Sport

Danny Hughes picks his star performers in Ulster from 2020

Cavan’s Padraig Faulkner and Down’s Jerome Johnston both feature in Danny Hughes' Ulster Allstars of 2020 Picture by Philip Walsh
Cavan’s Padraig Faulkner and Down’s Jerome Johnston both feature in Danny Hughes' Ulster Allstars of 2020 Picture by Philip Walsh Cavan’s Padraig Faulkner and Down’s Jerome Johnston both feature in Danny Hughes' Ulster Allstars of 2020 Picture by Philip Walsh

Picking a best 15 is never without its controversies.

Given the knock-out nature of the 2020 season, some historically well-represented teams, such as Tyrone, will probably finish with much less representation than they would normally be accustomed to.

The ‘Hollywood’ first-round Championship tie with Donegal was always going to be a tight affair and, in retrospect, this was a game Tyrone could have won.

It spelled the end of Mickey Harte’s time in charge of the Red Hands, but more surprisingly the year finished with Mickey’s swift appointment to the hot-seat in Louth.

In all honesty, I think that change in Tyrone needed to happen – it gives players a chance to re-set county representation.

Established players will be seeking to impress any new management, reputation or not, so it provides them with an extra incentive to redouble their efforts come

pre-season.

For players on the fringe or not in contention for a place on the team or panel, they may now get their chance.

If they fail, it no longer becomes the fault of the manager, so it’s a case of being careful what you wish for.

Cavan are well-represented in my Allstar 15, as one would naturally assume given the year.

As are Donegal. While I realise that Cavan are Ulster champions, I still believe that Donegal had a real off-day.

Taking into account the conditions on the day, the intimacy of the Athletic Grounds and some uncharacteristically below-par performances from the Tír Chonaill men, I think that, had this been a different day, Donegal were well equipped to take on Dublin in an All-Ireland semi-final.

I believe that 2021 may well see a backlash and Donegal will have their revenge.

Antrim suffer in my best team of 2020 as they only had one Championship game, as do Fermanagh and Derry.

Armagh were again pretty dismal, with a surrender to Donegal in the Ulster semi-final a particularly poor result. Even worse was the performance.

With Kieran McGeeney shaking up the management team significantly for the 2021 season, it will be interesting to see if the players respond – at some point players in any team need to take ownership and stand up and be counted.

While I am biased, Down have two representatives on my best 15 in 2020, with two games played.

Down played some of the best 35 minutes of football I have seen in a very long time against Cavan.

Unfortunately, they also forgot to play for the remaining 35 minutes of their semi-final with the Breffnimen.

It is a lesson in complacency and game management – if they get those two key areas right, Down are heading in the right direction.

Goalkeeper

1. Raymond Galligan (Cavan)

Brilliant campaign and as captain drove Cavan to an unlikely Anglo-Celt. Fine shot-stopper and that save in the final from Jamie Brennan was as crucial as Conor Madden’s goal a few minutes later.

Full-backs

2. Aiden Forker (Armagh)

ATHLETIC and mobile, Forker can play anywhere in the field, a compliment to a natural footballer. Has been assigned man-marking jobs and played very well. Consistently good.

3. Padraig Faulkner (Cavan)

A WEAK full-back will cost you at this level but Faulkner was brilliant here all season and nullified men with key interceptions.

4. Stephen McMenamin (DonEGAL)

UNLUCKY to miss the Ulster final, but had a fine season up until then and deserves his place as a tight-marking, mobile defender.

Half-backs

5. Ciaran Brady (CAVAN)

DROVE Cavan from the half-backline especially when all looked lost. Won key aerial challenges and breaking ball and set up much of Cavan’s best attacking moments.

6. Killian Clarke (CAVAN)

CLARKE is a real warrior and provides a brilliant physical presence in the Cavan defence. Also instigates many attacks.

7. Caolan Mooney (DOWN)

HAD an excellent game against Fermanagh, kicking a point, driving through and breaking down Fermanagh’s defensive system and providing an injection of pace and skill to beat three Ernemen and indirectly set up Donal O’Hare for Down’s goal.

Simply brilliant for 35 minutes against Cavan, unplayable even, before Down collapsed.

Midfielders

8. Hugh McFadden (donegal)

CENTRAL to winning primary possession, can score and when he was uncharacteristically below-par in the Ulster final, Donegal didn’t win.

Highlights his importance and is complimentary in a way.

9. Thomas Galligan (CAVAN)

LIKELY to be Player of the Year. Bit of an Action Man type player, versatile, with good feet, had a season to remember.

Half-Forwards

10. Ciaran Thompson (donegal

BRILLIANT against Tyrone and Armagh but injury restricted him to just 12 minutes from the bench against Cavan. Class player, who can win primary possession and kick beautiful points.

11. Gearoid McKiernan. (Cavan)

WITHOUT McKiernan Cavan don’t win the Anglo-Celt. He has been a brilliant servant for the Breffnimen and I am glad he has finally received his reward in the form of silverware.

12. Michael Langan (DONEGAL)

ANOTHER who was brilliant up until the Ulster final. That shouldn’t take away from his selection as an Allstar as his performances were consistently very good through the 2020 season.

Full-Forwards

13. Jamie Brennan (DONEGAL)

VERY good against Tyrone and Armagh and had he buried that chance in the last five minutes against Cavan, Donegal would have won that final. He didn’t, but still deserves his place as one of the most potent and dangerous forwards in the country.

14. Conor Madden (CAVAN)

HIS scores were of the highest quality in the provincial campaign and against Down and Donegal they proved match-winning.

15. Jerome Johnston (DOWN)

HAS taken his club form with Kilcoo during 2019 and 2020 on to the county stage and had the best 35 minutes he has ever had against Cavan in the semi-final. Fully deserves his place.

PICIKING a best 15 isn’t exactly a science and there will be bias of course. We were lucky, given the pandemic, that the 2020 season went ahead and it certainly lifted us in what was a particularly dreary period.

Given that the Allianz League has been pushed back and the

inter-county season has been delayed (from a training perspective) my hope is that we can return to the field before spring and the stop-start nature of 2020 does not re-occur.

I am already looking forward to the return of the League, new format or not, it remains a brilliant competition.

Allstars should remember though, something most players will tell you – you are only as good as your last game.

The day in the sun never lasts long.