Indo GAA · Irish Independent

The All Stars panel | How the voting works, the debate in the room & biggest snubs

·50 min·4 clips

Martin Breheny quit the All-Star committee after a rule kept out Monaghan's best player over a minor scuffle.

This episode of Indo GAA focuses on the GAA/GPA All-Star selection process, featuring host Joe and guests Martin Breheny and Michael Verney, both former All-Star selection committee members. Martin Breheny brings decades of experience from about 23 selection committees, while Michael Verney offers a newer perspective in his second year. The discussion covers the history of the awards, noting they began in 1971 after the Cú Chulainn Awards and merged with the GPA team of the year in 2011. Martin Breheny recounts storming out in 1985 over the "sportsmanship rule" that excluded Monaghan's Eamon McEneaney after a sending-off in a blitz tournament. The modern selection committee of about 12 members, including media figures like Joanne Cantwell and Colm Keys, now meets at PwC, with hurling debated in the morning and football in the afternoon. Panelists now submit their preferred 45 nominees and a full team in advance, which some feel sanitizes the debate compared to more contentious past years. A surprising insight is that recency bias heavily favors performances in All-Ireland semi-finals and finals, disadvantaging stars from eliminated teams like Wexford's Lee Chin. Martin Breheny argues the awards have become too "formulaic," with finalists often claiming 10-12 of the 15 spots. The 1994 controversy is highlighted, where Clare's Brian Lohan was named Hurler of the Year but missed an All-Star due to a flawed secret ballot splitting his votes between two positions. Guest Michael Verney reveals he once lobbied for Kyle Hayes for Hurler of the Year based solely on on-field performance, sparking significant public discussion. Another memorable claim is that "performances in defeat" should be weighted higher, as it's harder to excel when a team is struggling. The panel notes that positional flexibility creates modern debates, like where to place Tipp's Ronan Maher, who played full-back but is nominated at centre-back. James McGarry's case is cited; he was nominated six times without winning, possibly because Kilkenny's strong defense limited his flashy saves. The episode confirms All-Stars still mean "a hell of a lot" to players, especially those from counties that don't win All-Irelands. The tone is conversational and insider-focused, blending historical anecdotes with procedural shop talk. The style is educational, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the debates and evolution of the awards system. This episode would appeal to dedicated GAA fans interested in the intricacies of All-Star selection and the sport's history. Listeners who prefer on-field action analysis or find administrative details dry might choose to skip it.

As heard by us

A clear All-Stars debate about visibility, timing, and fairness.

Martin Breheny and Michael Verney keep the focus on the All-Stars vote and why the timing of the games matters so much. The argument lands because it stays close to the old tension between exposure and excellence, instead of drifting off into grander talk.

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Why you'd press play

If you want the All-Stars arguments before the names actually land.

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