Sport

Here goes with our AIL team of the year

This is the column which this column hates most. The AIB/Irish Times All-Ireland League Team of the Year

COMPILED By GERRY THORNLEY
Mon May 21 2001 - 01:00

This is the column which this column hates most. The AIB/Irish Times All-Ireland League Team of the Year. Laden with subjectivity and pitfalls, every single position certain to be disagreed with by somebody at least, this season's selection is compounded by the expansion to 16 clubs.

Some players have undoubtedly missed the eye, others have possibly played better over 15 games in more competitive positions than some of those who have been selected. But here goes anyhow.

15 John Lacey (Shannon). Some new kids on the block - the talented Bryn Cunningham (Dungannon), Scott Young (Ballymena) and latterly Gavin Duffy (Galwegians) - all carved niches here, while Brian Walsh remains the Rolls Royce of them all. But there wasn't much arguing over the choice of a reborn Lacey, whose angles of entry and predator's chasing of kick aheads made him the most potent strike weapon in the division with 13 tries.

14 Gavin Duffy (Galwegians). Duffy, whose appearances were split between full back (five), wing (six) and centre (four), had to be accommodated after a stunning rookie year marked by nine tries. Derek Dillon of Con, Dungannon's Jan Cunningham and Young Munster's Finbar Hogan flourished in the drier run-in.

READ MORE

13 Conor Mahony (Constitution). Mike Mullins (Young Munster), Shane Stewart (Ballymena), Jeremy Staunton (Garryowen), Wayne Munn (Old Crescent) and latterly, DLSP's Shane Stephens had big campaigns, while the late-starting Ryan Constable (Dungannon) scored 10 tries in his last nine games. However, the pace and vision of Mahony impressed continuously, and his value to the tabletoppers was underlined by his ability to switch successfully to outhalf seven times.

12 Rhys Botha (Ballymena). A tough call given Leo Doyle faired particularly well in his head-tohead with Botha, while Jonathan Bell (Dungannon), Mark McHugh (St Mary's) and Jonathan Davis (Shannon) were consistently good. Ditto DLSP's player of the season Damien McCabe (two weeky nominations) but Botha (five) was on more teams of the week than anyone.

11 Tyrone Howe (Dungannon). Two outstanding candidates in Howe and Con's Anthony Horgan (six tries in a truncated nine games), but the electric Howe's strike rate (10 tries in 10 games) is peerless. Shannon's young centre Mossie Lawlor (eight tries and three drop goals) adapted well to the position, while Clontarf's under-rated Ollie Winchester and DLSP's strike runner Mihai Vioreanu also impressed.

10 David Humphreys (Dungannon). Mick Lynch (YM) and Eric Elwood (Galwegians) guided their teams to the semi-finals but Humphreys was not only the sole player to score 200 points, he also unleashed the league's most potent backline.

9 Neil Doak (Ballymena). Versatility being a plus in our selection, Doak dovetailed between the two half-back positions seamlessly. Con's Brian O'Meara also scored prolifically, while Mike Prendergast (Young Munster) caught the eye.

1 Ian McLaughlin (Blackrock). A host of contenders here, such as Justin Fitzpatrick (Dungannon), Ian Murray (Cork Con), Dan McFarland (Galwegians), Shannon's Marcus Horan (who scored five tries), Enda Bohan (Lansdowne) and Steve Barretto (Terenure) but, recognising Blackrock's entire front five, the exIrish under-21 prop is chosen.

2 Frankie Sheahan (Constitution). Three outstanding young contenders here, Peter Smyth almost winning back-to-back awards, while Shane Byrne was, we felt, one of the unluckiest to miss out. Bevan Cantrell (YM) and Paul Shields (Ballymena) also shone but Sheahan's work-rate, his three tries and Con's supremacy edged it.

3 Peter Bracken (Galwegians). The hungry, ever improving Bracken locked a strong 'Wegians scrum and was a prominent ball carrier; veteran Gary Leslie has had a fine campaign, as did Simon Best (Belfast Harlequins), and Martin Cahill (Bunnaceers) finished with a burst of good form.

4 Donnacha O'Callaghan (Constitution). The emerging Damien Browne, the re-emerging Bob Casey and the durable Paddy Johns shone in an injury-plagued position, as did O'Callaghan's excellence, work-rate and versatility.

5 Paul O'Connell (Young Munster). The most nominated and most prolific (six tries) in this position, he was selected ahead of the consistent Mick O'Driscoll (Con), Mark McConnell (Galwegians), Leo Cullen (Blackrock), Clontarf's mobile Aussie Ben Gissing and DLSP's Rowen Frost.

6 Craig Taylor (Cork Constitution). Con's Aussie back-rower has been a prime ball carrier with a keen eye for the line (seven tries). But it would be remiss not to mention the herculean efforts of thrice-nominated Paul Neville (Garryowen) and Declan O'Brien (DLSP) as well as the influential Barry Gavin (Galwegians) and Ally Boyd (Dungannon).

8 Mutu Ngarimu (Young Munster). Munsters' Maori workhorse wins a toughie in a traditionally strong position. Young David Quinlan was a rock of consistency in a constantly changing Shannon back-row, while Tony McWhirter (Dungannon), Dave Moore (Clontarf), Russell Nelson (Ballymena) and Victor Costello (St Mary's) were main men for their teams. Gamey Garryowen rookie John O'Sullivan gave note of his promise and Michael Swift was a colossus for Galwegians, especially in defence.

7 Shane Jennings (St Mary's). Jennings' eyecatching potential shone in a non-vintage year, with much chopping and changing in this position. Injury did for front-runner Johnny O'Connor (Galwegians), another young rookie Kieran Gallagher also pushed close, while Jerry Murray (Con) and Rory Rogers (Blackrock) were strong ever-presents.

The AIB/Irish Times team of the year will be honoured at a lunch in Dublin in the coming weeks.