It’s been a hell of a year for Leitrim GAA.
In April, the footballers made their way back to Croke Park for the first time in over a decade.
In June, the hurlers made Croke Park their own.
"The balcony of heaven has opened and all of Leitrim are looking down…"
13 years on, the county with the smallest population in Ireland is going back to Croke Park 💚💛@LeitrimGAA has risen ✊ pic.twitter.com/P0GYY8vu6T
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) March 29, 2019
After winning the Lory Meagher Cup and gaining promotion from the football league’s Division Four, there’s been celebrations in the Leitrim air and, still, the excitement is palpable.
Now, two of their men have been recognised with places on the GAA’s Champion 15 select side for the best individual performances across the Lory Meagher, the Nickey Rackard and the Christy Ring.
Sligo and Meath, champions of the Rackard and Ring cups respectively, lead the way on the team of the year with three players from each county representing them.
For Leitrim, Enda Moreton takes his slot at corner back with a county football and hurling legend James Glancy in at number 6.
Champion 15
- Simon Doherty (Armagh) – Nickey Rackard
- Caolan Taggart (Down) – Christy Ring
- Keith Keoghan (Meath) – Christy Ring
- Enda Moreton (Leitrim) – Lory Meagher
- James Weir (Sligo) – Nickey Rackard
- James Glancy (Leitrim) – Lory Meagher
- John Henderson (Wicklow) – Christy Ring
- Keith Raymond (Sligo) – Nickey Rackard
- Sean Geraghty (Meath) – Christy Ring
- Jack Regan (Meath) – Christy Ring
- Gerard O’Kelly Lynch (Sligo) – Nickey Rackard
- Damian Casey (Tyrone) – Nickey Rackard
- Daithi Sands (Down) – Christy Ring
- Ronan Crowley (Lancashire) – Lory Meagher
- Se McGuigan (Derry) – Christy Ring
Whilst there has been controversy that there’s been no awards as such exclusively for the Joe McDonagh Cup, there was a player of the year selected for that competition with Laois man Paddy Purcell receiving the honour.
Player of the Year winners
Joe McDonagh Cup
Paddy Purcell (Laois)
Christy Ring Cup
Jack Regan (Meath)
Nickey Rackard Cup
Keith Raymond (Sligo)
Lory Meagher Cup
Ronan Crowley (Lancashire)
