All Stars 2010... & the winner is ?
- Nov 11,2010
On Saturday night next, the splendid Citywest hotel in Saggart Co Dublin will once again play host to the O’Neill’s /TG4 Annual All Star Awards banquet.
This glamorous event which is now one of the highlights on the social calendar of everyone involved in Ladies Gaelic football is an appropriate and tremendous tribute to the stars of our sport.
The banquet brings together a great mix of people, the many volunteers and committee members who continue to promote and develop the sport in their various Counties and provinces, proud family members, friends, team mates, managers, referees and media personnel alike who all gather to eyewitness and to honour the 15 players who are chosen and deemed to be the “best” in the game for 2010.
The All Stars awards where first presented back in 1981 seven years are the founding of the Association in Hayes Hotel, Thurles in 1974.The All Star banquet as we know it today commenced back in 2003 up until then players received their awards after a football game normally between the reigning All Ireland champions and an All Star selection, no designer gowns or “Jimmy choo’s” on display in those days!
Since the inception of the All Stars awards Dublin have received 19 statuettes with the first being won back in 1983 by Kathleen Kennedy who was honoured as All Star goal keeper that year, she followed this up with a second award for the same position in 1984.
Other Dublin All Star Award winners are; Julie Kavanagh 1991, Denise Smyth 1993, Louise Kelly 2001, Suzanne Hughes 2002, Sile Nic Coitir 2002, Maria Kavanagh 2003, Martina Farrell 2003, Angie McNally 2003, Cliodhna O’Connor 2004,2009, Louise Keegan 2004, Bernie Finlay 2004, Mary Nevin 2004, Gemma Fay 2005, Lyndsay Davey 2005, Siobhan McGrath 2009 and Sinead Aherne 2009.
Ironically Dublin All Star goal keepers Kathleen Kennedy (1983-84) and Cliodhna O’Connor (2004 –’09) are the only two Dublin players to have picked up more than one award.
Along with Cliodhna O’Connor previous Dublin winners Mary Nevin, Gemma Fay, Siobhan McGrath and Sinead Aherne are all nominated again this year as are fellow Dublin team mates, Rachel Ruddy, Denise Masterson, Amy McGuinness and Elaine Kelly.
The highest number of awards claimed by Dublin in one year has been four will the newly crowned All Ireland champions exceed that figure in 2010, we will have to wait and see…
Best of luck to all our nominees!
2010 Ladies Football All Star Nominees:
Goalkeeper:
Cliodhna O’Connor (Dublin), Edel Murphy (Kerry), Shannon Lynch (Tyrone)
Full Back Line:
Rachel Ruddy (Dublin), Rena Buckley (Cork), Sharon Courtney (Monaghan), Lorraine Muckian (Laois), Maura Kelly (Tyrone), Aishling Leonard (Kerry), Sinead McLoughlin (Tyrone), Aishling Quigley (Laois), Laurissa Hogan (Waterford)
Half Back Line:
Siobhan McGrath (Dublin), Ciara Hegarty (Donegal), Geraldine O’Flynn (Cork), Emer Flaherty (Galway), Bríd Stack (Cork), Neamh Woods (Tyrone), Gemma Fay (Dublin), Patricia Fogarty (Laois), Aishling Holton (Kildare)
Midfield:
Denise Masterson (Dublin), Shannon Quinn (Tyrone), Juliet Murphy (Cork), Bernie Breen (Kerry), Tracy Lawlor (Laois), Louise Henchy (Clare)
Half Forwards:
Cathy Donnelly (Tyrone), Noirin Kirwan (Laois), Nollaig Cleary (Cork), Mary Nevin (Dublin), Amy McGuinness (Dublin), Niamh Keane (Clare), Gemma Begley (Tyrone), Michelle Ryan (Waterford), Therese McNally (Monaghan)
Full Forwards:
Geraldine McLaughlin (Donegal), Valerie Mulcahy (Cork), Neamh O’Dea (Clare), Sinead Aherne (Dublin), Yvonne McMonagle (Donegal), Louise Ní Muirceartaigh (Kerry), Dympna O’Brien (Limerick), Elaine Kelly (Dublin), Jolene Donnelly(Tyrone)
Louise Kelly All Star 2001
Suzanne Hughes All Star 2002
Martina Farrell All Star 2003
Angie McNally All Star 2003
Dublin
Bernie Finlay, Cliodhna O
Gemma Fay All Star 2005
Lyndsay Davey All Star 2005