We have tried to make the league team of the year interesting this year at Balls, so we thought, why not include one player from every promoted team while being allowed only one player from each county?
Players from all four divisions have been included, with plenty of acknowledgment given to those who performed well outside of the top tier.
Here's what we came up with.
READ HERE: Grading Every County's 2024 Division 1 Football League Campaign
GAA: Balls Team Of The Allianz National Football League
1. Niall Morgan (Tyrone)
Niall Morgan has constantly caught the headlines throughout the league for so many outstanding performances as Tyrone’s sweeper-keeper.
The highlight was undoubtedly his assist for Darragh Canavan’s goal against Monaghan but that was just one of a number of key contributions the Edendork clubman made this campaign.
2. Johnny McGrath (Galway)
With Galway under pressure during their Division One campaign as so many big names such as Sean Kelly, Damian Comer and Shane Walsh were in and out of the team, McGrath was an ever-present steady hand at the back.
He was the one detailed with the man-marking roles and excelled in that role.
3. Conor McCluskey (Derry)
McCluskey was one of Derry’s best players last season as they reached the All-Ireland semi-finals, picking up an All-Star award for his efforts, but he’s added goal-scoring to his attributes.
McCluskey rattled the net against Monaghan, Dublin and Mayo while still being one of their best man-markers.
4. Peter McGrane (Armagh)
The new kid on the block in the Armagh defence, McGrane has been in superb form.
The Ballyhegan man can defend as a corner back should but when the opportunity arises, he attacks at will and pointed in Armagh’s win over Fermanagh while raising green flags against both Cavan and Cork.
5. Peadar Mogan (Donegal)
Having missed out last season, Mogan returned under Jim McGuinness this year and has been one of Donegal’s stand out players so far in 2024.
Constantly attacking from the back, Mogan’s pace, fitness and ability to split the posts makes him one of Donegal’s most dangerous weapons right across the field.
6. Ronan Wallace (Westmeath)
Ronan Wallace has steadily become one of the best centre backs in the country over the last couple of years, with the Multyfarnham man playing a key role as Westmeath secured promotion from Division 3.
Not only is he a steady presence at the back for Dessie Dolan's side, but he is also more than capable of getting forward and joining in with the play in the final third.
7. Ceilum Doherty (Down)
Like many of the defenders on our team of the league, Doherty has made his name due to his attacking exploits, but the Kilcoo native has been key to Down’s rock-solid defence as well.
He produced a number of man-of-the match performances for Conor Laverty’s side as they claimed promotion from Division 3.
8. Colm O’Callaghan (Cork)
O’Callaghan has been one of the star players for Cork in the league as they secured their place in Division 2 after a rocky start.
A fine fetching midfielder around the centre of the park, O’Callaghan can bomb forward at will as well as he displayed against Armagh last week when he finished with 0-3.
9. Sean O’Shea (Kerry)
O’Shea certainly isn’t underrated but in a forward line that contains the Clifford brothers, Paudie and David, O’Shea perhaps doesn’t get the credit he deserves.
He was certainly Kerry’s best player throughout the National League and only three players in Division 1 scored more than he did.
10. Ryan O’Donoghue (Mayo)
O’Donohue has that something different that makes his standout in the Mayo attack and his aggression as well as the scoring power he brings to the fold are his main contributions.
O’Donohue top scored for Mayo during the league with 30-points and remains the go-to main up front for Kevin McStay’s side.
11. Darragh Rooney (Leitrim)
Rooney topped the scoring charts in Division 4 with a tally 0-40 and his haul of 0-7 last weekend against Tipperary helped seal promotion for Andy Moran’s men and a day out in Croke Park.
In the absence of Keith Beirne, Rooney stepped up to the plate and became the go-to sharpshooter in the Leitrim forward line.
12. Mark Barry (Laois)
Laois were the best team in Division 4 and finished top of the pile, with a lot of that being down to the form of Mark Barry.
Only Leitrim’s Ryan O’Rourke scored more from open play in the division, but Barry carried that attacking presence for Laois throughout the campaign and finished with 2-21 to his name.
13. Paddy Lynch (Cavan)
Cavan were one of the surprise packages in Division 2 having just been promoted last season, but Lynch was a big reason why Raymond Galligan’s men finished third in the table behind Donegal and Armagh.
Lynch is the top scorer in the country having hit a fine total of 1-48 across Cavan’s seven games.
14. Con O'Callaghan (Dublin)
After a slow start to the league, Con O'Callaghan has been one of the form players in the country over the last couple of months. The Dublin forward produced some incredible displays, ending the Division 1 campaign with a personal tally of 3-29. Only Shane McGuigan scored more.
His standout performance came against Kerry earlier this month, with the Cuala man scoring an incredible 3-4 en route to s statement victory from Dessie Farrell's men at Croke Park.
15. Sam Mulroy (Louth)
It took a final round victory over Kildare for Louth to starve off the threat of relegation but Sam Mulroy, as he has been for the last couple of years, was the star man on display.
Mulroy hit an incredible 4-31 in the league and is tied with Down’s Odhran Murdock as the top goal-scorer in the country.
SEE ALSO: Michael Murphy Explains Why Derry Have Edge Over Dublin In All-Ireland Hunt
