All Stars nominations: Just five of last year's Vodafone All Star football team have made it onto the 2004 shortlist, which is dominated by Kerry and heavily represented by fairytale team Fermanagh. The absence of so many of last year's Ulster-influenced selection reflects what was a summer of upsets.
Fermanagh's quarter-final victory over Ulster champions Armagh was among the great football upsets of all time. That win was the apex of a spectacular summer that has earned the northern county its highest representation ever: seven nominations.
First-time provincial champions Westmeath and Connacht champions and All-Ireland finalists Mayo have both been rewarded with five nominations, indicating the strong weight now placed on the new order of the qualifying system.
Kerry have 12 nominations, the most notable absentee being forward Mike Frank Russell, who failed to start the All-Ireland final but did come on to score a wonderful second-half point. Eoin Brosnan, who started that game against Mayo in midfield, is listed among the forwards.
The other starting finalists who failed to clinch a nomination are Liam Hassett, Johnny Crowley and the young Rathmore corner-back Aidan O'Mahony. Darragh Ó Sé, injured for the climax of the season, is the only one of the three brothers of An Gaeltacht fame not nominated.
Ciarán McDonald leads the charge for the defeated finalists. Veteran defenders James Nallen and David Heaney have been honoured along with the flying young Ballina midfielder Ronan McGarritty, who impressed in what was his first season of top-class football. Trevor Mortimer is the only Mayo forward other than McDonald nominated; although his brother Conor shone through the Connacht campaign, his disappointing All-Ireland final display may have militated against him.
After their stunning demolition of Donegal, many would have expected a vivid Armagh presence on this shortlist. However, their world went topsy-turvy shortly afterwards and only the excellent Stephen McDonnell and the quiet, redoubtable Francie Bellew are in with a shot at a second consecutive All Star.
The other Armagh representative is Kieran Hughes, the burly Pearse Óg wing back who returned with storming displays after a couple of seasons on the bench.
The traumatic season experienced by defending All-Ireland champions Tyrone leaves them with just three candidates, Seán Cavanagh the only one named from last year's All Star team.
Stephen O'Neill, whose tremendous goal against Mayo proved the swan-song to their season, and the sticky defender Ryan McMenamin are the other Tyrone representatives.
Beyond that, the nominations tend to reflect the trends of the summer. Of the eight provincial finalists, Roscommon and Donegal share the unhappy distinction of having zero nominations.
Jason Sherlock's bright play stood out in Dublin's dreary year and that has been acknowledged. Curiously, both of Laois's nominations, Joe Higgins and Tom Kelly, were among their first-time All Stars last year. Derry's low-key trip to the All-Ireland semi-final after a terrible beginning up in Ulster has been met with a solid return of three nominations. Padraic Joyce flies the flag for beaten league finalists Galway.
Mattie Forde's personal rampage, ignited in the rain against Galway, has, as expected, earned him a deserved nomination for Wexford. Although Forde is in hot company, he will be considered a strong bet when the team is announced on November 24th, two days before the gala banquet.
Traditionally, the All-Ireland champions tend to dominate the list and Kerry's achievement in winning the National League is bound to enhance their chances.
However, with provincial champions Westmeath and giant-slayers Fermanagh heavily represented, the final team could well have a novel look.
The hurling nominations are due to be released this evening.
County-by-county
Kerry 12
Femanagh 7
Mayo 5
Westmeath 5
Armagh 3
Derry 3
Tyrone 3
Laois 2
Limerick 2
Wexford 1
Dublin 1
Galway 1
Goalkeepers
Niall Tinney (Fermanagh)
Diarmuid Murphy (Kerry)
Gary Connaughton (Westmeath)
Defenders
Kieran Hughes (Armagh)
Francie Bellew (Armagh)
Shane McDermott (Fermanagh)
Niall Bogue (Fermanagh)
Barry Owens (Fermanagh)
Tom O'Sullivan (Kerry)
Michael McCarthy (Kerry)
Eamon Fitzmaurice (Kerry)
Marc O'Se (Kerry)
Tomas O'Se (Kerry)
Joe Higgins (Laois)
Tom Kelly (Laois)
David Heaney (Mayo)
James Nallen (Mayo)
Conor Mullane (Limerick)
John Keane (Westmeath)
Donal O'Donoghue (Westmeath)
Ryan McMenamin (Tyrone)
Midfield
Fergal Doherty (Derry)
Martin McGrath (Fermanagh)
William Kirby (Kerry)
John Galvin (Limerick)
Ronan McGarrity (Mayo)
Sean Cavanagh (Tyrone)
Forwards
Steven McDonnell (Armagh)
Paddy Bradley (Derry)
Enda Muldoon (Derry)
Jason Sherlock (Dublin)
Colm Bradley (Fermanagh)
Mark Little (Fermanagh)
Padraic Joyce (Galway)
Eoin Brosnan (Kerry)
Paul Galvin (Kerry)
Declan O'Sullivan (Kerry)
Colm Cooper (Kerry)
Dara O'Cinneide (Kerry)
Ciaran McDonald (Mayo)
Trevor Mortimer (Mayo)
Stephen O'Neill (Tyrone)
Dessie Dolan (Westmeath)
Denis Glennon (Westmeath)
Mattie Forde (Wexford)
