The 42

2026 Gaelic football All-Star Team

(Previous winning years in brackets)

Goalkeeper

• 1. Shane Murphy (Kerry – Dr Crokes) – 1^st award.

Defenders

• 2. Sam Callinan (Mayo – Ballina Stephenites) – 1^st award.
• 3. Jason Foley (Kerry - Ballydonoghue) – 2^nd award (2022).
• 4. Enda Hession (Mayo – Garrymore) – 1^st award.
• 5. Ronan Wallace (Westmeath – Multyfarnham) – 1^st award.
• 6. Dara McDonnell (Louth – Naomh Máirtín) – 1^st award.
• 7. Jarly Óg Burns (Armagh – Silverbridge Harps) – 1^st award.

Midfielders

• 8. Conn Kilpatrick (Tyrone – Edendork St Malachy’s) – 1^st award.
• 9. Jack Carney (Mayo – Kilmeena) – 1^st award.

Forwards

• 10. Niall Scully (Dublin – Templeogue Synge Street) – 2^nd award (2020).
• 11. Ryan O’Donoghue (Mayo – Belmullet) – 2^nd award (2021).
• 12. Stephen O’Hanlon (Monaghan – Carrickmacross Emmets) – 1^st award.
• 13. Darragh Beirne (Mayo – Claremorris) – 1^st award.
• 14. David Clifford (Kerry – Fossa) – 7^th award (2018, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2025).
• 15. Kobe McDonald (Mayo – Crossmolina Deel Rovers) – 1st award.

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ALL IRELAND CHAMPIONS Mayo lead the way with six All-Stars represented on the 2026 PwC GAA-GPA Gaelic football team.

The side they beat in the final, Kerry, have three players named, while there is a single player each from Westmeath, Louth, Armagh, Tyrone, Dublin and Monaghan.

Mayo have Sam Callinan and Enda Hession named in the corner-back positions, with Jack Carney taking his place in midfield. Their prolific attack makes up half of that section, with Ryan O’Donoghue named at centre-forward, with Darragh Beirne and Kobe McDonald at corner-forwards.

Kerry have goalkeeper Shane Murphy, with Jason Foley named at full-back. David Clifford picks up his seventh All-Star at full-forward.

Elsewhere, there is a spread of players that reflects a truly competitive and exciting championship. The entire half-back line is made up of first-time All-Stars: Ronan Wallace of Westmeath, Dara McDonald of Louth and Armagh’s Jarly Óg Burns.

Conn Kilpatrick tops off a sensational week after playing a leading role in Edendork’s first-ever Tyrone championship last Friday night by landing an All-Star in midfield.

Niall Scully is recognised for his huge input into a great personal season, the Dublin player winning his second All-Star to go with the one in 2020 at wing-forward. On the other wing is another first timer in Monaghan’s Stephen O’Hanlon.

All in, there are eight counties represented. This is the record for Gaelic football All-Star teams, and equals the teams of 1971, 1972, 1992 and 1998.

There are also 11 first-time All-Stars, a bracingly fresh number.

A bit of history is made in that the three nominees for the Young Footballer of the Year have all been selected for an All-Star, while Kobe McDonald becomes the youngest-ever All-Star at just 18. He is one month younger than the previous winner, Derry’s Dermot McNicholl, who won his All-Star in 1984.

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Written by Declan Bogue and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.