Kildare edged out Limerick in the Tailteann Cup final and will play in the Sam Maguire Cup in 2026 have have been rewarded with five spots on the 2025 Team of the Year
Champions Kildare have been rewarded with five spots on the 2025 Tailteann Cup Team of the Year.
In what was the fourth year of the new football championship, the Lilywhites emerged from a titanic final struggle with Limerick at Croke Park and claim the silverware and also a guaranteed spot in the 2026 Sam Maguire Cup.
There are six counties represented in the high calibre team. Josh Ryan played a vital role in Limerick’s journey to the Tailteann Cup final, with a crucial penalty save and man of the match performance in the semi-final.
The full back line is made up of Kildare’s U20 All-Ireland winner Harry O’Neill, Fermanagh’s only representative Lee Cullen and Wicklow’s Malachy Stone. Indeed, Cullen is the only player from Ulster to make the selection.
James McGrath, Iain Corbett, and Sam McCartan form a dynamic half-back line that has combined for an impressive 6-27. Wicklow captain Dean Healy and Kildare captain Kevin Feely claim the midfield spots, both leading by example throughout the year.
Limerick duo James Naughton and Danny Neville, who combined for an impressive 3-43, secured the two wing forward spots, while Kildare’s Alex Beirne earned the centre forward position after contributing 3-33 this season.
The full-forward line features Wexford’s Sean Nolan, who hit 5-25, Westmeath’s Luke Loughlin, who was the Tailteann Cup’s top scorer with 2-41, and Kildare’s Darragh Kirwan, whose man-of-the-match performance guided Kildare to victory in the final.
GAA president Jarlath Burns said: “Kildare follow in the footsteps of Westmeath, Meath and Down in using the Tailteann Cup as a stepping stone to their Sam Maguire ambitions. In four short years this competition has fulfilled our ambition of injecting new life into championship football.
“This dedicated award’s scheme is also a key to its success, allowing us to recognise some of the outstanding performers from across the packed summer of games. Congratulations to all those who have been chosen as the cream of the 2025 crop.”
Gaelic Players’ Association CEO Tom Parsons added: “What a year it has been for Kildare with their hurlers winning the Joe McDonagh Cup and having seven players selected on the Joe McDonagh Cup Team of the Year and now a further five Lilywhites selected on the Tailteann Cup Team of the Year, having won that competition.
“Congratulations to those selected and to the five other counties represented led by runners up Limerick who delivered a summer to remember to football supporters on Shannonside.
“The Tailteann Cup goes from strength to strength, and its success shows the need for a tiered approach to championship football. “Thank you to all involved and to the selection committee who deliberated on this final 15 and to the players and management in each county who contributed to that process.”
The winners will be presented with their awards tomorrow night at a special black-tie event at Croke Park where they will be guests of honour alongside the Champion 15 and Joe McDonagh Team of the Year members.
The event will be streamed live by the GAA on YouTube from 7pm.
Tailteann Cup 2025 Team of the Year
Josh Ryan (Limerick); Harry O’Neill (Kildare), Lee Cullen (Fermanagh), Malachy Stone (Wicklow); James McGrath (Kildare), Iain Corbett (Limerick), Sam McCartan (Westmeath); Dean Healy (Wicklow), Kevin Feely (Kildare); James Naughton (Limerick), Alex Beirne (Kildare), Danny Neville (Limerick); Luke Loughlin (Westmeath), Darragh Kirwan (Kildare), Sean Nolan (Wexford).
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