Anthony Daly on All-Stars: Marginal calls but not too many were wronged
ALL-STARS: Darragh O'Donovan, left and Aaron Gillane of Limerick celebrate after the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship final match between Kilkenny and Limerick at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Ray McManus/Sportsfile
When I think back to when I won my first All-Star in 1994, one of my abiding memories of the night itself was being afflicted by a touch of imposter syndrome. Clare were well beaten in the Munster final and I remember thinking there were lads who didn’t get one, but who had played in an All-Ireland final, saying to themselves, ‘What’s he doing here, who is he?’
It’s a different time now. There isn’t knockout championship anymore but there is a very evident trend emerging from the All-Stars – you won’t get an All-Star anymore unless you play in an All-Ireland final, or have an exceptional season with your side reaching the last four.
Being honest, I can relate to some of that sentiment too. When I captained Clare to the 1997 All-Ireland, I felt I deserved an All-Star but I didn’t get one. I was fairly disappointed but, when I thought back on it afterwards, I accepted that there probably was somebody better than me that season.
That kind of attitude almost sums up the whole mentality around the All-Stars. When you’re good enough, and you feel you totally deserve it, you – and everybody else – knows it too. But when you’re on the verge, as I felt I was in 1994 and 1997, you can feel a little like a cheat, or that you’ve been cheated.
There are always marginal calls but when the boys strut their stuff on stage on Friday night, there won’t be many cases to be made for lads who felt they were wronged.
Eoin Murphy and Nickie Quaid have taken ownership of the goalkeeping award but Murph definitely deserved it this season - primarily because he had far more to do than Nickie. The wonder save from Peter Duggan in the All-Ireland semi-final had probably already clinched the Kilkenny man’s spot before the final was even played.
The full-back line picks itself but the half-back line was certainly debatable. I knew there would be a Clareman in that line but, was I certain that it would be John Conlon? Not really. I’m delighted for John but I’d have nearly gone for David McInerney on the wing, who I felt was Clare’s best player all season with Shane O’Donnell.
In terms of a team though, naming John at centre-back makes it more balanced, especially when William O’Donoghue was nominated at midfield, despite having played the All-Ireland semi-final and final deputising for Declan Hannon at number 6. O’Donoghue was outstanding at centre-back, but he had an excellent season full stop.
If O’Donoghue had been named in an all-Limerick half-back line, that might have opened the door at midfield for Tony Kelly and David Fitzgerald. But I always felt that Clare would only get two All-Stars and – when Davy Mac didn’t get one – John C deserved one ahead of David and Tony.
Clare people may feel TK was a little bit hard done and, while I understand that viewpoint, I don’t think Tony will have too many complaints himself, especially after his Munster final and All-Ireland semi-final performances. And particularly with the way Tony personally measures his standards.
TJ Reid wasn’t the usual TJ either, especially from play, but he’s still the fulcrum for Kilkenny. Certain players will always get the nod in a tight shout because of their reputation but TJ earned that reputation the hard way. TJ has seven awards now, which is almost fitting for the place he already occupies in the pantheon of greats.
The rest of the forwards are fully deserving of their award but for me, Aaron Gillane should be the Hurler of the Year because he was the most consistent player of the championship after the first couple of matches. Mark Rodgers will be expected to win Young Hurler of the Year but I think Adam Hogan deserves the award.
What summed up Hogan for me was how well he responded after such a difficult start on his debut against Tipperary. For corner-backs, you need to get that chin up fair quick the next day and by God did Adam lift that chin up in the Gaelic Grounds just six days later. Adam was rock solid afterwards.
I know Cork’s Eoin Downey couldn’t play the Munster U20 final either for the same reasons but I really believe that Clare could have been celebrating an All-Ireland minor and U20 double if Adam hadn’t been a victim of that crazy rule where the most talented U20s can’t play with their peers if they are good enough to play senior.
Then again, we’re always giving about something. Yet I don’t think many people will have too many complaints with the 15 lads picked for 2023. Fair play to each and every one of them.
Enjoy the night lads. Whether I won an award, or didn’t, I always made sure I did anyway. For me, that was nearly always the best part of the All-Stars.
