Bit of an eye opener these. Maybe I must have been watching football in another County. I am delighted so many TCG lads got an award even though I am very surprised by the players that got them. The reporters from the World and the Post who pick these must take little notice of the football in London. David Feeley (Tara) Brian Galvin (NL Shamrocks) Paddy Callaghan (Tir Choniall Gaels) Ronan Walsh (Tir Chonaill Gaels) Stevie Boyle (Tir Chonaill Gaels) Paul McDermott (Tara) Dermot Keating (Garryowen) Paul Geraghty (Neasden Gaels) Shane O'Sullivan (Round Towers) Christopher Eastwood (Cuchulainns) James O'Connell (Tir Chonaill Gaels) Padraig Duffy (Neasden Gaels) Enda Gallagher (Tara) Ferdinand Coyne (Moindearg) Kevin Downes (Tir Chonaill Gaels)

Bull (Overseas) - Posts: 179 - 16/02/2009 14:28:47    208223

Strange to say the least!!

macattack (UK) - Posts: 584 - 16/02/2009 18:19:32    208605

no place for Alan Raftery very surprised,

TheReaper (Dublin) - Posts: 112 - 16/02/2009 20:53:30    208757

That is an absolute joke. Whoever picked it should be ashamed of themselves? Surely it's not the two papers who decide on the best XV? I know for a fact that neither had a say in the hurling selection.

scruff (UK) - Posts: 467 - 16/02/2009 22:55:05    208925

These All Stars are a complete joke. No places for Raftery, O'Cuiv, Marty Hughes and Conor Beirne. Whoever piicked these know nothing about London Football. The awards have been complately devalued. This is embarrassing to say the least. Why can't people who actually know something about London Football pick the awards.

Paul.Galv1n (UK) - Posts: 35 - 17/02/2009 08:24:41    209069

I would seriously question Paddy Callaghan and James O Connell all stars, didnt see O connel have a good game all year?? Downes didnt do much on the big days for Tcg either. Thought Raftery would get one. Overall not impressed, this award should be scrapped if cannot be picked correctly based on performance

Harrow (Dublin) - Posts: 81 - 17/02/2009 09:05:17    209095

Apparently the All Stars were picked by the London Football Manager and his selector from last year. This is totally unbelievable but unfortunately true. I agree with the last post, these awards should be scrapped as they are being totally abused. My All Star team would be as follows:
1. Evan Byrne
2. Ronan Walsh
3. Conor Beirne
4. Ken McGrath
5. Roger Morgan
6. Eamon O'Cuiv
7. Philip McCone
8. Paul Geraghty
9. Shane O'Sullivan
10.Kevin Downes
11.Pagraig Duffy
12.Chris Eastwood
13.Noel Nicholson
14.Marty Hughes
15.Peadar Friel

JimCla1r (Meath) - Posts: 255 - 17/02/2009 10:02:18    209146

Paul.Galv1n I thought that Conor Beirne missed most of the year as he was sitting out 52 weeks? Man of the match in the county final but hardly a joke that he didnt get selected as an all star.

I would agree though that there are some questionable selections!

Drillbit Taylor (Tyrone) - Posts: 1 - 17/02/2009 11:45:23    209274

Thought it was a very good all-star selection - At least they widened the net from the handful of senior teams who usually dominate the list. Fulham will be aggreived though, as they should of had at least 3 on the list. I think the fact they played a lot of games down South London stood against them, as the reporters probably stayed close to Ruislip. But all in all I thought it was a good selection!

Lazarus1 (Galway) - Posts: 173 - 17/02/2009 12:50:30    209375

I thought Alan Raftery was consistantly the best modfielder in London last season, surely he can't be omitted from any London 15....!

Horsebox10 (Mayo) - Posts: 88 - 17/02/2009 12:56:18    209385

I agree that Alan Raftery should make the 15. He played well throughout the season and deserves a London All Star. The All Stars however do not reflect what's happened in London Football in 2008. The omission of Fulham Irish players for the second year in a row is clearly not right. Fulham Irish played 13 senior games in Ruislip and 3 in Greenford in 2008. The matches with Round Towers in Mitcham were 3 of the best attended outside matches in London in 2008 and at least 2 were covered by both Irish papers. To put things further in perspective, the London team that beat Sligo in the Tommy Murphy Cup had 7 Fulham Irish lads in the starting line up. Surely All Stars should be awarded on merit which is not the case in London.

JimCla1r (Meath) - Posts: 255 - 17/02/2009 15:06:52    209588

ah jaysus lads, I just had a look at the football all stars. How on earth can the Fulham Irish not have anyone on the all star team. If there is a better half back or centre back than Eamonn o Cuiv well,he does not play in london. Did Stevie wonder and Ray Charles pick this all star team or what,Disgracefull.

stranded (UK) - Posts: 408 - 17/02/2009 15:35:40    209645

I have to agree about the Fulham Irish lads deserving some recognition - we drew with them twice and lost the Division 1 league final to them by a narrow margin so how we get 5 All stars and they get none is a bit stupid in my view. For them not to recive even 1 All Star is quite shocking really. Also our best player (Conor Beirne) who played most of the year did not receive an award.

Bull (Overseas) - Posts: 179 - 17/02/2009 16:31:04    209745

Stranded - how could Stevie Wonder & Ray Charles pick the team. Stevie Wonder is blind & has never followed the fortunes of London GAA & Ray Charles likewise - Ray Charles also passed away in 2004. So to suggest 2 of the most famous soul singers ever, were responsible for the selection of the London GAA allstars is frankly baffling ????

Lazarus1 (Galway) - Posts: 173 - 17/02/2009 16:58:05    209804

I actually think it's not a bad team, a lot of clubs represented, and long overdue recognition for the intermediate and junior clubs too. The senior championship didn't exactly set the world on fire this year and the intermediate was pretty good. I think most of that team are on the London panel too, so they can't be that bad of players. These kinds of teams are all about opinions at the end of the day, and while it is harsh that there are no Fulham players on the team, I actually think it's a good thing that the lesser teams have been rewarded, they put in as much if not more effort in some cases than the big teams. Maybe Fulham are also upset that Garryowen got an all star and they didnt?! ;-) I see someone mentioned about Eamon O'Cuiv being the best centre back in London, fair enough, but I didn't see him play too many games there for Fulham, he was midfield and centre forward in most games for them. I don't think there can be too much argument at midfield, O'Sullivan was probably one of the top 5 players in London last year and Geraghty was very consistent. But Raftery is unlucky there alright. Anyway, I could be here all night as could everyone else with their opinions, I'm off home.........

Liam Thompson (None) - Posts: 38 - 17/02/2009 17:03:22    209810

lazurus my simple friend, Its about as baffling as Eamonn O Cuiv not getting an all star. Plenty of all stars are given out in ireland players who never played in the position of their given all star position so why not O Cuiv if you think he played centre forward all year. I believe he could play well in any position he is that good and i stand by what i say,stevie and ray must have had something to do with it.

stranded (UK) - Posts: 408 - 17/02/2009 18:21:13    209942

In response to Liam Thompson (ND) http://www.fulhamirish.org/fullarticle.asp?articleid=3:34:11%20PM7/30/2008 Fulham Irish hammered Tara in the Div 1 league game in height of Championship season when all teams were at their peak fitness(see match report attached). Fulham Irish made five early substitutions to spare Tara a massive hiding. The Tara All stars didn't show much that evening! To suggest that Intermediate Championship was quality doesn't stack up. The Intermediate Championship was competitive because a number of mediocre teams made it competitive. The big games in Senior championship were driven by the quality of back play from Fulham Irish, Tir Chonaill, Neasden and Round Towers. Also the London Intermediate Champions were not even good enough to win the British Championship in 2008. I would suggest this so called London All Star team play Fulham Irish in a game to highlight the mediocrity of this All Star team.

JimCla1r (Meath) - Posts: 255 - 18/02/2009 08:11:18    210364

I have done some research and asked a few questions and have uncovered what appears to be the All star selection committee:

Noel Dunning, Liam Brennan, Noel O'Sullivan and Sean Faughnan.

It is all very well having opinions but if the result is not reflective of the season played, the system should be changed.

Bull (Overseas) - Posts: 179 - 18/02/2009 09:43:38    210412

JimCla1r - Grow up will ya!

You didn't get any all stars, just get over it!

No wonder people don't like your club!!!!!

macattack (UK) - Posts: 584 - 18/02/2009 10:34:04    210476

Macattack, relax will you. Jim Clair is 100% right in his assessment of the whole all star selection. Everyone knows that a huge injustice has been done to the fulham irish club. I am not attached to any football club but do however attend the games and can honestly say that it must be very disappointing to see this happen to these lads. I am only too aware of peoples opinion on who should or should not get an all star however, is the moindearg full forward better than Marty Hughes and if so why is he not on the london football team.Thats just one instance. On another note i have to say that at least they did not draw them out of a hat like they did with one particular all star in the hurling when they could not make up their mind on a forward position. That i know for a fact happened, shocking stuff altogether.

stranded (UK) - Posts: 408 - 18/02/2009 11:17:24    210533