The Stars and the cars Being a Corkman, of course I am going to be biased and say that Cork did not get enough All Stars this year - only joking of course. Having attended this year's banquet and enjoyed it, I certainly feel there were not too many upset people based on the selection announced. All Star selections will always be a major topic of discussion no matter who wins the All-Ireland and this year was no exception . Starting with the goalkeepers my money was on Donal Og Cusack to top the pile here and he can feel justified in receiving this award because he had a superb year. I know James McGarry will feel he will never get the chance again to win his first award and will be disappointed this year but when you are beaten by a better man, there is no shame in that. It does not make James McGarry a bad goalkeeper and if he sticks at it - you never know! Some pundits have questioned his ability as a shot stopper and that he was prone to the odd mistake but his overall performance as a player on the field was top drawer in 2006. Donal Og is a great leader off the field also but as some pointed out, you will not win anything off the field of play. All Stars are great individual rewards for ones outstanding contribution during the year and I just wonder is the impact been lost here with so many other awards been distributed also through other channels. There was a time when if you got an All Star, it was the crowning glory of the year for most players but recently this has been overshadowed by other events as the GPA have stolen a big march here when it comes to Opel Hurler of the Year. This year All Star Player of the Year was Henry Shefflin and there was no doubt about his achievements this year and for all those club teams still left in club championship - be warned ,this man is not finished yet. He received a lovely award at the All Star function but compare it to prize he received when named as the GPA Hurler of the Year - an Opel sports car. Which one would you prefer to win - need I ask? The GPA have also scored by having their awards before the All Star function. The real benefit of the GPA awards is that is the players who pick whom they feel is the best and there can be no political persuasion or clout used - the best man simply wins. The full back line to me gave a little surprise in the selection of JJ Delaney - there is no doubt he is a fantastic player but having missed the main event this year, I felt that he would lose out. However, on reflection you have to look at the strength of the other candidates and their performances this year but more importantly not to forget that Kilkenny won the league and that JJ was very effective then. The two Murphys - Eoin and Brian - were deserving winners not because they were spectacular or stylish performers but because they gave the best man marking performances from any corner backs this year. They were quiet by nature but very effective. There is no arguments with the half back line and when Ken McGrath does not make the team, well then it has to be a very good defence. It is some achievement for Tommy Walsh - he has won awards at corner back, wing back and half forward as a All Star and he seems to still only be a kid! In midfield we had the two most stylish performers in Jerry O'Connor and Cha Fitzpatrick displaying unbelievable skill but would you have the same two on the one team- I doubt it. The half forward line was interesting as the centre forward position was pre booked from very early in the year and the way Shefflin is going at the moment he will be able to open his own Opel dealership in Kilkenny if he keeps winning cars. Big Dan the Man was my choice on the wing because of his goal scoring ability and ball winning strength for the Deise this year when they needed him most. Eddie Brennan had his best year for the Cats in a long time and answered a lot of his critics outside the county but more importantly in his own patch. Credit has to go to the Kilkenny management here because they obviously knew Eddie and Cha had buckets of ability, pace and speed but were smothered too often in the corner forward positions, so hence give them the space and freedom to express themselves and they duly obliged. The full forward line also was on predicted lines with Tony Griffin getting a just reward for his contribution to the Clare attack this year. Players that may feel a little hard done by would be Paul Curran of Tipperary, Ken McGrath, James Ryall, Joe Deane and Ben O'Connor. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all the winners this year and I am sure their holiday to Dubai will be a trip of a lifetime- if only I was a few years younger. All-Ireland club championships. I had predicted that Ballyhale Shamrocks and Mount Sion would be the ones to beat in this year's championships and now that Mount Sion have fallen by the wayside, it looks odds on the Kilkenny boys to go all the way. . There have been some fantastic games played and it is a brilliant advert for club hurling. Unfortunatly the weather has played havoc with the games and when you throw in a few strange refereeing decisions there has been plenty to talk about. It may not help the situation but it has not undermined what this club scene is all about. The quality, the intensity and standard have been top drawer and it just shows the level of preparation and commitment from everybody associated with these teams. There was a time that when you won your county championship a club was happy with its return for the year but not anymore. Everyone wants to take the next step and compete at the highest level which is running out in Croke Park on March 17th next. Teams are as professionally prepared as I have ever seen and obviously that can come at a huge cost to the club and drain its resources but ask any clubman and they will tell you it is worth it. Interestingly enough at this time of the year, it has to be very hard on players who have been very active all season and playing in wind and rain and difficult underground conditions cannot be easy. The great performances this year from Toomevara and Loughrea only whets the appetite for the New Year. Looking ahead to next year Will the Cats be the ones to stop again, it looks like it? Will Mr Loughnane make a difference in Galway, only time will tell? What about his former colleague in Clare? Can we see an improvement in Wexford under John Meyler? All questions which will be answered in the 2007 and I am certainly looking forward to it already. Tweet

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