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 (Westmeath), Gareth Johnson and Martin Coulter (Down), Pat Coady and Robert Foley (Carlow), Mattie Dowd and David Harney (Kildare), Gregory Biggs (Derry), John Mike Dooley (Kerry), Keith Higgins (Mayo), Joey Toole (Meath), Mike Keaveney (Roscommon) and Joe Murphy (Wicklow)
Nicky Rackard Cup Champion 15 Award winners?
2006
Christy Ring Cup Champion 15 Award winners Malachy Molloy, Paddy Richmond, Ciarán Herron (all Antrim), Pat Coady, Des Murphy (both Carlow), Eoin Hannon (Kildare), Paudie Reidy (Kildare), Paddy Barrett (Mayo), Paul Braniff (Down), Gary Savage (Down), Joe Murphy (Wicklow), Aidan Healy (Kerry), Michael Kelly (Roscommon), Fergus McMahon (London) and David Donnelly (Meath)
Nicky Rackard Cup Champion 15 Award winners?
2007
Christy Ring Cup Champion 15 Award winners Patrick Clarke, Paddy Dowdall, Derek McNicholas (all Westmeath), David Kennedy, Billy White (Kildare), Enda Keogh, Steven Clynch (Meath), Andrew Gaul, Edward Coady (both Carlow), Shane Brick (Kerry), Stephen Broderick (Mayo), Graham Clarke (Down), Don Hyland (Wicklow), Keith Kennedy (London), Michael Conway (Derry)
Nicky Rackard Cup Champion 15 Award winners?
2008
Christy Ring Cup Champion 15 Award winners Mark Brennan (Carlow), John Rogers (Carlow), Shane Kavanagh (Carlow), Brendan Murtagh (Westmeath), Paul Greville (Westmeath), Aidan Connolly (Mayo), Stephen Henry (Derry), Micheál Kelly (Roscommon), Nial Hackett (Meath), Tony Murphy (Kildare), Jonathan O'Neill (Wicklow), Paul Braniff (Down), Eugene McDonnell (Armagh), Niall Healy (London), John Griffin (Kerry)
Nicky Rackard Cup Champion 15 Award winners?
2009
Christy Ring Cup Champion 15 Award winners Andrew Gaul (Carlow), Shane Kavanagh (Carlow), John Rogers (Carlow), James Hickey (Carlow), Fintan Conway (Down), Sean Ennis (Down), Ruari McGrattan (Down), Conor Ryan (Mayo), Adrian Freeman (Mayo), Tom Murnane (Kerry), Shane Brick (Kerry), Paul Dermody (Kildare), Jeffrey Bermingham (Wicklow), Greg Gavin (Westmeath), Sean McCullagh (Derry)
Nicky Rackard Cup Champion 15 Award winners?
Lory Meagher Cup Champion 15 Award winners
Jamesie Donnelly (Donegal)
2010 Separate teams for the Ring, Rackard and Meagher Cups were announced in December 2010.
Christy Ring Cup Champion 15 Award winners PlayerTeam Tom Murnane Kerry Mikey Boyle Kerry Darragh O'Connell Kerry Andy O'Brien Wicklow Jonathan O'Neill Wicklow Derek McConn Mayo Kevin Hinphey Derry Nicky Horan Meath Paul Braniff Down Neil Ó Muineacháin Kildare Paudie Reidy Kildare Andrew Mitchell Westmeath Joe Clarke Westmeath Paul Greville Westmeath Eoin Price Westmeath Player previously selected for a Christy Ring Champion 15 Award.
Nicky Rackard Cup Champion 15 Award winners Paul McCormack (Armagh), Barry Breen (Armagh), Paul Gaffney (Amagh), Ryan Gaffney (Armagh), Alan Cawley (Sligo), Ronan Cox (Sligo), Padraic Dolan (Roscommon), Colm Moran (Roscommon), Paul Murphy (Monaghan), Michael Cussen (Fingal), David Dunne (Louth), Damien Maguire (Tyrone), John Joe Burke (London), Mark Mythen (London), Richard O'Connell (London)
Lory Meagher Cup Champion 15 Award winners Gareth McGhee (Longford), Joe O'Brien (Longford), Declan Toner (Longford), Seán Browne (Longford), Martin Coyle (Longford), Mark Patton (Donegal), Ardal McDermott (Donegal), Paul O'Brien (Donegal), Mark Slevin (Fermanagh), Barry Smith (Fermanagh), Cormac Neligan (Cavan), Eamon Hansberry (Warwickshire), Michael Poniard (Leitrim), Keith Connolly (Leitrim), James McGrath (South Down)
2011
Christy Ring Cup Champion 15 Award winners James Godley, Jason Casey, Shane Nolan, Darragh O'Connell (Kerry), Eamonn Kearns, Stephen Kelly, Andy O'Brien (Wicklow), John Doran, Tony Murphy (Kildare), Eoin Clarke, Brendan Ennis (Down), Cahal Carvill (Armagh), Oisin McCloskey (Derry), Shane Morley (Mayo), Shane McGann (Meath)
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 (London), Eamonn Kearns, Jonathan O'Neill, Ronan Keddy (Wicklow), Paul Braniff, Conor Woods (Down), Willie Mahady, Steven Clynch (Meath), Mark Moloney (Kildare), Alan Grant (Derry), Donal O'Brien (Mayo), Paud Costello (Kerry)
Nicky Rackard Cup Champion 15 Award winners?
Lory Meagher Cup Champion 15 Award winners?
2013
Christy Ring Cup Champion 15 Award winners Paul Braniff (Down), Gareth Johnson (Down), Conor Woods (Down), Patrick Hughes (Down), Bernard Rochford (Kerry), Darren Dineen (Kerry), Shane Nolan (Kerry), Fiachra Ó Muineacháin (Kildare), Gerard Keegan (Kildare), Steven Clynch (Meath), Sean Heavey (Meath), Derek McDonnell (Mayo), Paddy Kelly (Derry), Liam Kennedy (Wicklow), Nathan Curry (Armagh)
Nicky Rackard Cup Champion 15 Award winners?
Lory Meagher Cup Champion 15 Award winners?
2014
Christy Ring Cup Champion 15 Award winners Richie Hoban (Kildare), Martin Fitzgerald (Kildare), Paul Dermody (Kildare), Gerry Keegan (Kildare), Bryan Murphy (Kerry), Daniel Collins (Kerry), Pádraig Boyle (Kerry), Cormac Reilly (Meath), William McGrath (Meath), Ciaran Charlton (Mayo), David Kenny (Mayo), Aaron Kelly (Derry), Stephen Kelly (Wicklow), Stephen Renaghan (Armagh), Conor Woods (Down)
Nicky Rackard Cup Champion 15 Award winners?
Lory Meagher Cup Champion 15 Award winners?
2015
Christy Ring Cup Champion 15 Award winners B Cuddihy (Wicklow), Keith Keoghan (Meath), M Ryan (London), K Feeney (Mayo), Bernard Deay (Kildare), Gerry Keegan (Kildare), Danny Toner (Down), F Conway (Down), S McCullagh (Derry), R Convery (Derry), C Quinn (Derry), Shane Nolan (Kerry), John Egan (Kerry), Patrick Kelly (Kerry), Keith Carmody (Kerry)
Nicky Rackard Cup Champion 15 Award winners?
Lory Meagher Cup Champion 15 Award winners Keith Raymond, Gerard O'Kelly-Lynch, Gary Cadden (all Sligo)
2016
Christy Ring Cup Champion 15 Award winners Damien Healy (Meath), Adam Gannon (Meath), James Toher (Meath), Shane McGann (Meath), Simon McCrory (Antrim), Eoghan Campbell (Antrim), Ciarán Clarke (Antrim), John Doran (Kildare), Gerry Keegan (Kildare), John McManus (Down), Caolan Taggart (Down), Oisin McCloskey (Derry), Luke Maloney (Wicklow), Tomás Lawrence (London), Micheál Kelly (Roscommon)
Nicky Rackard Cup Champion 15 Award winners?
Lory Meagher Cup Champion 15 Award winners?
2017
Christy Ring Cup Champion 15 Award winners Enda Cooney (London), Paul Divilly (Kildare), Ger McManus (Mayo), Padraig Kelly (Roscommon), Eamonn Kearns (Wicklow), Andy O'Brien (Wicklow), Michael Hughes (Down), Eoghan Sands (Down), Chrissy O'Connell (Antrim), John Dillon (Antrim), Paddy Burke (Antrim), Alan Corcoran (Carlow), John Michael Nolan (Carlow), James Doyle (Carlow), Richard Coady (Carlow)
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.For example:
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 (such as in 2019), or, separately, at their own event (as in 2024 and 2025).
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 (Donegal), Stephen Gillespie (Donegal), Shane Caulfield (Warwickshire) Niall McKenna (Warwickshire), Dermot Begley (Tyrone), Kevin Crawley (Monaghan), Stephen Kettle (Louth), John Casey (Longford), Declan Molloy (Leitrim), James Weir (Sligo), Gary Cadden (Sligo), Ronan Crowley (Lancashire), Edmond Kenny (Lancashire), Ryan Bogue (Fermanagh), Kevin Connelly (Cavan)
Christy Ring Cup Champion 15 Award winners Paddy McKenna (Kildare), Eanna O'Neill (Kildare), Mark Moloney (Kildare), Jack Sheridan (Kildare), Brian Regan (London), Denis O'Regan (London), Aaron Sheehan (London), John Henderson (Wicklow), Warren Kavanagh (Wicklow), Cian Waldron (Derry), Cormac O'Doherty (Derry), Daithí Sands (Down), Stephen Renaghan (Armagh), Naos Connaughton (Roscommon), David Kenny (Mayo)
Awarded as Joe McDonagh Cup Champion 15. Edward Byrne (Carlow) Brian Treacy (Carlow) James Doyle (Carlow) Chris Nolan (Carlow) David English (Carlow) Paul Doyle (Carlow) Derek McNicholas (Westmeath) Allan Devine (Westmeath) Paul Greville (Westmeath) Patrick Carroll (Westmeath) Eoin Price (Westmeath) Seán Weir (Kerry) Ross King (Laois) Neil McManus (Antrim) Joey Keena (Meath)
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.See reference beneath 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.
Simon Doherty (Armagh) Caolan Taggart (Down) Keith Keoghan (Meath) Enda Moreton (Leitrim) James Weir (Sligo) James Glancy (Leitrim) John Henderson (Wicklow) Keith Raymond (Sligo) Seán Geraghty (Meath) Jack Regan (Meath) Gerard O'Kelly-Lynch (Sligo) Damian Casey (Tyrone) Daithí Sands (Down) Ronan Crowley (Lancashire) Sé McGuigan (Derry) Reference: 2019 Champion 15, 2019 Champion 15, Sky Sports
Paddy PurcellHOTY (Laois)
2020
Stephen Keith (Down) Seán McVeigh (Donegal) Caolan Taggart (Down) Cathal Freeman (Mayo) Conor McShea (Fermanagh) Rian Boran (Kildare) Danny CullenHOTY (Donegal) Eoghan Cahill (Offaly) Paul DivillyHOTY (Kildare) Damian Casey (Tyrone) James Burke (Kildare) Shane Boland (Mayo) Jack Sheridan (Kildare) Andrew MackinHOTY (Louth) Christy Moorehouse (Wicklow) Reference: 2020 Champion 15
Brian Tracey (Carlow) Tomás O'Connor (Kerry) Mattie Donnelly (Antrim) Stephen Rooney (Antrim) Jason Diggins (Kerry) Aonghus Clarke (Westmeath) Gerard Walsh (Antrim) Shane Nolan (Kerry) Keelan Molloy (Antrim) Niall McKenna (Antrim) Shane Conway (Kerry) Daniel Collins (Kerry)