IRISH NEWS DOWN MORGAN FUELS SENIOR CLUB ALL-STAR TEAM
1 Goalkeeper: James Deeny (RGU Downpatrick)
JAMES Deeny played a significant role in helping RGU Downpatrick reach their first Down Senior Club Championship semi-final in recent years.
Deeny has been a magnificent shot-stopper throughout the Championship, while his kick-outs have been consistently reliable as well. He pulled off numerous point-blank saves against Warrenpoint and Ballyholland (twice) and he kept his team in the game against Kilcoo, especially in the first half.
Deeny edges out Burren’s Cathal Murdock and Castlewellan’s Michael Cunningham for the Number One spot.
2: Niall Branagan (Kilcoo)
Niall Branagan has been an ever-present in Kilcoo’s race to the title this season. Tough in the tackle with speed to burn, the Kilcoo corner-back was a thorn in many forwards’ side, including the evergreen Ronan Murtagh, Clonduff’s Conor Og O’Hagan and Downpatrick’s Cathal O’Grady.
Unsurprisingly Niall won’t be the only Branagan in this team but he has been one of the most consistent performers at Senior level this season, with Longstone’s Conor Smyth and Castlewellan’s Barry Travers deserving honourable mentions.
3: Darragh O’Hanlon (Kilcoo)
The full-back position was a straight shootout between Burren’s Gerard McGovern and O’Hanlon, with the Kilcoo defenders’ performance in the final cementing his position in this All-Star team. O’Hanlon has been measured and a cooling influence in the Magpies defence throughout the campaign but against Burren he threw his body on the line and time after time won possession when required. McGovern has been excellent again this season but O’Hanlon deservedly gets the nod in his new position.
4: Darren O’Hagan (Clonduff)
Darren O’Hagan wore the number six jersey but the Down captain played at corner back and did a solid job despite Clonduff’s relatively early exit from the Down Senior Club Championship. O’Hagan played with his usual aggressive but precise tackling style and had to be at his best to stand up to Kilcoo’s Jerome Johnston, Mayobridge’s Benny Coulter and Longstone’s Mark Poland. O’Hagan is the type of player every teams wants to go into battle with and again he was exceptional this season.
5: Aaron Branagan (Kilcoo)
Aaron Branagan has been assured and dependable throughout the Down Senior Club Championship. The club champion edges out Castlewellan’s Daniel Morgan who was arguably the second best half-back in the championship but there is only one right half back position available in this All-Star team. Aaron is strong, athletic and an intelligent defender who snuffs out danger before it arises. Confident going forward and deceptively quick this Kilcoo defender keeps getting better.
6: Tony Havern (Ballyholland)
Tony Havern was a key cog in the Ballyholland wheel that helped his side reach the Down Senior Club Championship quarter-final. As well as being a rock in defence Havern played the pivotal role in Ballyholland’s counter-attacking system and more often than not it was his defence splitting pass that put Harps onto the front foot. Kilcoo’s Aidan Branagan and Burren’s Conor Cox also impressed this season but they have been edged out by the sure-footed Havern.
7: Cathal Foy (Burren)
The final perhaps wasn’t his best game but throughout the early and latter stages of the Championship Burren’s Cathal Foy has stood out. Solid in defence the speedy Foy offers pace bursting forward and he has the ability to ghost past defenders and take scores. And he has been a key player for the county finalists this year. Kilcoo’s Darryl Branagan was another who made the shortlist and is only slightly edged out by Foy.
8: Mark McKay (Burren)
Burren’s Mark McKay has been magnificent this season and is one of the players that has flourished since ‘the Mark’ rule (no pun intended) was introduced. Tall and strong there has been few fit to compete with McKay when it came to the clean catch. He is a fine distributor of the ball and has the engine to run box-to-box when required. Down manager Eamonn Burns looked at McKay when he first took the county job, he is certainly a player worth revisiting now.
9: Aaron Morgan (Kilcoo)
Kilcoo midfielder Aaron Morgan has the potential to be one of the best players in the county. Physically strong, athletic and agile Morgan can play silky attractive attacking football and is equally at home with the rough and tumble. He missed the early stages of the Championship but since Morgan’s return Kilcoo have looked a different animal and he is a footballer that would give Down that extra edge should he take the chance but he has unfinished business with the Magpies first.
10: Dylan Ward (Kilcoo)
Burren’s Ryan Treanor, Bryansford’s Luke Kelly and Ballyholland’s Tiernan Rushe were in the running for this position with several great performances but it is Dylan Ward that deserves inclusion. More often than not he has been the player that helped Kilcoo get over the line and the Senior Final against Burren was no different. Someone who has yet to nail down a starting position but Kilcoo insist on finishing a game with him on the pitch and the nippy half-forward has a bright footballing future.
11: Cathal Magee (Mayobridge)
Mayobridge’s Cathal Magee played in midfield and full-forward but it was at centre-half forward he was most effective and he edges out Burren’s Donal O’Hare, who was also magnificent this season and Kilcoo’s Paul Devlin. Big Magee got little game-time with the county this season but impressed for the Sky Blues, especially in the wins over Longstone and Clonduff and his steady shooting went a long way to keeping Mayobridge competitive in their knockout defeat to Burren.
12: Conor Laverty (Kilcoo)
Clonduff’s Stephen McConville, Mayobridge’s Conleth O’Hare and Burren’s Shay McArdle deserve honourable mentions but Kilcoo’s Conor Laverty is a worthy Down Senior Club Irish News All-Star.
Elusive, fast and hardworking Laverty still tortures defenders and while not playing so close to the posts this season, he still has given many defences a torrid. Laverty’s craft and guile is invaluable to Kilcoo’s six in a row winning achievement and he has much more to offer as the Magpies prepare for an assault on Ulster.
13: Jerome Johnston (Kilcoo)
Kilcoo’s Jerome Johnston is the obvious choice as he getting back to his previous back. An exciting forward that is capable of taking on and beating defenders with his racing pace, he also has a great eye for scores. Exceptionally quick in thought and foot and despite being marked by Clonduff’s Darren O’Hagan and Burren’s Gerard McGovern, he still had a significant influence in each game and should do so again against Slaughtniel on Sunday, October 15, in Newry.
14: Ceilum Doherty
Longstone’s Mark Poland, Burren’s Kevin McKernan and Ballyholland’s Ronan Murtagh all impressed while lining out at full-forward but it is Kilcoo’s Ceilum Doherty that gets the green light. Doherty is only in his second season playing senior football and he has been ever-present in the Championship. Quick, Doherty always wants to go for the jugular and he has the feet to score, which makes him a pain for defenders. Plays with maturity beyond his years but is at his best when playing with freedom.
15: Danny Savage (Bryansford)
Danny Savage was ruled out of the quarter-final against Kilcoo and his injury meant Byransford had little chance of success then, as the lively footballer had been the catalyst of his sides’ progression into the last eight. Savage is fast, tricky and impressed throughout the Down Senior Club Championship. Mayobridge’s player-manager Benny Coulter gave a number of eye-catching performances too, proving he has plenty still to offer inside the white lines, despite suggesting he may hang up his boots.
