2009 Football All-Stars announced

Kingdom claim magnificent seven All Stars

From the GAA.ie web site

The recipients of the awards were announced at Friday evening’s All Star banquet at Dublin’s Citywest Hotel, with All-Ireland runners-up Cork having five players named among the honoured fifteen. One player each from Donegal, Kildare and Tyrone completed the selection.

Kerry are represented in every positional line in the All Star fifteen with Footballer of the Year Paul Galvin one of two Kingdom players named in the half forward line, along with Tadhg Kennelly who completed his first year of Championship football by follwing in his father Tim’s footsteps and adding an All Star to his Celtic cross.

Elsewhere from Kerry, goalkeeper Diarmuid Murphy was joined among those selected by All-Ireland final man-of-the-match Tom O’Sullivan and the regularly lauded Tomas O Sé, who was also a Footballer of the Year nominee.

Midfielder Seamus Scanlon and inspirational front man Declan O’Sullivan make up the Kingdom contingent.

The third Footballer of the Year contender Graham Canty leads the Cork quintet named, with fellow defenders Michael Shields and John Miskella also receiving All Stars.

Burly centre forward Pearse O’Neil and prolific scorer Daniel Goulding also make the cut for Cork.

Donegal’s Karl Lacey, meanwhile, earned his second All Star as did Kildare veteran Dermot Earley, 11 years after winning his first.

The team was completed at the top of the left by long-serving Tyrone ace Stephen O’Neill, with Young Footballer of the Year, Michael Murphy of Donegal, just missing out on a place in the full forward line.

The 2009 Vodafone Football All-Stars are:

Goalkeeper:

Diarmuid Murphy (Kerry)

Full-Backs:

Karl Lacey (Donegal)

Michael Shields (Cork)

Tom O’Sullivan (Kerry)

Half-Backs:

Tomás O Sé (Kerry)

Graham Canty (Cork)

John Miskella (Cork)

Midfield: