While the All-Star nomination list always generates quite a bit of debate in each given season, with 2025 no exception. Kerry and Donegal predictably dominated the list, with players from those counties also making up the Footballer of the Year nominations.

David Clifford is the heavy favourite for the award, also being joined on the shortlist by teammate Joe O’Connor. Michael Murphy completes the list, being nominated for the gong after making his return to inter-county level.

However, not everyone is convinced by the Donegal man’s inclusion.

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Pat Spillane Baffled By Award For Donegal’s Michael Murphy

While Michael Murphy received a huge amount of praise for his Donegal performances this season, some feel that it has been a bit overblown.

Writing in the Irish Independent, Pat Spillane suggested that Murphy was nowhere near the top three players in the country in 2025. In fact, he’s not convinced he even would finish on the podium for Donegal.

I cannot figure out how Michael Murphy of Donegal got a nomination.

Listen, I have huge, huge admiration for Michael Murphy…

But let’s be realistic. Was he one of the top three players in Ireland this year? Most definitely not.

Actually, come to think of it, was he Donegal’s best player this year? I don’t think so. In my opinion, that was Michael Langan. I would suggest their second-best player was Finbarr Roarty.

And I would suggest that their third-best player was also their best forward, and it’s not Michael Murphy, but Conor O’Donnell.

Michael Murphy certainly had a huge impact for Donegal in 2025, but Pat Spillane feels there are other players who were more deserving of a Footballer of the Year nomination.

In any case, it seems highly unlikely that anybody other than David Clifford will be in with a chance of winning the award.

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