Beaten finalists Kerry lead the way as women’s football All Star nominations revealed

Kerry lead the way with 13 nominations, with champions Dublin receiving 12

Dublin and Kerry claim 25 women’s football All Star nominations between them this year. Photograph: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
Dublin and Kerry claim 25 women’s football All Star nominations between them this year. Photograph: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

All-Ireland senior finalists Dublin and Kerry dominate the list of nominations for the 2023 TG4 women’s football All Star awards.

Despite losing the final at Croke Park on August 13th, Kerry lead the way with 13 nominations, with Dublin receiving 12, while the list of 45 nominees includes nine players from the 2022 TG4 All Star team.

Dublin captured a sixth All-Ireland senior title this year – and their first since 2020 – while Kerry landed the Lidl National League Division 1 title before advancing to a second successive All-Ireland final.

Mayo, who lost out to Kerry at the semi-final stage, have five players nominated. There are three nominations each for Armagh, Cork, Donegal and Meath – the 2021 and 2022 All-Ireland champions – while Clare, Galway and Kildare have one apiece.

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Dublin’s 12 nominees are goalkeeper Abby Shiels, defenders Niamh Crowley, Leah Caffrey, Martha Byrne and Lauren Magee, midfield pair Jennifer Dunne and Eilish O’Dowd, and forwards Orlagh Nolan, Caoimhe O’Connor, Kate Sullivan, team captain Carla Rowe and Hannah Tyrrell, who was the Player of the Match in the final.

Kerry’s 13 nominees are goalkeeper Ciara Butler, defenders Kayleigh Cronin, Eilís Lynch, Emma Costello, Cáit Lynch and Aishling O’Connell, midfielders Louise Galvin and Lorraine Scanlon, and forwards Niamh Carmody, Anna Galvin, Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh – who was the senior championship’s top scorer – Danielle O’Leary and captain Síofra O’Shea.

Clare’s Fidelma Marrinan (forward) and Kildare’s Róisín Byrne (forward) are the two players from the intermediate grade who earn All Star nominations.

Marrinan claimed the Golden Boot award as leading overall scorer in the 2023 All-Ireland championships, while Byrne was Player of the Match for champions Kildare in the intermediate final against Clare.

The 2023 TG4 All Star team will be announced at a gala banquet at the Bonnington Dublin Hotel on Saturday, November 18th. The 2023 TG4 junior, intermediate and senior Players’ Player of the Year award winners will also be revealed on the night, while the 2023 inductee into the Ladies Gaelic Football Association (LGFA) Hall of Fame will be acknowledged.

2023 TG4 All Star nominees

Goalkeepers

Abby Shiels – Dublin

Ciara Butler – Kerry

Monica McGuirk – Meath

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Clodagh McCambridge – Armagh

Róisín Phelan – Cork

Niamh Crowley – Dublin

Leah Caffrey – Dublin

Kayleigh Cronin – Kerry

Eilís Lynch – Kerry

Danielle Caldwell – Mayo

Clodagh McManamon – Mayo

Mary Kate Lynch – Meath

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Lauren McConville – Armagh

Amy Boyle Carr – Donegal

Martha Byrne – Dublin

Lauren Magee – Dublin

Emma Costello – Kerry

Cáit Lynch – Kerry

Aishling O’Connell – Kerry

Ciara Needham – Mayo

Kathryn Sullivan – Mayo

Midfield

Niamh McLaughlin – Donegal

Jennifer Dunne – Dublin

Eilish O’Dowd – Dublin

Louise Galvin – Kerry

Lorraine Scanlon – Kerry

Nicola Ward – Galway

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Fidelma Marrinan – Clare

Ciara O’Sullivan – Cork

Orlagh Nolan – Dublin

Caoimhe O’Connor – Dublin

Kate Sullivan – Dublin

Niamh Carmody – Kerry

Anna Galvin – Kerry

Sinéad Cafferky – Mayo

Emma Duggan – Meath

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Aoife McCoy – Armagh

Doireann O’Sullivan – Cork

Niamh Hegarty – Donegal

Carla Rowe – Dublin

Hannah Tyrrell – Dublin

Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh – Kerry

Danielle O’Leary – Kerry

Síofra O’Shea – Kerry

Róisín Byrne – Kildare