It was overall a great night for Tipperary at the GAA/GPA All-Star Awards for 2016 in the Convention Centre, Dublin last Friday night as Tipperary came home with seven hurling and one football All Star Awards.
Congratulations to our eight recipients, Michael Quinlivan (Clonmel Commercials) who received his first award when the football team was announced on Thursday morning. On Friday night Michael was joined by first time hurling All Star recipients Cathal Barrett (Holycross-Ballycahill), James Barry (Upperchurch-Drombane), Ronan Maher (Thurles Sarsfields) and John McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney). Padraic Maher (Thurles Sarsfields) collected his fourth award, Patrick Maher (Lorrha-Dorrha) his second, though unfortunately ‘Bonner’ is away on a tour of duty in the Golan Heights with the Defence Forces and wasn’t there to collect his award and Seamus Callanan (Drom & Inch) his third All Star Award.
Alas, though, there was disappointment in the two main hurling awards of the night from a Tipperary perspective, Hurler of the Year and Young Hurler of the Year. Commiserations to Tipperary nominations Seamus Callanan and Padraic Maher and young hurler Ronan Maher who failed to secure the kudos, as both awards went to Austin Gleeson (Waterford).
In the Young Footballer of the Year category commiserations also go to Josh Keane (Golden-Kilfeacle) and Jimmy Feehan (Killenaule) who lost out to Mayo’s Diarmuid O’Connor who picked up the award for the second time.
