The 2015 Football All Stars

GAA Correspondent Seán Moran profiles the 2015 team that includes nine first-time All Stars

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1. Brendan Kealy (Kerry) - 1st award: Came back well after losing his place last year and reclaimed the jersey. His kick-outs improved but his shot stopping was excellent and he made crucial interventions in all of Kerry's matches (with the exception of the Kildare quarter-final rout) from Munster final to the All-Ireland, conceding no goals from play in the All-Ireland series. Photograph: Cathal Noonan/Inpho

2. Shane Enright (Kerry) - 1st award: Tough and sticky corner back who looked a lot more confident this year and wins his first All Star. He put in an exceptional shift against Cork in the much improved Munster final replay defensive display, giving Brian Hurley no room for manoeuvre, and in the All-Ireland final marked the championship's most productive forward from play, Bernard Brogan and conceded just one point. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho

5. Lee Keegan (Mayo) - 3rd award: Another influential season for this most consistent player. From the early days of the championship when he marked Michael Lundy out of the Connacht semi-final against Galway to the smothering – if at times controversial – restraints imposed on Diarmuid Connolly, his defensive work was excellent and his ability to counter-attack on full view with 1-2 in the Donegal quarter-final. Photograph: Cathal Noonan/Inpho

7. Jack McCaffrey (Dublin) - 1st award: His game has moved up the gears impressively. Physically he has strengthened and defensively he has matured into a formidable wing back, while retaining the explosive counter-atacking capability he possesses with his searing pace and clever running. Skilled footballer, as demonstrated by the kick-pass that opened up Fermanagh in the quarter-final. Capped his night by winning the Footballer of the Year award. Photograph: Inpho

8. Brian Fenton (Dublin) 1st award: Extraordinary debut season, which saw him feature increasingly in the league and then nail down a starting berth Dublin's centrefield. Progress stalled a bit in the drawn Mayo match but having absorbed the lessons he adjusted to give a cracking display in the replay, providing the assist for two goals, and earn the Man of the Match award in the All-Ireland final. Hard working and very mobile. Photograph: Cathal Noonan/Inpho

9. Anthony Maher (Kerry) - 1st award: Consistently influential in the Kerry centrefield, imposing himself in the Munster replay after not starting the drawn match when the sector was key for Cork. His fielding ability and Stakhanovite work rate helped gave the team formidable ball winning capacity and in the Tyrone semi-final his persistence and calm were vital in geting Kerry over the line in the decisive end-game. Photograph: Donall Farmer/Inpho

10. Mattie Donnelly (Tyrone) - 1st award: Recognition for an outstanding player whose versatility creates genuine problems as to where best to deploy him but he played mostly around the middle in the championship. Great footballer, who stood out in the league and maintained form in the championship, his scoring ability was sacrificed for his work-rate and mobility at centrefield but he's a totally credible wing forward All Stars. Photograph: Cathal Noonan/Inpho

11. Ciarán Kilkenny (Dublin) - 1st award: Triumphant return from an injury-ruined 2014 saw him step up to become the most consistent contributor in a half-forward line containing two All Stars. His work rate, so important in the team's system of play, and distribution were phenomenal during the championship and his shooting was so reliable that only Bernard Brogan out-scored him from play in the whole championship. Photograph: Cathal Noonan/Inpho

12. Donnchadh Walsh (Kerry) - 1st award: Another year of exceptional industry for the hardest working wing forward in the game has been rewarded with a first All Star. He fired the first goal in the quarter-final destruction of Kildare but the semi-final against Tyrone was an awesome display on a difficult afternoon when it was Kerry's half forwards who swung the match. He made 31 plays and followed that up with 25 in the final. Photograph: Cathal Noonan/Inpho

13. Conor McManus (Monaghan) - 2nd award: A genuine contender for Footballer of the Year despite not making the short list, McManus's ability and mental strength enabled him to carry Monaghan's scoring threat almost single-handed despite being targeted by batallions of defenders. After a great league, he kept the team alive in the championship against Cavan and his scores were crucial in taking the Ulster final against Donegal. He can somehow get on to ball when surrounded and then kick scores Photograph: Cathal Noonan/Inpho

14. Aidan O'Shea (Mayo) 2nd award: He stormed the summer, playing varied roles from the attack to centrefield – most specatcularly as an old-style target-man full forward, which earned him MOTM accolades and goals in the Connacht championship and delivered an outstanding display to break Donegal in the All-Ireland quarter-final. Dublin crowded him out in the semi-finals but he kept them occupied despite unsympathetic tactics and poor support. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho

15. Bernard Brogan (Dublin) - 4th award: An excellent season underlined by a terrific haul of 6-20 from play during the championship. He remained Dublin's go-to forward for scores and when the ship was creaking against Mayo in the replay he steadied things with the goal that turned the match and an assist for a second within a minute. His accuracy and goal scoring bank-rolled Dublin's memorable season. Photograph: Cathal Noonan/Inpho

Fri Nov 06 2015 - 20:41

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