2002 All Stars: The All Stars provoke controversy and debate each year. Seán Moran looks at the close calls and hard-luck stories in this year's selection

All-Ireland champions Armagh have secured the biggest representation in this year's Vodaphone football All Stars. The selection was announced yesterday and includes few enough surprises although Kerry, runners-up to Armagh, will be disappointed with their meagre haul of two and it is Leinster champions Dublin who come second in the 2002 roll of honour with three selections.

Two of the most unfortunate omissions are Kerry players, Michael Frank Russell and to a slightly lesser extent Michael McCarthy. Both had an exceptional year up until the All-Ireland final and it seems they are paying a heavy price for wides shot and scores conceded that afternoon. In Russell's defence was the fact that he had a menacing first half but had to cope with greatly decreased supply in the second half.

That disappointing final had placed him behind Armagh's Steven McDonnell in the race for the number 13 jersey but it is Peter Canavan who takes the position with McDonnell shunted back to the right wing.

Canavan has had a fine year, helping Tyrone to a first national title in this year's league and playing an integral role in Errigal Ciarán's long march to Sunday's Ulster club final. And maybe it is to recognise these competitions that the award has been made because a couple of players had superior championships.

Russell was regarded as a shoo-in going into the final and only the virtually flawless McDonnell would have been entitled to pip him to the selection. Canavan, playing in the other corner, was immense against Derry in July's entertaining qualifier in Casement Park but in Tyrone's two critical defeats he was either injured and unable to play, against Armagh, or unable to do anything about the county's collapse, against Sligo.

It is something of an injustice to McDonnell to have been evicted from the corner in which he was the summer's supreme exponent and moved to a position, on the wing, where he has never either started or played for a significant period in a championship match.

At left corner back Cork's Anthony Lynch, like Canavan, has had a good year and debuted to good effect in the autumn's International Rules series. But McCarthy has reason to feel aggrieved. He may have struggled - as did most - on McDonnell but Lynch had his own difficulties on Tipperary's Declan Browne and more particularly against Russell.

Lynch was comfortably Cork's best player in the All-Ireland semi-final against Kerry but was unable to prevent the damage from marauding opposition full forwards, especially in the first half. There probably isn't much in it but McCarthy can feel a bit unlucky, having been untroubled apart from the three points conceded in the All-Ireland final.

All in all Kerry have suffered a bit in this year's awards, what with the inexplicable decision not to nominate Dara Ó Cinnéide after his best season to date, winning possession and creating space for Russell and Colm Cooper, whose stunning debut season is recognised, in either corner.

Otherwise the selection won't cause too much debate. The full-forward line was always going to be difficult to select with three plausible candidates for each position. Apart from Russell, one deserves particular mention. Colin Corkery went into Cork's All-Ireland semi-final as a candidate for Footballer of the Year but fails to make the final cut - a sign of the competition for this year's awards.

There are 10 new All Stars - Enda McNulty, Aidan O'Rourke, Paul McGrane and McDonnell from Armagh, Eamonn O'Hara (Sligo), Kevin Cassidy (Donegal), Cooper and the Dublin trio of Stephen Cluxton, Paddy Christie and Ray Cosgrove.

Cluxton was a revelation during the season. His shot stopping and ability to play behind the defence combined with a hefty and precise kickout.

Christie was very steady all season at full back and with no outstanding competition was able to carry his one troubled outing, against Armagh's Ronan Clarke. Full forward Cosgrove was always a front-runner. Joint top scorer in this year's championship, he scored more championship goals, six, than anyone for 19 years and although he endured a high-profile Gethsemane in the last minute against Armagh when hitting the post with a free that would have tied the semi-final, he had given his best display of the year in the match.

Armagh should have had representatives on every outfield line but McDonnell's shuffle spoiled that. Right corner back McNulty was the best of a full-back line that looked vulnerable at times. Ahead of him on the wing, O'Rourke had a great year and a legitimate claim on Man of the Match in the All-Ireland final.

At centre back Kieran McGeeney is already the GPA Footballer of the Year and likely to add the All Stars' equivalent tomorrow night. McGrane at centrefield was solid and dependable all through and his unobtrusive ball winning never let the Ulster champions down.

He is partnered by Darragh Ó Sé, who was a shortlist choice for Footballer of the Year after his best season to date for Kerry and who had to cope with the sudden passing of his father last June.

Oisín McConville wasn't a certain All Star going into the final but his courageous display, capped by a memorable match-turning goal, gets him the nod.

The north-west duo of Cassidy and O'Hara earn selection after fine seasons crowned with some high-profile Croke Park displays. O'Hara is Sligo's first All Star since Barnes Murphy 28 years ago.

The All Stars banquet and presentation will take place tomorrow night in the Citywest Hotel in Dublin.