The 2022 GAA Football All Stars were revealed on Thursday morning and, as ever, there is no shortage of talking points.
There are 11 first-time recipients on this year’s All Star team, including two for Ulster champions Derry.
Captain Chrissy McKaigue and midfielder Conor McClass pick up their first awards with All-Ireland champions Kerry landing seven awards while beaten All-Ireland finalists Galway have five.
Read more: From Gormley to 'Geezer' - Ulster’s best All Star footballers of the last 20 years
The other All Star went to Dublin’s Ciaran Kilkenny - his sixth in total. However, no player from a team who didn’t make the All-Ireland SFC semi-finals made the cut.
That means that Armagh, despite narrowly losing out to Galway on penalties after a pulsating quarter-final, miss out after having five players nominated.
Rian O’Neill appears to have been the unluckiest player to lose out this year after the Crossmaglen star turned in a series of fine performances for the Orchard County this year.
Ethan Rafferty also had a strong claim, but the nod went to Kerry goalkeeper Shane Ryan.
While Derry picked up their first awards since 2007 for McKaigue and Glass, Brendan Rogers, Conor McCluskey and Shane McGuigan also had excellent campaigns as the Oak Leafers ended a 24-year wait to win the Ulster title.
McCluskey’s excellent man-marking job on Shane Walsh in the All-Ireland semi-final looked set to land him an award, especially after the Galway attacker’s subsequent performance in the final against Kerry.
McGuigan and Rogers were outstanding in the Ulster Championship while Galway captain Sean Kelly and Kerry defender Tom O’Sullivan are others who can count themselves unfortunate to miss out.
GAA fans were quick to react on social media this morning, with several bemoaning the absence of O’Neill from the All Star selection, including a former Armagh captain.
Taking to Twitter, Orchard County legend Steven McDonnell wrote: “No Rian O’Neill in the All Star team. #GaaAllStars #Confused.”
Others felt that O’Neill was “robbed” and labelled his omission as “a joke” while Niamh remarked: “Do I report this robbery to the guards or PSNI?”
Another argued the case for O’Neill instead of Dublin’s Kilkenny while Regi wrote: “Class player but (Damien) Comer got that All-star on the basis of one really strong performance.
“Rian O'Neill and Shane McGuigan both had a considerably more impressive body of work over the year. Both will feel hard done by, rightly so.”
Chris added: “Rian O’Neill and Brendan Rodgers should be in there. Very harsh to omit them.”
It wasn’t just Ulster fans who aired their grievances with former Kerry star Darren O’Sullivan claiming that one Kingdom defender was hard done by.
“Massive well done to all the Kerry All Stars, thoroughly deserved. Very disappointed for Tom O’Sullivan who’s missed out due to the brilliance of an opposition player in one game.”
Vote in our poll below on who you think should have been included.
READ NEXT:
Who'll be in charge in 2023? We examine the managerial state of play in Ulster
- Irish Army Battalion launch fundraiser in memory of Armagh 'super fan' Aaron O'Neill
- BBC, RTE and armchair fans the big winners as GAA announce new media rights deal
Crossmaglen ace Cian McConville warns there’s more to come from Armagh champions
Ulster Club Championship 2022 draw, fixture guide, betting odds and TV information
Sign up to our free sports newsletter to get the latest headlines to your inbox.
