1. Rory Beggan (Monaghan): HAS moved into the prime of his career, where his experience offered itself as a huge asset for Monaghan. Knows when to join the attack and makes better decisions on the ball now than in the past. Really decisive saves against Tyrone (from Ronan McNamee), Armagh and Kildare. Add in his contribution in the penalty shootout against the former. Gave a very sound display against Dublin until their systems finally broke down late on. A nose ahead of a line of contenders in a tough call.
2. Aidan Forker (Armagh): THIS was Aidan Forker’s 11th season in inter-county football and the fifth of which he’s played in the full-back line. In time, he’ll come to be recognised as one of the most remarkably versatile footballers of his generation. Just turned 31, the Maghery man’s attacking instincts have been invaluable. Was brilliant in the win over Galway and almost hauled them past Monaghan on his own at times. Did concede scores but you have to balance it against his overall contribution.
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3. Eoin McEvoy (Derry): THERE are very few 19-year-olds playing inter-county football anywhere in Ireland, but for Eoin McEvoy to occupy such a central position for Derry and look so at home is remarkable. He’s marked Andrew Murnin, Darragh McGurn, Karl Gallagher twice, Hugh McFadden, Conor Corbett and had virtually no real trouble from any of them. Capped his season by keeping Paul Geaney scoreless in Croke Park. Has the brightest of futures ahead of him.
4. Conor McCluskey (Derry): YOU could sum McCluskey’s season up in one play. He’d kept Jamie Brennan scoreless in Ballybofey but Derry were struggling with Oisin Gallen. McCluskey was the third man to go on him. First ball between them, the Magherafelt man wins the race. 15 seconds later, it’s in Donegal’s net. His pace and composure are enormous assets. Scored the goal against Monaghan in Omagh on the day he took Conor McManus to task. Outstanding on Paudie Clifford.
5. Karl O’Connell (Monaghan): SPENT a lot of the previous 18 months out of the team but got back in with precision timing. Tore both Tyrone and Derry apart in Ulster before kicking the late equaliser against the Oak Leafers in Celtic Park. Kept it up throughout the All-Ireland series before delivering the defining play against Kildare, putting his head in front of an opponent’s knee to win a 40-60 ball that led to Monaghan’s winner. Dublin did a number on him but it didn’t stop him carrying relentlessly.
6. Gareth McKinless (Derry): IT seems so long since McKinless actually began the championship at centre-forward against Fermanagh before retreating back to his natural habitat. He bobbled along nicely, doing well in man-marking duties against Ciaran Thompson particularly, without ever quite ripping it up until he got to Croke Park. But when he got there, he was outstanding. Man of the match against Cork before his best ever display in a Derry jersey in the semi-final loss to Kerry.
7. Conor McCarthy (Monaghan): IS it too much to suggest that the half-time switch of McCarthy to wing-back against Tyrone transformed Monaghan’s year? He’d been back up in the forwards throughout the league but it wasn’t quite working. He came out after the break and was awesome that day, and would go on to carry that form through the rest of a remarkable summer. The winner against Kildare was the high point. Hit 2-8 from play across the championship.
8. Conor Glass (Derry): A LOT of his work went unseen but Glass was absolutely pivotal in Derry’s run to the last four. There were the eye-catching high fetches when he was Odhran Lynch’s primary target on kickouts, but so much of it is about his defensive work playing in a similar role to the one Colm Cavanagh once made his own for Tyrone. Made a few huge late plays against Armagh in the Ulster final, scoring a brilliant penalty as well. Gave his best performance in the All-Ireland quarter-final win over Cork.
9. Brendan Rogers (Derry): IT’S not an exaggeration to wonder if Brendan Rogers’ display against Kerry was the best individual performance offered by a Derry player in Croke Park since Jim McKeever’s legendary 1958 All-Ireland final showing. The Slaughtneil man ran himself to a complete standstill, tormenting Kerry, fetching ball from the skies. It topped off a brilliant season where he was particularly good in the first half of the Ulster final. Imagine he hadn’t been stuck at full-back all these years.
10. Ciaran Mackin (Armagh): MIDFIELD is such a fierce battleground for places but it feels like you have to make room for Ciaran Mackin in the team somewhere. Had a huge impact on Brendan Rogers’ performance when he moved across in the second half of the Ulster final. The Shane O’Neills man played just about everywhere across the year, chipping in with scores like his goal against Down or a big second-half point against Derry, but it’s the aggression and pace that he brings to Armagh’s play that make him stand out.
11. Darragh Canavan (Tyrone): IT was such a joy to watch an injury-free Darragh Canavan finally come into his own this summer. The ability to manoeuvre his way out of tackles before they’ve arrived, the vision, the selflessness of his play, those were all the things we knew about. What really showed itself was the leadership he brought. Two huge scores in the win over Armagh when his side really needed them. Hit 1-4 against Monaghan from play, three against Armagh, four against Donegal, two against Kerry.
12. Paul Cassidy (Derry): THERE are very few half-forwards across the country that would have contributed 1-14 from play in this year’s championship, particularly playing as deep a role as Cassidy often occupies. Kicked four points against Donegal and comes away with at least two most days, aided by having the licence to shoot that only he and Shane McGuigan probably enjoy in the Derry attack. His scoring has supplemented them all year. Opposition teams won’t allow him to go under the radar next year.
13. Pat Havern (Down): EVEN though it ended without silverware, Down’s year was remarkable considering where they’d come from. In a team that had different players step up on different days, Pat Havern was central to it all. Hit 1-9 in Ulster, almost all dead balls, and added another 1-34 to that in the Tailteann Cup despite alternating a lot of the time out around the middle. Gave Cavan particular bother in the quarter-final and hit four points from play against Longford.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
14. Shane McGuigan (Derry): EVEN though Derry didn’t get over the line, Shane McGuigan’s performance against Kerry elevated him into the absolute top bracket of forwards in Ireland. Improved by probably 20 per cent on the player he was in 2022. McGuigan’s influence on the Ulster final, the way he dragged Derry back from the brink at the end of extra-time, was special. Man-of-the-match in all three games in the province. When games wouldn’t come to him, he went out and grabbed them. Ulster’s best footballer in 2023.
15. Andrew Murnin (Armagh): HAVING gotten himself right again after another couple of injury-plagued seasons, Murnin had an excellent year for Armagh. It was probably a frustrating season in some ways given how seldom they utilised his ball-winning capabilities in front of goal. A lot of his best work was done foraging around midfield and hanging under Ethan Rafferty’s kickouts. Will never be the highest scoring forward in Ireland but does so much good work for Armagh in so many facets.
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