Antrim and Kerry dominate team of the year gongs

McDONAGH DELIGHT: Antrim’s Conor McCann celebrates winning hurling's second tier final against Kerry. 

Antrim and Kerry dominate the 2020 Joe McDonagh Cup hurling team of the year, the respective finalists filling all but three positions.

Joe McDonagh champions Antrim have seven players honoured after a campaign which saw the Ulstermen win all five outings, including a two-point victory over Kerry in December’s decider.

Antrim captain Conor McCann has been named as the Joe McDonagh player of the year. He tallied 4-20 across Antrim’s journey to top-tier promotion.

Beaten finalists Kerry make up one-third of the team, with nods for defenders Tomás O’Connor and Jason Diggins, midfielder Shane Nolan, and forwards Shane Conway and Daniel Collins.

The remaining three places on the team are taken up by Carlow’s Brian Tracey and Chris Nolan, and Westmeath centre-back Aonghus Clarke.

The Champion 15 selection comprises players from the Christy Ring, Nickey Rackard, and Lory Meagher Cup competitions.

Christy Ring Cup winners Kildare lead the way with four players, they are Rian Boran, Jack Sheridan, James Burke and Christy Ring Cup player of the year Paul Divilly. There are two from Nickey Rackard champions Donegal, while Lory Meagher hurler of the year, Louth’s Andrew Mackin, is the sole player from the fifth-tier competition to make the team.

In total, there are nine counties represented on the Champion 15 selection.

GAA/GPA Joe McDonagh Cup Player of the Year: Conor McCann (Antrim).

Christy Ring Cup Player of the Year: Paul Divilly (Kildare).

Nickey Rackard Cup: Danny Cullen (Donegal); Lory Meagher Cup: Andrew Mackin (Louth).

Joe McDonagh Cup Team of the Year: Brian Tracey (Carlow); Tomás O’Connor (Kerry), Matthew Donnelly (Antrim), Stephen Rooney (Antrim); Jason Diggins (Kerry), Aonghus Clarke (Westmeath), Ger Walsh (Antrim); Shane Nolan (Kerry), Keelan Molloy (Antrim); Niall McKenna (Antrim), Shane Conway (Kerry), Daniel Collins (Kerry); Chris Nolan (Carlow), Conor McCann (Antrim), Ciaran Clarke (Antrim).

GAA/GPA Champion 15: Stephen Keith (Down); Sean McVeigh (Donegal), Caolan Taggart (Down), Cathal Freeman (Mayo); Conor McShea (Fermanagh), Rian Boran (Kildare), Danny Cullen (Donegal); Eoghan Cahill (Offaly), Paul Divilly (Kildare); Damian Casey (Tyrone), James Burke (Kildare), Shane Boland (Mayo); Jack Sheridan (Kildare), Andrew Mackin (Louth), Christy Moorehouse (Wicklow).