Galway quartet among All-Star nominees

AHASCRAGH-FOHENAGH'S Cathal Mannion and Salthill-Knocknacarra trio John Maher, Rob Finnerty and Matthew Thompson make up the four-man list of Galway nominees at Friday evening's PwC GAA/GPA All-Stars. The winners will be announced at a gala black-tie event at Dublin’s RDS which will also be live on RTÉ One from 7.30pm.

Mannion, scorer of 2-67 in his outstanding season for the Galway hurlers, is in competition with five others for the two available slots at midfield - Cork's Darragh Fitzgibbon and Tim O'Mahony, Kilkenny's Cian Kenny, Limerick's Adam English and Tipperary's Willie Connors.

2024 All-Stars John Maher and Rob Finnerty, along with their Salthill-Knocknacarra clubmate Matthew Thompson, have been included among this season's nominations in football. Thompson has also made the shortlist for Young Footballer of the Year for players aged 22 and under. Armagh’s Oisín Conaty and Donegal’s Finnbarr Roarty are also in contention for that award.

A meeting of GAA correspondents from across print, tv, radio and digital media and chaired by Uachtarán CLG Jarlath Burns, adjudicated on the elite list of 45 nominees in each code which is split across three goalkeepers, 18 defenders, six midfielders and 18 forwards.

All-Ireland champions Tipperary lead the way with 13 nominations in hurling followed by Cork 11, Limerick seven, Kilkenny six, Dublin four, Waterford two and one each for Waterford and Galway.

Beaten finalists Donegal are the dominant presence in football with ten nominations. All-Ireland, National League and Munster champions Kerry come next with nine contenders. Meath (five), Armagh (five), Galway (three), Monaghan (three), Dublin (two) Tyrone (two), Mayo (one), Down (one) and Derry (one) complete the list.

The football team will be announced live on the night as well as the player of the year awards in hurling and football.

HURLING NOMINEES

Goalkeepers: Rhys Shelly (Tipperary), Patrick Collins (Cork) and Nickie Quaid (Limerick).

Defenders: Eoghan Connolly, Ronan Maher, Robert Doyle, Michael Breen,Bryan O’Mara and Craig Morgan (Tipperary); Seán O’Donoghue, Niall O’Leary, Mark Coleman and Ciaran Joyce (Cork); Michael Casey, Kyle Hayes and Dan Morrissey (Limerick); Michael Carey and Huw Lawlor (Kilkenny); Conor Burke and John Bellew (Dublin); and Mark Fitzgerald (Waterford).

Midfield: Darragh Fitzgibbon and Tim O’Mahony (Cork); Cian Kenny (Kilkenny), Adam English (Limerick), Willie Connors (Tipperary) and Cathal Mannion (Galway).

Forwards: Jake Morris, Andrew Ormond, Darragh McCarthy, Jason Forde and John McGrath (Tipperary); Shane Barrett, Alan Connolly, Brian Hayes and Patrick Horgan (Cork); Aaron Gillane and Cian Lynch (Limerick); Cian O’Sullivan and Seán Currie (Dublin); Billy Ryan, Martin Keoghan and TJ Reid (Kilkenny); Lee Chin (Wexford) and Stephen Bennett (Waterford).

GAA/GPA Young Hurler of the Year: Adam English (Limerick), Darragh McCarthy and Robert Doyle (both Tipperary).

GAA/GPA Hurler of the Year: Brian Hayes (Cork), John McGrath and Jake Morris (Tipperary).

FOOTBALL NOMINEES

Goalkeepers: Shane Ryan (Kerry), Rory Beggan (Monaghan) and Ethan Rafferty (Armagh).

Defenders: Brian Ó Beaglaíoch, Jason Foley, Gavin White and Michael Breen (Kerry); Brendan McCole, Finnbarr Roarty, Peadar Mogan, Ryan McHugh and Ciarán Moore (Donegal); Ciarán Caulfield and Seán Rafferty (Meath); Craig Lennon (Louth); Jarly Óg Burns and Ross McQuillan (Armagh); Niall Devlin and Kieran McGeary (Tyrone); Dessie Ward (Monaghan), Jack Coyne (Mayo).

Midfielders: Michael Langan (Donegal), Joe O’Connor (Kerry), Odhran Murdock (Down), Conor Glass (Derry), John Maher (Galway) and Peadar Ó Cofaigh Byrne (Dublin).

Forwards: Michael Murphy, Conor O’Donnell, Shane O’Donnell and Ciaran Thompson (Donegal); David Clifford, Paudie Clifford and Seán O’Shea (Kerry); Matthew Costello, Jordan Morris and Ruairí Kinsella (Meath); Rob Finnerty and Matthew Thompson (Galway); Sam Mulroy and Ryan Burns (Louth); Oisín Conaty and Rory Grugan (Armagh); Michael Bannigan (Monaghan) and Ciaran Kilkenny (Dublin).

GAA/GPA Young Hurler of the Year: David Clifford (Kerry), Joe O’Connor (Kerry) and Michael Murphy (Donegal).

GAA/GPA Young Footballer of the Year: Oisín Conaty (Armagh), Finnbarr Roarty (Donegal) and Matthew Thompson