All Ireland Champs Dominate All Star Awards

2016 is the year that keeps on giving for Kilkenny camogie as they were the big winners at the Camogie All Stars that took place in the Citywest Hotel in Dublin on Saturday last, as they came home with 2 Intermediate soaring stars, 8 senior All Stars and 2 players of the year and Manger of the year awards.

The night began with Junior soaring stars awards that saw Carlow secure 2 of the six awards on offer with Eleanor Treacy and Ciara Quirke claiming the All Stars with Armagh claiming two and Westmeath and Roscommon making up the remainder.  Next up was the Intermediate soaring stars that saw six of the All Ireland champions Kilkenny up for awards.  Ciara Holden (Mullinavat) and Jenny Clifford (Dicksboro) claim two of the six awards on offer with Cork claiming two and Laois and Meath claiming the other two All Stars.

Next up was the player of the year awards. Eleanor Treacy claimed the junior Player of the year award.  Ciara Holden and Jenny Clifford who claimed Intermedaite awards earlier in the night competed for the Intermediate award with Mullinavat player getting the nod from her peers to claim the Intermedaite player of the year award. Next up was the Senior player of the year award. Denise Gaule found herself nominated for the senior award with Orla Cotter (Cork ) and Kate Kelly (Wexford).  Denise Gaule claimed the vote of her fellow players to claim the Senior honour for 2016. The next award on the night was the Manager of the year that saw Ann Downey up against Mark Brennan of Carlow and Paudie Murray of Cork for the award. To the roar of the Kilkenny crowd in attendance Ann Downey claimed the award in recognition of bringing the O’Duffy cup back Noreside for the first time in 22 years.

The main part of the evening then got underway with the Senior All Star team for 2016 being announced with 15 of the Kilkenny team being nominated. First up was Goal keeper with Emma Kavanagh up against Aoife Murray (Cork), and Mags D’Arcy (Wexford) with the Rower Inistioge net minder claiming the award for the All Ireland champions.  The full back line was next up with Collette Dormer, Jacqui Frisby, and  Davina Tobin getting the nomination along with Rena Buckley (Cork), Pamela Mackey (Cork), Laura Treacy (Cork), Sarah Dervan (Galway), Jean Brady (Offaly), Aoife McGrath (Tipperary). The right back award went to Pamela Mackey of Cork. The full back award went to Sarah Dervan of Galway with Colette Dormer of Paulstown getting the Left corner back award.  Next up was the half back line with Anne Dalton St Lachtains, Meighan Farrell Thomastown, Edwina Keane St Martins, and  Claire Phelan Lisdowney  up against Gemma O’Connor (Cork), Rebecca Hennelly (Galway), Siobhán Flannery (Offaly), Patricia Jackman (Waterford), Sarah O’Connor (Wexford). The Right Half-Back award went to Rebecca Hennelly  of Galway. The centre back award went to Anne Dalton of St Lachtains her fourth award and Meighan Farrell of Thomastown finished up the back line with the Left Half-Back award her first All Star. Next up was the Midfield nomination that saw Anna Farrell Thomastown and  Miriam Walsh Tullaroan up against Orla Cotter (Cork), Ashling Thompson (Cork), Teresa Ryan (Tipperary) and Shelley Kehoe (Wexford). The first midfield award went to the Rebel county with Orla Cotter claiming the award. Miriam Walsh of Tullaroan claiming the fifth award for Kilkenny.  The next awards of the night was the half forward line that saw Denise Gaule Windgap and  Julie Ann Malone Mullinavat up against Hannah Looney (Cork), Niamh O’Dea (Clare), Aoife Donohue (Galway), Niamh Mulcahy (Limerick), Michaela Morkan (Offaly), Mary Ryan (Tipperary), Nicole Walsh (Tipperary) finishing the nominations. The Right Half-Forward award went to Denise Gaule of Windgap. The Centre Half-Forward went to Julie Ann Malone of Mullinavat with Aoife Donohue of Galway claiming the Left Half-Forward award. Next up was the full forward line that saw Shelly Farrell Thomastown, Katie Power Piltown and  Michelle Quilty Mullinavat up against Briege Corkery (Cork), Katrina Mackey (Cork), Ailish O’Reilly (Galway), Tina Hannon (Offaly), Orla O’Dwyer (Tipperary), Kate Kelly (Wexford) making up the nominations. The Right Corner-Forward award went to Michelle Quilty of Mullinavat. Kate Kelly of Wexford claimed the full forward award while Katrina Mackey of Cork finished up the All Star team for 2016 in claiming the Left corner forward spot.

The All Star awards really were the icing on the cake after a terrific year for Kilkenny camogie. Full gallery of the night can be found at the following link https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1323420277679422.1073741905.276323212389139&type=3