award.
But with the potential for the Galway vote to split, it could open the door for McCambridge.
The relentless defender didn’t kick a ball in the Ulster Championship, before posting a stellar All-Ireland series, which included goals against Roscommon and Kerry.
Between 1998 and 2003, Armagh (2) and Galway (2) landed four Footballer of the Year awards in six seasons.
Ja Fallon (1998), Declan Meehan (2001), Kieran McGeeney (2002) and Steven McDonnell (2003) all won but neither county has claimed the award since.
Over the last decade two players have won the Footballer of the Year award twice, Brian Fenton (Dublin) and David Clifford (Kerry).
None of this year’s trio have ever been nominated before with Maher and McCambridge also first time All Star nominees.
Meanwhile, the Young Footballer of the Year award shortlist has also been unveiled.
Galway defender Johnny McGrath, Armagh wing forward Oisin Conaty and Donegal utility man Ciaran Moore will battle it out to succeed Derry’s Ethan Doherty.
The awards will be voted on by GPA members and presented to the winner at gala awards ceremony next month.
The PwC All Star football nominations are also out with All-Ireland champions Armagh leading the way on 11, meaning that their only starters from the All-Ireland final to miss out were Joe McElroy, Connaire Mackin, Tiernan Kelly and Andrew Murnin.
The full county by county breakdown is: Armagh (11), Galway (8), Donegal (7), Kerry (4), Dublin (4), Louth (4), Tyrone (2), Mayo (2), Roscommon (2) and Cork (1).
Cork, Tyrone and Mayo didn’t make the All-Ireland quarter-finals but still landed nominations, with 10 of the 16 counties in the race for the Sam Maguire honoured.
The six counties who missed out on a nomination were Derry, Westmeath, Clare, Cavan, Monaghan and Meath.
The sole Cork representative is full back Daniel O’Mahony, with midfielder Colm O’Callaghan unfortunate to miss out.
Tyrone goalkeeper Niall Morgan and forward Darragh Canavan both made the shortlist and are expected to go close to winning All Stars.
National League champions Derry didn’t get a nomination after their summer implosion, although they did manage to make the All-Ireland quarter-finals.
Wing forward Ethan Doherty and midfielder Brendan Rogers were their best shouts.
Of the four All-Ireland semi-finalists Kerry fared the worst by a distance, with just four nominees compared to Donegal’s 7, Galway’s 8 and Armagh’s 11.
The Kerry quartet were the Clifford brothers - Paudie and David - and defenders Tom O’Sullivan and Brian Ó Beaglaoich.
Roscommon, who last year saw Enda Smith win their first All Star since Franice Grehan in 2001, have two nominees - defender Brian Stack and forward Diarmuid Murtagh.
Murtagh hit 1-22 in the Championship, averaging five points per game and was the ninth top scorer.
The Championship’s top scorer, Ryan O’Donoghue was also nominated, after hitting 3-48 (57) for Mayo, and averaging eight points per game.
Sam Mulroy was the second top scorer in the Championship (3-43) and is one of four Louth players nominated after a stellar season, where they reached their first ever All-Ireland quarter-final and a Leinster final.
The other Wee County men on the list are free-scoring midfield man Tommy Durnin, two goal full back Donal McKenny and prolific wing back, Craig Lennon.
Dublin’s four nominees are midfielder Brian Fenton, defender Sean Bugler and forwards Con O’Callaghan and Cormac Costello.
Costello was the third highest scorer in the Championship on 2-25, including the memorable fisted equaliser in the draw with Mayo.
O’Callaghan, despite hitting very few placed balls, was the joint sixth top scorer on 4-16 (28).
The selectors, from a range of media outlets, are free to move players around the team.
John Maher, named in attack, could be an example of this. The Salthill Knocknacarra man, who seems certain to win an All Star after being nominated for Footballer of the Year, may also slot in at midfield.
Other players who were unfortunate to miss out include Kerry trio Diarmuid O’Connor, Tony Brosnan and Sean O’Shea, Armagh’s super sub Stefan Campbell, Tyrone’s Mattie Donnelly and Roscommon’s Daire Cregg.
PwC All Star Football Nominees:
Goalkeepers: Blaine Hughes (Armagh), Niall Morgan (Tyrone), Shaun Patton (Donegal)
Defenders: Barry McCambridge, Aidan Forker, Aaron McKay, Paddy Burns (all Armagh), Johnny McGrath, Dylan McHugh, Liam Silke (all Galway), Ryan McHugh, Caolan McGonagle, Brendan McCole, Peadar Mogan (all Donegal), Brian O Beaghlaoich, Tom O’Sullivan (both Kerry), Donal McKenny, Craig Lennon (both Louth), Sean Bugler (Dublin), Brian Stack (Roscommon), Daniel O’Mahony (Cork).
Midfielders: Ben Crealey, Niall Grimley (both Armagh), Paul Conroy (Galway), Brian Fenton (Dublin), Tommy Durnin (Louth), Michael Langan (Donegal).
Forwards: Shane Walsh, John Maher, Robert Finnerty, Cillian McDaid (all Galway), Rory Grugan, Oisin Conaty, Rian O’Neill Conor Turbitt (all Armagh), David Clifford, Paudie Clifford (both Kerry), Oisin Gallen (Donegal), Con O’Callaghan, Cormac Costello (both Dublin), Darragh Canavan (Tyrone), Diarmuid Murtagh (Roscommon), Sam Mulroy (Louth), Aidan O’Shea, Ryan O’Donoghue (both Mayo).
PwC Footballer of the Year Nominees: Barry McCambridge (Armagh), Paul Conroy (Galway), John Maher (Galway).
PwC Young Footballer of the Year Nominees: Oisin Conaty (Armagh), Ciaran Moore (Donegal), Johnny McGrath (Galway).
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