Champion 15 Awards


The official Champion 15 Awards are presented annually to players in the sport of hurling. The awards were instituted in 2005. They have been presented in various guises since then. Below is a partial list of past winners.

2005–2017

The Christy Ring Cup Champion 15 Awards were presented between 2005 and 2017, during the period when the Christy Ring Cup allowed competitors direct entry to the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship. Unlike the All Star Awards, the 15 players selected were not chosen by position and players received nominations at the end of each game from opposing team managers. Under the selection format, the competition winner had three players honoured, while two players from each of the two semi-finalists and two players the other finalist were also recognised, in addition to one player from each of the other participating county teams. Champion 15 Awards for the Nicky Rackard Cup and Lory Meagher Cup were also awarded at various times during this period, such as in 2010, shortly after the latter's establishment.

2005

;Christy Ring Cup Champion 15 Award winners
Enda McLoughlin, Killian Cosgrove and Andrew Mitchell, Gareth Johnson and Martin Coulter, Pat Coady and Robert Foley, Mattie Dowd and David Harney, Gregory Biggs, John Mike Dooley, Keith Higgins, Joey Toole, Mike Keaveney and Joe Murphy
;Nicky Rackard Cup Champion 15 Award winners?

2006

;Christy Ring Cup Champion 15 Award winners
Malachy Molloy, Paddy Richmond, Ciarán Herron, Pat Coady, Des Murphy, Eoin Hannon, Paudie Reidy, Paddy Barrett, Paul Braniff, Gary Savage, Joe Murphy, Aidan Healy, Michael Kelly, Fergus McMahon and David Donnelly
;Nicky Rackard Cup Champion 15 Award winners?

2007

;Christy Ring Cup Champion 15 Award winners
Patrick Clarke, Paddy Dowdall, Derek McNicholas, David Kennedy, Billy White, Enda Keogh, Steven Clynch, Andrew Gaul, Edward Coady, Shane Brick, Stephen Broderick, Graham Clarke, Don Hyland, Keith Kennedy, Michael Conway
;Nicky Rackard Cup Champion 15 Award winners?

2008

;Christy Ring Cup Champion 15 Award winners
Mark Brennan, John Rogers, Shane Kavanagh, Brendan Murtagh, Paul Greville, Aidan Connolly, Stephen Henry, Micheál Kelly, Nial Hackett, Tony Murphy, Jonathan O'Neill, Paul Braniff, Eugene McDonnell, Niall Healy, John Griffin
;Nicky Rackard Cup Champion 15 Award winners?

2009

;Christy Ring Cup Champion 15 Award winners
Andrew Gaul, Shane Kavanagh, John Rogers, James Hickey, Fintan Conway, Sean Ennis, Ruari McGrattan, Conor Ryan, Adrian Freeman, Tom Murnane, Shane Brick, Paul Dermody, Jeffrey Bermingham, Greg Gavin, Sean McCullagh
;Nicky Rackard Cup Champion 15 Award winners?
;Lory Meagher Cup Champion 15 Award winners
Jamesie Donnelly

2010

Separate teams for the Ring, Rackard and Meagher Cups were announced in December 2010.
;Christy Ring Cup Champion 15 Award winners
PlayerTeam
Tom MurnaneKerry
Mikey BoyleKerry
Darragh O'ConnellKerry
Andy O'BrienWicklow
Jonathan O'NeillWicklow
Derek McConnMayo
Kevin HinpheyDerry
Nicky Horan Meath
Paul Braniff Down
Neil Ó MuineacháinKildare
Paudie ReidyKildare
Andrew MitchellWestmeath
Joe ClarkeWestmeath
Paul Greville Westmeath
Eoin PriceWestmeath

Player previously selected for a Christy Ring Champion 15 Award.
;Nicky Rackard Cup Champion 15 Award winners
Paul McCormack, Barry Breen, Paul Gaffney, Ryan Gaffney, Alan Cawley, Ronan Cox, Padraic Dolan, Colm Moran, Paul Murphy, Michael Cussen, David Dunne, Damien Maguire, John Joe Burke, Mark Mythen, Richard O'Connell
;Lory Meagher Cup Champion 15 Award winners
Gareth McGhee, Joe O'Brien, Declan Toner, Seán Browne, Martin Coyle, Mark Patton, Ardal McDermott, Paul O'Brien, Mark Slevin, Barry Smith, Cormac Neligan, Eamon Hansberry, Michael Poniard, Keith Connolly, James McGrath

2011

;Christy Ring Cup Champion 15 Award winners
James Godley, Jason Casey, Shane Nolan, Darragh O'Connell, Eamonn Kearns, Stephen Kelly, Andy O'Brien, John Doran, Tony Murphy, Eoin Clarke, Brendan Ennis, Cahal Carvill, Oisin McCloskey, Shane Morley, Shane McGann
;Nicky Rackard Cup Champion 15 Award winners?
;Lory Meagher Cup Champion 15 Award winners?

2012

;Christy Ring Cup Champion 15 Award winners
Brian Costello, Jonathan Maher, Eddie Walsh, Ger Fennelly, Eamonn Kearns, Jonathan O'Neill, Ronan Keddy, Paul Braniff, Conor Woods, Willie Mahady, Steven Clynch, Mark Moloney, Alan Grant, Donal O'Brien, Paud Costello
;Nicky Rackard Cup Champion 15 Award winners?
;Lory Meagher Cup Champion 15 Award winners?

2013

;Christy Ring Cup Champion 15 Award winners
Paul Braniff, Gareth Johnson, Conor Woods, Patrick Hughes, Bernard Rochford, Darren Dineen, Shane Nolan, Fiachra Ó Muineacháin, Gerard Keegan, Steven Clynch, Sean Heavey, Derek McDonnell, Paddy Kelly, Liam Kennedy, Nathan Curry
;Nicky Rackard Cup Champion 15 Award winners?
;Lory Meagher Cup Champion 15 Award winners?

2014

;Christy Ring Cup Champion 15 Award winners
Richie Hoban, Martin Fitzgerald, Paul Dermody, Gerry Keegan, Bryan Murphy, Daniel Collins, Pádraig Boyle, Cormac Reilly, William McGrath, Ciaran Charlton, David Kenny, Aaron Kelly, Stephen Kelly, Stephen Renaghan, Conor Woods
;Nicky Rackard Cup Champion 15 Award winners?
;Lory Meagher Cup Champion 15 Award winners?

2015

;Christy Ring Cup Champion 15 Award winners
B Cuddihy, Keith Keoghan, M Ryan, K Feeney, Bernard Deay, Gerry Keegan, Danny Toner, F Conway, S McCullagh, R Convery, C Quinn, Shane Nolan, John Egan, Patrick Kelly, Keith Carmody
;Nicky Rackard Cup Champion 15 Award winners?
;Lory Meagher Cup Champion 15 Award winners
Keith Raymond, Gerard O'Kelly-Lynch, Gary Cadden

2016

;Christy Ring Cup Champion 15 Award winners
Damien Healy, Adam Gannon, James Toher, Shane McGann, Simon McCrory, Eoghan Campbell, Ciarán Clarke, John Doran, Gerry Keegan, John McManus, Caolan Taggart, Oisin McCloskey, Luke Maloney, Tomás Lawrence, Micheál Kelly
;Nicky Rackard Cup Champion 15 Award winners?
;Lory Meagher Cup Champion 15 Award winners?

2017

;Christy Ring Cup Champion 15 Award winners
Enda Cooney, Paul Divilly, Ger McManus, Padraig Kelly, Eamonn Kearns, Andy O'Brien, Michael Hughes, Eoghan Sands, Chrissy O'Connell, John Dillon, Paddy Burke, Alan Corcoran, John Michael Nolan, James Doyle, Richard Coady
;Nicky Rackard Cup Champion 15 Award winners?
;Lory Meagher Cup Champion 15 Award winners?

Since 2018

The Joe McDonagh Cup began in 2018, replacing the Christy Ring Cup in allowing competitors direct entry to the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship. The team selected was initially referred to as "Champion 15", but later became "Team of the Year". However, that selection is also still referred to as a "Champion 15" by official sources.
Champion 15 Awards continued to be given after the intent of the original was subsumed by the Joe McDonagh Cup Team of the Year. They have been presented to the players at the main Hurling All Stars event, held at the Convention Centre Dublin, or, separately, at their own event.

2018

The 2018 Champion 15 selection excluded the Christy Ring Cup, which continued to receive its own selection for that year only. This meant it was possible to include for the first time on the main Champion 15 selection a player each from lesser teams like Cavan and Fermanagh, who were involved in the 2018 Lory Meagher Cup, and were the only two teams not to make it to the final. Fermanagh's Ryan Bogue was selected, as was Kevin Connelly for Cavan. The 2018 selection was not assigned numbers and was presented similarly to the original Christy Ring Cup Champion 15 Awards.
Declan Coulter, Stephen Gillespie, Shane Caulfield Niall McKenna, Dermot Begley, Kevin Crawley, Stephen Kettle, John Casey, Declan Molloy, James Weir, Gary Cadden, Ronan Crowley, Edmond Kenny, Ryan Bogue, Kevin Connelly
;Christy Ring Cup Champion 15 Award winners
Paddy McKenna, Eanna O'Neill, Mark Moloney, Jack Sheridan, Brian Regan, Denis O'Regan, Aaron Sheehan, John Henderson, Warren Kavanagh, Cian Waldron, Cormac O'Doherty, Daithí Sands, Stephen Renaghan, Naos Connaughton, David Kenny

2019

In a change from previous years, the Champion 15 players were selected from 45 nominations, with journalists and referees also involved in a committee to choose the team.
No team was selected from those competing in the Joe McDonagh Cup in 2019, although Paddy Purcell was named as that competition's Hurler of the Year. Instead, Enda Rowland and Jack Kelly of Laois received All Star nominations.
  1. Simon Doherty
  2. Caolan Taggart
  3. Keith Keoghan
  4. Enda Moreton
  5. James Weir
  6. James Glancy
  7. John Henderson
  8. Keith Raymond
  9. Seán Geraghty
  10. Jack Regan
  11. Gerard O'Kelly-Lynch
  12. Damian Casey
  13. Daithí Sands
  14. Ronan Crowley
  15. Sé McGuigan
Reference:,, Sky Sports
  • Paddy PurcellHOTY

2020

  1. Stephen Keith
  2. Seán McVeigh
  3. Caolan Taggart
  4. Cathal Freeman
  5. Conor McShea
  6. Rian Boran
  7. Danny CullenHOTY
  8. Eoghan Cahill
  9. Paul DivillyHOTY
  10. Damian Casey
  11. James Burke
  12. Shane Boland
  13. Jack Sheridan
  14. Andrew MackinHOTY
  15. Christy Moorehouse
Reference:
  1. Brian Tracey
  2. Tomás O'Connor
  3. Mattie Donnelly
  4. Stephen Rooney
  5. Jason Diggins
  6. Aonghus Clarke
  7. Gerard Walsh
  8. Shane Nolan
  9. Keelan Molloy
  10. Niall McKenna
  11. Shane Conway
  12. Daniel Collins
  13. Chris Nolan
  14. Conor McCannHOTY
  15. Ciarán Clarke

2021

  1. Simon Doherty
  2. Seán Cassidy
  3. Ciarán Burke
  4. Rory Porteous
  5. Enda Shalvey
  6. Ben Conneeley
  7. David Kenny
  8. Cathal Freeman
  9. Cormac O'Doherty
  10. Damian Casey
  11. Gerard O'Kelly-Lynch
  12. Seán CorriganHOTY
  13. Oisín KellyHOTY
  14. Eoghan Cahill
  15. Keith HigginsHOTY
Reference:
  1. Stephen Keith
  2. Darragh Egerton
  3. Conor Woods
  4. Eric Leen
  5. Aonghus Clarke
  6. Tommy DoyleHOTY
  7. Fionán Mackessy
  8. Robbie Greville
  9. Brian Byrne
  10. Davey Glennon
  11. Killian Doyle
  12. Jack Regan
  13. Chris Nolan
  14. Niall Mitchell
  15. Shane Conway

2022

  1. Paddy McKenna
  2. Dermot Begley
  3. Rian Boran
  4. Mark Craig
  5. Chris Kearns
  6. Paul Divilly
  7. Padraig Kelly
  8. Paddy Lynam
  9. Keith Higgins
  10. Brian Byrne
  11. Andrew Kilcullen
  12. Damian Casey
  13. James Burke
  14. Darren Geoghegan
  15. Daniel Glynn
  16. Ryan Elliott
  17. Joe Maskey
  18. Gerard Walsh
  19. Eoin Ross
  20. Fionán Mackessy
  21. Eoghan Campbell
  22. Mikey Boyle
  23. Keelan Molloy
  24. David Nally
  25. Martin Kavanagh
  26. Chris Nolan
  27. Daithí Sands
  28. Conal Cunning
  29. Pádraig Boyle
  30. Ciarán Clarke

2023

  1. Luke White
  2. Sean Geraghty
  3. Andrew Kavanagh
  4. Simon Ennis
  5. Richie Mullan
  6. James Toher
  7. Danny Cullen
  8. Cormac O'Doherty
  9. Niall Garland
  10. Conor Madden
  11. Jack Regan
  12. Éamon Óg Ó Donnchadha
  13. Christy Moorehouse
  14. Andy O'Brien
  15. Niall Arthur
Reference:
  1. Brian Tracey
  2. Jack McCullagh
  3. Ciarán Burke
  4. Ben Conneely
  5. Jason Sampson
  6. Fionán Mackessy
  7. Diarmuid Byrne
  8. James Doyle
  9. David Nally
  10. Stephen Maher
  11. Chris Nolan
  12. Pearse Óg McCrickard
  13. Paddy Boland
  14. Martin Kavanagh
  15. Eoghan Cahill

2024

  1. Paddy McKenna
  2. Rian Boran
  3. Mark Craig
  4. Stephen Gillespie
  5. Conan Boran
  6. David Kenny
  7. Ryan Bogue
  8. Gerard Gilmore
  9. Simon Leacy
  10. Liam McKinneyHOTY
  11. Jack Sheridan
  12. Shane Boland
  13. Nicky Kenny
  14. Jack GouldingHOTY
  15. Cian DarcyHOTY
Reference:
  1. Enda Rowland
  2. Diarmuid Conway
  3. Ciarán Burke
  4. Ben Conneely
  5. Pádraig Delaney
  6. Cillian Kiely
  7. Fionán Mackessy
  8. Paddy Purcell
  9. Aidan Corby
  10. Aaron Dunphy
  11. Killian Doyle
  12. Killian Sampson
  13. Charlie MitchellHOTY
  14. Brian Duignan
  15. Daithí Sands

2025

  1. Enda Lawless
  2. Mark Ward
  3. Conor Byrne
  4. Oisín Greally
  5. Enda Egan
  6. Conor CosgroveHOTY
  7. Ruairí Ó Mianáin
  8. Daniel Huane
  9. Eamon Conway
  10. Liam O'BrienHOTY
  11. Seán GlynnHOTY
  12. David Mangan
  13. Sean Canning
  14. Pádraig Doyle
  15. Liam Lavin
Reference:
  1. Cathal Dunne
  2. Paul Doyle
  3. Rian Boran
  4. Simon Leacy
  5. Pádraig Delaney
  6. Cian BoranHOTY
  7. Diarmaid Conway
  8. James Burke
  9. Cathal McCabe
  10. Paddy Purcell
  11. Tomás Keyes
  12. David Qualter
  13. Martin Kavanagh
  14. Jack Sheridan
  15. Chris Nolan