Not one player from Ulster is included in the Opel Gaelic Players Association Football Team of the Year which was confirmed last night.

In contrast to previous years, the northern province is left out in the cold as eight players from All Ireland champions Kerry, six from defeated finalists Cork and one from Kildare make up the side.

While Tyrone reached the All Ireland semi-finals in which they were beaten by Cork and also won the Ulster title, they have no representatives in the side. Indeed Stephen O’Neill, who was included in the Vodafone All Stars team, was overlooked in favour of Kerry’s Tommy Walsh this time round with Donegal’s Karl Lacey, included in the All Stars side at left-full-back, losing out to another Kerry player Marc O Se in the GPA line-up.

O’Neill’s spectacular finishing had much to do with Tyrone’s progress while Lacey was outstanding for Donegal all season.

Former Donegal All Ireland winner Martin McHugh was chairman of the team selection committee and he indicated that, while some of the choices had been straightforward, others had been “close calls”.

“We put forward three nominees for each position and then the GPA membership had its say,” said McHugh.

Gaelic Players Association chief executive Dessie Farrell said: “I think the team is reflective of the way in which the National League and All Ireland Championship went this year.”

Kildare’s Dermot Earley broke the Kerry-Cork monopoly.

GPA Team of the Year: Diarmuid Murphy (Kerry), Marc Ó Sé (Kerry), Michael Shields (Cork), Tom O'Sullivan (Kerry), Tomás Ó Sé (Kerry), Graham Canty (Cork), John Miskella (Cork), Dermot Earley (Kildare), Seamus Scanlon (Kerry), Paul Galvin (Kerry), Pearse O'Neill (Cork), Paddy Kelly (Cork), Daniel Goulding (Cork), Declan O'Sullivan (Kerry), Tommy Walsh (Kerry).