TG4 Ladies' Football Allstar Awards
THE stage is set for a fantastic 2015 Ladies' Football Allstar awards night in Dublin's Citywest Hotel on Saturday, with eight players flying the flag for Ulster.
It might be the smallest amount of nominations the province has received in the last few years, but they are among 45 who have been nominated for their exploits with their counties this year and, with just 15 Allstars up for grabs, competition is fierce.
Ulster champions Donegal have three nominations - Geraldine McLaughlin, Treasa Doherty and Niamh Hegarty. Monaghan, beaten Ulster finalists, also have three nominations - Linda Martin, Cathriona McConnell and Cora Courtney - while All-Ireland semi-finalists Armagh see captain Caroline O’Hanlon and teen sensation Aimee Mackin both nominated.
McLaughlin, who was instrumental in helping Donegal to a first ever Ulster Senior Championship title and her club Termon to the All-Ireland Senior Club title at the end of last year, is one of 18 players battling it out for the six places in the forward lines, while her county team-mates Doherty and Hegarty have been nominated in defence.
Monaghan goalkeeper Linda Martin, who was named Player of the Tournament at this year’s Interprovincial Championships, which Ulster won, is still seeking her first Allstar, while Cora Courtney, who has won consecutive Allstars in the past two years, is again named in the forwards alongside her club and county team-mate Cathriona McConnell, who won an award in 2012.
For O’Hanlon, nominated at midfield, this would be a fourth Allstar award if she is successful on the night, while it is a first nomination for 19-year-old Mackin, who is also named among the forwards.
All-Ireland senior champions Cork receive 11 nominations and beaten finalists Dublin have 10. Galway and Kerry both have five each. Waterford are rewarded for their TG4 All Ireland Intermediate Championship win with three nominations and Mayo great Cora Staunton is nominated for what would be her 10th All Star award. Should she receive an award, she will become the joint most successful player, bringing her level with Kerry great Mary Jo Curran.
2015 ALLSTAR NOMINATIONS
Goalkeepers: M O’Brien (Cork), C Trant (Dublin), L Martin (Monaghan); Defenders: M Ambrose (Cork), V Foley (Cork), G O’Flynn (Cork), B Stack (Cork), D O’Reilly (Cork), T Doherty (Donegal), C Hegarty (Donegal), O Carey (Dublin), S Goldrick (Dublin), S Finnegan (Dublin), S Furlong (Dublin), M Ní Scanaill (Dublin), S Burke (Galway), Á Seoighe (Galway), A Desmond (Kerry), C Kelly (Kerry), C Lynch (Kerry), L Wall (Waterford); Midfielders: C O’Hanlon (Armagh), R Buckley (Cork), B Corkery (Cork), G Conneally (Galway), B Breen (Kerry), F McHale (Mayo); Forwards: A Mackin (Armagh), V Mulcahy (Cork), C O’Sullivan (Cork), A Walsh (Cork), G McLaughlin (Donegal), L Davey (Dublin), N Healy (Dublin), N McEvoy (Dublin), C Rowe (Dublin), T Leonard (Galway), P Gleeson (Galway), L Ní Muircheartaigh (Kerry), Á Tighe (Leitrim), C Staunton (Mayo), C Courtney (Monaghan), C McConnell (Monaghan), M Delahunty (Waterford), A Wall (Waterford).
