Irish News Ulster All-Stars Honoured

The 21st Irish News Ulster GAA All-Star team were unveiled last Thursday night in the Armagh City Hotel.

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 fantastic Ulster Final proved. There is enormous excitement surrounding our entire programme.”

Ulster GAA President Martin McAviney 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 five Donegal players, three Tyrone players, two Fermanagh players & five Monaghan players.

Five additional awards will be given out on the night to reflect the importance of all codes within the GAA family: Hurling merit award x3, Camogie merit award and Ladies Football merit award.

The evening was hosted by Joanne Cantwell, RTE Sport presenter, with the legendary RTE presenter Michaél O Muircheartaigh as guest speaker and Uachtarán Cumann Luthchleas Gael Aogán Ó Fearghail as guest of honour.

The Irish News Ulster All-Star team of 2015 is:

1. Paul Durcan (Donegal)
2. Vinny Corey (Monaghan)
3. Neil McGee (Donegal)
4. Ryan Wylie (Monaghan)
5. Dessie Mone (Monaghan)
6. Ryan McHugh (Donegal)
7. Karl O’Connell (Monaghan)
8. Eoin Donnelly (Fermanagh)
9. Neil Gallagher (Donegal)
10. Mattie Donnelly (Tyrone)
11. Michael Murphy (Donegal)
12. Peter Harte (Tyrone)
13. Sean Cavanagh (Tyrone)
14. Sean Quigley (Fermanagh)
15. Conor McManus (Monaghan)

Player of the Year: Conor McManus

The Irish News Merit Awards

Hurling Merit Award:
Derry Senior Hurling Team – picked up by their captain Sean McCullagh
Fermanagh Senior Hurling Team – picked up by their captain John Paul McGarry
Armagh Senior Hurling Team – picked up by their captain John Corvan
Camogie Merit Award: Niamh Mallon, Down
Ladies Football Merit Award: Geraldine McLaughlin, Donegal Ladies Senior Football Team