NIAMH Mallon, scorer of 1-21 over five games as Galway finished runners-up in the Glen Dimplex All-Ireland senior title-race last month, has received her second nomination for a PwC Camogie All-Star Award.
The flying forward, who recently transferred back to feature in the Down championship with her native Portaferry, was nominated back in 2021 after Down’s return to the senior championship.
She was out of luck that year, but her higher profile with Galway, some excellent point-taking and a superb individual goal in their semi-final win over Tipperary suggest that she could become the first Ulster player to claim the award since Derry’s Gráinne McGoldrick in 2009.
Cork substitute and another Down native, Sorcha McCartan, came off the bench to pick off two crucial points to see the Leesiders over the line in Croke Park. Those scores and others from the bench through the course of the championship weren’t enough to see her included in the list of 12 nominations from the Cork team.
Half of those 12 were in last year’s team – Amy Lee, Laura Treacy, Hannah Looney, Saoirse McCarthy and player of the year Amy O’Connor with Treacy and McCarthy in the shortlist with Galway’s Aoife Donohue for the PwC GPA Players of the Year.
As well as Mallon and Donohue, Galway have received nine more nominations, including Róisín Black, their only All-star 12 months ago.
League champions Tipperary were edged out by 1-2 from Mallon in a thrilling semi-final. They have seven nominees including Karen Kennedy from last year’s line-up. Their other All-star from last year, Cáit Devane, only returned from injury in the latter stages of the championship and doesn’t make the short-list.
Dublin were surprise winners over Kilkenny to reach a rare semi-final in July and their reward is four nominations including the excellent Aisling Maher.
Last year’s Player of the Year Beth Carton is one of just two Waterford players in the nomination list released by Croke Park yesterday (TUESDAY). The other is goal-keeper Brianna O’Regan while there is much surprise that not one Kilkenny player makes the cut.
As well as the short-list for PwC GPA Senior Player of the Year, the nominees in the Intermediate and Junior categories have also been released.
Champions Cork supply two players for PwC GPA Camogie Intermediate Player of the Year Lauren Homan and Emma Flanagan, while top-scorer Danielle Morrisey represents runners up Kilkenny.
Laois have two in the running for PwC GPA Camogie Premier Junior Player of the Year Clodagh Tynan and Aimee Collier along with Tipperary’s Jenny Grace.
The announcement of the 2024 PwC Soaring Stars and Manager of the Year will be revealed on Tuesday September 24.