On Thursday morning, the PwC Hurling All-Stars were named, and players from Galway and Waterford, the All-Ireland finalists took up 12 places on the team.
Tonight, in the live show in Dublin's Convention Centre, the All-Ireland Football Final provided even more players to their All-Star team.
Beaten All-Ireland semi finalists Kerry and Tyrone both managed to scrape one player each into the team, but that was it.
The All-Star team reflects this seemingly two team Championship.
The 2017 PwC Football All-Stars:
- David Clarke (Mayo)
- Chris Barrett (Mayo)
- Michael Fitzsimons (Dublin)
- Keith Higgins (Mayo)
- Colm Boyle (Mayo)
- Cian O'Sullivan (Dublin)
- Jack McCaffrey (Dublin)
- Colm Cavanagh (Tyrone)
- James McCarthy (Dublin)
- Dean Rock (Dublin)
- Aidan O'Shea (Mayo)
- Con O'Callaghan (Dublin)
- Paul Mannion (Dublin)
- Paul Geaney (Kerry)
- Andy Moran (Mayo)
David Clarke and Stephen Cluxton was one of the biggest battles of the night, with both nominated for Footballer of the Year. It was a surprising start to the night to here Clarke's name being called out, for the second year in a row.
Chris Barrett and Keith Higgins meant three of the four names called out were from Mayo. For Barrett, it's his first All-Star, with his stand out performance coming in the All-Ireland final. Higgins, as usual, was a rock for Mayo all year. Wininng his fourth All-Star, Higgins joins Lee Keegan as Mayo's most decorated All-Star.
Jack McCaffrey, Mick Fitzsimons, Cian O'Sullivan and Colm Boyle were no surprises in the rest of defence, and neither was James McCartht in midfield.
Colm Cavanagh picking up his first All-Star on the year his 5-time winner brother Sean retired offers its own little bit of poignance, but Cavanagh's main impact on the evening was ending the fears that the night would lack a certain diversity in the counties honoured.
Aidan O'Shea may have played some of the year at full-back randomly, but the Ireland captain is named at centre-forward tonight, while Dean Rock's All-Ireland winning free saw him named, strangely, at number 10.
Con O'Callaghan, or Can O'Collaghan as Michael Lyster called him, has won everything there is to win in the last two years, so an All-Star is no surprise. Adding the Young Player of the Year award is just another strain on surely creaking mantlepiece of the O'Callaghan family.
Paul Geaney retained his All-Star in an otherwise disheartening season for Kerry, while Paul Mannion and Andy Moran were no brainers.
Like the hurling team, only four counties are represented. With Super 8s to come in 2018, maybe there'll be more chances to players from other counties to make their mark, but it seems the All-Star team is becoming more and more elite every year.
