Team of the Year

[Bunny Kelly]

O'Donnell

Gannon Murray Gartland Massey

Byrne Towell Healy Horgan

Hoban Fagan


Seems wrong to have the UCD keeper in there but he has been largely brilliant & had so much work to do with that sham of a team, I would have Barry Ryan as an option in goal but missed too many games, for same reason I have left Dave Webster out, Bray's level dropped so far with him out.

Kinda torn about Towell as never impressed when I saw him but appeared key from reports.

Honorable mentions to

Rory Gaffney
Mick Daly
Chris Forrester
Kevin Devaney
Billy Dennehy
Robbie Benson

[Bunny Kelly]

Murray/Doyle (no stand out really)

Horgan Sullivan Barrett Hand

Ryan Connolly Rice K O'Connor (Waterford)

Dylan Connolly Walsh Sullivan


Dylan Connolly FD POTY, he was absolutely brilliant

[pineapple stu]

Seems wrong to have the UCD keeper in there but he has been largely brilliant & had so much work to do with that sham of a team
He's certainly worthy of consideration. May have dropped a clanger or two too many to be selected though. The one against Athlone at home in particular could be costly.

[Charlie Darwin]

PFAI Team of the Year

McNulty
Gannon
Boyle
Gartland
Bermingham
Healy
Towell
Horgan
Hoban
Fagan
O'Sullivan

6 Dundalk, 3 Cork, 2 Pats

POTY nominees:

Fagan
Healy
Hoban
Towell

[El-Pietro]

Mark McNulty to my mind has been by far the best keeper in the league this year, and I was very surprised to see so many people skipping over him hear. I'm genuinely surprised O'Sullivan has made it, not that he's not deserving, I just didn't think they'd go with three strikers.

I'd love to see Healy win player of the year, but I suspect Towell will get it.

[White Horse]

Mark McNulty to my mind has been by far the best keeper in the league this year, and I was very surprised to see so many people skipping over him hear. I'm genuinely surprised O'Sullivan has made it, not that he's not deserving, I just didn't think they'd go with three strikers.

I'd love to see Healy win player of the year, but I suspect Towell will get it.

Not many mentioned O'Sullivan, perhaps as people though it would be 4-4-2. Murray is unlucky to be left out but Gartland has some amount of goals for a defender. That probably swung it.

Who would have predicted at the start of the season that McPhail and Fahey would not make the list.

Healy ahead of Morrissey? Bit of a suprise on the bais of what I've seen of Cork.

[El-Pietro]

I would agree on Murray v Gartland. I was picking Gartland alongside Murray in my team but I was going on his 9 goals to squeeze out Boyle. I don't see either regularly enough.

Morrissey has had a brilliant season but he doesn't do much that is that flashy. Healy is a name, he has that bicycle kick and Soccer Republic focus on him a lot. It is telling how poorly we performed when Morrissey missed a period of games earlier the season. Though we seem to be dealing with absence at the moment.

[Louth4sam]

PFAI Team of the Year

McNulty
Gannon
Boyle
Gartland
Bermingham
Healy
Towell
Horgan
Hoban
Fagan
O'Sullivan

6 Dundalk, 3 Cork, 2 Pats

POTY nominees:

Fagan
Healy
Hoban
Towell

Surprised McNulty got in as I think that Ryan and Murphy have been better this season but it's a hard one to argue against as don't see him every week. However shocked that O'Sullivan got in instead of Conan Byrne as he has really stood out for Pats and has bagged a load of goals.

[seand]

It's impossible to choose a perfect team, but this is certainly a bit of an odd line-up with three strikers, and none of the back four from the team with the best defence. Still, player by player there's not too many surprises

[nigel-harps1954]

Slightly surprised to see no mention of Damien McNulty or Packie Mailey in FD team. Harps defence were arguably the best in the division for about 75% of the season and had we held onto Keating for the season we may well have squeezed into a play off place.

[desaintsno.12]

Conan Byrne remains the most under rated player we have

[Charlie Darwin]

Mark McNulty to my mind has been by far the best keeper in the league this year, and I was very surprised to see so many people skipping over him hear. I'm genuinely surprised O'Sullivan has made it, not that he's not deserving, I just didn't think they'd go with three strikers.

I'd love to see Healy win player of the year, but I suspect Towell will get it.
With keepers it's sometimes difficult to judge them on a couple of matches unless they really stand out. McNulty wouldn't have had much to do against a lot of teams, so fans wouldn't have seen him do much, whereas Murphy and Ryan were making great saves against absolutely everyone as they had crap defences in front of them.

Surprised Healy made it at all, to be honest. Like other people, any time I've seen Cork Morrissey has been the guy running the show and easily one of the tidiest players in the league. Glad to see O'Sullivan make it too - I reckon that's on the back of a lot of defenders voting because they'll remember they've had one of their hardest games every time he's played them.

[El-Pietro]

He was a roofer this time this year, now hes in the team of the year and has helped bring City to the brink of the title. It's a crazy story. We didn't expect him to be so good.

You may be right about the defenders voting there because he wins a ridiculous amount of headers considering hes only about 5 10.

[Olander]

Slightly surprised to see no mention of Damien McNulty or Packie Mailey in FD team. Harps defence were arguably the best in the division for about 75% of the season and had we held onto Keating for the season we may well have squeezed into a play off place.
There's a subtle difference between having the best defence in the League and having a team that is set up in an unbelievably negative fashion, that are set out primarily to contain the opposition. Your measly 26 goal haul reaffirms that point, Keating or not, you would were never really in the running for a playoff place because your team carries no threat.

[Ezeikial]

and none of the back four from the team with the best defence.


Lets wait to see which defence has conceded the least league goals over the course of the season!

[PartySaint]

Can't argue too much with that team. Conan Byrne and Billy Dennehy could feel aggrieved about not getting it but not much besides that.

It's the players that pick it as well so they would know better than ourselves who have done well based on playing against them

[De Town]

There's a subtle difference between having the best defence in the League and having a team that is set up in an unbelievably negative fashion, that are set out primarily to contain the opposition. Your measly 26 goal haul reaffirms that point, Keating or not, you would were never really in the running for a playoff place because your team carries no threat.

Spot on. Harps fans (well Nigel anyway, not sure about the other 4 of them) consistently overestimate how good they are. They were never going to make the playoffs. Finishing 5th is the limit for them, and they managed that. They were miles off ourselves, Shels and Galway. And while Wexford probably overachieved this year, they're still much better than Harps.

[Guinney]

For the official PFAI team of the year, Chris Shields must be the unluckiest player not to be in it. Has been immense all year and arguably Dundalk's most important player. Without him doing all the dirty work in midfield we couldn't have played the way we done all year.

Edit: Actually want to add in, I am surprised Billy Dennehy isn't in it too.

[D24Saint]

Disappointed for Conan Byrne after a great season, the other let down was no young player of the year nomination for Sean Hoare, think Gannon would have got it but think Hoare merited the nomination after an immense first season as a regular , a very classy player for his years composed and not a bit of malice in his play.

[El-Pietro]

For the official PFAI team of the year, Chris Shields must be the unluckiest player not to be in it. Has been immense all year and arguably Dundalk's most important player. Without him doing all the dirty work in midfield we couldn't have played the way we done all year.

Edit: Actually want to add in, I am surprised Billy Dennehy isn't in it too.
I'm not.

[White Horse]

For the official PFAI team of the year, Chris Shields must be the unluckiest player not to be in it. Has been immense all year and arguably Dundalk's most important player. Without him doing all the dirty work in midfield we couldn't have played the way we done all year.

It's strange that fellow players don't appreciate players like him.

[Ezeikial]

For the official PFAI team of the year, Chris Shields must be the unluckiest player not to be in it. Has been immense all year and arguably Dundalk's most important player. Without him doing all the dirty work in midfield we couldn't have played the way we done all year.


Is Richie Towell the best midfielder in the league?

That question brings to mind the famous John Lennon quip:


On one occasion when John Lennon was asked if Starr was the best drummer in the world he replied, tongue in cheek: “He’s not even the best drummer in the Beatles.”


Chris Shields has been magnificent for Dundalk this season

[micls]

Odd how everyone else rates Dennehy much higher than city fans. He scores important goals but is anonymous for a lot of the time. There's been calls from our fans for him to be dropped, never mind being in the team of the year. Think it shows how hard it is to judge when you don't see them every week.

[nigel-harps1954]

Spot on. Harps fans (well Nigel anyway, not sure about the other 4 of them) consistently overestimate how good they are. They were never going to make the playoffs. Finishing 5th is the limit for them, and they managed that. They were miles off ourselves, Shels and Galway. And while Wexford probably overachieved this year, they're still much better than Harps.

Oh god no, we were awful for the entire second half of the season once we lost all attacking threat. The defence is all that kept us going really.

[gufcfan]

Harps were about as close to Cobh as they were to a playoff place. Keating or no, Harps weren't getting next nor near the playoffs this year imo.

[seand]

A tongue-in-cheek take on the Team of the Year that was destined for another location but didn’t fit in the end…. (i.e. it would’ve been in the Dundalk v Cork programme id we’d had won the league in advance of that fixture)

With the season coming to a close The Spectator assembled a committee of leading experts, over a pint or three, to pass judgment on the League of Ireland team of the season. Here are the results of the Lilywhite Lounge jury…

Goalkeeper
Nominees: Cherrie (Dundalk), Clarke (St Pats), Murphy (Shamrock Rovers)
Winner: Peter Cherrie

Left back
Nominees: Bermingham (St Pats), Byrne (Shamrock Rovers), Massey (Dundalk)
Winner: Dane Massey

Right back
Nominees: Gannon (Dundalk), Lenihan(Cork), Madden (Shamrock Rovers)
Winner: Sean Gannon

Central defenders
Nominees: Boyle (Dundalk), D Dennehy (Cork), Gartland (Dundalk), Hoare (St Pats), McEleney (Derry), Rossiter (Dundalk)
Winners: Andy Boyle and Brian Gartland

Defensive midfield
Nominees: Higgins (Dundalk), O’Donnell (Dundalk), Shields(Dundalk)
Winner: Chris Shields

Central midfield
Nominees: Fahey (St Pats), Healy (Cork), Towell (Dundalk)
Winner: Richie Towell

Left midfield
Nominees: Brennan (St Pats), B Dennehy (Cork), Horgan (Dundalk)
Winner: Daryl Horgan

Right midfield
Nominees: Byrne (St Pats), McDermott (Dundalk), Meenan (Dundalk)
Winner: Darren Meenan

Attacking midfield
Nominees: Byrne (Dundalk), Forrester (St Pats), Mountney (Dundalk)
Winner: Kurtis Byrne

Forwards
Nominees: Fagan (St Pats), Hoban (Dundalk), McMillan (Dundalk), Patterson (Derry)
Winner: Pat Hoban

So, our independently verified, official, Spectator League of Ireland team of the season looks like this:
Cherrie (Dundalk); Gannon (Dundalk), Massey (Dundalk), Gartland (Dundalk), Boyle (Dundalk); Shields (Dundalk), Towell (Dundalk), Horgan (Dundalk), Meenan (Dundalk), Byrne (Dundalk); Hoban (Dundalk). Manager: Collins (Derry)… just kiddin’… Horgan (Drogs)… oh, ok then… Kenny (Dundalk).

[White Horse]

A tongue-in-cheek take on the Team of the Year that was destined for another location but didn’t fit in the end…. (i.e. it would’ve been in the Dundalk v Cork programme id we’d had won the league in advance of that fixture)


Should have gone ahead with this, it would have brought Cork to the point of spontaneous combustion.

[placid casual]

Left back
Nominees: Bermingham (St Pats), Byrne (Shamrock Rovers),:D;) Massey (Dundalk)
Winner: Dane Massey
.


good man SeanD.
you made me laugh out loud when i read the bold part.

[seand]

good man SeanD.
you made me laugh out loud when i read the bold part.

obviously the whole thing was thrown together in a handful of seconds, but I thought Luke Byrne was fairly highly regarded? Looked half decent any time I saw him at Bohs/Rovers? Far be it from me to give undue credit to a Hoop!

[Dodge]

Should have gone ahead with this, it would have brought Cork to the point of spontaneous combustion.

In fairness it doesn't take much

[Charlie Darwin]

obviously the whole thing was thrown together in a handful of seconds, but I thought Luke Byrne was fairly highly regarded? Looked half decent any time I saw him at Bohs/Rovers? Far be it from me to give undue credit to a Hoop!
He is a promising player but he's had a very poor year. He doesn't have a huge deal of pace so might end up at centre half.

[Dodge]

He is a promising player but he's had a very poor year. He doesn't have a huge deal of pace so might end up at centre half.

I think he's far too small to be a top quality LOI centre half too

[Charlie Darwin]

He's not much smaller than Conor Kenna so you might be right. We'll see how he pans out anyway. He's out of contract so we'll see if Nutsy keeps him on. Heaney already looks like a better player and he's three years younger.

[micls]

Should have gone ahead with this, it would have brought Cork to the point of spontaneous combustion.

Didn't even spot a programme on the night, not sure they were sold in our section. Would have been funny, though more of a fanzine that programme piece. Do Dundalk have a fanzine? I definitely miss some of the great fanzine stuff from a few years ago. All the stuff you couldn't get away with putting in the programme.

[DRDoc]

I think he's far too small to be a top quality LOI centre half too

spot on

[White Horse]

Didn't even spot a programme on the night, not sure they were sold in our section. Would have been funny, though more of a fanzine that programme piece. Do Dundalk have a fanzine? I definitely miss some of the great fanzine stuff from a few years ago. All the stuff you couldn't get away with putting in the programme.

The fanzines were great fun, people seem to put all their efforts into social media these days.

The Dundalk programme contains one article at the end that is usually tongue in cheek and I'd imagine it was intended for this place.

The match day programme was great on the night, loads on Cork and the season they's had.

The programme sold out but I understand the club are doing on new print run. Might be of interest to programme collectors in Cork.

[seand]

Yes, the programme sold out at least half an hour before kickoff. Not sure how much we increased the print run but considering it was double the usual crowd and a highly significant match you can see how they'd sell out early.