Lethal weapons: Picking an All-Star football 15 of shooters from outside the arc
Cork's Brian O'Driscoll is an excellent long-range shooter. Picture: INPHO/Ben Brady
Gaelic football’s new reward for long-range shooters has revolutionised a scoring system that hadn’t changed since the five-point goal was reduced to three in 1896.
Here we celebrate a team of players who have become pioneers of the orange flag during the 2025 Football League.
Such is the Monaghan goalkeeper’s placed-ball accuracy from outside the arc, Beggan ranks 10th in the list of Division 2’s top scorers.
If he keeps up his conversion rate in the final, he will pick off a few more forwards yet.
Having attracted interest from America’s NFL last year, he has scored in every round of Ireland’s NFL this spring. His 0-31 total includes 14 two-pointers (13 frees and one from play on the opening day against Cavan).
Since Conor McManus’s retirement, Beggan has been Monaghan’s highest scorer.
Picked in his trademark no. 2 position, even if the 3v3 rule has seen the corner-back liberated to a wing role. The steely defender not only recorded a brace of two-pointers against Armagh and Kerry but added goals past Derry and Dublin. McKernan is Tyrone’s highest scorer from play with 2-12 and seventh best in Division 1.
The Down no. 3 marked the first weekend of the new rules with 1-2 in a cracking televised contest. He knocked over a long-range effort and when a Pat Havern two-point attempt dropped short, McEvoy batted to the Roscommon net.
As Galway gave chase against Dublin, the corner-back escaped his usual station to strike Stephen Cluxton’s crossbar before landing an orange flag. That intervention sparked a 2-2 streak in a mini-revival at Croke Park.
The versatile Carrigaline footballer has worn no. 5 throughout the League as he sets the tempo of Cork attacks. O’Driscoll chipped in with a two-point free off the ground against Meath and has tacked on five from play since then.
Has lined out at centre-back and centre-forward but for this exercise, we’ll happily have him in defence. To be fair, the majority of McVeety’s five doubles have come with the no. 6 on his back. Came agonisingly close to another against Cork which would’ve secured promotion to Division 1 for Cavan.
Something of a joint award after the McCartan brothers, Danny and Sam, combined for four two-pointers against Cork. Danny kicked three of those, off both left and right, with two assisted by elder sibling Sam. The wing-back also grabbed green and white flags for a 1-3 total to match Danny’s 0-6 haul.
Despite Derry’s relegation, the 2022 All-Star has let the shackles off from outside the arc in recent rounds, kicking three orange flags against Mayo and another two in Armagh last time out.
In the third minute of added time against Longford, Russell became the first man to kick a two-pointer that turned a one-point defeat into a one-point victory. The Tipperary midfielder has produced his trademark score six times across the League.
It was a desperate League for Leitrim in Division 3 but we’re marking the contribution of rising star Honeyman for raising their only orange flag of the campaign.
Saved his best for Páirc Uí Chaoimh when unleashing a remarkable display of five orange flags, including four from play. Mulroy was positioned at centre-forward to charge onto the ball from deep for many of those outrageous scores.
Ended the League with 12 to his name.
A tactical switch out from corner-forward to include O’Donoghue in recognition of his standout feat of scoring the only two-pointer direct from a sideline in the League.
Kicking off our full-forward line of elite long-range shooters is Westmeath go-to man Loughlin. His 11 two-pointers included an eye-catching seven from play even if it couldn’t extend Westmeath’s stay in Division 2.
The man whose two-point accuracy downed Cork, Havern racked up 14 doubles with half from open play. Like Loughlin, his heroics weren’t enough to avoid the Division 2 drop.
Saving the top marksman for last, Walsh kicked a whopping 15 two-pointers in the opening five rounds of the League. He mastered the Salthill wind to notch four orange flags against Mayo and Donegal, while his total is closely split between frees (eight) and play (seven).
Injury prevented Walsh from adding to those numbers against Kerry.
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