All-Star Football nominees announced as record that has stood since 1996 is broken

Donegal dominate the list, while two Kerry players make the Footballer of the Year shortlist

All-Ireland SFC runners-up Donegal dominate the PwC All-Star Football nominees for 2025, with 10 nominations compared to Kerry’s nine.

It is the first time since 1996 that the winner of the All-Ireland SFC has not received the most nominees. 

Jack O’Connor’s Kerry, who won the All-Ireland with convincing wins over Armagh, Tyrone and then Donegal in the final, do have both David Clifford and Joe O’Connor in the three-man Footballer of the Year shortlist, alongside Donegal’s Michael Murphy.  

Oisin Conaty of Armagh, Finbarr Roarty of Donegal and Matthew Thompson of Galway are on the three-man shortlist for Young Footballer of the Year. 

In 1996, defeated finalists Mayo received more nominees than winners Meath, while in 2016, 2000 and 1998, both finalists shared the same number of nominees.  

Young footballer of the Year

Oisín Conaty (Armagh)

Finbarr Roarty (Donegal)

Matthew Thompson (Galway)

Footballer of the Year

David Clifford (Kerry)

Joe O’Connor (Kerry)

Michael Murphy (Donegal)YPOTY

All-Star nominees: Full list

Goalkeepers

1 Shane Ryan (Kerry)

2 Rory Beggan (Monaghan)

3 Ethan Rafferty (Armagh)

Defenders

1 Brian Ó Beaglaíoch (Kerry)

2 Jason Foley (Kerry)

3 Gavin White (Kerry)

4 Michael Breen (Kerry)

5 Brendan McCole (Donegal)

6 Finbarr Roarty (Donegal)

7 Peadar Mogan (Donegal)

8 Ciarán Moore (Donegal)

9 Ciarán Caulfield (Meath)

10 Seán Rafferty (Meath)

11 Craig Lennon (Louth)

12 Jarly Óg Burns (Armagh)

13 Ross McQuillan (Armagh)

14 Niall Devlin (Tyrone)

15 Kieran McGeary (Tyrone)

16 Dessie Ward (Monaghan)

17 Jack Coyne (Mayo)

18 Ryan McHugh (Donegal)

Midfielders

1 Michael Langan (Donegal)

2 Joe O'Connor (Kerry)

3 Odhran Murdock (Down)

4 Conor Glass (Derry)

5 John Maher (Galway)

6 Peadar Ó Cofaigh Byrne (Dublin)

Forwards

1 David Clifford (Kerry)

2 Paudie Clifford (Kerry)

3 Seán O’Shea (Kerry)

4 Michael Murphy (Donegal)

5 Conor O’Donnell (Donegal)

6 Rob Finnerty (Galway)

7 Sam Mulroy (Louth)

8 Shane O’Donnell (Donegal)

9 Oisín Conaty (Armagh)

10 Matthew Thompson (Galway)

11 Michael Bannigan (Monaghan)

12 Matthew Costello (Meath)

13 Jordan Morris (Meath)