All-Ireland champions Tyrone landed the lion’s share of places in the Vodafone Allstars Football side for 2008.

No fewer than seven members of Mickey Harte’s side - Brian Dooher, Conor Gormley, Justin McMahon, Davy Harte, Philip Jordan, Enda McNulty and Sean Cavanagh - have been accorded the coveted honour.

And they are joined in the team by one other Ulster player, Armagh’s Ronan Clarke, who beat off stiff competition to land the full-foward berth.

Tyrone’s generous recognition in the team is the latest in a string of individual honours for the All-Ireland winning heroes.

Indeed, it could be said that some other members of the side, notably Ryan McMenamin and Colm McCullagh, were somewhat unfortunate not to have been included.

In all, five counties are represented in the selection, with players from beaten All-Ireland finalists finalists Kerry as well as Westmeath and Leinster champions Dublin in the mix.

Tyrone’s haul tops that of last year’s All-Ireland champions Kerry, who had six players selected in the 2007 football Allstars team.

Among the Kerry players included is Colm Cooper, who picked up his fifth award, more awards than any other member of this year’s Allstars.

Tyrone’s All-Ireland final man-of-the-match Sean Cavanagh and Kerry defender Tomas Ó Sé, collected their fourth awards, while Tyrone’s Conor Gormley, Philip Jordan and Brian Dooher all landed their third awards.

Three players, Tomás Ó Sé, Declan O’Sullivan and Colm Cooper, all from Kerry, are the only back-to-back Allstars this year.

For Sean Cavanagh, this latest Allstar award caps an amazing two months. The Moy clubman was also honoured Vodafone Player of the Month for both August and September and in the same period was appointed captain of Irish International Rules squad.

He is in the running for the Player of the Year award, the winner of which will be announced at the Allstars banquet in Dublin on Friday.

There are five new Allstars in this year’s selection: Justin McMahon, Davy Harte and Enda McGinley from Tyrone; Gary Connaughton, the Westmeath goalkeeper and Shane Ryan, (Dublin).

The county breakdown is: Tyrone (7), Kerry (4), Westmeath (2), Armagh (1) and Dublin (1).

Tyrone defender Philip Jordan, who collected his third Allstar, said: “It’s never easy to win Allstars and obviously while Tyrone had reason for optimism that some might come our way, we were certainly taking nothing for granted. But to have four players chosen out of seven in the defence speaks for itself, although I would have to say that I was disappointed Ryan McMenamin did not make the side. He deserved to [be in it]. He was overlooked in 2003 as well and I think that his omission this time is unfortunate,” said Jordan, a 28-year-old accountant.

And although he is looking forward to attending tomorrow night’s lavish awards banquet in Dublin, he will certainly not be immersing himself too much in the celebrations: “That’s because Moy are playing Trillick in the Tyrone Intermediate Championship final on Sunday. While I’m particularly pleased to have got another Allstar, I would dearly love to see Moy land the trophy as this would ensure our involvement in the senior championship next year. That’s where we want to be,” added Jordan.

Armagh’s mercurial full-forward Ronan Clarke said: “Just to be in the side is a great personal bonus for me and I’m delighted. It’s an important honour and I am really grateful. At this level, competition for honours, both team and individual, is always very hot and that’s why it means a lot to be to be in alongside such outstanding players. I would have loved to see Armagh going further in the All-Ireland series though. That defeat against Wexford was a major setback – I felt for our magnificent supporters,” said the Pearse Og clubman who will line out in Sunday’s Armagh senior championship final against Crossmaglen Rangers.

Ulster Council secretary Danny Murphy, said: “Every one of the eight fully deserves to be in there and I think a case perhaps could have been made for one or two more.”

The Vodafone Allstars Hurling team will be kept under wraps until Friday’s televised banquet but it’s a safe bet that the line-up will be liberally dotted by All-Ireland champions Kilkenny.