Irish News Ulster All-Stars Honoured

The 25^th Irish News Ulster GAA All-Star team was unveiled at an awards ceremony in the Armagh City Hotel on Thursday night.

The uniqueness of the Irish News Ulster All-Stars is that the player selection is entirely based on fan choice – readers select, in their opinion, the 15 players of the Championship.

Commenting on the success of the Irish News Ulster All-Stars, Noel Doran, editor of The Irish News said: “We set out to recognise the outstanding performers in ladies football, camogie and hurling, as well as naming the men’s football team of the year, as voted by our readers, and the overall Ulster player of the year, so this is one of the most important events in the GAA’s calendar.  Standards are higher than ever, as the intensity of the Ulster Championship proved.  Congratulations to all of the players.”

Ulster GAA President Oliver Galligan added: “We had a great Ulster Championship with numbers attending games up on last year and that is down to our players and I am delighted that we have recognised some of those players here in the Irish News Ulster All-Stars.”

Included in the line-up are eight Donegal players, five Tyrone players and two Armagh players. Six additional awards were given out on the night to reflect the importance of all codes within the GAA family:­ Hurling Excellence award, Camogie Excellence award and Ladies Football Excellence award.

The evening was hosted by Joanne Cantwell, RTE Sport presenter.

The Irish News Ulster All-Star team of 2019 is:

1. Shaun Patton (Donegal)
2. Stephen McMenamin (Donegal)
3. Paddy McGrath (Donegal)
4. Ronan McNamee (Tyrone)
5. Ryan McHugh (Donegal)
6. Eoghan Ban Gallagher (Donegal)
7. Frank Burns (Tyrone)
8. Michael Murphy (Donegal)
9. Jarlath Og Burns (Armagh)
10. Jamie Brennan (Donegal)
11. Mattie Donnelly (Tyrone)
12. Peter Harte (Tyrone)
13. Paddy McBrearty (Donegal)
14. Cathal McShane (Tyrone)
15. Rian O’Neill (Armagh)

Player of the Year: Michael Murphy (Donegal)

The Irish News Excellence Awards

Hurling Excellence Awards:

Neil McManus – Antrim

Down Senior Hurling team – picked up by their Captain Stephen Keith

Armagh Senior Hurling team – picked up by Captain Stephen Renaghan

Camogie Excellence Awards:

Slaughtneil Camogie Club, Co.Derry – picked up by their Captain Siobhan Bradley

Clonduff Camogie Club, Co.Down – picked up by their Captain Paula O’Hagan

Ladies Football Excellence Award:

Derrygonnelly and Fermanagh’s Eimear Smyth – picked up by Eimear’s younger sister Bronagh

The 1999 Irish News Ulster All -Star winners were also celebrated on the night and presented with an honorary award.

Recipients of the Irish News Ulster All-Stars Honorary Award:

1. Benny Tierney (Armagh)
2. Enda McNulty ( Armagh)
3. Sean Martin Lockhart (Derry)
4. Justin McNulty (Armagh)
5. Kieran Mcgeeny (Armagh)
6. Kieran Hughes (Armagh)
7. Andrew McCann (Armagh)
8. Anthony Tohill (Derry)
9. Brian Burns (Down)
10. Paddy Mckeever (Armagh)
11. Shane Mullholland (Down)
12. Brian Dooher (Tyrone)
13. Micky Linden (Down)
14. Diarmuid Mardsen (Armagh)
15. Oisin McConville (Armagh)

This year to celebrate 25 years of The Irish News Ulster All-Stars, an additional award was presented for Player of the last 25 years – Peter Cavanagh (Tyrone)