The Irish News Ulster GAA All-Stars 2018

Irish News Ulster All-Stars Honoured

The 24^th Irish News Ulster GAA All-Star team were unveiled last Thursday night 13th September in the Armagh City Hotel

The uniqueness of the Irish News Ulster All-Stars is that the player selection is entirely based on fan choice – readers select the 15 Ulster players of the Championship.

Commenting on the success of the Irish News Ulster All-Stars, Noel Doran, editor of The Irish News said: “We set out to recognise the outstanding performers in ladies football, camogie and hurling, as well as naming the men’s football team of the year, as voted by our readers, and the overall Ulster player of the year, so this is one of the most important events in the GAA’s calendar.”

Ulster GAA President Michael Hasson added, ”We had a highly exciting series of games in the Ulster Championship this year. The skills & commitment of the players involved enables us to have the competitiveness that we do and I am delighted to see them recognised in the Irish News Ulster All-Stars.”

Included in the line-up are 6 Monaghan players, 5 Tyrone players, 3 Donegal and 1 Fermanagh player.  Rory Beggan received the Ulster GAA Player of the Year.

Three additional awards were given out on the night to reflect the importance of all codes within the GAA family:­ Hurling Excellence award, Camogie Excellence award and Ladies Football Excellence award.

The evening was hosted by Joanne Cantwell, RTE Sport presenter, along with ex Monaghan senior football manager, Kevin McStay.

The Irish News Ulster All-Star team of 2018 is:

1. Rory Beggan (Monaghan)
2. Padraig Hampsey (Tyrone)
3. Drew Wylie (Monaghan)
4. Ryan Wylie (Monaghan)
5. Eoghan Ban Gallagher (Donegal)
6. Mattie Donnelly (Tyrone)
7. Karl O’Connell (Monaghan)
8. Colm Cavanagh (Tyrone)
9. Michael Murphy (Donegal)
10. Ryan McAnespie (Monaghan)
11. Niall Sludden (Tyrone)
12. Ryan McHugh (Donegal)
13. Connor McAliskey (Tyrone)
14. Sean Quigley (Fermanagh)
15. Conor McManus (Monaghan)

The Irish News Excellence Awards

Hurling Excellence Award-Donegal Senior Hurling team– picked up by their Captain Danny Cullen.

Camogie Excellence Award-Down Camogie team-picked up by their captain Fionnuala Carr.

Ladies Football Excellence Award: Donegal Ladies Senior Football Team- picked up by team captain, Karen Guthrie.

The 1998 Irish News Ulster All-Star winners were also celebrated last night and presented with an honorary roll as this year’s awards marked the 20^th anniversary since they were named Irish News Ulster All-Stars.

Recipients of the Irish News Ulster 1998 All-Stars Honorary Roll were:

1. Owen McCloskey (Derry)
2. Kieran McKeever (Derry)
3. Sean Martin Lockhart (Derry)
4. Mark McNeill (Armagh)
5. Damian Diver (Donegal)
6. Henry Downey (Derry)
7. Paul McFlynn (Derry)
8. Jarlath Burns (Armagh)
9. Jim McGuiness (Donegal)
10. Ross Carr (Down)
11. Dermot Dougan (Derry)
12. Diarmuid Marsden (Armagh)
13. Joe Brolly (Derry)
14. Tony Boyle (Donegal)
15. Brendan Devenney