Armagh’s McConville and Down’s Fitzpatrick earn Lidl Team of the League honours

Crossmaglen’s Lauren McConville was named Armagh captain at the start of the season and has continued to be a consistent presence in the heart of the Orchard defence. McConville’s trophy cabinet continues to grow, as remarkably, this is her fifth consecutive Lidl Team of the League honour, having also been selected in 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025.

Burren’s Eimear Fitzpatrick was the top scorer for the Mourne County during their campaign, where they narrowly missed on promotion from Division 3. She famously scored the first two-pointer in Ladies Gaelic Football history in Round 1 against Louth.

Champions Cork and runners-up Galway lead the way on the Division 1 selection, with five players each included. Waterford have three players selected, with one apiece from Armagh and Kerry.

For Cork, it was a memorable Lidl National League Division 1 campaign, as the Leesiders moved level with Kerry on the all-time roll of honour by clinching a 13th top flight crown, and a first since 2019. The five Cork players selected are Melissa Duggan, Player of the Match in the final victory over Galway last Saturday, Dara Kiniry, Aoife Healy, Katie Quirke and Áine Terry O’Sullivan.

The five Galway players acknowledged are goalkeeper Leah O’Halloran, Brónagh Quinn, Hannah Noone, Nicola Ward and Kate Slevin.

From Waterford, captain Emma Murray, Kellyann Hogan and Bríd McMaugh earn deserved recognition, along with Armagh captain Lauren McConville and Kerry skipper Síofra O’Shea.

McConville, Murray, Hogan and O’Shea are the four survivors from the 2025 Division 1 Team of the League, while Duggan, Noone, Ward, Slevin and Quirke were named on last year’s Division 2 selection, when Cork and Galway contested the second-tier decider and gained promotion.

In this year’s Division 2 selection, champions Donegal lead the way with six players named. There are five players from runners-up Cavan, three from Mayo and one from Tyrone. Donegal’s sextet is comprised of Evelyn McGinley, Tara Hegarty, Feena McManamon, skipper Roisin Rodgers, final player of the match Katie Dowds, and Susanne White.

From Cavan, who are also promoted to Division 1 for the 2027 season, Zara Fay, Sinéad Greene, Ella Sheridan, Catherine Dolan and Aishling Sheridan are listed. Mayo trio Laura Brennan, Aoife Geraghty and Sinéad Walsh are also acknowledged for strong performances throughout the campaign, along with Tyrone’s Eimear Quinn.

On the Division 3 Team of the League, champions Louth dominate the selection with nine players included. There are four from runners-up Antrim, also promoted to Division 2, and one each from Down and Fermanagh.

And in Division 4, champions Carlow are best represented with eight players, followed by four from runners-up, Leitrim, who will also play Division 3 football in 2027. Beaten semi-finalists Offaly and Sligo also gain recognition, with two players from Offaly and one from Sligo listed on the Division 4 team.

The winners will receive their awards at Croke Park on Friday, April 24th.

Division 1: Leah O’Halloran (Galway); Melissa Duggan (Cork), Dara Kiniry (Cork), Brónagh Quinn (Galway); Hannah Noone (Galway), Nicola Ward (Galway), Lauren McConville (Armagh); Aoife Healy (Cork), Emma Murray (Waterford); Kellyann Hogan (Waterford), Kate Slevin (Galway), Bríd McMaugh (Waterford); Síofra O’Shea (Kerry), Katie Quirke (Cork), Áine Terry O’Sullivan (Cork).

Division 3: Rebecca Lambe Fagan (Louth); Seoda Matthews (Louth), Maeve Blaney (Antrim), Eilís Hand (Louth); Amy Murray (Louth), Shannen McLaughlin (Louth), Ciara Brown (Antrim); Aoife Halligan (Louth), Áine Breen (Louth); Eimear Fitzpatrick (Down), Omolara Dahunsi (Antrim), Céire Nolan (Louth); Eimear Byrne (Louth), Maria O’Neill (Antrim), Eimear Smyth (Fermanagh)