Kerry's All-Ireland winner Kieran 'Star' Donaghy has been nominated for the Gaelic Players' Association Player of the Year award. Also announced today by the GPA were the nominations for the Team of the Year. The shortlist contains 45 players, three for each position, from 12 counties.
Newcomer Donaghy, who was part of the 'Underdogs' side that took on Kerry in the GAA's first foray into reality television, made his championship debut this year.
He marked it with massive performances against Armagh in the quarter-final replay and again in the final dismantling of Mayo in which he found the net and scored two points.
Donaghy is joined on the list by teammate Darragh Ó Sé, a player he partnered in the early teething period of his season.
Also nominated are Armagh forward Ronan Clarke and Mayo talisman Ciaran McDonald.
Team of the Year candidates are champions Kerry - who received eight nominations - finalists Mayo and semi-finalists Dublin, who both received seven nominations each.
The shortlists were drawn up by a selection committee consisting of John O'Mahony (Chairman), Kevin O'Brien, Martin McHugh and Tony Davis.
Speaking at the nominations O'Mahony said: "This is a subjective consideration of who our committee believe are the best players in the fifteen on-field positions during the course of the year.
"No doubt it will generate plenty of debate as regards who's in and who's not but the players now have the chance and the honour of selecting who are the best among their peers in 2006."
GPA members will cast their votes before the Annual Gala and Awards evening on November 10th.
The shortlist in full for the Opel Gaelic team of the Year consists of:
1. Stephen Cluxton (Dublin), Alan Quirke (Cork), Gary Connaughton (Westmeath).
2. Karl Lacey (Donegal), Paul Griffin (Dublin), and Marc Ó Sé (Kerry).
3. Graham Canty (Cork), Barry Owens (Fermanagh), Francie Bellew (Armagh).
4. Tom O'Sullivan (Kerry), Joe Higgins (Laois), Keith Higgins (Mayo).
5. Seamus Moynihan (Kerry), Aaron Kernan (Armagh), Peadar Gardiner (Mayo).
6. Bryan Cullen (Dublin), Ger Spillane (Cork), Ciaran McKeever (Armagh).
7. Karol Slattery (Offaly), Barry Dunnion (Donegal), Aidan O'Mahony (Kerry).
8 & 9 Nicholas Murphy (Cork), Ronan McGarrity (Mayo), Shane Ryan (Dublin). Darragh Ó Sé (Kerry), Ciaran Whelan (Dublin),Paul McGrane (Armagh).
10. Alan Dillon (Mayo), Sean O'Sullivan (Kerry), Ross Munnelly (Laois).
11. Alan Brogan (Dublin), Ger Brady (Mayo), Paul Barden (Longford).
12. Ciaran McDonald (Mayo), Paul Galvin (Kerry), Rory Kavanagh (Donegal).
13. Conor Mortimer (Mayo), James Masters (Cork), Steven McDonnell (Armagh).
14. Kieran Donaghy (Kerry), Conal Keaney (Dublin), Paddy Bradley (Derry).
15. Ronan Clarke (Armagh), Niall McNamee (Offaly), Brian Kavanagh (Longford).