Mayo rewarded with 11 All-Star nominations, Kerry get seven

Kerry's seven nominations is the lowest for an All-Ireland finalist since Tyrone in 2018. In all, 12 counties are represented on the list of 45 nominations while Mayo's Kobe McDonald and Darragh Beirne along with Louth's Dara McDonnell have been nominated for young footballer of the year

Mayo's Jack Carney and Ryan O'Donoghue have been nominated for footballer of the year along with Kerry's David Clifford. Pic: Ray McManus/Sportsfile

All-Ireland champions Mayo have been rewarded with 11 nominations for the PwC All-Star awards, with beaten finalists Kerry receiving seven.

It is the lowest total for an All-Ireland finalist since Tyrone in 2018. Two Mayo winners, Ryan O’Donoghue and Jack Carney, have been nominated for footballer of the year alongside the current titleholder, David Clifford.

12 counties are represented on the list of 45 nominations, with the All-Ireland finalists followed by Dublin (five), Leinster champions Westmeath (four), Ulster champions Armagh (three), Monaghan (three), Louth (three), Tyrone (two), Cork (two), Galway (two), Connacht champions Roscommon (two), and Donegal (one).

Andy Moran’s side are represented by goalkeeper Jack Livingstone and five of their defenders: Captain Jack Coyne, Enda Hession, Donnacha McHugh, David McBrien and Sam Callinan. Carney is joined by forwards Ryan O’Donoghue, Kobe McDonald, Jordan Flynn and Darragh Beirne.

The four players who started the All-Ireland final and did not make the list are Eoin McGreal, Bob Tuohy, Paul Towey and Diarmuid O’Connor.

Munster champions Kerry have Shane Murphy, Jason Foley, Mike Breen, Mark O’Shea, David Clifford, Paudie Clifford and Dylan Geaney. It marks a first-ever nomination for three of them, Murphy, O’Shea and Geaney.

Semi-finalists Dublin have Charlie McMorrow, Davy Byrne, Ciarán Kilkenny, Niall Scully and Con O’Callaghan all in contention.

After a campaign that saw them win their second-ever Leinster crown, Mark McHugh’s Westmeath have four inclusions: Matthew Whitaker, Ronan Wallace, Brandon Kelly and Sam McCartan.

Armagh ended an 18-year wait for the Anglo-Celt Cup with trio Tiernan Kelly, Jarly Óg Burns and Oisin Conaty all included.

Stephen Sherlock and Tommy Walsh make up the Cork contingent. John Cleary’s outfit beat Donegal and Meath on their way to an All-Ireland quarter-final.

Roscommon will be disappointed to end up with just two representatives, Diarmuid Murtagh and Darragh Heneghan. The Connacht champions fell flat after the provincials with losses to Tyrone and Monaghan.

For the third successive year, Salthill-Knocknacarra duo John Maher and Rob Finnerty have been nominated. Donegal’s sole inclusion is Michael Langan.

Among those who may feel aggrieved by their omission are Louth’s Sam Mulroy, Westmeath’s Conor Dillon and Ray Connellan, Kerry’s Sean O’Brien and Dublin’s Peadar Ó Cofaigh Byrne.

A highly competitive young footballer of the year race will see Mayo’s attacking talents Kobe McDonald and Darragh Beirne battle it out with Louth’s Dara McDonnell. The Gaelic Players Association will vote on both shortlists to select a winner.

The All-Stars banquet will take place on Friday, October 30.

PwC All-Star football nominations:

GOALKEEPERS:

Rory Beggan (Monaghan); Shane Murphy (Kerry); Jack Livingstone (Mayo).

DEFENDERS:

Sam Callinan, Enda Hession, David McBrien, Jack Coyne, Donnacha McHugh (all Mayo); Jason Foley, Mike Breen (both Kerry); Dara McDonnell, Craig Lennon (both Louth); Matthew Whitaker, Ronan Wallace (both Westmeath); Charlie McMorrow, Davy Byrne (both Dublin); Tiernan Kelly, Jarly Óg Burns (both Armagh); Niall Devlin (Tyrone); Tommy Walsh (Cork); Dylan Byrne (Monaghan).

MIDFIELDERS:

Jack Carney (Mayo); Mark O’Shea (Kerry); Conn Kilpatrick (Tyrone); John Maher (Galway); Ciarán Kilkenny (Dublin); Michael Langan (Donegal).

FORWARDS:

Darragh Beirne, Ryan O’Donoghue, Kobe McDonald, Jordan Flynn (all Mayo); David Clifford, Paudie Clifford, Dylan Geaney (all Kerry); Niall Scully, Con O’Callaghan (both Dublin); Oisin Conaty (Armagh); Rob Finnerty (Galway); Darragh Heneghan, Diarmuid Murtagh (both Roscommon); Stephen O’Hanlon (Monaghan); Ciarán Downey (Louth); Brandon Kelly, Sam McCartan (both Westmeath); Stephen Sherlock (Cork).

County breakdown (45): 

Mayo 11; Kerry 7; Dublin 5; Westmeath 4; Monaghan 3; Louth 3; Armagh 3; Tyrone 2; Cork 2; Galway 2; Roscommon 2; Donegal 1.

FOOTBALLER OF THE YEAR NOMINATIONS: 

David Clifford (Kerry), Ryan O’Donoghue (Mayo), Jack Carney (Mayo).

YOUNG FOOTBALLER OF THE YEAR NOMINATIONS: 

Darragh Beirne (Mayo), Kobe McDonald (Mayo), Dara McDonnell (Louth).