All Stars 2011 .. and the winner is ?

  • Nov 10,2011

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 2011. 

The All Stars awards where first presented back in 1981 seven years after 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 25 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.

Previous Dublin All Star Award winners; 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, 2010 Lyndsay Davey 2005, Siobhan McGrath 2009, 2010 and Sinead Aherne 2009, 2010.

Last year Dublin who had captured the Brendan Martin cup for the first time received a record six awards, Gemma Fay, Siobhan McGrath, Rachel Ruddy, Denise Masterson, Amy McGuinness and Sinead Aherne were the Dublin winners on the night.

Dublin players, Kathleen Kennedy (1983-1984) and Cliodhna O’Connor (2004 –2009), Gemma Fay (2005 -2010), Siobhan McGrath (2009-2010) and Sinead Aherne (2009-2010) are amongst the elite group of Dublin players to have been honoured more than once.

Will Sinead Aherne make it three in a row in 2011 ..

Best of luck to all our nominees, Grainne OMalley, Sinead Goldrick, Gemma Fay, Sorcha Furlong, Denise Masterson, Noelle Healy, Lyndsey Davey, Elaine Kelly and Sinead Aherne.

Pictured below: Denise Masterson receives her 2010 All Star award