Eleven Jackies shortlisted for All Star awards

Wed, 8th October 2014

The 2014 TG4 All Star nominations have been announced with players from 12 counties represented in the 45 strong shortlist - with Dublin heading the list with 11 players.

The 2014 TG4 senior All-Ireland finalists dominate the list with 11 Dublin players nominated and Cork receiving 10 nominations. Mayo legend, Cora Staunton, is also nominated for an award which, if she is selected, would make her the joint record All Star Award winner with iconic Kerry player, Mary Jo Curran who received 10 Awards.

Elsewhere the two defeated TG4 All Ireland semi finalists, Galway and Armagh, receive four nominations each whilst TG4 Intermediate All Ireland Champions, Down have three nominations with beaten finalists, Fermanagh receiving two nominations.

Dublin’s Cliodhna O’Connor is rewarded for a fine year with a nomination in the goalkeeping position where she is joined by Laois netminder, Ciamh Dollard and Monaghan no. 1 Linda Martin. Dublin’s other nominees in defence include Rachel Ruddy, Sorcha Furlong, Leah Caffrey and Siobhan McGrath. Dublin captain, Sinead Goldrick, is also nominated for what could be her third All Star in a row. In attack Dublin’s nominees include Noelle Healy, Carla Rowe, Lyndsey Davey, Sinead Aherne and Lindsay Peat.

Cork are also well represented in the nominations where Roisin Phelan , Vera Foley and Annie Walsh are all hoping for their first All Star Awards. Briege Corkery will hope to round off a memorable year after completing the Ladies Football and Camogie All Ireland wins and captaining the Rebellettes to their remarkable come back victory over Dublin, Briege has already won 7 All Star Awards and was named the 2012 TG4 Player’s Player of the Year. The rest of Cork’s nominees are all multiple All Star winners already with Angela Walsh (5), Bríd Stack (5), Deirdre O’Reilly (4), Geraldine O’Flynn (4), Ciara O’Sullivan (1) and Valerie Mulcahy (5) all in line to increase their haul of personal honours.

Mairead Tennyson, Caroline O’Hanlon, Sinead McCleary and Fionnuala McKenna are all nominated from the Ulster Championship winning Armagh team with Galway’s 3 in a row Connacht champions represented by Sinead Burke, Emer Flaherty, Annette Clarke and Barbara Hannon.

TG4 Intermediate All Ireland Champions, Down have 3 nominees including Eliza Downey, Kyla Trainor and Aileen Pyers with beaten finalists Fermanagh represented by Marcella Monahan and Caroline Little. Áine Tighe is the other nominee to come from the Intermediate grade as she is Leitrim’s sole representative.

Defeated Munster finalists Kerry have two nominees including Bernie Breen and Sarah Houlihan with Laois also having two nominees including Ciamh Dollard and Maggie Murphy. Last year’s beaten finalists, Monaghan also have two nominees in Cora Courtney and Linda Martin. Tyrone’s inspirational captain, Gemma Begley, is their sole nominee. Mayo also have three All Star award nominees including Amy Bell and Fiona McHale and Cora Staunton who could create history on the night.

The 2014 TG4 All Star Award winners will be revealed at a gala presentation at the Citywest Hotel in Dublin on Saturday, November 8.

2014 TG4 ALL STAR AWARD NOMINEES

GOALKEEPERS: CIAMH DOLLARD (LAOIS) CLIODHNA O’CONNOR (DUBLIN) LINDA MARTIN (MONAGHAN)

DEFENDERS: RACHEL RUDDY (DUBLIN) ROISIN PHELAN (CORK) MAIREAD TENNYSON (ARMAGH) ANGELA WALSH (CORK) ELIZA DOWNEY (DOWN) SORCHA FURLONG (DUBLIN, pictured above) BRID STACK (CORK) AMY BELL (MAYO) LEAH CAFFREY (DUBLIN) VERA FOLEY (CORK) MARCELLA MONAHAN (FERMANAGH) MAGGIE MURPHY (LAOIS) DEIRDRE O’REILLY (CORK) EMER FLAHERTY (GALWAY) SINEAD GOLDRICK (DUBLIN) GERALDINE O‘FLYNN (CORK) SINEAD BURKE (GALWAY) SIOBHAN McGRATH (DUBLIN)

MIDFIELD: CAROLINE O’ HANLON (ARMAGH) CAROLINE LITTLE (FERMANAGH) BRIEGE CORKERY (CORK) FIONA McHALE (MAYO) ANNETTE CLARKE (GALWAY) BERNIE BREEN (KERRY)

FORWARDS: NOELLE HEALY (DUBLIN) ANNIE WALSH (CORK) SINEAD McCLEARY (ARMAGH) CIARA O’ SULLIVAN (CORK) FIONNUALA McKENNA (ARMAGH) GEMMA BEGLEY (TYRONE) SARAH HOULIHAN (KERRY) CORA COURTNEY (MONAGHAN) CARLA ROWE (DUBLIN) VALERIE MULCAHY (CORK) LYNDSEY DAVEY (DUBLIN) BARBARA HANNON (GALWAY) SINEAD AHERNE (DUBLIN) CORA STAUNTON (MAYO) KYLA TRAINOR (DOWN) LINDSAY PEAT (DUBLIN) AINE TIGHE (LEITRIM) AILEEN PYRES (DOWN)