Connaughton in pole position as three Westmeath players

Three Westmeath footballers - Gary Connaughton, John Keane and Michael Ennis - received Vodafone All-Star nominations last week. Of the three Westmeath players, goalkeeper Gary Connaughton would appear most likely to chosen for a prestigious All-Star award.The Tubberclair man is nominated for the No 1 position alongside Wexford"s Anthony Masterson and Cavan"s James Reilly.This is the third time for Connaughton to be nominated for an All-Star, having been previously short-listed in 2004 and 2006. Both Connaughton"s opponents for the position are first time nominees, with Masterson appearing to be the Westmeath man"s most serious challenger, although he did concede three goals in the Leinster final demolition at the hands of Dublin. Wexford are likely to receive All-Star recognition after their fairytale run to the All-Ireland semi-finals, with ace forward Matty Forde the most likely recipient. Connaughton has been among the top goalkeepers in Gaelic football since becoming Westmeath"s first choice netminder in 2004.Rosemount"s John Keane who, like Des Dolan, was an All-Star winner in 2004, when Westmeath won the Leinster senior football title for the first and only time. Keane was a key figure in a Westmeath defence which was arguably the best in the country this year and he produced an outstanding display in direct opposition to Dublin star forward Alan Brogan in the Leinster championship semi-final. Although Westmeath were beaten by two points by the eventual Leinster champions in that game, Keane was chosen as the official man-of-the-match.The opposition in the full-back line is not as strong as in some other areas and Keane has an outside chance of an award. However, the fact that Westmeath were eliminated in the second round of the qualifiers and that has already won an award might count against him when the judges make their final selection.It is the first time that Michael Ennis has been nominated, and it is deserved and overdue recognition for the Ballinagore clubman. In 2004, then Westmeath manager Páidí Ó Sé was among those who felt the versatile wing-back was very unlucky to miss out on a nomination.Although operating in defence, Ennis got forward to find the net in Westmeath"s agonising provincial semi-final defeat to Dublin and in the frustrating All-Ireland qualifier defeat to eventual Sam Maguire winners Tyrone. However, he faces very tough opposition for an All-Star, with Tyrone duo Davy Harte, Philip Jordan, Fermanagh"s Ryan McCluskey and Kerry"s Tomás Ó Sé all vying for places in the half-back line.Earlier in the season, Martin Flanagan seemed in line for an All-Star nomination; he was Vodafone Player of the Month for April when Westmeath won the National Football League Division Two title and he was man-of-the-match in the Leinster championship first round match against Longford. However, a knee injury picked up in the Leinster quarter-final win over Offaly seriously impaired Flanagan"s chances of making an impact later in the championship.All-Ireland champions Tyrone top the All-Star football nominations list with ten of their All-Ireland winning side short-listed, while defeated All-Ireland finalists Kerry have nine players nominated. Surprisingly, player of the year front-runner Sean Cavanagh has been nominated for one of the half-forward positions, despite the fact that he featured at full-forward throughout the championship.The final selection will be announced on October 15, two days prior to the All-Stars Banquet at the City West Hotel.The Vodafone GAA Football All-Star nominees for 2008 are as follows:GoalkeeperGary Connaughton (Westmeath), Anthony Masterson (Wexford), James Reilly (Cavan).Full-BacksFrancie Bellew (Armagh), Finian Hanley (Galway), David Henry (Dublin), Conor Gormley (Tyrone), Justin McMahon (Tyrone), Dessie Mone (Monaghan), John Keane (Westmeath), Anthony Lynch (Cork), Marc Ó Sé (Kerry).Half-BacksGraham Canty (Cork), Michael Ennis (Westmeath), Davy Harte (Tyrone), Philip Jordan (Tyrone), Ryan McMenamin (Tyrone), Ryan McCluskey (Fermanagh), Thomas McElroy (Fermanagh), Aidan O"Mahony (Kerry), Tomás Ó Sé (Kerry).MidfieldFergal Doherty (Derry), Enda McGinley (Tyrone), Martin McGrath (Fermanagh), Darragh Ó Sé (Kerry), Shane Ryan (Dublin), Seamus Scanlon (Kerry).Half-ForwardsRedmond Barry (Wexford), John Doyle (Kildare), Sean Cavanagh (Tyrone), Michael Cussen (Cork), Pearse O"Neill (Cork), Brian Dooher (Tyrone), Colm McCullagh, (Tyrone), Padraic Joyce (Galway), Declan O"Sullivan (Kerry).Full-ForwardsAlan Brogan (Dublin), Ronan Clarke (Armagh), Colm Cooper (Kerry), Kieran Donaghy (Kerry), Tommy Walsh (Kerry), Matty Forde (Wexford), Ciaran Lyng (Wexford), Tommy McGuigan (Tyrone), Michael Meehan (Galway).