Killoe men and Slashers ladies dominate the Longford GAA/Longford Leader 2023 Teams of the Championship

With a major response in the voting process for the 2023 Teams of the Championship and the individual awards in the various categories, the Longford GAA All Stars awards and nominations in association with the Longford Leader are revealed.

The Killoe men (8) and Longford Slashers ladies (9) dominate the respective Teams of the Championship while the individual award winners will be announced at the Gala Presentation Dinner in the Arms Hotel on Saturday March 16, starting at 8pm.  

Emmet Og regained the coveted Connolly Cup, their sixth SFC success since they made the breakthrough back in 2012, and their eight players honoured on the 2023 Team of the Championship are as follows: goalkeeper Micheal Hughes, defenders Liam Hughes and Darren Moffett; midfielders Paddy Kiernan and Ryan Moffett and forwards Michael Quinn, Daniel Mimnagh and Mark Hughes. 

Four members of last year’s beaten SFC finalists Clonguish feature on the Team of the Championship with young guns Jack Duggan, Andrew Flynn, Matthew Carey and Michael Flynn selected while completing the 2023 Team of the Championship are Dromard trio Joseph Hagan, Oisin O’Toole and Diarmuid Masterson.

 Mark Hughes, Liam Hughes and Matthew Carey are nominated for the 2023 Senior Football Championship Player of the Year award while in line for the Intermediate accolade are Daniel Reynolds (Sean Connolly’s) along with Keelin McGann and Darren Carberry who played a major role in Kenagh’s Intermediate Football Championship success, a title the south Longford club last won 40 years ago.

 Also savouring the glory of a long overdue championship triumph were Ballymore with two of their key players, Damien Monaghan and Bernard McElvaney, nominated for the Junior Player of the Year award along with Niall Finneran (Killoe Emmet Og).

Gerry Moore and Stephen Gregg made a big impact for Clonguish Gaels on their way to winning the county SHC title for the second year in a row and joining them on the shortlist for the Senior Hurling Championship Player of the Year award is Micheal Mulcahy (Longford Slashers).

Mens Team of the Championship 2023

Micheal Hughes (Killoe Emmet Og)

Liam Hughes (Killoe Emmet Og)

Oisin O’Toole (Dromard)

Diarmuid Masterson (Dromard) 

Joseph Hagan (Dromard)

Darren Moffett (Killoe Emmet Og)

Andrew Flynn (Clonguish)

Paddy Kiernan (Killoe Emmet Og)

Ryan Moffett (Killoe Emmet Og)

Daniel Mimnagh (Killoe Emmet Og)

Jack Duggan (Clonguish)

Michael Quinn (Killoe Emmet Og)

Michael Flynn (Clonguish)

Mark Hughes (Killoe Emmet Og)

Matthew Carey (Clonguish) 

Senior Football Player of the Year Nominees

Matthew Carey (Clonguish)

Liam Hughes (Killoe Emmet Og)

Mark Hughes (Killoe Emmet Og)

Senior Hurling Player of the Year Nominees

Stephen Gregg (Clonguish Gaels)

Micheal Mulcahy (Longford Slashers)

Gerry Moore (Clonguish Gaels)

Intermediate Football Player of the Year Nominees

Darren Carberry (Kenagh)

Keelin McGann (Kenagh)

Daniel Reynolds (Sean Connolly’s)

Junior Football Player of the Year Nominees

Niall Finneran (Killoe Emmet Og) 

Bernard McElvaney (Ballymore)

Damien Monaghan (Ballymore)

Longford Slashers ladies shine in the spotlight 

An exciting new addition to the annual Longford All Stars is a separate Ladies Football Team of the Championship, the first of its kind in the country, while individual players of the year in the Longford LGFA senior, intermediate and junior county competitions last year also feature in the expanded awards scheme.

The major achievement of Longford Slashers completing a magnificent five-in-a-row of county senior titles (Alison Smyth Cup) is clearly reflected in the selection of the 2023 Longford Ladies Football Team of the Championship with nine of their players honoured. 

Defenders Orla Nevin, Emily Reilly, Grace Kenny and Eimear O’Brien, midfielder Grace Shannon and forwards Aisling Cosgrove, Clare Farrell, Kate Shannon and Jessica Barry will be recipients of All Star Awards.

The Clonguish ladies, who suffered the disappointment of defeats against Slashers in consecutive county finals, have four of their players selected on the 2023 Team of the Championship - notably Mairead Moore, Ella Duggan, Alice Magan and Hannah Burke.

Completing the Ladies All Stars selection are Killoe goalkeeper Riane McGrath and attacker Niamh Brady.

Nominated for the Ladies Senior Championship Player of the Year award are Slashers duo Orla Nevin and Grace Shannon, along with Mairead Moore (Clonguish).

On the shortlist for the Intermediate Championship Player of the Year award are Mairead Reynolds (Dromard) along with Ardagh girls Leanne Keegan and Sian Gallagher who both played a leading role in St Brigid’s Gaels excellent title triumph in the second tier grade.

Ballymahon Forgney were crowned the Junior champions with two of their top performers, Eimear McDonagh and Aisling McCormack, nominated for the Player of the Year award along with Lara O’Sullivan (Rathcline).

Ladies Team of the Championship 2023 

Riane McGrath (Killoe)

Ella Duggan (Clonguish)

Emily Reilly (Longford Slashers)

Grace Kenny (Longford Slashers)

Orla Nevin (Longford Slashers)

Eimear O’Brien (Longford Slashers)

Mairead Moore (Clonguish)

Alice Magan (Clonguish)

Grace Shannon (Longford Slashers)

Clare Farrell (Longford Slashers)

Aisling Cosgrove (Longford Slashers)

Niamh Brady (Killoe)

Kate Shannon (Longford Slashers)

Jessica Barry (Longford Slashers)

Hannah Burke (Clonguish)

Ladies Senior Football Player of the Year Nominees

Mairead Moore (Clonguish)

Orla Nevin (Longford Slashers)

Grace Shannon (Longford Slashers) 

Ladies Intermediate Football Player of the Year Nominees

Sian Gallagher (St Brigid’s Gaels Ardagh)

Leanne Keegan (St Brigid’s Gaels Ardagh)

Mairead Reynolds (Dromard) 

Ladies Junior Football Player of the Year Nominees

Aisling McCormack (Ballymahon Forgney)

Eimear McDonagh (Ballymahon Forgney)

Lara O’Sullivan (Rathcline) 

Who will win the 2023 Players of the Year?

21 players have been selected by the readers of the Longford Leader for the 2023 Players of the Year and the seven individual award winners, according to the completed voting process, will be announced at the Longford GAA All Stars function in a couple of weeks time. 

Tickets €35 

Tickets for the 2023 Longford GAA All Stars Awards Night in the Longford Arms Hotel on Saturday March 16 are on sale, priced at €35 each. For further information contact the event organiser, Senator Michael Carrigy, 087-2915072.

2024 O’Byrne Cup medals presentation

At the same function the Longford senior footballers will receive their medals for winning the 2024 O’Byrne Cup in a two-in-a-row triumph, along with the presentation of the awards to the 2023 Longford GAA All Stars, and it promises to be a fantastic occasion.