Ring and Rackard Champion 15 teams named

The GAA have announced details of the Champion 15 teams for the Ring and Rackard Cups for 2007.

Unlike the Vodafone All Stars, the fifteen players selected are not chosen by position and players received nominations at the end of each game from officials in attendance.

The Awards will be presented to the winners at a special ceremony in Croke Park on December 15.

Champions Westmeath top the list of recipients in the Christy Ring Champion 15 with Derek Mc Nicholas, Patrick Clarke and Paddy Dowdall all being honoured. Defeated finalists Kildare and semi-finalists Meath and Carlow will each have two players honoured.

Under the selection format, the champions have three players honoured with two players from the beaten finalists and semi-finalists also being recognised in addition to one player from each of the other participating Counties.

The Players to be honoured as the Christy Ring Champion 15 for 2007 are:

Patrick Clarke, Paddy Dowdall, Derek Mac Nicholas (all Westmeath), David Kennedy, Billy White (Kildare), Enda Keogh, Stephen Clynch (Meath), Andrew Gaul, Edward Coady (Carlow), Shane Brick (Kerry), Stephen Broderick (Mayo), Graham Clarke (Down), Don Hyland (Wicklow), Keith Kennedy (London), Michael Conway (Derry)

Michael Conway (Derry) receives a Ring Cup Award in 2007 having been honoured as part of the Rackard Champion 15 in 2006.

The system to honour players who participated in the Rackard Cup, sees the champions given three representatives on the “Champion 15”, the runners up two and each of the other participating Counties with one player honoured. The full selection for 2007 is: Mervyn Connaughton, Liam Murray, Michael Kelly (all Roscommon), Barney McCann, Christopher McAlinden (Armagh), Fergus Hayes (Sligo), Justin Kelly (Tyrone), Clement Cunniffe (Leitrim), Brendan Stakem (Longford), Ger O’Dwyer (Donegal), Paul McManus (Fermanagh), Pat O’Connell (Monaghan), Mark Lyons (Warwickshire) Daithí Neary (Cavan) and Brian Hassett (Louth).

Clement Cunniffe of Leitrim wins his 2nd award having previously been honoured in 2005.