The long wait is over. Armagh had endured 15 seasons in the All-Star wilderness but now, at the 16th attempt, they have stopped the rot by landing half a dozen on Gaelic football’s Team of the Year.
As invariably happens (with the very rare exception), this year’s All-Ireland SFC champions lead the way on the PwC All-Stars team.
But it’s not quite a landslide either as Armagh’s six of the best narrowly eclipse the five claimed by runners-up Galway. Donegal land two — that’s two more than fellow beaten Semi-Finalists Kerry — while the team is completed by a player apiece from Tyrone and Louth.
In a repeat of last year, five counties are represented on the best 15 as decided by a panel of GAA journalists.
But in other respects this is a very different line-up, reflecting this year’s transformed competitive landscape in the race for Sam Maguire.
For example …
– There are 14 first-time All-Stars, with Tyrone keeper Niall Morgan — a winner in 2021 — the only previous recipient.
– For the first time since 2003 there is nobody from either Dublin or Kerry on football’s Team of the Tear. Whereas Kerry missed out as recently as 2020, not since 2009 has there been no Dub.
– Louth are celebrating only their second All-Star with the elevation of Craig Lennon. The prolific wing-back — the Championship’s highest-scoring defender with 4-7 — now joins 2010 winner Paddy Keenan in this Wee pantheon.
Armagh’s Rian O’Neill has been honoured with his first All-Star
– The level of change is mirrored by the inclusion of nine clubs toasting their maiden All-Stars. They comprise three from Armagh (Clann Éireann, Maghery and Tír nan Óg); another three from Galway (Caherlistrane, St James’ and Salhill-Knocknacarra); two from Donegal (Naomh Naille and Seán Mac Cumhaills) plus St Mochta’s (Louth).
What’s seldom is wonderful for Armagh, who haven’t won an award since Ronan Clarke in 2008. Eight of Kieran McGeeney’s surprise champions made the Sunday Game Team of the Year on the night of the All-Ireland; but here there is no place for goalkeeper Blaine Hughes or Aaron McKay.
The six Armagh winners are Clann Éireann duo Barry McCambridge and Conor Turbitt, named at full-back and top of the left respectively, skipper Aidan Forker at centre-back and his fellow Maghery clubman Ben Crealey at midfield, and then, in either wing-forward position, their Crossmaglen talisman Rian O’Neill and All-Ireland Man of the Match Oisín Conaty from Tír nan Óg.
Hughes loses out in goals to Morgan, whose stellar individual form is rewarded even though Tyrone crashed out at the last-12 stage.
Galway’s haul of five matches their All-Star return in 2022 when they also finished runners-up. All five, though, are first-time winners.
Tyrone’s Niall Morgan is the only 2024 All-Star recipient to have earned the honour before
Paul Conroy (St James’) and Johnny Maher (Salthill-Knocknacarra) were shoo-ins given that both are nominated for Footballer of the Year — alongside Armagh’s McCambridge, with the winner as voted by their playing peers to be announced on Friday night.
The 35-year-old Conroy is named at midfield, over 16 years after making his senior Championship baptism, with Maher at centre-forward. They are joined on the team by Caherlistrane’s corner-back dynamo Johnny McGrath, Corofin’s Dylan McHugh at wing-back and Salthill-Knocknacarra’s Rob Finnerty at corner-forward.
Louth’s trailblazing advance to the Quarter-Finals is rewarded with a deserved gong for Lennon. Another jet-heeled defender who scored heavily from deep, Donegal’s Peadar Mogan of the Naomh Naille club was a virtual cert in some position — the selectors opted for corner-back.
His county colleague, Oisín Gallen from Mac Cumhaills, is flanked by Finnerty and Turbitt in the full-forward line.