Donegal delight with four All-Stars as Roarty wins Young Player of the Year

Donegal has won four places on the PwC Football All-Stars 2025, while Finnbarr Roarty has been named as the Young Player of the Year.

It caps an incredible year for Roarty, 19, who also won an All-Star, alongside teammates Brendan McCole, Michael Langan and Michael Murphy at the RDS tonight. Roarty was the 2025 recipient of the Gradam Shéamuis Mhic Géidigh, the standout player in the Donegal SFC, won by his Naomh Conaill club.

Donegal had 10 nominees in all, the most of any county, having won the Ulster SFC and reaching the All-Ireland SFC final, where they lost out 1-26 to 0-19 against Kerry.

In full, the 2025 All-Stars are: Shane Ryan (Kerry); Brendan McCole (Donegal), Jason Foley (Kerry), Sean Rafferty (Meath); Brian O Beaglaoich (Kerry), Gavin White (Kerry),  Finnbarr Roarty (Donegal); Joe O'Connor (Kerry), Michael Langan (Donegal); Paudie Clifford (Kerry), Sean O'Shea (Kerry), Oisín Conaty (Armagh); David Clifford (Kerry), Michael Murphy (Donegal), Sam Mulroy (Louth).

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With St Naul’s McCole, Roarty and Langan from St Michael’s picking up their first-ever All-Stars, Murphy, from Glenswilly, joins Karl Lacey as the county’s only four-timers, having decided to return to the Donegal colours after stepping away from inter-county football back in 2022. Neil McGee has three All-Stars, while Martin McHugh, Kevin Cassidy, Neil Gallagher, Paul Durcan and Ryan McHugh have two apiece.

As well as the four Donegal 2025 winners, Peadar Mogan, Ciarán Moore and Ryan McHugh were nominated in the defensive positions, while Conor O’Donnell, Shane O’Donnell and Ciarán Thompson were shortlisted for a place in the front six.

David Clifford became the first player to claim the Footballer of the Year title three times, having previously won in 2022 and 2023, beating off competition this year from Kerry teammate Joe O’Connor and Donegal’s Murphy. 

The Young Footballer of the Year award had Armagh’s Conaty and Galway’s Matthew Thompson in contention. Roarty joins Donegal’s previous winners, Murphy in 2009 and Ryan McHugh five years later. Glenties native Roarty is Donegal’s first-ever teenage All-Star, with the youngest recipient beforehand being Cassidy, who was 21 in 2002. 

Since the All-Stars were formalised in 1971, Donegal has now won 40, with 24 of them having arrived since Jim McGuinness first came in as senior manager in 2011. Donegal’s roll of honour reads as follows - 1972: Brian McEniff; 1974: Donal Monaghan; 1983: Martin McHugh; 1990: Joyce McMullin; 1992: Gary Walsh, Matt Gallagher, Martin Gavigan, Anthony Molloy, Martin McHugh (2), James McHugh, Tony Boyle; 1993: John Joe Doherty; 2002: Kevin Cassidy; 2003: Adrian Sweeney; 2006: Karl Lacey; 2009: Karl Lacey (2); 2011: Karl Lacey (3), Kevin Cassidy (2), Neil McGee; 2012: Paul Durcan, Neil McGee (2),  Karl Lacey (4), Frank McGlynn, Neil Gallagher, Mark McHugh, Michael Murphy, Colm McFadden; 2014: Paul Durcan (2), Neil McGee (3), Neil Gallagher (2), Michael Murphy (2); 2016: Ryan McHugh; 2018: Ryan McHugh (2); 2019: Michael Murphy (3); 2024: Peadar Mogan, Oisín Gallen.