Kildare Player of Year

Okay , need the mood lightened slightly in here, I just can't accept yesterdays result at all, even had to turn off KFM this morning, hard listening to how wrong the referee got it, knowing that there'll be no consequences for him or the umpires.
but thought I'd start a new thread with a slightly happier theme....!


So....now that county championship is finally over (1 game too soon!)
Who was your player of the year?

Plenty of contenders for me:

Dermot - simply for the drawn game against Antrim, I will never forget that day in Newbridge as long as I live, the solitary clapping for Dermot Sr. still gives me goosebumps when I think about it. Such a hero in my eyes.

Peter Kelly - for coming into the team when the full back line desperately needed help and not only doing a good job, but having an outstanding season.

Daryl Flynn: Outstanding against Antrim and in vital last ten mins of nearly every game this year. Showed that Dermot is not alone in midfield

John Doyle - Hero

Eoghan O Flaherty - The impact he made coming on as a sub in all the qualifier games cannot be underestimated. And the performance against meath, superb. taking the ball out of JD's hands and scoring the 45...wow

Bolton - had his moments, making great long runs and getting scores at vital times. but not consistent enough all year. I think this guy could go a very long way, and I think McGeeney sees something in him too, McGeeney never lost faith in him and he showed his potential many times this year.

Hugh McGrillan - What can I say, we now have one of the best full backs in the country. Yesterday demonstrated again how good he is, incredibly fit, puts his body on the line.

Kavanagh - When he's on fire, nothing can stop him, definate contender for goal of year, but can go through v long quiet periods too, bad bad miss yesterday.

but


my player of year - no doubt in my mind, Eamonn Callaghan


Leper - This man was an absolute hero this year, work rate is phenomenol, ability to play well as both a back and forward, ability to get vital scores at vital times. Outstanding player who will be robbed if he does not get an all star.

i agree callaghan for me great game yesterday again and a great year

It's a very hard thing to do, single out a player from a group who have gave so much this year.

I have three as it's a toss up between them for different reasons.

J.D
Leper
Flynn.

Take your choice from them as I would be here all day going through each one.

A special mention to Dermot, who done one of the most courageous things I have seen in sport when playing hours after burying his Dad. I will never forget that for as long as I live.

Player of the year : Johnny Doyle

Young player : Peter Kelly

It has to be JD for me. Not only has he finished as the highest scorer in the Championship (again !!!) but his overall workrate is phenominal. His performance in the Derry game alone where he covered every blade of grass is enough reason to get my vote.

lepper or doyle for me , both played class throughout the year , Hopefully both get the all stars they deserve

Johnny Doyle, for sailing through the air to catch that ball yesterday in the last minute, for the clip of him making a suicidal leap on rte where he could easily have injured himself, for the passion, effort, intensity and everything he has brought to kildare football for all the the years he has graced the white jersey. Top scorer in the championship again and unlike Bernard Brogan scoring is only a small part of his game.

hard to give to one player of panel because they played part through the year . jd for work rate shooting skills and the driving force of kildare team

Has to be JD for his drive, passion and determination. He never gives up and has the greatest work rate of any player around.

Tough one,my top 3 would be Kelly,JD and Leper. JD would get it for his pure determination,ability. He would get the country player of the year from me too. Would walk into any side.

E. Flats and Peter Kelly have made a huge contribution and hope they continue to improve for next year. Neither had their best game on Sunday so kinda drops them out of the running abit.

Callaghan and JD definitely gave it everything this year and on Sunday so would have to go for them.

Callaghan would be my player of the year given our terrible start his move to the free role has been crucial and the amount of scores from play this year has been exceptional. Amazing determination to score that goal on Sunday and probably should have had a second. if only we could have got the ball to him more it could have been a different story.

Player Of The Year:
1. JD:
The man just oozes class. I'd go as far as to say he's one of the top 3 footballers in the country. People were waxing lyrical about Brogan last week (and rightly so) but Johnny has so many more strings to his bow. Not only does he put up phenomenal scores he bursts his gut in every game working back and creating space. I remember one phase of play up in Belfast when he chased his man 100 yards down the field and dispossessed him on our own 13m line. In our next attack he was fielding the ball in the Antrim square and rattling the net. He has the top scorer wrapped up and by his own admission has had an indifferent year with the frees - that says it all about how vital a player he is to Kildare. That fetch yesterday in injury time - heroic!

2. Leper:
Just edged out by JD's brilliance. I've always said Leper was potentially one of the best footballers in Kildare but for various reasons, including injury and mismanagement, he's never had an opportunity to show it....... until this year. Never stopped trying yesterday and got his just rewards with the goal. He has become a real leader and will be a big player for Kildare in the next two or three years. Can slot seamlessly into any position on the pitch and there's not a lot of players you could say that about around the country.

Honourable mentions: Jimmers, M Flats


Most Improved Player:
1. Flynn:
To be honest, I had my doubts over whether this guy would make it but he's been Kildare's most improved player by a country mile. Had he not got injured yesterday, who knows how the game would have panned out. He showed real leadership during Dermot's injury and looks like a possible future Kildare captain.

2. Mac:
Has got a lot of stick down the years from the Kildare support, myself included I must admit. You couldn't fault him in any game this year at all. Kildare obviously means a hell of a lot to him. The photos of him out on the field yesterday playing football with his daughter were heartbreaking.

Honourable mentions: McGrillen, Bolton

Best newcomer:
1. Kelly:
Quick, strong and tough as nails - everything you'd want in a corner back. Watching him since his debut against Antrim, you'd think he was a fella with ten years experience under his belt rather than an inter-county rookie.

2. E Flats:
Didn't have a great day yesterday but wasn't alone in that regard. Played superbly against Meath and always made an impact off the bench in the back door games. Will benefit hugely from a run of games during the League considering he was unavailable for it this year and only came into the panel at the end of May.

Honourable mentions: Keith Cribbin, David Whyte


Best point:
1. Dermot v Antrim:
We struggled in the first half of that match in Belfast and Dermot kicked the first point of the second half and we didn't look back since. Won the ball over by the terrace sideline and drove it into the sky landing it right on top of the net. It lifted the whole team and the crowd greeted it with an almighty roar acknowledging everything that Dermot had gone through the previous few weeks and their appreciation that he had the courage and bravery to play on.

2. Johnny v Meath:
This score can be summarised in three simple words: PUT IT UP!

Goal of the year:
1. Jimmers v Meath:
The Buddha monk strikes: I'd say the Meath full-back line and goalkeeper are still looking for a refund after buying that dummy!

2. Leper v Down:
Brian O'Driscoll would be proud of the amount of steps but who cares. Showed incredible hunger to get to the ball first and break through several tacklers. When Kildare needed him, he stood up.

kickingking wrote:

Player Of The Year:
1. JD:
The man just oozes class. I'd go as far as to say he's one of the top 3 footballers in the country. People were waxing lyrical about Brogan last week (and rightly so) but Johnny has so many more strings to his bow. Not only does he put up phenomenal scores he bursts his gut in every game working back and creating space. I remember one phase of play up in Belfast when he chased his man 100 yards down the field and dispossessed him on our own 13m line. In our next attack he was fielding the ball in the Antrim square and rattling the net. He has the top scorer wrapped up and by his own admission has had an indifferent year with the frees - that says it all about how vital a player he is to Kildare. That fetch yesterday in injury time - heroic!

2. Leper:
Just edged out by JD's brilliance. I've always said Leper was potentially one of the best footballers in Kildare but for various reasons, including injury and mismanagement, he's never had an opportunity to show it....... until this year. Never stopped trying yesterday and got his just rewards with the goal. He has become a real leader and will be a big player for Kildare in the next two or three years. Can slot seamlessly into any position on the pitch and there's not a lot of players you could say that about around the country.

Honourable mentions: Jimmers, M Flats


Most Improved Player:
1. Flynn:
To be honest, I had my doubts over whether this guy would make it but he's been Kildare's most improved player by a country mile. Had he not got injured yesterday, who knows how the game would have panned out. He showed real leadership during Dermot's injury and looks like a possible future Kildare captain.

2. Mac:
Has got a lot of stick down the years from the Kildare support, myself included I must admit. You couldn't fault him in any game this year at all. Kildare obviously means a hell of a lot to him. The photos of him out on the field yesterday playing football with his daughter were heartbreaking.

Honourable mentions: McGrillen, Bolton

Best newcomer:
1. Kelly:
Quick, strong and tough as nails - everything you'd want in a corner back. Watching him since his debut against Antrim, you'd think he was a fella with ten years experience under his belt rather than an inter-county rookie.

2. E Flats:
Didn't have a great day yesterday but wasn't alone in that regard. Played superbly against Meath and always made an impact off the bench in the back door games. Will benefit hugely from a run of games during the League considering he was unavailable for it this year and only came into the panel at the end of May.

Honourable mentions: Keith Cribbin, David Whyte


Best point:
1. Dermot v Antrim:
We struggled in the first half of that match in Belfast and Dermot kicked the first point of the second half and we didn't look back since. Won the ball over by the terrace sideline and drove it into the sky landing it right on top of the net. It lifted the whole team and the crowd greeted it with an almighty roar acknowledging everything that Dermot had gone through the previous few weeks and their appreciation that he had the courage and bravery to play on.

2. Johnny v Meath:
This score can be summarised in three simple words: PUT IT UP!

Goal of the year:
1. Jimmers v Meath:
The Buddha monk strikes: I'd say the Meath full-back line and goalkeeper are still looking for a refund after buying that dummy!

2. Leper v Down:
Brian O'Driscoll would be proud of the amount of steps but who cares. Showed incredible hunger to get to the ball first and break through several tacklers. When Kildare needed him, he stood up.

Great post kicking king, agree with all your points. Only addidtion I would make might be Hughie's second point yesterday, an absolute monster and one of the best I have seen for a long time

I to would like to highlight Mac's huge improvement this year. I will be the first to admit that when I saw his name on the team sheet I would get very nervous just for the amount of free's that would be given away. Geezer always said that he was very good player and as usual has been proved correct.

A younger fullback line would be hard found in the country, proof that there is huge potential in this team. Even the thoughts of Conway coming back into the halfbacks makes me think of next year never mind Rob Kelly back to full fitness and Dermot lording all around him again. It's these thoughts that will get me through the next few days and weeks.

young player......Kelly
senior player ..callaghan

Super performances throughout the year from a whole host of different players. There's some great quality there. Most pleasing thing for me was the emergence of Kelly and O'Flaherty. Class players. A couple more can come in and make the impact they did and we'll take some stopping. What a panel. Brilliant.

Mr Earley jnr , commitment to the lillies , in a year of sorrow , I say his father god bless his soul is so proud of him , i suppose the great man that was Mr Earley Snr wouldnt have it any other way a true gael

This thread needs a poll.

My vote goes to Eamon Callaghan. Superb performances when we really needed him.

Done

Senior player : Daryl Flynn

Huge loss on sunday due to injury but very consistent all year

Young player : Peter Kelly

Not the best kicker of a ball I have ever seen but a brilliant man marker

Player not on panel but worth a look in the championship

Paddy Walsh St Kevins

Think for me Flynn,Doyle and Kelly.
Flynn had great here,still only 25

If its player of the year and not just the championship for me it would be Flynn.

Player of the O'Byrne Cup- R. Kelly
Player of the league-Flynn
Player of the Championship-Callaghan

For me Johnny D., not his best free taking year but still finished top scorer in the chanpionship and contributed so much more in workrate, leadership, committment, and sheer love of playing for the white jersey - virtually the perfect player - what a servant.