LGFA All Star Awards
DONEGAL captain Niamh McLaughlin took home the prestigious TG4 Senior Players’ Player of the Year award at the LGFA annual All Star banquet in the Bonnington Hotel on Saturday night.
It was a night to remember for Ulster ladies footballing stars with McLaughlin receiving her first Allstar gong at midfield while Armagh star Aimee Mackin collected her third, adding to her 2015 and 2017 awards.
All-Ireland junior finalists Fermanagh saw Blaithin Bogue, who was incredible for the Erne County, take away the Junior Players’ Player of the Year award after being voted by her peers.
McLaughlin was Donegal’s stand out player this year as the Tir Chonaill girls reached a Division One National League final, Ulster final and the All-Ireland Senior Championship semi-final, playing a captain’s role with hugely impressive displays at midfield and some fantastic scores.
The 28-year-old became the first Donegal player to receive the allocate, also voted for by her fellow senior inter-county players, beat off stiff competition from Meath star Emma Duggan and Kerry star Louise Ni Mhuircheartaigh.
Bogue finished the All-Ireland junior championship with 2-13 including seven points from play against Antrim in the drawn All-Ireland final in Croke Park back in July. She was given the nod ahead of fellow county team-mate Eimear Smyth, who was busy on Saturday helping her club Derrygonnelly to victory in the All-Ireland Intermediate Club Championship quarter-final over Round Towers, London, and Antrim captain Cathy Carey. All three were named recently on the 2022 TG4 Junior Team of the Championship.
Back-to-back All-Ireland champions and Division One league winners Meath were the main winners on the evening with six representatives on this year’s team.
Goalkeeper Monica McGuirk claimed a third TG4 All Star award and is one four Royal County players honoured for a second successive year, alongside Emma Troy, Aoibhín Cleary and Emma Duggan. Team-mates, captain Shauna Ennis and Stacey Grimes are first time recipients.
Ní Mhuircheartaigh collected her third All Star award, and first since 2013, while Cáit Lynch bridged a ten-year gap by earning her second award, this one at midfield. First time Kerry recipients are Kayleigh Cronin, Aishling O’Connell and Niamh Carmody. Mayo received two All Star awards - Danielle Caldwell and Shauna Howley.
2022 All Star Team: Monica McGuirk (Meath); Shauna Ennis (Meath), Kayleigh Cronin (Kerry), Danielle Caldwell (Mayo); Aishling O’Connell (Kerry), Emma Troy (Meath), Aoibhín Cleary (Meath); Cáit Lynch (Kerry), Niamh McLaughlin (Donegal); Niamh Carmody (Kerry), Emma Duggan (Meath), Shauna Howley (Mayo); Aimee Mackin (Armagh), Stacey Grimes (Meath), Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh (Kerry)