*Eoin Cleary. Photograph: Burren Eye Photography

Clare senior football captain, Eoin Cleary has been nominated for an All-Star award for the first time in his career.

Cleary made his first championship appearance for the Clare senior footballers in 2014 and has become an integral part of their attack during his eight seasons playing under Colm Collins.

Not alone is it Eoin’s first nominee but it represents the first time a footballer from St Josephs Miltown is included in the shortlist.

He is the only Clare nominee in the forty five man shortlist. In this year’s championship, Collins’ side were eliminated in their first outing, 3-22 1-11 loss to Kerry in which the Miltown Malbay man finished as the county’s top scorer with 0-06 to his name.

During the National Football League campaign, Cleary was to the fore in ensuring the Banner kept retained their Division 2 status once again. A superb point from a sideline kick against Laois was among his many highlights during the league run.

Watch this for pure class! No wonder @Smiley_014_ was named on the @officialgaa Team of the Week 🤩 #offthelaois pic.twitter.com/gAokCqnHHr

— Eoin Brennan (@BrennanEoin) May 17, 2021

Corofin’s Jamie Malone in 2019 was the last Clare footballer shortlisted for an All-Star while Gary Brennan came very close to winning an All-Star in 2016 off the back of a season in which they reached the All-Ireland quarter-finals.

Tyrone lead the way with 15 nominees followed by Mayo (8), Kerry (7), Dublin (5), Monaghan (3), Armagh (2), Cork (1), Clare (1), Kildare (1), Donegal (1) and Galway (1).

PwC All-Stars Football nominations 2021
Goalkeepers
Rob Hennelly (Mayo)
Rory Beggan (Monaghan)
Niall Morgan (Tyrone)

Defenders
Padraig Hampsey, Peter Harte, Michael McKernan, Ronan McNamee, Kieran McGeary, Conor Meyler
Frank Burns (all Tyrone)
Stephen Coen, Patrick Durcan, Lee Keegan, Padraig Ó Hóra (all Mayo)
Tom O’Sullivan, Gavin White, Brian Ó Beaglaoich (all Kerry)
Michael Fitzsimons, Brian Howard (all Dublin)
Seán Meehan (Cork)
Ryan McAnespie (Monaghan)

Midfielders
Brian Kennedy, Conn Kilpatrick (all Tyrone)
Matthew Ruane (Mayo)
David Moran (Kerry)
Oisín O’Neill (Armagh)
Brian Fenton (Dublin)

Forwards
Mattie Donnelly, Conor McKenna, Niall Sludden, Darren McCurry, Cathal McShane (all Tyrone)
David Clifford, Paudie Clifford, Sean O’Shea (all Kerry)
Tommy Conroy, Ryan O’Donoghue (all Mayo)
Cormac Costello, Ciaran Kilkenny (all Dublin)
Jack McCarron (Monaghan)
Daniel Flynn (Kildare)
Michael Langan (Donegal)
Rian O’Neill (Armagh)
Eoin Cleary (Clare)
Shane Walsh (Galway)

PwC GAA/GPA Footballer of the Year
Lee Keegan (Mayo), Conor Meyler (Tyrone), Kieran McGeary (Tyrone)

PwC GAA/GPA Young Footballer of the Year nominees
Matthew Tierney (Galway)
Oisin Mullin (Mayo)
Darragh Canavan (Tyrone)