1. Paul Durcan – Donegal
Paul Durcan pulled off a game-changing at a critical juncture from Diarmuid Connolly, when Dublin were 0-8 to 0-4 in front and threatening to cut loose. As usual his kick-outs were first-rate.
2. Neil McGee – Donegal
McGee was at his tenacious best on Sunday and completing suffocated Bernard Brogan, giving up just two points from play to the 2010 Footballer of the Year.
3. Eamon McGee – Donegal
The elder McGee was a key cog in Donegal’s mean defence, and his man Eoghan O’Gara touched the ball just six times before his withdrawal.
4. Keith Higgins – Mayo
The Allstar defender had a magnificent personal duel with James O’Donoghue. Higgins managed five blocks and conceded just three points from play - yet O’Donoghue finished with 2-6 and the man-of-the-match award.
5. Aidan O’Mahony – Kerry
O’Mahony was deployed at wing-back for Kerry and was heavily influential in their win, tackling ferociously and starting a number of Kingdom attacks.
6. Peter Crowley – Kerry
One of Kerry’s three best players on Saturday, Crowley gave a dominant display at centre-back, driving forward at every opportunity.
7. Frank McGlynn – Donegal
McGlynn’s all-action display typified Donegal’s searing counter-attacks, and he knifed through Dublin’s defence to kick an important score in the second half.
8. Neil Gallagher – Donegal
Gallagher gave the Dubs a shock by starting out the game as Donegal’s lone attacker but he soon reverted to a more familiar midfield role. He had 23 possessions on Sunday and the most of any Donegal player in the second half.
9. David Moran – Kerry
Moran gave one of the all-time great midfield displays against Mayo. He lorded the skies, made an incredible 47 plays and his range of passing was superb. A coming of age performance.
10. Paul Flynn – Dublin
Flynn had more possessions (29) that any other player on the field, and kicked a few wonderful scores in the first quarter. He kept trying to make things happen and always wanted possession. Never gave up.
11. Diarmuid Connolly – Dublin
Connolly was Dublin’s chief scoring threat on a day where Bernard Brogan, Eoghan O’Gara and Cormac Costello all failed to perform. He kicked five points, four from play, and gave an exhibition of long-range shooting.
12. Ryan McHugh – Donegal
Now well and truly out of the shadow of his older brother Mark, the younger McHugh couldn’t have dreamed of a better display on Sunday. Not only did he score 2-2 from play, but he touched the ball more times (28) than any Donegal player. Nailed on to win Young Footballer of the Year.
13. Cillian O’Connor – Mayo
O’Connor was extremely unlucky to find himself on the losing team to Kerry. The championship’s top scorer put the Kingdom’s defence to the sword, scoring 2-5 (1-2 from play) in a performance that should guarantee him his first Allstar award.
14. Kieran Donaghy – Kerry
Donaghy’s late introduction into Kerry’s starting fifteen proved a masterstroke by Eamonn Fitzmaurice. The Austin Stacks forward rolled back the years in a devastating display where he provided James O’Donoghue with plenty of ammunition to gun down Mayo.
15. James O’Donoghue – Kerry
Despite the best efforts of Keith Higgins, James O’Donoghue was in unstoppable form in the Gaelic Grounds. Both his penalties were expertly dispatched and he scored 2-6 while under the attention of the best man marker in the game.
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Disagree? Let us know what players would you have included in the comments below.
