THREE DONEGAL footballers have been named as Irish News Ulster All-Stars.
At a function last night in the Armagh City Hotel, Paddy McGrath, Ryan McHugh and Eoin McHugh were included among the selection.
It is a first award for Eoin McHugh, who made his first SFC appearance in Donegal’s win over Fermanagh in June.
It is McGrath’s second after after he was previously was selected in 2012.
The Ardara man has had his best year in the county shirt and was especially superb on Conor McManus of Monaghan in the Ulster semi-final.
For Ryan McHugh, it is a third Ulster All-Star award in a row and comes after another brilliant summer for the Kilcar man.
Only Michael Murphy (5) and Karl Lacey (4) from Donegal have won more than McHugh.
“It’s a great honour; ever year you’re up here it gets better,” McHugh said.
On Donegal’s season gone by, he added: “The season started well, but it was a disappointing end.
“Every year you go out, you want to win something. It isn’t easy to get to an Ulster final. We got there, but we came up against a better Tyrone team on the day.
“We went to Croke Park all guns blazing but we met a very good Dublin team.
“The way we are in Donegal these days, it’s disappointing when you don’t win anything.”
The Irish News Ulster All-Stars are in their 22nd year having first taken place in 1995.
Last evening’s three awards take Donegal’s tally to 53 since the beginning.
Four other Donegal players were short-listed but didn’t make the final selection, chosen by readers of the Irish News: Eamon McGee, Martin O’Reilly, Odhrán Mac Niallais and Michael Murphy.
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