Dublin footballers Hannah Tyrell and Paul Mannion, along with Cork camogie captain Amy O’Connor and Limerick hurler Cian Lynch, have all been named Player of the Month in their respective codes.
In acknowledgment of their excellent All-Ireland final performances, all four playing key roles in helping their counties claim the ultimate prize in recent weeks, they received their GAA/GPA awards at the offices of sponsors PwC on Wednesday.
Lynch helped Limerick clinch a fourth All-Ireland title in a row, and a fifth out of the last six on offer. With Declan Hannon injured for the final, he stepped in as captain on the day and scored two points, carrying his team through a difficult period leading up to half-time.
Mannion scored five points in Dublin’s football final win over Kerry, four of them from play. The Kilmacud Crokes’ forward picked up the RTÉ man of the match award, proving his importance to the team after returning to the Dublin set-up this season to help reclaim Sam Maguire.
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O’Connor inspired Cork to their 29th camogie senior title, scoring 3-7 in the final against Waterford. Which included a remarkable two-minute hat-trick. While Dublin women’s footballer and former Irish rugby international, Tyrell was unmarkable with 0-8 in her team’s final win over Kerry, getting four of them from play.
Speaking on behalf of the GPA, Tom Parsons added: “For our games to thrive young people have to have heroes to look up to and what better a quartet than these four players who gave commanding displays on the biggest stage of all. Congratulations to Hannah, Amy, Cian and Paul for your individual displays which helped your respective teams to claim the top prizes the games have to offer. More than that, your displays will have captured the imagination of young people across the country who will dream of some day following in your footsteps. That’s the power of our inter-county games.”
These awards are all are voted for by the GPA’s membership.
