All-Star Nominees Announced

The nominees for the 2004 O’Neills/TG4 Ladies
Football All-Stars were announced today. Unsurprisingly,
All-Ireland champions Galway lead the way with
12 nominations out of the 45 and look certain
to dominate the final selection when the All-Star
team is announced at the banquet in CityWest on
Saturday, November 20.

John O’Leary’s Dublin team, defeated finalists
in 2003 and 2004 receive eight nominations, but
veteran forward Angie McNally and captain Martina
Farrell are missing from the list. Star midfielder
Fiona Corcoran, defender Louise Keegan and top
scorer Mary Nevin lead Dublin’s nominations for
a prestigious All-Star. Mayo, winners of the Suzuki
National League and defeated by neighbours Galway
in a thrilling semi-final replay receive a deserved
six nominations.

The likes of Claire Egan in midfield and Cora
Staunton up front were two of the best players
on show this season. Indeed, Staunton had probably
her most consistent season to date after an injury
plagued few years. Munster champions Cork have
five nominations, including captain Juliette Murphy
and star attackers Valerie Mulcahy and Geraldine
O’Flynn.

Ulster champions Monaghan only receive two nominations
while this year’s surprise team and runners up
in Ulster, Donegal, got three, including the prolific
forward Mo O’Donnell. The Junior competition is
also recognised, with Sligo getting three nominations
despite their defeat in the final to Kildare,
who only get one nomination in the shape of Noelle
Earley, who will hope to join famous dad Dermot
and brother Dermot as an All-Star. Ms Helen O’Rourke,
CEO of Cumann Peil Gael na mBan claims that the
2004 nominees are the best she has witnessed to
date and that competition is fiercer than ever
for an All-Star.

“This year’s Championship was particularly competitive
with the emergence of new forces like Cork, Galway
and Donegal. It was a headache for the selection
committee to pick 45 players, and it is going
to be even worse to pick 15. No fewer than 10
counties are represented on the list which speaks
volumes for the standard of Ladies Football throughout
Ireland,” she said.

An Taoiseach, Mr Bertie Ahern T.D will be guest
of honour at the banquet on November 20th in CityWest.
Last year’s banquet was the first of it’s kind
for Ladies Football who also went on a ground
breaking trip to New York to play the curtain
raiser game before the Mayo-New York Connacht
Football Championship game in Gaelic Park against
a Rest of Ireland selection.

All-Star Nominees:
Goalkeeper 1. Úna Carroll, Galway 2. Cliodhna
O’Connor, Dublin 3. Katrina Connolly, Sligo
Backs 1. Ruth Stephens, Galway 2. Emer
Flaherty, Galway 3. Grainne Ni Fhlatharta, Kerry
4. Helena Lohan, Mayo 5. Aoibhean Daly, Galway
6. Gemma Fay, Dublin 7. Louise Keegan, Dublin
8. Niamh Fahy, Galway 9. Caroline Kelly, Kerry
10. Rena Buckley, Cork 11. Aine Gilmore, Galway
12. Marie O’Connell, Galway 13. Clare O’Hara,
Mayo 14. Angela Walsh, Cork 15. Christine O’Reilly,
Monaghan 16. Michelle Doherty, Donegal 17. Niamh
McEvoy, Dublin 18. Michelle McGowan, Sligo
Midfield 1. Annette Clarke, Galway 2. Mary
O’Donnell, Waterford 3. Claire Egan, Mayo 4. Fiona
Corcoran, Dublin 5. Debbie Lee Fox, Donegal 6.
Juliette Murphy, Cork
Forwards 1. Lisa Cohill, Galway 2. Valerie
Mulcahy, Cork 3. Geraldine O’Flynn, Cork 4. Cora
Staunton, Mayo 5. Sarah O’Connor, Kerry 6. Lorna
Joyce, Galway 7. Niamh Kindlon, Monaghan 8. Geraldine
Conneally, Galway 9. Niamh Duggan, Galway 10.
Mary Nevin, Dublin 11. Noelle Earley, Kildare
12. Geraldine O’Shea, Kerry 13. Stephanie O’Reilly,
Sligo 14. Lynsday Davey, Dublin 15. Christina
Heffernan, Mayo 16. Bernie Finlay, Dublin 17.
Ciara McDermott, Mayo 18. Maureen O’Donnell, Donegal