24 goals in the desert - 2016 team win All Stars match in Abu Dhabi

Michael Murpy and Ciaran Kilkenny both top score as this year’s All Stars win out

Conor McManus, Monaghan, of the 2016 All Stars kicks a point during the GAA GPA All-Stars football tour sponsored by Opel at the Sheikh Zayed Sports City Stadium in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Photograph: Ray McManus/Sportsfile
Conor McManus, Monaghan, of the 2016 All Stars kicks a point during the GAA GPA All-Stars football tour sponsored by Opel at the Sheikh Zayed Sports City Stadium in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Photograph: Ray McManus/Sportsfile

2016 ALL-STARS 14-11 2015 ALL-STARS 10-11

The 2016 GAA-GPA football All Stars, sponsored by Opel, had a comfortable win over their 2015 predecessors in this year’s exhibition match in Zayed Sports City, Abu Dhabi on a score-line of 14-11 to 10-11.

Once corner forwards Conor Sweeney from Tipperary and Dublin's Dean Rock, who captained the winners, had opened the scoring for the 2016 team they led for the rest of the match and were 9-6 to 5-6 ahead at half-time.

Ciarán Kilkenny of Dublin was top scorer for the 2016s with 3-2 whereas Donegal's Michael Murphy equalled that total for their opponents, who were captained by Dublin's Bernard Brogan.

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The winning manager was Liam Kearns of Tipperary whereas the 2015s were managed by Tyrone's Mickey Harte.

2016 ALL STARS (13-a-side): D. Clarke (Mayo); D. Kyne (Galway), R.

McHugh (Donegal), R Kiely (Tipperary), K Martin (Westmeath) 1-0; P Acheson (Tipperary) 1-2, M Donnelly (Tyrone) 1-1; P Harte (Tyrone) 0-2, M Quinlivan (Tipperary) 2-2, C Kilkenny (Dublin) 3-2; C Sweeney (Tipperary) 2-1, P Geaney (Kerry) 1-1, D Rock (Dublin) 3-0 Sub: J Cooper (Dublin) for McHugh (half-time).

2015 ALL STARS: B Kealy (Kerry); P McMahon (Dublin) 0-1, C McCarron (Tyrone); K O'Connell (Monaghan), C O'Sullivan (Kerry), S Enright (Kerry); B Fenton (Dublin) 1-1, C Cavanagh (Tyrone) 1-0; D Walsh (Kerry) 1-0, N Gallagher (Donegal) 1-1, M Murphy (Donegal) 3-2; C McManus (Monaghan) 2-3, B Brogan (Dublin) 1-3.

Referees: C. Lane (Cork, first half), M. Deegan (Laois, second half).

Seán Moran

Seán Moran

Seán Moran is GAA Correspondent of The Irish Times