Reardens Ladies Football All-Star Club Team of the Year is revealed

JUST like the GAA All-Stars, picking the Reardens Ladies Football Team of the Year caused much debate between the judges.

In Cork, we are lucky enough to have plenty of players and you could name two, if not three sides, that would all be as good as each other.

The basic criteria for selection was they must have played in the senior championship (A or B levels) so players from the likes of Glanmire, Castlehaven and so on were not in the frame for selection.

Starting from the keeper the selection this year was Meabh O'Sullivan from Mourneabbey. In both the red of Cork and her club colours she had a superb season and in the club championship final against Éire Óg she made a number of saves that ensured her side stayed ahead.

Had one or two of them found the back of the net we could easily have had a different result.

Number two jersey goes to Isobel Sheehan from Éire Óg, probably one of the most consistent players in ladies football over the last number of seasons. Isobel is the type of corner-back no forward likes coming up against as you know you are going to be in for a tough 60 minutes.

For those who may not be familiar with ladies football the best way to describe Isobel would be to say that she is the Denis Irwin of the modern game.

Beside her at full-back is Aghada's Roisin Phelan, probably the best defender in the country at the moment. Not the most vocal person on the pitch she lets her football do the talking and does it talk. I lost count the number of last-ditch tackles she made over the season to deny defenders scores for both her club and county.

Making up the full-back line is Eimear Meaney from Mourneabbey, again another that lets her football do the talking. Like the other two Eimear will never let you down and is well capable of driving out of defence to set up an attack.

Making up the half-back line are Mourneabbey's Maire O'Callaghan and Roisin O'Sullivan and Éire Óg's Meabh Cahalane.

Not too many forwards would get past this trio and all three are more than capable of driving forward into attack.

O'Callaghan was Cork captain this season and all through led by example. Just when you think you have escaped from her more often than not the player will be dispossessed and defence quickly turned into attack.

O'Sullivan came back from injury this year and was a major reason her club retained their Cork club title. A versatile player who can just as easily slot into midfield or even attack if needed. The type of player any side needs.

Meabh, like Roisin Phelan, has been outstanding for both her club and county and deserves huge credit for her dual involvement with both as well.

It's never easy to balance it all, but she never complains and just gets on with it and defenders don't come much better than the dual star.

Agahada's Hannah Looney is another dual star who returned from America earlier this year and slotted back into both club and county set-ups as if she has never been away. She was one of the key players for her club's side run to the semi-final of the championship, driving the forward from midfield to win after win, before eventually losing out to Mourneabbey.

Alongside her is one of the unsung heroes of that Mourneabbey side in Brid O'Sullivan. A tireless worker show gives it everything from start to finish and can easily slot into the half-forward line as well is needed. It's no surprise she has been captain of her club now for a number of years and no doubt will be leading them for some time yet.

The number 10 jersey goes to Emma Cleary, a key player in Éire Óg reaching their second senior A final in a row. Emma had an outstanding season and will be hoping to build on it for both club and county next year.

Alongside Emma are the O'Sullivan sisters, Doireann and Ciara, and their value to both Mourneabbey and Cork can't be underestimated. Doireann missed a lot of last season due to injury but returned this year with renewed enthusiasm and was scoring goals for fun in the club championship.

Once Ciara picks up the ball you can see the fear in defenders' faces, as once she starts running at you it is virtually impossible to dispossess her.

Number 13 is Katie Quirke who has now proven over a number of seasons just how good a player she is. Another player that defenders fear, especially near the goal where she is lethal.

Number 15 goes to Eimear Scally, again one of the top forwards in the game and one as comfortable off the left as the right foot. Her dinking runs have left many a defender on the floor as she brushes them aside in pursuit of a score.

In naming the team there are lots more that were unlucky to lose out, including the likes of Lisa Crowley, Kate Williamson, Sadhbh McGoldrick, Annie Walsh, Orla Finn and Sarah and Rachel Leahy to name a few.

REARDENS LADIES FOOTBALL TEAM OF THE YEAR

Meabh O'Sullivan, (Mourneabbey); 

Isobel Sheehan, (Éire Óg), Roisin Phelan, (Aghada), Eimear Meaney (Mourneabbey); 

Maire O'Callaghan (Mourneabbey), Roisin O'Sullivan, (Mourneabbey), Meabh Cahalane (Éire Óg); 

Hannah Looney, (Aghada), Brid O'Sullivan, (Mourneabbey); 

Emma Cleary (Éire Óg), Doireann O'Sullivan (Mourneabbey), Ciara O'Sullivan (Mourneabbey); 

Katie Quirke (Bride Rovers), Laura Fitzgerald (Mourneabbey), Eimear Scally (Éire Óg).