ANTRIM’S run to this year’s Christy Ring Cup final was acknowledged with three Champion 15 awards at last night’s PwC GAA/GPA All-Stars banquet at Dublin’s Convention Centre.
Chrissy O’Connell, John Dillon and Paddy Burke were all honoured, as were Down duo Michael Hughes and Eoghan Sands, who helped their county to the semi-finals.
Ulster sides dominated the Nicky Rackard selection with champions Derry collecting five awards, finalists Armagh three, Tyrone and Monaghan two and Donegal one.
Slaughtneil trio Brendan Rogers, Sean Cassidy and Gerald Bradley were joined by Ballinascreen’s Paul Cleary and Banagher’s Darragh McCloskey to complete the Oakleaf representation.
Armagh’s Nathan Curry, meanwhile, has a Nicky Rackard award to go with the Christy Ring accolade collected four years ago while Orchard teammates Artie McGuinness and John Corvan were also included.
Monaghan’s Mark Treanor has now a second Nicky Rackard award to his name after being honoured in 2014 while fellow Farney player Donal Meegan picked up his first award.
Tyrone’s Brendan Begley is also a first-time winner while Stephen Donnelly added a third award having already picked up a Nicky Rackard award in 2009 and a Lory Meagher gong 12 months later. Donegal man David Flynn completed the Ulster representation on the team.
Cavan’s return from a six-year inter-county exile was been rewarded with Lory Meagher awards for Damien Sheridan and Matthew Hynes. Fermanagh also had two representatives on the side, Sean Corrigan and Shea Curran, while former Antrim star Liam Watson was included after helping to power Warwickshire to the title.
CHRISTY RING CHAMPION 15: Chrissy O’Connell (Antrim), John Dillon (Antrim), Paddy Burke (Antrim), Michael Hughes (Down), Eoghan Sands (Down), Enda Cooney (London), Paul Divilly (Kildare), Ger McManus (Mayo), Padraig Kelly (Roscommon), Eamonn Kearns (Wicklow), Andy O’Brien (Wicklow), Alan Corcoran (Carlow), John Michael Nolan (Carlow), James Doyle (Carlow), Richard Coady (Carlow)
NICKY RACKARD CHAMPION 15: Brendan Rogers (Derry), Darragh McCloskey (Derry), Paul Cleary (Derry), Sean Cassidy (Derry), Gerald Bradley (Derry), Artie McGuinness (Armagh), Nathan Curry (Armagh), John Corvan (Armagh), Davin Flynn (Donegal), Brendan Begley (Tyrone), Stephen Donnelly (Tyrone), Mark Treanor (Monaghan), Donal Meegan (Monaghan), Mike Lyons (Louth), Seamus Hannon (Longford)
LORY MEAGHER CHAMPION 15: Damien Sheridan (Cavan), Matthew Hynes (Cavan), Sean Corrigan (Fermanagh), Shea Curran (Fermanagh), Kevin Banks (Sligo), Cormac Behan (Sligo), Ronan Crowley (Lancashire), Nathan Unwin (Lancashire), Conor Byrne (Leitrim), Liam Moreton (Leitrim), Clement Cunniffe (Leitrim), John Collins (Warwickshire), Dean Bruen (Warwickshire), Paul Uniacke (Warwickshire), Liam Watson (Warwickshire)
