Galway scoop 14 All-Star nominations

Galway players Olivia Divilly and Leanne Coen, 14, celebrate after victory in the LGFA TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship final. Divilly is nominated for player of the year. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

ALL-Ireland Senior Champions Galway lead the way with 14 nominations for the 2026 TG4 All-Star Awards.

Runners-up Kerry have 12 players nominated, TG4 Ulster champions Armagh are next in line with six, Dublin and Lidl National League Division 1 winners Cork have three each, there are two apiece for Waterford, Kildare and Mayo, and a Meath nominee completes the list compiled by the Ladies Gaelic Football Association’s All-Star committee.

Galway captured just their second TG4 All-Ireland Senior title, and first since 2004, with victory over Kerry in the 2026 decider.

And that success is reflected in a healthy haul of TG4 All-Star nominations for the team managed by Daniel Moynihan.

Goalkeeper Leah O’Halloran is nominated, along with defenders Kate Geraghty (Galway’s captain and TG4 All-Ireland final Player of the Match), Sarah Ní Loingsigh, Brónagh Quinn, Hannah Noone and Nicola Ward.

At midfield, sisters Niamh and Siobhán Divilly are both nominated, while another Divilly sister, Olivia, is one of six Galway forwards nominated, alongside Kate Slevin, Kate Thompson, Leanne Coen, Róisín Leonard and Eva Noone, sister of Hannah.

Kerry’s 12 TG4 All-Star nominees are goalkeeper Mary Ellen Bolger, defenders Deirdre Kearney, Eilís Lynch, Róisín Rahilly, Emma Costello, Aoife Dillane and Aishling O’Connell, midfielder Mary O’Connell, and forwards Niamh Carmody, Niamh Ní Chonchúir, Danielle O’Leary and captain Síofra O’Shea.

Armagh, who lost out to Galway at the semi-final stage, have secured half a dozen TG4 All-Star nominations, namely goalkeeper Brianna Mathers, defenders Emily Druse and captain Lauren McConville, midfielder Blaithín Mackin, and inside forwards Aimee Mackin (sister of Blaithín) and Kelly Mallon.

Dublin, who also reached the semi-finals, where they lost out to Kerry, have defender Niamh Crowley, midfielder Niamh Hetherton and forward Orlagh Nolan on the long-list of nominations, while Cork’s trio of nominees are defenders Melissa Duggan and Shauna Kelly, as well as forward ace, Katie Quirke.

Defender Karen McGrath and forward Kellyann Hogan are Waterford’s two nominees, with captain Laoise Lenehan in defence and forward Aoife Rattigan acknowledged for their exploits with Kildare.

Mayo forwards Aoife Staunton and Sinéad Walsh are both nominated, as is Meath captain Niamh Gallogly, one of four players who earned TG4 All-Star awards last year who are long-listed once again.

The other 2025 TG4 All-Stars in with a shout of gaining another of the prestigious individual accolades are Galway pair and Kilkerrin-Clonberne clubmates Nicola Ward and Olivia Divilly, and Kerry’s Síofra O’Shea.

The 2026 TG4 All-Star team will be announced at a gala banquet at The Bonnington Dublin Hotel on Saturday, November 14.

The 2026 TG4 Junior, Intermediate and Senior Players’ Player of the Year Award winners will also be revealed on the night, while the 2026 inductee into the Ladies Gaelic Football Association Hall of Fame will be acknowledged.

2026 TG4 All-Star Nominees:

Goalkeeper Brianna Mathers (Armagh), Leah O’Halloran (Galway), Mary Ellen Bolger (Kerry).

Full Back Line Melissa Duggan (Cork), Shauna Kelly (Cork), Niamh Crowley (Dublin), Kate Geraghty (Galway), Sarah Ní Loingsigh (Galway), Brónagh Quinn (Galway), Deirdre Kearney (Kerry), Eilís Lynch (Kerry), Róisín Rahilly (Kerry).

Half Back Line Emily Druse (Armagh), Lauren McConville (Armagh), Hannah Noone (Galway), Nicola Ward (Galway)*, Emma Costello (Kerry), Aoife Dillane (Kerry), Aishling O’Connell (Kerry), Laoise Lenehan (Kildare), Karen McGrath (Waterford).

Midfield Blaithín Mackin (Armagh), Niamh Hetherton (Dublin), Niamh Divilly (Galway), Siobhán Divilly (Galway), Mary O’Connell (Kerry), Niamh Gallogly (Meath)*.

Half Forward Line Orlagh Nolan (Dublin), Olivia Divilly (Galway)*, Kate Slevin (Galway), Kate Thompson (Galway), Niamh Carmody (Kerry), Niamh Ní Chonchúir (Kerry), Aoife Staunton (Mayo), Sinéad Walsh (Mayo), Kellyann Hogan (Waterford).

Full Forward Line Aimee Mackin (Armagh), Kelly Mallon (Armagh), Katie Quirke (Cork), Leanne Coen (Galway), Róisín Leonard (Galway), Eva Noone (Galway), Danielle O’Leary (Kerry), Síofra O’Shea (Kerry)*, Aoife Rattigan (Kildare).

*denotes 2025 TG4 All-Star