Monaghan have been rewarded for their impressive run to the All-Ireland Ladies SFC Final with ten All-Star nominations. Monaghan top the list of nominations ahead of Dublin (nine) and All-Ireland champions Cork (eight), with players nominated in each line from full-backs to full-forwards. All three full-backs – Gráinne McNally (Emyvale), team captain Sharon Courtney (Donaghmoyne) and Christina Reilly (Magheracloone) – are nominated, as are both midfielders, Donaghmoyne duo Amanda Casey and Cora Courtney. Donaghmoyne sharp-shooter Cathriona McConnell is nominated in the half-forward line along with Therese McNally, who joins her sister Gráinne on the list, while Truagh goal-poacher Caoimhe Mohan is in the running for a corner-forward berth. The McAnespie twins from Emyvale, Ciara and Aoife, are included in the full-forward and half-back line nominations respectively.
The full list of the 45 Ladies Football All-Star 2011 nominees is as follows:
Goalkeepers:
Ciamh Dollard (Laois); Irene Munnelly (Meath); Mary Rose Kelly (Wexford)
Full-Back Line:
Sharon Courtney, Gráinne McNally, Christina Reilly (all Monaghan); Deirdre O’Reilly, Angela Walsh (both Cork); Sinéad Goldrick, Gráinne O’Malley (both Dublin); Aisling Leonard (Kerry); Gráinne Dunne (Laois).
Half-Back Line:
Briege Corkery, Geraldine O’Flynn, Bríd Stack (all Cork); Gemma Fay, Sorcha Furlong (both Dublin); Aisling Holton (Kildare); Alison Taylor (Laois); Fiona Mahon (Meath), Aoife McAnespie (Monaghan).
Midfielders:
Amanda Casey, Cora Courtney (both Monaghan); Juliet Murphy (Cork); Denise Masterson (Dublin); Tracy Lawlor (Laois), Lorraine Scanlon (Kerry).
Half-Forward Line:
Lyndsey Davey, Noelle Healy, Elaine Kelly (Dublin); Martina Dunne, Mary Kirwan (both Laois); Cathriona McConnell, Therese McNally (both Monaghan); Caroline O’Hanlon (Armagh); Margaret O’Donoghue (Kerry).
Full-Forward Line:
Rhona Ní Bhuachalla, Amy O’Shea (both Cork); Sarah Houlihan, Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh (both Kerry); Ciara McAnespie, Caoimhe Mohan (both Monaghan); Aisling Doonan (Cavan); Sinéad Aherne (Dublin); Áine Tighe (Leitrim).
By michael Mon 10th Oct
