Dublin captain Stephen Cluxton waves to fans after the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Final match between Dublin and Tyrone at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile.
By John Harrington
We're quarter of the way through this Gaelic football century so it's perhaps timely to attempt to pick a team of it so far.
The last 25 years saw the emergence of great Dublin, Tyrone, and Kerry teams as well as a host of gifted individuals from an array of other counties, so shoe-horning the best of the best into a 26-man panel was a ridiculously tough task, much less settling on a starting XV.
The competition for places was such that 10 of the 25 Footballers of the Year from 2000 to 2024 didn’t make the cut for the final 26.
Hard calls were made and some players missed out by wafer-thin margins. You might find it easy to think of a player you believe should have been included in the below list but deciding who to drop in their favour will surely give you pause for thought.
1: Stephen Cluxton (Dublin)
The easiest position on the team to pick, Stephen Cluxton reimagined the position of goalkeeper to make it the most important on the pitch thanks to his laser-guided kick-outs. He has a deep catalogue of brilliant saves too and his match-winner in the 2011 All-Ireland Final will always be an iconic score.
2: Marc Ó Sé
The five-time All-Ireland winner and 2007 Footballer of the Year combined defensive grit with attacking class. He carried the ball with such style it looked like he glided across the ground.
3: Seamus Moynihan (Kerry)
Footballer of the year in 2000, Moynihan is one of the greatest ball-playing defenders in the history of the game. His athleticism, anticipation, and skill made him a joy to watch as he attacked every ball with gusto.
4: Keith Higgins (Mayo)
The four-time All-Star as the prototype of the modern corner-back thanks to his combination of tigerish defending and counter-attacking ability. He had pace, skill, and a great knack for reading the game.
Lee Keegan of Mayo celebrates after scoring a goal in the 54th minute of the 2017 GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Final match between Dublin and Mayo at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
5: Lee Keegan: The five-time All-Star and 2016 footballer of the year was a brilliant all-round footballer who could combine touch-tight man-marking with a great ability to join the attack and kick important scores.
6: Kieran McGeeney (Armagh)
The 2002 All-Ireland winning Armagh captain was a relentless competitor who tackled brilliantly, read the game intuitively, and had a great range of kick-passing that could turn defence into attack in the blink of an eye.
7: James McCarthy (Dublin)
The five-time All-Star was a crucial component in the Dublin team that won nine All-Ireland titles. One of the most athletic players of his generation, his power in the tackle, strength under a high ball, and ability to stride forward in possession always gave his team huge momentum.
Brian Fenton pictured with the Sam Maguire Cup following Dublin's 2023 All-Ireland SFC Final win over Kerry at Croke Park. Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
8: Brian Fenton (Dublin)
The most important player in Dubin’s six-in-a-row winning team and the best midfielder of his generation. Fenton’s fielding, athleticism, scoring range, and ability to be in the right place at the right time was special.
9: Michael Murphy (Donegal)
The five-time All-Star is one of the most complete players of his era. A master of all skills from catching to kicking, tackling to scoring.
10: Sean Cavanagh (Tyrone)
The 2008 Footballer of the Year and five-time All-Star was irresistible at his best thanks to a rare combination of speed, skill, strength, and scoring power.
Peter Canavan, Tyrone, celebrates scoring his side's first goal. Bank of Ireland All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final, Kerry v Tyrone, Croke Park, Dublin. Picture credit; Brendan Moran / SPORTSFILE.
11: Peter Canavan (Tyrone)
He played champagne football in the 1990s as well but Canavan saved the sweetest wine for the noughties, captaining Tyrone to their first ever All-Ireland in 2003 and playing a key role in their second two years later. A master at creating space for himself and finishing clinically.
12: Ciarán Kilkenny (Dublin)
The six-time All-Star and two-time Footballer of the Year nominee has been hugely consistent for Dublin during their era of dominance. His work-rate, physicality, eye for a score, and ability to perform on the biggest of occasions have made him a force to be reckoned with.
13: Colm Cooper (Kerry)
The eight-time All-Star and five-time All-Ireland winner is one of the most skilful forwards the game has ever produced. His unique combination of cold-blooded finishing and creative passing saw him excel both as an inside forward and a play-making centre-forward later in his career.
David Clifford of Kerry with his son Ógie after the 2022 GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Final match between Kerry and Galway at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
14: David Clifford (Kerry)
Still only 25, David Clifford is already commonly regarded as bone of greatest footballers to ever play the game. His size, speed, skill, and outrageous scoring ability makes him the most complete forward of his generation.
15: Conor McManus (Monaghan)
From 2008 to 2024, Conor McManus scored an astounding 9-291 in championship football, putting him fourth in the list of all-time championship scorers. There are none better at arcing over angled points from either side of the pitch than the Monaghan maestro.
16: Niall Morgan (Tyrone)
It’s been the Stephen Cluxton era of goalkeeping but none have stepped out from his shadow more than Morgan who’s ability to rove up the field as a play-maker and score points from both play and free-kicks makes him something special.
Tyrone's Conor Gormley blocks a late shot from Armagh's Steven McDonnell in the 2003 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final, Armagh v Tyrone, Croke Park, Dublin. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
17: Conor Gormley
His iconic block on Steven McDonnell in the 2003 All-Ireland Final will always have a special place in Tyrone lore. The three-time All-Star a defender of great physicality and intelligence who could play in a variety of positions.
18: Michael Fitzsimons (Dublin)
The nine-time All-Ireland winner is the best man-marker of his generation. His sustained effectiveness against the best forwards in the game over such a long career has been highly impressive.
19: Tomás Ó Sé (Kerry)
The five-time All-Ireland winner was a force of nature at wing-back for Kerry with his buccaneering runs from defence and ability to take a score an inspiration for team-mates and supporters alike.
Jack McCaffrey of Dublin races clear of Adrian Spillane of Kerry during the 2023 GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship final match between Dublin and Kerry at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Ray McManus/Sportsfile.
20: Jack McCaffrey (Dublin)
Another wing-back who got bums off seats thanks to his electric pace and ability to join the attack and get big scores.
21: Philip Jordan (Tyrone)
Jordan was poetry in motion when he ran forward with the ball and was highly effective too when it came to the bread and butter stuff in defence.
22: Darragh Ó Sé (Kerry)
The six-time All-Ireland winner was the dominant midfielder of his generation. A magnificent fielder of the ball who had a happy habit of kicking some big scores.
23: Stephen O’Neill (Tyrone)
Stephen O’Neill had one of the sweetest left pegs the game has ever seen and a great ability to weave his way through opposition defences thanks to his balance and side-step.
Steven McDonnell, Armagh, goes round Diarmuid Murphy, Kerry, for his side's 1st half goal in the 2006 Bank of Ireland All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Quarter-Final, Armagh v Kerry, Croke Park, Dublin. Picture credit; Oliver McVeigh / SPORTSFILE.
24: Steven McDonnell (Armagh)
The 2003 Footballer of the Year was an absolute assassin in front of the posts who blessed with skill, strength, and ruthless finishing instinct.
25: Cillian O’Connor (Mayo)
Cillian O’Connor is the leading scorer in the history of the championship with an incredible tally of 32-363. The bigger the occasion the more he seemed to like it.
26: Bernard Brogan (Dublin)
The 2010 Footballer of the Year was a really classy attacker seemed just as strong off either foot and showed great composure when goal-scoring opportunities came his way.