Five Laois players named on McDonagh Cup team of the year

Five Laois players have been named on the McDonagh Cup team of the year after their progress to this year's final at Croke Park. Although that ended in defeat to Kildare, Cathal Dunne, Pádraig Delaney, Diarmaid Conway, Paddy Purcell and Tomás Keyes have been recognised for their displays.

Elswhere, history making Kildare are the dominant presence on the 2025 Joe McDonagh Cup team of the year with the Lilywhites claiming a magnificent seven of the coveted slots in recognition of their first ever McDonagh Cup success.

It was a year to savour for Kildare hurling as, one year on from their fifth Christy Ring Cup success, they fought their way to Croke Park and saw off Laois to claim a maiden Joe McDonagh Cup and with it, elevation to the Leinster senior hurling championship for 2026.

Elsewhere, Laois keeper Cathal Dunne has his place well deserved after his miraculous double save in the final.

The Lilywhites take three of the six spots in the backline, with the Boran brothers at the heart of the defence and Simon Leacy slotting in at corner-back. Laois duo Pádraig Delaney and Diarmaid Conway keep their spots on the Team of the Year, with Carlow’s Paul Doyle claiming his second honour since 2018.

Kildare's midfield partnership cannot be separated with James Burke and Cathal McCabe claiming the eight and nine jerseys.

Laois’s Paddy Purcell earns back-to-back Team of the Year honours and lines out on the half-forward line alongside teammate Tomás Keyes and Kildare’s David Qualter, the competition’s top scorer.

The high scoring full forward line is made up of Carlow’s Martin Kavanagh and Chris Nolan who racked up a combined 11-55 between them and Kildare's Jack Sheridan who scored 5-7 in the competition with an impressive 1-4 in the final.

Uachtarán CLG Jarlath Burns said: “A fantastic Joe McDonagh Cup competition lives on in the calibre of this the 2025 Team of the Year selection which is crammed full of the players who made such a stellar contribution to their teams, and to the Championship overall. We do not play team sports for individual honours, but these awards afford us the opportunity to salute outstanding ambassadors for our games, and I congratulate all of our players and the clubs and communities they proudly represent.” 

Gaelic Players Association CEO Tom Parsons said: “Congratulations to the 15 players selected as the Joe McDonagh Team of the Year. While our games are all about the team, it is important to recognise individual excellence, and you have stood out in 2025.

“In an historic year for Kildare as they won the competition for the first time, following up on their Christy Ring Cup success in 2024, seven of their players now get further recognition, capping off a remarkable 18 months for the county. To the five Laois and three Carlow men who take the other spots, heartfelt congratulations. I want to thank all the squad reps who oversaw the votes from their counties and the selectors under the chairmanship of Pat Daly.” 

The Joe McDonagh Cup Team of the Year will be guests of honour at a gala black-tie event hosted at Croke Park this Friday night which will also honour the Champion 15 team announced yesterday and the Tailteann Cup Team of the Year which will be announced tomorrow. The event will be streamed live by the GAA on YouTube from 7pm.

Joe Mc Donagh Cup Team of the Year:

1. Cathal Dunne (Laois) 

2. Paul Doyle (Carlow) 

3. Rian Boran (Kildare) 

4. Simon Leacy (Kildare) 

5. Pádraig Delaney (Laois) 

6. Cian Boran (Kildare) 

7. Diarmaid Conway (Laois) 

8. James Burke (Kildare) 

9. Cathal McCabe (Kildare) 

10. Paddy Purcell (Laois) 

11. Tomás Keyes (Laois) 

12. David Qualter (Kildare) 

13. Martin Kavanagh (Carlow) 

14. Jack Sheridan (Kildare) 

15. Chris Nolan (Carlow)