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Galway’s senior ladies football team can feel very hard done by after the 2018 All-Star nominations were announced on Tuesday (25th September).
The Tribeswomen received just three nods as Sinead Burke and Nicola Ward were named in defence; while captain Tracey Leonard is nominated in the attack.
However, fellow losing semi-finalists Donegal received eight nominations (including four in defence despite conceding 11 championship goals – Galway conceded six but get two defensive nods).
And Leonard will have to battle Dublin’s key attacker Noelle Healy for the centre forward slot, despite the latter primarily playing her football in the full forward line.
While failing to reach the All-Ireland Final makes nominations scare, Stephen Glennon’s charges will have genuine grievances as they beat Mayo (league finalists) twice and were emphatic winners over Waterford and Westmeath.
Players like Emer Flaherty, Louise Ward, Olivia Divilly, Roisin Leonard and Caitriona Cormican were unlucky. But certainly, Ailbhe Davoren and Leanne Coen merited inclusion in the final 45.
Video: Quickest goal of the day! See Louise Ward hit the net for Galway against Westmeath after 18 seconds! @SportTG4 All Ireland SFC @LadiesFootball @GalwayLgfa pic.twitter.com/zr0tmP5zjx
— Jerome Quinn (@JeromeQuinn) July 28, 2018
In the end, Galway were clearly punished for their poor semi-final first half against eventual winners Dublin and it was no surprise that the back-to-back winning Metropolitans lead the way with 14 nominations, while runners-up Cork are honoured with 12 players on the list.
Next were Donegal (8), Galway (3), Kerry (2) with Armagh, Cavan, Mayo, Sligo, Tipperary and Tyrone getting one each.
Seven players from the 2017 All Star team are nominated for awards once again.
Dublin goalkeeper Ciara Trant is joined on the 2018 list of nominees by team-mates Leah Caffrey, Nicole Owens, Sky Blues captain Sinéad Aherne and Noelle Healy, who was also the 2017 Senior Players’ Player of the Year.
Cork’s Emma Spillane and Donegal’s Ciara Hegarty were 2017 All Star recipients and they’re nominated for awards again.
One player will be chosen from three shortlisted in each of the 15 positions to make up the final selection.
The 2018 TG4 All Star team will be announced at a gala banquet at the Citywest Hotel on Saturday, December 1, along with the Junior, Intermediate and Senior Players’ Player of the Year award winners, the Provincial Young Players of the Year and the 2018 inductee into the Ladies Gaelic Football Association (LGFA) Hall of Fame.
2018 TG4 All Star nominations
Goalkeepers
Ciara Trant (Dublin), Martina O’Brien (Cork), Noelle Gormley (Sligo).
Right Corner Back
Treasa Doherty (Donegal), Martha Byrne (Dublin), Eimear Meaney (Cork).
Full Back
Róisín Phelan (Cork), Nicole McLaughlin (Donegal), Aislinn Desmond (Kerry).
Left Corner Back
Sinéad Burke (Galway), Leah Caffrey (Dublin), Melissa Duggan (Cork).
Right Half Back
Sinéad Goldrick (Dublin), Máire O’Callaghan (Cork), Rachel Kearns (Mayo).
Centre Half Back
Ciara Hegarty (Donegal), Nicola Ward (Galway), Siobhán McGrath (Dublin).
Left Half Back
Niamh Collins (Dublin), Emma Spillane (Cork), Deirdre Foley (Donegal).
Midfield
Lauren Magee (Dublin), Neamh Woods (Tyrone), Ashling Hutchings (Cork)
Olwen Carey (Dublin), Caroline O’Hanlon (Armagh), Katy Herron (Donegal).
Right Half Forward
Ciara O’Sullivan (Cork), Karen Guthrie (Donegal), Carla Rowe (Dublin).
Centre Half Forward
Tracey Leonard (Galway), Noelle Healy (Dublin), Aisling Maguire (Cavan)
Left Half Forward
Lyndsey Davey (Dublin), Eimear Scally (Cork), Aishling Moloney (Tipperary).
Right Corner Forward
Geraldine McLaughlin (Donegal), Sinéad Aherne (Dublin), Áine O’Sullivan (Cork).
Full Forward
Doireann O’Sullivan (Cork), Yvonne Bonner (Donegal), Niamh McEvoy (Dublin).
Left Corner Forward
Orla Finn (Cork), Nicole Owens (Dublin), Sarah Houlihan (Kerry).
