All Ireland Champions Kerry will have 12 names up for contention at this year’s 2022 PwC GAA-GPA All-Star football awards, with David Clifford also getting nominated for Senior Football of the Year.
The award ceremony takes place on Friday October 28, with 45 players down on the shortlist and 11 counties represented this year, Kerry look to take more awards with a dozen nominations, while runner’s up Galway deservedly have eight.
From the other provincial winners, Derry who had a great year making the Semi Final beaten by Galway in the end, have the third most nominees with seven, while Ethan Doherty is in contention for young footballer of the year, Leinster Champions Dublin have six on the list as Lee Gannon earns a nod also for young footballer with an impressive showing this year, finally beaten quarter finalists Armagh have the fifth most nominations with five.
Six more counties are all represented Cork have Seán Powter and Steven Sherlock, with one each coming from Mayo (Lee Keegan), Kildare (Ben McCormack), Limerick (Cian Sheehan), Monaghan (Jack McCarron) and Clare (Eoin Cleary).
Joining Clifford for the Senior accolade this year is the Galway pairing of Cillian McDaid and Shane Walsh, both were influential for the Tribesman this season, the Fossa man however does look the front runner with no other Kerry name nominated, after a sensational season he is bidding for his fourth All Star by the age of 23.
The full list of nominations are as follows:
Goalkeepers
Ethan Rafferty (Armagh), Shane Ryan (Kerry), Evan Comerford (Dublin)
Defenders
Jason Foley, Tadhg Morley, Brian Ó Beaglaoich, Graham O’Sullivan, Tom O’Sullivan, Gavin White (all Kerry); Liam Silke, Seán Kelly, John Daly (all Galway); Chrissy McKaigue, Conor McCluskey, Brendan Rogers (all Derry); James McCarthy, Lee Gannon (both Dublin); Lee Keegan (Mayo); Jarlath Óg Burns (Armagh); Seán Powter (Cork); Cian Sheehan (Limerick)
Midfielders
Paul Conroy, Cillian McDaid (both Galway); Conor Glass, Gareth McKinless (both Derry); Brian Fenton (Dublin); Jack Barry (Kerry)
Forwards
David Clifford, Seán O’Shea, Paudie Clifford, Stephen O’Brien (all Kerry); Shane Walsh, Damien Comer, Robert Finnerty (all Galway); Rian O’Neill, Stefan Campbell, Rory Grugan (all Armagh); Ciarán Kilkenny, Con O’Callaghan (both Dublin); Shane McGuigan, Ethan Doherty (both Derry); Ben McCormack (Kildare); Eoin Cleary (Clare); Stephen Sherlock (Cork); Jack McCarron (Monaghan)
PwC GAA/GPA Footballer of the Year
David Clifford (Kerry); Cillian McDaid, Shane Walsh (both Galway)
PwC GAA/GPA Young Footballer of the Year
Lee Gannon (Dublin); Ethan Doherty (Derry); Jack Glynn (Galway)
Diarmuid Kearney
Diarmuid Kearney is a freelance Sports Journalist based in Co Kerry. He has more than 5 years experience covering domestic and international soccer for different media organisations, while also working for local and national print and digital organisations covering GAA.