Neil McManus: Paddy Burke's omission from All-Star nominations showed 'real flaw' in system

Neil McManus says he doubts that there "was a corner-back who was better than Paddy Burke this year"

Former Antrim hurler Neil McManus says the omission of ex-county team-mate and club-mate Paddy Burke from the All-Star nominations was evidence of a "real flaw in the system" of the awards.

The hurling All-Stars were announced on Thursday with All-Ireland champions Limerick topping the awards with seven.

"It's only inclusive of All-Ireland semi-finalists and finalists really, if we're being truthful," said McManus.

"Paddy Burke should have been in that conversation."

Speaking to BBC Sport Northern Ireland on Thursday, Cushendall man McManus, who like Burke will play in Sunday's Ulster Club semi-final against Portaferry, insisted that the corner-back should have been included in the 45 All-Star nominations announced in late September.

"There's a real flaw in that system when one of the top three or four defenders in Ireland, simply because he was playing on the Antrim team that didn't progress to the latter stages of the All-Ireland means that he is not nominated and not in the running for an award tomorrow night.

"It's a mighty shame that somebody who's had the season that Paddy Burke has had won't be there enjoying that night with his family and it would have been a very proud occasion for our club had we had Paddy nominated."

Neil McManus and Paddy Burke will both be in action for Cushendall in Sunday's Ulster Club semi-final against Portaferry

Kilkenny's Mikey Butler and Limerick's Dan Morrissey, who played at full-back as the Treaty County clinched a fourth successive Liam McCarthy Cup, won the corner-back awards.

"Obviously, Mikey Butler after his exploits on Tony Kelly is receiving his second All-Star in a row. Dan Morrissey is in the other corner having player full back all year.

"But was there a corner-back who was better than Paddy Burke this year? I'm really not sure that there was."

The All-Star team was chosen by a panel of GAA correspondents from across, print, radio, tv and digital media, in a meeting chaired by GAA president Larry McCarthy.

However, McManus believes there needs to be more "transparency around the process by which they're picked".

"I'm sure you couldn't tell me anymore on top of the very little I know about the process."

GPA also stage All-Star awards

McManus is a high-profile member of the Gaelic Players Association, who stage the awards along with the GAA, but that hasn't stopped him questioning the selection system.

"I am not sure who are the individuals who sit in the room. I'm not sure how they are selected to be in that room."

McManus, who was part of BBC Sport NI's punditry team during its live TV and iPlayer coverage of this year's All-Ireland Hurling semi-finals and final, is due to feature in RTE's live broadcast of the All-Stars awards on Friday night and insisted he would be "making this point to anybody who will listen and I'm not getting much resistance".

"I think everybody is on board that we need to make changes there and we need to make this a more reflective process of our whole season rather than just the [All-Ireland] semi-finals and finals."

McManus believes Clare's Davy Fitzgerald was another glaring omission from the All-Star team.

"He must be very, very sad. It's unfortunate because he had an exceptional year and should have been following up last year's All-Star with another one this year."