Updated at 20:00
THE NOMINEES FOR RTÉ’s Sport Team of the Year have been announced with 12 outfits in contention for the award after their heroics in 2016.
The Irish rugby team are nominated after a year of historic wins over New Zealand and South Africa, while PRO12 champions Connacht are also in the running.
From soccer, both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland teams are in the running after featuring in Euro 2016 in France. Dundalk have also been nominated after their SSE Airtricity League triumph and exploits in Europe.
On the GAA front there are four All-Ireland champions nominated in the Dublin footballers, the Tipperary hurlers, the Cork ladies footballers and the Kilkenny camogie team.
Finally the Irish Paralaympic cycling and athletics teams will contest the award along with Olympic silver medal rowing winning O’Donovan brothers, Paul and Gary.
Connacht rugby
Cork ladies footballers
Dublin senior football
Dundalk soccer
Ireland Paralympic cycling
Ireland Paralympic athletics
Ireland rugby
Kilkenny camogie
Northern Ireland soccer
The O'Donovan brothers - Gary and Paul
Republic of Ireland soccer
Tipperary senior hurling
Source: Billy Stickland/INPHO" title="">
Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO" title="">
Source: James Crombie/INPHO" title="">
Source: Lorraine O'Sullivan/INPHO" title="">
Source: James Crombie/INPHO" title="">
Source: James Crombie/INPHO" title="">
Source: INPHO/Billy Stickland" title="">
Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO" title="">
Source: Presseye/William Cherry/INPHO" title="">
Source: Morgan Treacy/INPHO" title="">
Source: James Crombie/INPHO" title="">
Source: Morgan Treacy/INPHO" title="">
The 2016 nominees in full are:
- Connacht rugby
- Cork ladies footballers
- Dublin footballers
- Dundalk soccer
- Ireland’s Paralympic cycling
- Ireland’s Paralympic athletics
- Ireland rugby
- Kilkenny camogie
- Northern Ireland soccer
- The O’Donovan brothers – Paul and Gary
- Republic of Ireland soccer
- Tipperary hurlers
The RTÉ Sport Awards 2016 are live on RTÉ One on Saturday 17 December at 9pm.
Which team do you think should win?
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I thought Eoin Murphy was incredible yesterday and was a clear man of the match, without him Kilkenny would not have been in the match near the end. Pundits seem to pick the winning team most of the time.
Eoin Murphy has to get an all star for that performance alone
There were many worthy winners from both games, Eoin Murphy produced the greatest display of goalkeeping I’ve ever seen. That said Tom Morrissey put in a huge performance for Limerick.
Podge has been immense for Clare this year, his work rate was incredible, he’s back to his best after a few tough years. Tony Kelly is also a notable mention.
Eoin Murphy was MOTM yesterday by a distance.
As a kilkenny supporter, I know we’re out of the championship, but Eoin has also done enough in Kilkenny’s seven cship games to ensure he gets an allstar award come years end.
@sean de paore: He was top class but losing quarter finalists don’t get any all stars. Rightly or wrongly, that’s just the way it is. Many years Kilkenny got 9 all stars after only playing two serious matches so it works both ways.
@Mike: national league winners often do though so he’s in with a shout. The new format changes things too.
@Mike: many a year Waterford got all-stars and hurlers of the year an won sweet F-all aswell
@Philip McLoughlin: Ah they got to the semi final in those years to be fair. I’d like to think the new format will deliver all stars to players who consistently excelled in their province but I wouldn’t hold my breath. The two finalists will still hoover up 11 or 12 with the semi finalists getting the last 3 or 4.
@Mike: Brian Lohan was All-star full back in 1996 based on Clare’s single championship outing that year against Limerick.
I know that’s a bit mad, but there is no better keeper out there than Eoin Murphy, he’s probably going to go down as the greatest.
Eoin Murphy was man of match by a mile best keeper since Damien fitzhenry I think.
@Declan Breen: I’d say better, this guy has everything, cat like reflexes, superb ball skills, but his long range free taking and ability to attack the ball and launch an attack is a massive bonus.