Longford sharpshooter Cian Darcy selected on 2024 Champion 15  team

Longford sharpshooter Cian Darcy has been selected on the 2024 Champion 15  team, which is a selection of the top hurlers who starred in this year’s Christy Ring, Nickey  Rackard and Lory Meagher Cup campaigns.

Darcy, who plays his club hurling in north Tipperary with Kilruane MacDonagh's, was a vital cog in the Longford side that reached the 2024 Lory Meagher Cup Final. Cian's mother Hilda (Kiernan) is a native of Longford.  

Players from the Ring, Rackard, and Meagher were asked to nominate outstanding performers in  their competitions, with an independent selection committee adjudicating on the final team  based on player performances, supported by video footage and county nominations. 

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The awards will be presented at a gala black-tie function in Croke Park this Friday night. The  award show will be streamed live on the GAA Youtube channel from 7pm and will also feature  the awards for the Joe McDonagh Cup Team of the Year and the Tailteann Cup Team of the Year -  as well as the presentation of the overall Players of the Year in these championships.

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2024 GAA Champion 15 

1. Paddy McKenna (Kildare- Christy Ring)  
2. Rian Boran (Kildare – Christy Ring)  
3. Mark Craig (Derry -Christy Ring)  
4. Stephen Gillespie (Donegal – Nickey Rackard)  
5. Conan Boran (Kildare – Christy Ring)  
6. David Kenny (Mayo – Nickey Rackard)  
7. Ryan Bogue (Fermanagh – Lory Meagher)  
8. Gerard Gilmore (Donegal – Nickey Rackard)  
9. Simon Leacy (Kildare – Christy Ring)  
10. Liam McKinney (Donegal – Nickey Rackard)  
11. Jack Sheridan (Kildare – Christy Ring)  
12. Shane Boland (Mayo – Nickey Rackard)  
13. Nicky Kenny (Cavan – Lory Meagher)  
14. Jack Goulding (London – Christy Ring)  
15. Cian Darcy (Longford – Lory Meagher)  

Uachtarán CLG Jarlath Burns said: “The longer the Ring, Rackard and Meagher Cups go on the  more impressive the foresight and inspiration that sparked their inauguration. They are an  integral part of the hurling calendar and a key part of the Association’s commitment to hurling. 

“Through all the plans and hopes that we have for the future of hurling, let us not forget the  outstanding hurlers and ambassadors for the game that are in our midst right now and I salute  those who have been selected on this distinguished Champion 15 and thank them for the  extraordinary dedication they make. 

“This is an honour that will be celebrated by your families and clubs and is richly deserved.”

Gaelic Players Association CEO Tom Parsons said: “While our games are primarily about what  we do as teams collectively, it is also important to recognise individual effort and excellence. These 15 players, drawn from the Christy Ring, Nicky Rackard and Lory Meagher Cups, are  rightly being awarded for outstanding championship seasons in 2024. 

“The unique nature of this team, with players selected from three different tiers, means these players have had to probably do even more to stand out. Congratulations to you all. 

“I hope that those who work so hard to keep hurling alive in the eight counties represented will take some satisfaction too, on seeing their county men rewarded with places on the Champion 15 team.”