Gaelic Games

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Mayo duo Ryan O'Donoghue and Jack Carney have been nominated alongside Kerry's David Clifford for the 2026 GAA-GPA's Footballer of the Year.

Clifford, who won the title last year, is aiming to be a four-time winner and become a seven-time All-Star at 27-years-old.

An All-Star in 2021, Mayo's Donoghue is nominated after playing a key role in the county ending their 75-year wait for the All-Ireland title.

His team-mate Carney registered six two-pointers during the Championship and also impressed against Kerry in the Croke Park final in July.

Mayo have the most nominations for the All-Star team with 11, while Sam Maguire Cup runners-up Kerry have seven.

There are five players from Dublin nominated, four from Westmeath with Monaghan, Armagh and Louth having three each.

There are two apiece for Roscommon, Cork, Galway and Tyrone, while Donegal have one.

In the Young Football of the Year category, Mayo forwards Darragh Beirne and Kobe McDonald, and Louth defender Dara McDonnell have all been shortlisted.

Footballer of the Year nominees

Jack Carney (Mayo), David Clifford (Kerry) and Ryan O'Donoghue (Mayo)

Young Footballer of the Year nominees

Darragh Beirne (Mayo), Kobe McDonald (Mayo) and Dara McDonnell (Louth)

Football All-Star nominations

Goalkeepers: Rory Beggan (Monaghan), Jack Livingstone (Mayo), Shane Murphy (Kerry)

Defenders: Sam Callinan (Mayo), Jack Coyne (Mayo), Enda Hession (Mayo), David McBrien (Mayo), Donnacha McHugh (Mayo), Jason Foley (Kerry), Michael Breen (Kerry), Jarlath Og Burns (Armagh), Tiernan Kelly (Armagh), Dara McDonnell (Louth), Craig Lennon (Louth), Ronan Wallace (Westmeath), Matthew Whittaker (Westmeath), David Byrne (Dublin), Charlie McMorrow (Dublin), Tommy Walsh (Cork), Niall Devlin (Tyrone), Dylan Byrne (Monaghan)

Midfielders: Jack Carney (Mayo), Mark O'Shea (Kerry), Conn Kilpatrick (Tyrone), John Maher (Galway), Ciaran Kilkenny (Dublin), Michael Langan (Donegal)

Forwards: Darragh Beirne (Mayo), Ryan O'Donoghue (Mayo), Kobe McDonald (Mayo), Jordan Flynn (Mayo), David Clifford (Kerry), Paudie Clifford (Kerry), Dylan Geaney (Kerry), Niall Scully (Dublin), Con O'Callaghan (Dublin), Darragh Heneghan (Roscommon), Diarmuid Murtagh (Roscommon), Sam McCartan (Westmeath), Brandon Kelly (Westmeath), Steven Sherlock (Cork), Stephen O'Hanlon (Monaghan), Ciaran Downey (Louth), Oisin Conaty (Armagh), Robert Finnerty (Galway)

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Mayo and Kerry will face each other in a repeat of the All-Ireland final in an exhibition match at StoneX Stadium.

The game will take place on Saturday, 28 November at Saracens' home ground in Barnet.

Andy Moran's side ended their 75-year wait for Sam Maguire in July with a 1-20 to 1-17 victory over Kerry at Croke Park.

This will be the second time that the county has played in England this year after Mayo faced London in April's opening match of the Connacht Championship in Ruislip.

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Antrim's Maria O'Neill says winning the ZuCar Golden Boot "adds to the year" having been confirmed as top scorer across all three grades.

O'Neill played a pivotal role in the Saffrons' run to the LGFA Junior title, finishing with a haul of 11-20 throughout the campaign, six points more than Fermanagh's Eimear Smyth whose five points in the intermediate final defeat by Roscommon left her on 4-35.

The Moneyglass attacker chipped in with four points in Antrim's victory over Carlow including a last-gasp winner to seal her second title at the grade and make up for last year's final reverse by Louth.

While the top-scorer award is "a wee bonus", the 22-year-old gives credit to her team-mates for putting her into good positions.

"To get the result that we did on the day and now to get the Golden Boot, I'm happy with that," O'Neill said.

"It's almost just like a wee bonus. It's just one of those things where it adds to the year as a whole.

"My scores are just a reflection on the hard work that the rest of the team have put in all over the pitch. The turnovers and everything. I'm doing the easy job here.

"It doesn't matter who scores, as long as there's a score at the end of every play. You have massive players like Lara [Dahunsi] and Orlaith Prenter also contributing to it. There's not too much pressure on me."

Antrim's victory over Carlow also sealed a return the intermediate grade they last competed in during the 2024 campaign.

They will also play Division Two football in 2027 and while it is a step up, reaching the semi-finals of the intermediate championship in 2023 provides confidence they can compete at a higher level.

"Our biggest goal going into next season is to just try our best to compete again, the way that we did back in 2023," O'Neill outlined.

"We are more than capable of playing at that level. From what I've gathered, everybody is coming back and everybody is buzzing to be playing intermediate football and Division Two league as well. Hopefully it's as good a season as last, but everything goes up from here."

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Before the next inter-county campaign, focus is now on the club scene with Moneyglass facing St Paul's in the Antrim senior semi-final on Sunday.

Last year, the St Ergnat's club went all the way to the All-Ireland senior final, only to be beaten by five-in-a-row-clinching Kilkerrin-Clonberne.

"I feel like last season really showed what us as a team are capable of," O'Neill reflected.

"I suppose it has set standards high. If we're not performing, it's like, 'we were doing this last year. What do we need to do to get back to what we were doing last year?'.

"It's one of those things. It is very much an open championship, but I feel like after the successful year last year, we need to keep our standards high. We know what we're capable of and it's just going out and performing on the day."

David Mohan
BBC Sport NI journalist

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Former Irish president, Dr Mary McAleese has expressed disappointment after stepping down as chairperson of the steering group to oversee the planned merger of the GAA, Camogie Association and Ladies Gaelic Football Association [LGFA].

The plan to bring all three bodies under one banner gained traction in 2022 when all they voted in favour at their respective congress.

Following the appointment of Dr McAleese in 2022 by former GAA President to lead the Integration Committee, the group identified 2027 as the year for completion.

However, a letter sent by the GAA to the Integration Committee this week said it could not commit to the timeline proposed, following an earlier commitment from the three bodies to hold a special congress next month to create one membership for the merger of the three associations which would begin in April 2027.

"I'm absolutely devastated. I've given four years of my time to this. And four years is a lot, you know, I'm not getting any younger," Dr McAleese told RTE Radio One's Inside Sport., external

"I look at all the people who have given their time to it, people on the committee, but also literally hundreds of people all over the GAA, experts in the culture of the GAA, bringing their experience, their wisdom to bear on everything, on a very long list of issues that we had to deal with and put together like a giant jigsaw puzzle that then turned out to be a map, a roadmap to integration.

"I think of all the effort they have made. Now, I'm hoping that won't be lost, because that's still all there. It's still all sitting, waiting to be used, hopefully by another group sometime.

"I don't know when that will be, because unfortunately, as of now, the GAA have indicated that they cannot commit to any kind of a definitive timeline for integration, while at the same time, of course, saying that they are still committed to integration. I am dubious."

GAA reiterates commitment to integration

While minutes from a GAA Management Committee meeting in December 2025 expressed that it was "unrealistic" for integration to be completed in 2027 and GAA president-elect Derek Kent, following his election earlier this year, suggested 2034 as a more likely target, the GAA insist they remain committed to the overall project.

"Dr McAleese has played an invaluable part in advancing the future of Gaelic games and delivering the integration project to this significant juncture," the GAA said in a statement.

"She departs her role with the sincere gratitude and good wishes of the entire Gaelic games family.

"The next phase of the project will be to distil the substantial and constructive feedback received from a wide range of stakeholders into a refined set of key principles and structures, and to derive a detailed and sequential workplan, all of which will be advanced in 2027.

"The GAA remains firmly committed to building a single Association that honours the identity, heritage and contribution of each of our sports while creating a stronger and more inclusive future for the entire Gaelic games family."

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Camogie Association president Brian Molloy also expressed his appreciation for the efforts of the former Irish president and shared her disappointment "with the decision to step back from the agreed goal of one Association by 2027".

"I believe that while there were significant concerns, none were insurmountable," Molloy said.

"In 2024, the three Associations announced the timetable to deliver full Integration by 2027. It was lauded as a momentous step towards unity, equality and inclusivity.

"The Camogie Association remains committed to the integration project and hopes that the three associations can realign on the path to delivering that vision."

The LGFA also expressed their gratitude but felt Dr McAlese's decision came "unexpectedly" after what they felt was "constructive discussions at the latest meeting of the Steering Group on Monday".

"While challenges are inevitable in a project of this scale and significance, the progress made to date demonstrates the goodwill and commitment that we believe exists among all three organisations to achieve a successful outcome," they said in a statement.

"The LGFA remains confident that the integration process can continue to move forward in a positive and collaborative manner."

GPA 'disappointed' by delay to agreed pathway

The Gaelic Players Association [GPA] - which represents players from all codes - thanked Dr McAleese for her "leadership, independence and commitment" to the role but "share her disappointment that the agreed roadmap towards integration has now been disrupted".

"The mandate for integration remains overwhelming," a GPA statement read.

"A GPA motion calling for integration to be prioritised was supported by 89.8% of delegates at GAA Congress in 2022, following consultation in which 97% of inter-county players supported integration.

"This was further reinforced by the 2023 survey of more than 30,000 members across the three Associations, with nine out of 10 believing integration would be positive for Gaelic games."

The GPA questioned what has changed to disrupt the agreed timeline for completion, insisting no issue was raised when the players' body met with GAA officials last week.

"Players have consistently and overwhelmingly supported integration and will not accept an indefinite delay or a retreat from the commitment what has been made," they continued.

"Over the coming days, the GPA will consult with players to determine out next steps.

"Players have been clear about the future they want for Gaelic games.

"The GPA remains fully committed to integration and to achieving equal recognition, investment and opportunity for everyone who plays our games."