The nominees have been announced for the 2021 TG4 Players’ Player of the year awards in the Senior, Intermediate and Junior grades. The winners will be revealed at the 2021 TG4 All-Star Awards Banquet, in association with Lidl, which will be held at Dublin’s Bonnington Hotel on Saturday, November 13. The Senior short-list is comprised entirely of Meath players, with Emma Duggan, Emma Troy and Vikki Wall all nominated. All three players are also nominated for TG4 All Star awards, with the final 15 to be announced on the night. Wall was Player of the Match in the 2021 TG4 All-Ireland Senior Final for Meath, and the Dunboyne player was also the 2020 Intermediate Players’ Player of the Year. Club-mate Duggan, who collected 3-19 during the Championship, scored the crucial goal for Meath against Dublin on September 5, while Troy was a tower of strength for the Royal County in defence throughout the historic campaign. It promises to be another incredible night for Meath when the All Stars and Players of the Year are revealed, as Eamonn Murray’s team has also been recognised with 14 All Star nominations.
In the Intermediate grade, two players from TG4 All-Ireland champions Westmeath are nominated, along with Clare’s Niamh O’Dea. Sarah Dillon was Player of the Match for Westmeath in the All-Ireland Final victory over Wexford, and the Intermediate grade’s top scorer in 2021, and she’s nominated alongside team-mate Lucy McCartan. Dillon led the way with 1-6 in the Final, while McCartan chipped in with 1-1 on September 5 against Wexford. Clare bowed out of the All-Ireland Championship at the quarter-final stage but O’Dea’s brilliant form yielded 3-13 for the Banner County and she’s been acknowledged by her peers with a nomination.
In the Junior grade, there are nominations for Carlow’s Clíodhna Ní Shé, Antrim’s Gráinne McLaughlin and Wicklow’s Marie Kealy. Ní Shé was top scorer in the 2021 TG4 All-Ireland Championships with a total of 9-19, eight points clear of Wicklow’s leading scorer Kealy, who collected a total of 0-38 as the Garden County finished the season as TG4 All-Ireland Junior champions. Antrim may have lost out in the Final against Wicklow but their vice-captain McLaughlin was superb throughout the season. She scored a total of 3-23 in the 2021 TG4 All-Ireland Championship, including 1-5 in the Final. The nominees in all three categories have all been selected by their fellow players, who could not vote for their own team-mates.
TG4 Senior Players’ Player of the Year Award Nominees
Emma Duggan (Meath)*
Emma Troy (Meath)*
Vikki Wall (Meath)*
TG4 Intermediate Players’ Player of the Year Award Nominees
Sarah Dillon (Westmeath)
Lucy McCartan (Westmeath)
Niamh O’Dea (Clare)
TG4 Junior Players’ Player of the Year Award Nominees
Marie Kealy (Wicklow)
Gráinne McLaughlin (Antrim)
Clíodhna Ní Shé (Carlow)
*(also nominated for a TG4 All Star award)
