Kerry star Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh was named as the 2023 TG4 Senior Players’ Player of the Year at the annual TG4 All Star banquet in association with Lidl at The Bonnington Dublin Hotel on Saturday night, as All-Ireland senior champions Dublin led the way with 8 All Star awards.
Ní Mhuircheartaigh's individual accolade capped a memorable night for the 32-year-old Corca Dhuibhne player, who also collected a fourth TG4 All Star award to add to her previous successes in 2012, 2013 and 2022.
Ní Mhuircheartaigh finished as leading scorer in the 2023 TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship with a haul of 3-31, including 1-7 in the Final against Dublin on Sunday August 13.
For the Senior Players’ Player of the Year award, Ní Mhuircheartaigh held off stiff competition from Dublin duo Leah Caffrey and Jennifer Dunne to win the award, which was voted on by fellow inter-county players.
The 2023 TG4 Intermediate Players’ Player of the Year award, meanwhile, went to Kildare forward Róisín Byrne.
From the Sarsfields club, Byrne scored 0-25 for the Lilywhites as they stormed to TG4 All-Ireland Intermediate glory, including seven points in a Final Player of the Match performance against Clare.
And there was further glory for Down following their TG4 All-Ireland Junior Championship success as brilliant forward Natasha Ferris was named Junior Players’ Player of the Year.
Ferris, from the Bryansford club, finished her season as top scorer in the Junior grade with an astonishing tally of 7-31, including five points in the TG4 All-Ireland Final victory over Limerick.
Meanwhile Dublin’s All Star haul eclipses their previous all-time best of seven players on the annual selection, which was achieved twice in 2018 and 2019.
Dublin’s eight winners are goalkeeper Abby Shiels, defenders Leah Caffrey, Lauren Magee and Martha Byrne, midfielder Jennifer Dunne, and forwards Orlagh Nolan, Hannah Tyrrell and Carla Rowe.
Tyrrell was named Player of the Match in the 2023 TG4 All-Ireland Senior Final, as Rowe had the honour of lifting the Brendan Martin Cup as team captain.
TG4 All-Ireland Finalists Kerry have been rewarded with five All Star award winners, namely defenders Eilís Lynch and Cáit Lynch, midfielder Lorraine Scanlon, and forwards Niamh Carmody and Ní Mhuircheartaigh.
Cork forward Ciara O’Sullivan and Mayo defender Danielle Caldwell also received 2023 TG4 All Star awards.
The team is comprised of four first-time award winners, with Dublin’s Abby Shiels, Martha Byrne and Jennifer Dunne joined by Kerry’s Eilís Lynch as inaugural recipients.
Six players picked up their second awards on the night – Mayo’s Danielle Caldwell, Dublin’s Lauren Magee, Orlagh Nolan and Hannah Tyrrell, and Kerry’s Lorraine Scanlon and Niamh Carmody.
Kerry’s Cáit Lynch is now a three-time TG4 All-Star award winner, while the Kingdom’s ace forward Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh and Dublin’s Carla Rowe are both honoured for a fourth time.
Cork’s Ciara O’Sullivan is now a five-time winner, and she bridges a five-year gap after winning her fourth award in 2018.
There are four players who featured on the 2022 TG4 All Star team named on this year’s selection, as Mayo’s Danielle Caldwell and Kerry trio Cáit Lynch, Niamh Carmody and Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh receive the prestigious individual accolades once again.
The 2023 TG4 All Star team also contains three players from the Castleisland Desmonds club in Kerry – Eilís Lynch, Cáit Lynch and Lorraine Scanlon.
Two players from the Cuala club in Dublin are also honoured – Martha Byrne and Jennifer Dunne – while there are also two awards for the Na Fianna club in the capital, with Leah Caffrey and Hannah Tyrrell included in the annual 15.
Earlier in the evening, Dublin and Thomas Davis legend Christina McGinty was officially inducted into the LGFA Hall of Fame.
McGinty was a 1989 All-Ireland Junior Championship winner with Dublin and also had the distinction of playing in All-Ireland Junior, Intermediate and Senior Club Finals during an outstanding career.
2023 TG4 Ladies Football All-Star team:
- Abby Shiels (Dublin) – 1st award
- Eilís Lynch (Kerry) – 1st award
- Leah Caffrey (Dublin) – 4th award (previous in 2016, 2017 and 2021)
- Danielle Caldwell (Mayo) – 2nd award (previous in 2022)
- Lauren Magee (Dublin) – 2nd award (previous in 2018)
- Martha Byrne (Dublin) – 1st award
- Cáit Lynch (Kerry) – 3rd award (previous in 2012 and 2022)
- Jennifer Dunne (Dublin) – 1st award
- Lorraine Scanlon (Kerry) – 2nd award (previous in 2017)
- Niamh Carmody (Kerry) – 2nd award (previous in 2022)
- Orlagh Nolan (Dublin) – 2nd award (previous in 2021)
- Ciara O’Sullivan (Cork) – 5th award (previous in 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2018)
- Hannah Tyrrell (Dublin) – 2nd award (previous in 2021)
- Carla Rowe (Dublin) – 4th award (previous in 2015, 2016 and 2019)
- Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh (Kerry) – 4th award (previous in 2012, 2013 and 2022)
County by county breakdown:
8 Dublin, 5 Kerry, 1 Cork, 1 Mayo.
