Cork, Down dominate GPA team of year

GAA:The Gaelic Players Association (GPA) announced their football team of the year today with seven counties represented in the final selection.

All-Ireland champions Cork have three players included; Michael Shields, Paudie Kissane, and Daniel Goulding, while runners-up Down have five; Brendan McVeigh, Kevin McKernan, Daniel Hughes, Martin Clarke and Benny Coulter.

Dublin’s Philly McMahon and Bernard Brogan made the final selection as did Kildare’s Emmet Bolton and John Doyle. The remaining places were take up by Sligo’s Charlie Harrison, Paddy Keenan of Louth and Limerick’s John Galvin.

“The Opel GPA Awards stand alone in that the ultimate selection of the team is made by the players,” said Martin McHugh, chairman of the football selection committee. “As a selection committee we put forward who we believed were the three most deserving nominees for each position and now the players have made their choice.

“It is a great achievement for any footballer to be honoured by his fellow players and I congratulate the 2010 winners.”

Dessie Farrell, GPA chief executive, added: “There is no doubt that 2010 was a year of change in the football championship and I think the competitive nature of the season is reflected by the fact seven counties are represented

“I’d like to congratulate the 15 winners and all the nominees and thank all the players who voted.”

2010 Opel GPA Team of the Year (Football):

1.Brendan McVeigh (Down)
2.Charlie Harrison (Sligo)
3.Michael Shields (Cork)
4.Philly McMahon (Dublin)
5.Kevin McKernan (Down)
6.Emmet Bolton (Kildare)
7.Paudie Kissane (Cork)
8.Paddy Keenan ( Louth)
9.John Galvin (Limerick)
10.Daniel Hughes (Down)
11.Martin Clarke (Down)
12.John Doyle (Kildare)
13.Daniel Goulding (Cork)
14.Benny Coulter (Down)
15.Bernard Brogan (Dublin)

Nominees for GPA Player of the year for football:

Bernard Brogan (Dublin)
Benny Coulter (Down)
John Doyle (Kildare)