BEATEN All-Ireland finalists Tyrone have five players on the 2021 Minor Football Team of the Year, which was announced yesterday.
The Red Hand youngsters stormed through Ulster over the summer, handing out heavy defeats to Down and Fermanagh on their way to a comfortable provincial final victory over Donegal. They beat Cork by 14 points in the All-Ireland semi-final in August but they just about failed to get over the line against Meath in the Croke Park final, losing by a single point.
And yesterday, Callan Kelly from Cookstown, Shea O’Hare and Cormac Devlin, both from Ardboe, Ruairí McHugh from Coalisland and Donaghmore’s Ronan Cassidy all got their reward for a sterling season. Devlin was the second highest scorer in this year’s minor championship, racking up a total of 2-19 over the course of five games.
All-Ireland champions Meath have eight players on the Team of the Year, including Minor Football Player of the Year Conor Ennis, while Cork and Sligo each have one representative on the team.
GAA president Larry McCarthy congratulated the successful players: “The level of talent on display during this year’s Minor Football Championship has been incredible and I have no doubt many of these young men will go on to have a significant impact on their counties for many years to come.
“It has been a privilege to watch them perform to such a high level during the 2021 season,” McCarthy added.
“A special thanks also goes to the parents of all minor players and also the coaches who have moulded and mentored these young men into the people they are today.”
2021 Minor Football Team of the Year: Daniel Walsh (Cork); Conor Ennis (Meath), Liam Kelly (Meath), Callan Kelly (Tyrone); Tomás Corbett (Meath), Shea O’Hare (Tyrone), Shaun Leonard (Meath); Ruairí McHugh (Tyrone), Jack Kinlough (Meath); Cormac Devlin (Tyrone), Seán Emmanuel (Meath), Ronan Cassidy (Tyrone); Hughie Corcoran (Meath), Oisín Ó Murchú (Meath), Luke Marren (Sligo).
