The Dazzling Dozen; a look back at the 12 Kildare players to make Team's of the Year 2025

Kildare stars played their way into 12 of the 30 Team of the Year (TOTY) slots in the Joe McDonagh Cup and Tailteann Cup amalgam teams. 

Those Championship wins come loaded with wildly different baggage however with the hurlers ascending to new heights having achieved their first ever win in the Joe McDonagh Cup just a month and half prior to lifting the trophy. For the footballers, this year marked the beginning of a new era under an exciting young coach for which the winning of the Tailteann Cup will hopefully be seen as the starting point of a journey in years to come.

Joe McDonagh Cup

The Joe McDonagh Cup champions rightfully earned almost half of the TOTY spots with seven Lilies listed. There is a 5-2 split between this year's county finalists with Naas’ Rian Boran, Simon Leacy, Cian Boran, James Burke, and Jack Sheridan being named alongside Maynooth pair Cathal McCabe and David Qualter.

The first man named for Kildare was captain and full-back Rian Boran whose physicality and intensity helped propel Kildare from the back in every game that they played. Many Joe McDonagh teams took to the skies when they couldn’t play through Brian Dowling’s side and whether he was challenging in the air or mopping the remains, Rian Boran was always there and he was the first building block in the foundation of a winning team. 

Simon Leacy has long been looked at by Kildare hurling fans as someone who could feasibly slot into a team at any level, whether it is with a sharp change of pace or surgical deployment of his hurl, the Naas man nearly always stands out and did so throughout 2025.

Cian Boran’s contributions in 2025 can be encapsulated in the county’s first ever Joe McDonagh Cup win against Westmeath. The wing-back that day was attacking like a man possessed regardless of which direction he was facing. Bursting through tackles, through everything, and splitting in the post in an inspirational and tempo-setting performance which was the catalyst for all that was to come. One of Boran's contributions in that opening game was an assist to his clubmate Jack Sheridan and Kildare’s mercurial forward was never far from a green flag in any game in 2025. Off of set-piece duty, Sheridan adapted to more of an Erling Haaland role which regardless of his varying level of game involvement seemingly always ended with a goal.

The last Naas entry was James Burke who was brought further out the field from his previous forward berth at various points this year. It was closer to the middle of the field that Burke thrived and paired his towering ability to fetch possession with his proficiency in getting short, sharp and accurate passes away quickly. Partnering Burke in midfield for his county and now in this TOTY lineup is Maynooth’s Cathal McCabe. After an injury-laden spell McCabe finally got the luck he needed to put a run of games together and The Lilies felt the difference when he did as became yet another inspirational presence because of his quality and industry in this team.

The final Kildare player listed is the competition’s top-scorer David Qualter, the Maynooth forward paired his usual game with free-taking duties this year and he assumed that responsibility with aplomb. A hurling team is headed nowhere without a steady hand over dead ball situations and Qualter was like a Clint Eastwood leading man in his marksmanship this year.

Tailteann Cup

Elsewhere the Tailteann Cup champions earned five spots in their competition with an even split between this 2025 county finalists' representation. Naas forwards Darragh Kirwan and Alex Beirne made the team alongside Athy's James McGrath and Kevin Feely. 

The fifth man in that list is Clane corner-back Harry O’Neill who recovered from a facial injury against Westmeath in the Leinster Championship to play his way into the TOTY. O’Neill has continued in the same vein as what made him stand out at U20 level under Brian Flanagan with his relentless work-rate and intelligent tackling being key for Kildare turnovers this year. O’Neill’s diligence and low-centre of gravity makes him look like a nightmare to play against.

The first of the Athy entrants is James McGrath who, on top of his designated work at wing-back, had a knack for scoring goals in 2025. Goals, or their lack of, has been a hot topic in Kildare football and McGrath was an unlikely but welcome source of them this year. McGrath seemingly has great attacking instincts, which were demonstrated most recently in the Tailteann Cup Semi-Final against Fermanagh when he latched onto a loose ball and fired across goal into the far corner of the net. 

The other Athy star in this team is of course Kildare captain Kevin Feely who has been a bright shining light with The Lilies for many years. Even if he wasn’t a player who could rise above nearly every man in the country under a high ball and distribute it beautifully when he lands, Feely’s eloquence and class would be enough to make him a fan favourite. Kildare’s leader is undoubtedly one of the best that they have ever had.

We finish this team with two Naas forwards and two of the most exciting Kildare players of recent years. Darragh Kirwan is a player with talent coming out of his ears who has dealt with injury after injury of late. The Tailteann Cup final marked Kirwan’s first time playing three games in a row in 2025 with an undoubted mental toll having been taken on the frustrated forward. However, when he is on the field, all is rosy. When the Naas man turns and goes it brings back that feeling you get watching Daniel Flynn put the burners on. Kirwan has brought excitement and class to this Kildare team and long may continue.

The final name to address is Alex Beirne’s who has gone to another level in every facet this year. Beirne plays brimming with passion and demands everything from those who play with him. This year he shouted, instructed, and complained but most crucially of all delivered when he had to. He has become a leader in this young team and looks like he wants to drag everyone to be the best that they can be too. The change in competition level will no doubt have aided his numbers this year but Alex Beirne looks like a player ready to push Kildare on to another level again in 2026.

So Kildare finish 2025 with 12 of 30 spots taken across their two competitions and for both the hurlers and footballers it is onwards and more importantly upwards as they both tackle the best their sports have to offer.

Cill Dara Abú!

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