Ryan O’Donoghue named Footballer of the Year as Gearóid Hegarty claims hurling award

Limerick dominate the 2026 GAA/GPA Hurling All Stars just as they bestrode the season. The All-Ireland, Munster and National League champions have picked up nine awards, including Hurler of the Year for Gearóid Hegarty. The Footballer of the Year award, which was also announced at the ceremony in the RDS on Friday, went to Mayo’s Ryan O’Donoghue.

It was Hegarty’s second time to win Hurler of the Year, six years after his first award, and he had been the clear favourite since midsummer. The football award, though, must have been a close call between O’Donoghue and David Clifford, whose scoring this season scaled new heights.

O’Donoghue was inspirational in Mayo’s run to the All-Ireland final and gave a tour de force against Kerry. He is just the third Mayo player to win the award after Andy Moran in 2017 and Lee Keegan a year earlier.

Darragh Beirne won Young Footballer of the Year, holding off his Mayo team-mate Kobe McDonald, while Galway’s Jason Rabbitte was voted Young Hurler of the Year.

Unlike the football All Stars, in which eight counties were represented, only four appear on the hurling team, reflecting a season that lacked competitiveness and depth. All-Ireland runners-up Galway picked up three awards, Cork two and Clare one. In a familiar pattern, no player from outside the All-Ireland semi-finalists was named on the team.

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There are seven first-time winners, which is four fewer than last year’s extraordinary selection, but well above average. Limerick lead that list as well with Adam English at centrefield, Aidan O’Connor at centre-forward and Cathal O’Neill at wing-forward all receiving their first awards.

Among the other first-time winners was Rabbitte, emulating his father Joe, who earned his first All Star 33 years ago. They become the sixth father-and-son duo to win hurling awards. Rabbitte is also the youngest All Star since Mark Coleman from Cork in 2017.

The other two Galway players named on the team, Darren Morrissey at full back and Tom Monaghan at centrefield, were also first-time winners. It is the first time that more than one Galway player has been picked on an All Stars team since their last All-Ireland final appearance in 2018.

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Peter Duggan from Clare bridged an eight-year gap between his first and second awards and, alongside him in the full-forward line, Brian Hayes is the only survivor from last year’s selection. Hayes was also a Hurler of the Year nominee.

The other Cork player to win an award is Niall O’Leary at cornerback. He played every minute of Cork’s championship campaign and was given a variety of man-marking jobs; none of his direct opponents scored more than a point.

In the other cornerback position Barry Nash picks up his third award while it is an all-Limerick half-back line of Diarmaid Byrnes, Will O’Donoghue and Kyle Hayes, the second time in recent years that Limerick have mopped up in those positions. Limerick players also occupy all three spots in the half-forward line.

With his sixth award Hayes draws alongside Joe McKenna as the most decorated Limerick player in the scheme. For Byrnes and Hegarty, it was their fifth awards.

Limerick’s dominance of the team reflects a remarkable turnaround in their fortunes. They finished 2025 empty-handed and none of their players were selected as an All Star. But alongside 2020 this is the second time that they have received nine awards – three fewer than 2023 when they amassed an all-time record of 12.

There must have been some close calls and hard cases. The Sunday Game panellists picked Cian Lynch and Cathal Mannion as their centre fielders and they both had a case for inclusion here. Lynch was outstanding in the All-Ireland final, but he was sent off against Cork in Limerick’s opening game, was suspended against Tipperary and injury meant he only came on as a late sub against Clare, albeit an impactful one.

Tom Monaghan was one of the front runners for Hurler of the Year before the All-Ireland final when, like many Galway players, his performance levels dipped. The selectors shifted him from wing forward to centrefield, which is a valid reflection of how fluid the middle third has become in the modern game. On his overall form he was a worthy recipient in a team that is above rebuke.

PwC All Stars Hurling 2026 (previous winning years)

1. Nickie Quaid (Limerick) (2020, 2022, 2024)

2. Niall O’Leary (Cork)

3. Darren Morrissey (Galway)

4. Barry Nash (Limerick) (2021, 2022)

5. Diarmaid Byrnes (Limerick) (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)

6. William O’Donoghue (Limerick) (2021, 2023)

7. Kyle Hayes (Limerick) (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024)

8. Adam English (Limerick)

9. Tom Monaghan (Galway)

10. Gearóid Hegarty (Limerick) (2020, 2021, 2022, 2024)

11. Aidan O’Connor (Limerick)

12. Cathal O’Neill (Limerick)

13. Jason Rabbitte (Galway)

14. Peter Duggan (Clare) (2018)

15. Brian Hayes (Cork) (2025)