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01 Feb 2026

Why they won: The winners at the Donegal Sports Star Awards

The various category winners were presented with their awards at a special reception at the Mount Errigal Hotel in Letterkenny on Friday evening. Here's who won what and why they won it

HURLING

The winner of the 2025 Hurling Award is Conor Gartland, Burt

In November Burt secured the Ulster Junior Club Hurling title with Conor producing a Man Of The Match performance scoring six points in a narrow win over Lavey at Celtic Park. It was only Burt’s second ever provincial success in the junior category. Conor followed that up by playing his part as the club took the Twinning Cup title after overcoming Thomas McCurtains of London at Ruislip.

That qualified Burt for an All-Ireland Junior semi-final where Conor registered 1-4 but ultimately it was to end in heartbreak as Sligo’s Easkey advanced to the decider after extra-time.

In 2024, the then 20-year-old had become the youngest player ever to captain a Donegal senior team in either hurling or football eclipsing the previous record set by Michael Murphy, who was 21 when Jim McGuinness made him skipper. 

It’s Conor’s first time to win a Donegal Sports Star Award.

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