Jackies lead All-Star list as Staunton equals record

ALL-IRELAND champions Dublin lead the way with six representatives on the TG4 Ladies Football All-Star team.

It was a night of history at the Citywest Hotel, with Mayo’s Cora Staunton collecting a recordequalling 11th award, to draw level with Kerry’s Mary Jo Curran at the top of the roll of honour.

Dublin’s haul of six awards matches their previous best on an All-Star team – achieved in 2010 when they also won the All-Ireland.

Captain Sinéad Aherne nabbed a sixth award – making her the most decorated Dublin All-Star recipient in history. Aherne is joined on the selection by team-mates Ciara Trant, Rachel Ruddy, Leah Caffrey, Nicole Owens and Noelle Healy.

SURVIVORS

Aherne, Caffrey and Healy are the only survivors from the 2016 selection.

All-Ireland runners-up Mayo received three awards.

Staunton, who will captain Carnacon in the All-Ireland Senior Club final against Mourneabbey on Sunday week, December 3, picked up her second award in three seasons.

She’s joined on the All-Star team by Mayo team-mates Sarah Tierney and Aileen Gilroy, who are first-time recipients.

In total, nine players were honoured for the first time, with two awards each for Donegal and Kerry, and one apiece for Armagh and Cork.

The Hegartys from Moville in Donegal, Ciara and Niamh, are the first set of sisters to be named together on an All-Star team since 2013.

2017 TG4 LADIES FOOTBALL ALL-STAR TEAM:

C Trant (Dublin); E Spillane (Cork), S Tierney (Mayo), R Ruddy (Dublin); C Kelly (Kerry), C Hegarty (Donegal), L Caffrey (Dublin); L Scanlon (Kerry), A Gilroy (Mayo); A Mackin (Armagh), N Hegarty (Donegal), N Owens (Dublin); S Aherne (Dublin), C Staunton (Mayo), N Healy (Dublin).