Inside Track: All-Star scheme has stood the test of time

The All-Stars scheme is in place for the same number of years as the All-Ireland senior club football and hurling championships. Obviously, the early 1970s was a good time for innovation in the GAA. All that was introduced back then has stood the test of time.

Mick Dunne, the Irish Press GAA Correspondent at the time – he later joined RTE – has been credited with being the main prime-mover. PJ Carrolls were the first sponsors. 

Daily newspaper writers along with radio and television representatives have always had the final say, but there was a time when we in the lower order were part of the process, asked to make nominations.

This was an important role, because while there were many players in the weaker counties who knew they had little chance of making the final 15, to receive a nomination was the next best thing. The list for each position would be whittled down to three, and it was from here selections would be made.

I was on the nomination panel for a few years, and got a trip to the banquet out of it on a couple of occasions. I shook hands with the then-Taoiseach, Charlie Haughey, at one of them, (maybe it was he who shook hands with me), and the man Haughey succeeded as Fianna Fáil leader, Jack Lynch, at the other (see above). Lynch was the recipient that year, 1981, of the All-Time Hurling All-Star Award.

The football equivalent went to Eddie Boyle in 1990, the Cooley Kickhams and Dublin Seán McDermott’s clubman regarded as one of the game’s great full-backs.       

The idea behind the All-Stars was to honour the very best in both games, giving recognition to players who were outstanding for their counties, but may not have made it on to the centre stage.

The first football 15 was one of the most representative, as many as nine counties with a player on it. Two of the selections had never really had much chance of being involved in any of the really big days, but Sligo’s Mickey Kearins and  Antrim corner-forward, Andy McCallin, were worthy of their place. Offaly were that year’s All-Ireland champions.

The team: PJ Smyth (Galway); Johnny Carey (Mayo), Jack Cosgrove (Galway), Donie O’Sullivan (Kerry); Eugene Mulligan (Offaly), Nicholas Clavin (Offaly), Pat Reynolds (Meath); Liam Sammon (Galway), Willie Bryan (Offaly); Tony McTague (Offaly), Ray Cummins (Cork), Mickey Kearins (Sligo); Andy McCallin (Antrim), Seán O’Neill (Down), Seamus Leydon (Galway).

Cummins was also picked on the hurling team, and that may be a record which still stands. Offaly’s Liam Currams is one of a few others who did the double, but not in the same year.

The hurling team: Damien Martin (Offaly); Tony Maher (Cork), Pat Hartigan (Limerick), Jim Treacy (Kilkenny); Tadhg O’Connor (Tipperary), Mick Roche (Tipperary), Martin Coogan (Kilkenny); Frank Cummins (Kilkenny), Denis Coughlan (Cork); Francis Loughnane (Tipperary), Pat Delaney (Kilkenny), Eddie Kehir (Kilkenny); Charlie McCarthy (Cork), Ray Cummins (Cork), Eamon Cregan (Limerick).

Louth had to wait until 2010 to get its first winner, but had justice been done back in 1983, Cooley Kickhams goalkeeper, Gerry Farrell, would today sit alongside St Patrick’s Paddy Keenan on the honours list. 

A decade before that, Danny Nugent got a trip to San Francisco. The outstanding of all those connected with the Newtown Blues – and still putting in the hours – he got a nomination. As Cork, the All-Champions of that year, would be also travelling to the Stake, a replacement for right-half-back All-Star, Kevin Ger O’Sullivan had to be named. Nugent was the one chosen.

All-Star teams have become more exclusive nowadays, almost the entire preserve of players who competed at the latter stages of the championship. Take this year’s football team for instance. All-Ireland winners, Dublin, provide five, while the Kerry team they beat in the final have four. 

Beaten semi-finalists, Derry, also have four, and Monaghan one (Rory Beggan should have been named goalkeeper.) Roscommon’s Enda Smith is the only ‘outsider’.

The selection of David Clifford as player-of-the-year (for the second year running) allows RTE pundit, Tomás Ó Sé, the right to indulge in a bit of self-satisfaction. On the All-Ireland final night’s Sunday Game the team-of-the-championship is named and also the competition’s best player. 

It was Ó Sé’s task to name the winner of the latter on behalf of the panel; but before telling us it was Dublin’s James McCarthy, he said he didn’t agree. There was no need for elaboration.