THREE DONEGAL footballers are included among the 45 GAA/GPA Open Football All-Star nominations, which were released this morning.
Paddy McGrath, Ryan McHugh and Patrick McBrearty are nominated from Donegal, who reached the Ulster final and All-Ireland quarter-final this year, losing to Tyrone and Dublin respectively.
None of the three have won All-Stars in the past, although McHugh was the Young Footballer of the Year in 2014.
Picture caption: Ryan McHugh palms in a goal for Donegal against Dublin in the All-Ireland quarter-final. Picture by Geraldine Diver.
All-Ireland champions Dublin and beaten finalists Mayo top the poll after a selection meeting in Croke Park yesterday agreed on the distinguished group of 45 names who will form the shortlist for this year’s prestigious awards.
[adrotate group=”76″]Dublin’s back-to-back winning captain Stephen Cluxton is nominated having missed out last year when the Dubs also received 11 nominations.
Mayo’s David Clarke is also nominated for the goalkeeping All-Star position with the defeated All-Ireland finalists achieving the feat of having six defenders listed among the nominees.
Elsewhere, Clare midfielder Gary Brennan is rewarded for his prominent role in the Banner’s march to the All-Ireland quarter finals by being included in the competitive six-man shortlist for a midfield award. He is Clare’s first footballer to be nominated for an All-Star since 1997 when defender Frankie Griffin and forward Martin Daly were nominated.
[adrotate group=”38″]In all, there are eight counties listed with the following breakdown: Dublin 11; Mayo 11; Tyrone 6; Tipperary 5; Kerry 4; Galway 4; Donegal 3; Clare 1.
The nominees for the Player of the Year have also been decided with Mayo’s Lee Keegan joining Dublin’s Brian Fenton and Ciarán Kilkenny on the three-man list of nominees.
Young Player of the Year will be decided between Mayo’s Diarmuid O’Connor and Tipperary’s Josh Keane and Jimmy Feehan.
[adrotate group=”82″]The GAA GPA Opel All-Star team will be selected next month by a panel of national Gaelic Games Correspondents. The Players of the Year awards will be voted upon by the players themselves.
The awards will be presented at a special banquet in Dublin’s Convention Centre on Friday, November 4, 2016.
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