I think we're a shoe in for player of the year!!!

[branch]

Vodafone GAA All Star Footballer of the Year Shortlist:
Colm Cooper (Kerry)
Marc O'Se (Kerry)
Declan O'Sullivan (Kerry)

Vodafone GAA All Star Young Footballer of the Year Shortlist:
Padraig Reidy (Kerry)
Michael J Tierney (Laois)
Killian Young (Kerry)

Who will it be? What do ye think?

[JK]

Declan and Killian

[austinstacksabu]

Gooch and Killian.

[falveyb2k]

Marc and Killian

[austinstacksabu]

You think Marc has a chance Falvey? Out of curiosity, for what reasons would you put him ahead of Gooch and Declan?

[falveyb2k]

Over the whole year he was outstanding, remember it's player of the YEAR and Declan missed most of the league. Gooch was outstanding as well in the club championship but every game I saw Marc play in the league, he was unreal. Then to get the better of Masters,Freeman,Brogan and O Connor was excellent. I think it'll go to the Gooch though as forwards usually tend to get it bar the odd exception

[austinstacksabu]

Fair argument - was just curious as Marc has been quietly getting more and more votes as the days go by.....as evidenced by his odds along with Gooch for the All Stars.

[Mickmack]

falveyb2k said:

Over the whole year he was outstanding, remember it's player of the YEAR and Declan missed most of the league. Gooch was outstanding as well in the club championship but every game I saw Marc play in the league, he was unreal. Then to get the better of Masters,Freeman,Brogan and O Connor was excellent. I think it'll go to the Gooch though as forwards usually tend to get it bar the odd exception

colm o rourke agrees with this

[falveyb2k]

O Rourke has gone for the Gooch though, very tight call this year I think. Just think if Darragh had got it last year like he should have and were Marc to win it this year then the only O Se without the player of the year award would have been Paidi!

[kerrygold]

its very tight between the three of them,marc has been outstanding all year and has picked up and handled all the danger forwards on opposing teams.

declan carried kerry on his back in the munster final and v monaghan and was out standing v dublin,his work rate was ferocious v cork.

while colm was the sublime assasin all year.Your only splitting hairs between the three of them,thankfully they all play for kerry.

[austinstacksabu]

And they are all 27 or under!!

[Jo90]

Going by PaddyPower
Cooper 1/3
O'Sullivan 3/1
Ó Sé 8/1

[Johnnyb]

Marc and Killian.

Marc was a pillar all season. His block down aginst Monaghan in the dying minutes arguably set the ball rolling for number 35. Class player. Deserves it.

Killian, all that can be said has been said. He fully deserves it - rookie season carried off with style. Woudn't be suprised though if for evens sake they give it to Tierney.

[Johnnyb]

Kerry clean sweep of nominees

Wednesday, October 3, 2007

The Vodadone All Star Footballer of the Year will definitely be a Kerryman as all three nominees hail from the Kingdom.

Colm 'Gooch' Cooper, Marc O'Se and Declan O'Sullivan enjoyed tremendous success this year as Kerry retained their All-Ireland title and one of the trio will secure the coveted prize.

In the hurling equivalent, Waterford pair Ken McGrath and Dan Shanahan compete against Kilkenny's Tommy Walsh for the top honour.

Neither of last year's winners, Kieran Donaghy and Henry Shefflin make the shortlist on this occasion.

Mike Fitzgerald and Seamus Hickey of Limerick contest the Young Hurler of the Year award alongside Galway's John Lee.

In the football equivalent, Laois's Michael Tierney breaks through to contest the category alongside Kerry pair Padraig Reidy and Killian Young.

To qualify for a Young Player award a player must have been eligible for under-21 grade during the year.

The winners will be announced live on television at the Vodafone GAA All Stars banquet at Dublin's City West Hotel on October 19th.

[lessbull]

It wouldn't make any sense to me if anyone other than the Youngster got young player of the year. I think he deserves an all-star too but it seems he is being overlooked by most pundits in this regard. I think this is mainly due to the fact that it is his 1st season and he is not a "big name" yet and is in contention with some of the biggest names in the country for a half-back all-star. Even commenters on this site are not giving him the nod. In my view, he had a more consistent year than both Tomas and Aidan. The overall player of the year is harder to call. Declan is definitely my player of the championship but the fact that he missed the league might go against him. In that case, of the other 2, I think Marc was most consistent and deserves the gong.

[AnygivenSunday]

defenders win games lads sure we all know that..... Marc and kilian to get the nod.. very consistent players lets hope they continue in this form for years to come

[Deleted]

Declan and Killian for me.
Declan was our best player of the championship and when things got tough he got the crucial scores.

[seamus]

This award really annoys me .Last year Darragh was super consistent right through the whole year. Donaghy played 3 great games, was average for the rest of the year and still picked up the award. If it is player of the YEAR then judge on the year, otherwise call it the player of the knockout championship.

This year as falveyb2k has said, Marc has comfortably got on top of Brogan, Freeman, Masters, O'Connor and anyone else he has marked. These are all nominated as All Stars. Gooch had an outstanding semi final and final and a good Munster final but was inconsistent in the other games.
Declan won Man of the Match in the 2 tight games we had all year but missed most of the league. Clarity by the judges as to whether they take the league into account would be appreciated.
If it is based on the whole year then Marc o Se is player of the year.
If it is based on who helped the team most to win the All Ireland then it is Declan.
If it is based on who entertained most and lit up the season then it is Gooch.

I have a feeling that if you asked the Kerry players, it would be between Marc and Declan. That is the true test.
Since Tom moved to full back, Marc is our main man marker and was superb all year.
At odds of 8/1 i would love to back him but i have a feeling the judges will base it on who lit up the season most and that was Gooch.

I would love to know what the criteria for selecting the award is. Any ideas Stacks?

[badbilly]

I think it should be Declan but Gooch will probably win it. It's not really player of the year - it's best player in the All Ireland final. Daragh should have won it last year, he also should have won it in 2002 - not McGeeney who got it on the basis of the 2nd half of the final. Ditto Joyce in 2001 - Ollie Murphy was the player of the year that year. It's ciminal to think Daragh O Sé has never won it given his level of consistency over the last 11 years.

[hatchetman]

I also think Declan should win it as he was the most consistent player over the course of the championship.
However I suspect Gooch will win it because he is such a joy to watch he's probably everybodys favourite player outside their own county. The fact that he's been the best player (of those nominated) over the last 4/5 years will also sway some votes even though it probably shouldn't.

[austinstacksabu]

There isn't any particular criteria for player of the year Seamus, hence the variation in winners over the past few years.

Tomas O'Se got it a few years back as a back so it isn't beyond the relm of possibility that Marc might get it.

[madmac999]

Heart says Declan... but head says Gooch

[Die Hard Kerry Fan]

Would love to see Marc get it, been outstanding not just this year, but in previous seasons and would enforce what we already know, that he's pure class.

[JOAN]

Marc for me

[islandexile]

Really hope Marc O Se gets it. It's about time defenders got the credit they deserve. Gaelic football isn't all about kicking nice scores. Without Marc O Se, there wouldn't have been any All- Ireland final or semi final for that matter when you think back to his block on Tommy Freeman's goal bound shot in last few minutes of Monaghan match. It's moments like that that win All-Irelands.

[buck02]

A corner back wont win player of the year, simple as that. While I agree that he was excellent in every game he played, perhaps with the exception of the Dublin game when Brogan gave him loads of it (and Marc seemed just a bit too pumped up for his own good), it's just the nature of things that the forwards like Gooch and Declan will grap the limelight over Marc.

I'd give the award to Declan. He was very good in the Munster Final, man of the match by many papers. Monaghan would have beaten us only for his goal and the same goes for the Dublin game, I think his point about 10 mins from the end where he burst through the centre was the vital score if you watch the game again. Gooch was very good against Dublin and Cork got the vital goal against Cork in both games and dictated most of our attacking play in the 2nd half against Dublin. I just think Declan shades it over Marc and Gooch. That said I think the judges will give it to Gooch, a bit like Donaghy getting it ahead of Darragh last year.

Killan Young has to get the Young Player award. From his first game of the year when he didnt give Mortimer a kick until his last game he hardly put a foot wrong. Delivered the ball our only goals against Cork, Monaghan & Dublin (all games we won by less than a goal) and showed great composure and attitude all year.

[una]

"Monaghan would have beaten us only for his goal "

The same can be said about Marc's block!
Declan is the most improved player this season but Marc is the most consistant. All said n done the media will prob go with Gooch

[kerryman]

I'd probably say Declan for this but I'm being biased (South Kerry).
Everyone knew since that day of Colaiste vs Jarlaths years ago that he had the potential to be one of the best in the country. This year he proved it - to come back against the controversey last year with such dignity and raw talent is just exceptional.
Lifting Sam twice in a row....



Killian is a shoe in for young player. Every pundit is raving about him.

[seamus]

Killian will get it now that the nominations are announced. How Shane O'Rourke did not get one is beyond me. He has very good all year.

I would give player of the year to Marc but have no problem with Declan getting it. I would rate Gooch as my 3rd choice but i think the media will take the easy option and give it to him.

[austinstacksabu]

Shane O'Rourke played three games? Or was it four including one as a sub? Killian played league and championship.