He was the Dublin captain who engineered the return of such stalwarts as Paul Mannion, Jack McCaffrey and Stephen Cluxton; he was the on-field general who pushed Dublin to new heights while playing out of his skin, and he was the one teammates lauded for bringing a ninth title to the county since 2011, yet inexplicably James McCarthy is omitted from the shortlist of Player of the Year by the All-Stars Football selectors.
This group has a history in making poor calls but surely it was clear even to them that the year 2023 had James McCaffrey written all over it. Instead they opted for three others, his fellow Dub Brian Fenton, David Clifford (Kerry) and Brendan Rogers (Derry) as the trio who will contest the ultimate individual honor.
Fenton was good and influential this year in getting crucial scores but was nowhere near the dominant player who previously won the top award in 2018 and 2020. Clifford is Clifford; a rare talent indeed but it was his inaccuracy on the day which lost the All Ireland for Kerry when he had three clearcut chances to get scores which would have ensured the won back-to-back Sam Maguires.
Rogers had a fine season – he should be Ulster’s Player of the Year – but the fact that Derry didn’t make it to the All-Ireland final is a huge mitigating factor against him claiming the award.
McCarthy no doubt will accept such personal disappointment as a small negative in an otherwise sensational season under his stewardship.
Overall Dublin have received 10 nominations with nine Kerry players in the running for All-Stars, while Derry have half a dozen in the running.
2023 All-Star Football Nominations
Goalkeepers: S Cluxton (Dublin); S Ryan (Kerry); R Beggan (Monaghan).
Defenders: M Fitzsimons, L Gannon, B Howard (all Dublin); J Foley, T Morley, T O'Sullivan, G White (all Kerry); C McCluskey, E McEvoy, G McKinless (both Derry); C McCarthy, K O’Connell (both Monaghan); A Forker (Armagh); R Maguire (Cork); B McCole (Donegal); S Kelly (Galway); B Stack (Roscommon); P Hampsey (Tyrone).
Midfielders: B Fenton; J McCarthy (both Dublin); D O’Connor (Kerry); C Glass, B Rogers (both Derry); D O’Connor (Mayo).
Forwards: C Basquel, C Costello, P Mannion, C O’Callaghan (all Dublin); D Clifford, P Clifford, S O’Shea (all Kerry); P Cassidy, S McGuigan (both Derry); A Murnin (Armagh); O Gallen (Donegal); D Comer (Galway); B McCormack (Kildare); J Flynn (Mayo); C McManus (Monaghan); E Smith (Roscommon); D Canavan (Tyrone); R O’Toole (Westmeath).
Footballer of the year: B Fenton (Dublin); D Clifford (Kerry); B Rogers (Derry).
Young footballer of the Year: E Doherty, E McEvoy (both Derry); C Carroll (Roscommon).
Limerick on a high
with 14 nominations
Four-in-a-row All-Ireland champions Limerick have 14 nominations for this year’s All-Stars, with three men from the Treaty side Kyle Hayes, Aaron Gillane and Diarmaid Byrnes in line for Player of the Year gong.
Limerick's Kyle Hayes [Inpho/James Crombie]
Neighbours Clare have nine nominations while Kilkenny have ended up with eight. In all seven counties have been nominated with Cork, Galway, Tipperary and Dublin also having players included.
All Star Hurling Nominations
Goalkeepers
E Murphy (Kilkenny), N Quaid (Limerick), E Quilligan (Clare)
Defenders
B Nashm M Casey, D Morrissey, K Hayes, D Byrnes (all Limerick), M Butler, H Lawlor, P Deegan, D Blanchfield (all Kilkenny), J Conlon, A Hogan, D Ryan, D McInerney (all Clare) C Joyce (Cork), D Cahalane (Cork), J Grealish (Galway), D Burke (Galway), R Maher (Tipperary)
Midfielders
D O'Donovan, Will O'Donoghue (both Limerick), N McGrath (Tipperary), D Fitzgibbon (Cork), D Fitzgerald (Clare), A Mullen (Kilkenny)
Forwards
C Lynch, Peter Casey, Tom Morrissey, Aaron Gillane, S Flanagan, David Reidy (all Limerick), C Mannion, C Whelan, B Concannon, E Niland (all Galway), Tony Kelly, S O’Donnell, M Rodgers (all Clare), TJ Reid, E Cody (both Kilkenny), J Morris (Tipperary), D Burke (Dublin), P Horgan (Cork)
Hurler of the Year Nominees
K Hayes, A Gillane, D Byrnes (all Limerick)
Young Hurler of the Year Nominees
A Hogan, M Rodgers (both Clare), C Joyce (Cork)
