Seven Kerry players on ladies All-Star team as Galway's Nicola Ward named Player of the Year
Eva Osborne
All-Ireland Senior champions Kerry lead the way with seven representatives on the 2024 TG4 Ladies Football All-Star team as Galway's Nicola Ward was named the 2024 TG4 Senior Players’ Player of the Year.
The annual selection was revealed on Saturday night at the annual TG4 All-Star awards banquet, in association with Lidl, as the Bonnington Dublin Hotel.
Kerry’s seven winners are goalkeeper Ciara Butler, defenders Kayleigh Cronin and Aishling O’Connell, midfielder Anna Galvin, and forward trio Niamh Carmody, Danielle O’Leary, and Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh.
Being named the 2024 TG4 Senior Players’ Player of the Year capped a memorable night for 28-year-old Nicola Ward who also collected a second TG4 All-Star award, to add to her previous success in 2019.
Galway have been rewarded with four TG4 All-Star awards, with defender Kate Geraghty, midfielder and captain Ailbhe Davoren, and half-forward Olivia Divilly joining their teammate Ward.
There are three All-Star awards for Armagh, the 2024 Lidl National League Division 1 winners and All-Ireland semi-finalists, with defenders Grace Ferguson and Lauren McConville acknowledged, along with forward Aoife McCoy.
There’s also recognition for Cork, who progressed to the TG4 All-Ireland semi-finals, with Katie Quirke named at full-forward.
2024 TG4 Senior Players’ Player of the Year Nicola Ward enjoyed a superb season in Galway colours, driving her team forward from defence and earning the Player of the Match award for her All-Ireland quarter-final display against Dublin at Parnell Park, when the Tribeswomen knocked out the then defending champions.
Galway then saw off the challenge of Cork to reach the TG4 All-Ireland Final, where they lost out to Kerry.
Ward held off stiff competition from Kerry’s Kayleigh Cronin and Armagh’s Lauren McConville to win the Senior Players’ Player of the Year award, which was voted for by fellow inter-county players.
The 2024 TG4 Intermediate Players’ Player of the Year award, meanwhile, went to Leitrim captain Michelle Guckian.
From the Kiltubrid club, Guckian captained Leitrim the 2024 TG4 All-Ireland Intermediate title and she contributed 1-23 across the All-Ireland series, including five points in the Final, to help the Connacht side to glory.
Guckian landed the Intermediate Players’ Player of the Year award ahead of Leitrim team-mate Charlene Tyrell and Tyrone captain Aoibhinn McHugh.
All three nominees were recently named on the 2024 TG4 Intermediate Team of the Championship.
And there was further glory for Fermanagh following their TG4 All-Ireland Junior Championship success as brilliant forward Eimear Smyth was named Junior Players’ Player of the Year.