Anthony Thompson, the Donegal wing-back, has been selected as a replacement All-Star for the 2012 All-Stars tour to America.
BY CHRIS MCNULTY
DONEGAL wing-back Anthony Thompson has been named as a replacement All-Star with the 2012 GAA/GPA All-Stars Football Tour which departs for New York on Wednesday.
The touring party consists of players from the 2011 and 2012 All-Star teams who will play in the tour’s exhibition game under the guidance of team managers Pat Gilroy (2011) and Jim McGuinness (2012).
Some of the All-Stars, including Frank McGlynn and Colm McFadden, are unable to make the trip Stateside, while the inclusions of Neil McGee, Karl Lacey and Paul Flynn on both the 2011 and 2012 All-Star lists mean that the door has been opened for the likes of Thompson.
The Naomh Conaill man was nominated for an All-Star award, but missed out on selection.
Six of Donegal’s eight 2012 All-Stars will make the trip, with McGee, Lacey, Paul Durcan, Mark McHugh, Neil Gallagher and Michael Murphy heading away.
Murphy and McHugh left this morning, alongside Jim McGuinness and the Donegal Treasurer Grace Boyle as they embark on a fund-raising mission that coincides with the All-Stars trip.
Included on the traveling party is double All-Star and former Donegal player Kevin Cassidy, who was controversially axed from the Donegal squad last year.
The All-Star game takes place at Gaelic Park, The Bronx, New York on Saturday next, November 17th at 6pm local time. Maurice Deegan (Laois) will officiate as referee for this game and it will be preceded by a game between the FDNY versus the NYPD at 4pm.
The touring party is as follows:
Double All Stars: (2011 & 2012): Karl Lacey (Donegal), Neil McGee (Donegal) and Paul Flynn (Dublin).
2011 Travelling All Stars: Paul Flynn (Dublin), Marc Ó Sé (Kerry), Bryan Sheehan (Kerry), Karl Lacey (Donegal), Alan Brogan (Dublin), Kevin Cassidy (Donegal), Andy Moran (Mayo), Bernard Brogan (Dublin), Kevin Nolan (Dublin), Michael Darragh Macauley (Dublin), Darran O’ Sullivan (Kerry), Neil McGee (Donegal), Michael Foley (Kildare).
2012 Travelling All Stars: Alan Dillon (Mayo), Aidan Walsh (Cork), Lee Keegan (Mayo), Colm O’ Neill (Cork), Neil Gallagher (Donegal), Mark McHugh (Donegal), Michael Murphy (Donegal), Paul Durcan (Donegal), Keith Higgins (Mayo)
Replacements: Eoin Cadogan (Cork), Ben Brosnan (Wexford), Tomás Ó Sé (Kerry), Brendan Kealy (Kerry), Cillian O’Connor (Mayo), Kevin McLoughlin (Mayo), Anthony Thompson (Donegal), Rory O’Carroll (Dublin), Joe McMahon (Tyrone), Kevin McManamon (Dublin), Donnacha O’Connor (Cork), Paul Kerrigan (Cork).
The touring party arrives back in Ireland Tuesday, November 20th.
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