Club of the Year winner hosting privilege adds special aspect to North Tipperary GAA Awards
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Lorrha GAA club officers Niall Brophy (Treasurer), Maureen O’Meara (Secretary) and Aidan McIntyre (Chairman) accept the Club of the Year trophy from fellow Lorrha man & 1971 All-Ireland winner Liam King. PHOTOS: Rose Mannion PicasaImage 2 of 5
Sean & Nancy Darcy presenting the Darrell Darcy Perpetual Cup to Overall North Footballer of the Year and fellow Shannon Rovers clubman Padraic O’Meara. PicasaImage 3 of 5
Shane Brophy, Sports Editor, Nenagh Guardian, presents the Nenagh Guardian Perpetual Cup to Overall Hurler of the Year Darragh McCarthy PicasaImage 4 of 5
2023 Gaelic Footballers of the Year who were presented with their trophies at the North Tipperary GAA Awards in the Tony Reddin Centre on Saturday night. Seated, from left, Sean Hayes (U19 ‘B’ - Kilruane MacDonaghs), Tadhg Whyte (U21’B’ - Moneygall/Clonakenny), Tony King (on behalf of his grandson Charlie King - U21’A’ - Ballina). Back row: Darren Moran (Junior ‘A’ - Kildangan), Padraic O’Meara (Overall & Junior ‘B’ - Shannon Rovers). PicasaImage 5 of 5
The 2023 North Hurlers of the Year who were presented with their trophies. Seated: Luke O’Brien (U19 ‘B’ - Silvermines), Darragh McCarthy (Overall & U19 ‘A’ - Toomevara), Cathal McGrath (Junior ‘C’ - Silvermines), Adrian Browne (Junior ‘B’ - Knockshegowna). Back row: Conor McKelvey (on behalf of Michael Corcoran – U21 ‘B’ - Silvermines), Luke Seacy (U21 ‘A’ - Roscrea), Joey Kelly (Junior ‘A’ - Ballinahinch), Sean Kenneally (Intermediate - Moneygall), Patrick Maher (Premier Intermediate - Lorrha), Jake Morris (Senior - Nenagh Eire Og). PicasaBy Shane Brophy
The decision made a number of years ago to host the annual North Tipperary GAA Awards at the winner of the Club of the Year award was further justified as 2023 winner Lorrha pulled out all the stops on Saturday night.
The sports hall at the Tony Reddin Centre in Moatfield provided the location and was well attended for the 2023 awards with Lorrha picking up the MacDonagh Trophy for the third time in their history, following previous successes in 1984 and 2007.
Lorrha’s North Tipperary Hurler of the Year in 1972 and Tipperary All-Ireland winning defender in 1971 Liam King was the guest of honour and made the presentations to the winners.
Their back-to-back county intermediate and premier intermediate hurling championship successes have provided great joy over the last two years with North Board chairperson Brendan Shanahan in his address to the winners saying that Lorrha’s run since 2020 when they lost a premier intermediate final, were relegated to intermediate in 2021 before rebounding to win back to back county titles to return to the senior ranks “was a credit to all involved with the club.”
Lorrha club chairperson Aidan McIntyre said it had been a special couple of years and thanked all the players, coaches, officers and supporters for their hard work.
The clubs accolades were further added to by Patrick ‘Bonner’ Maher being presented with the premier intermediate hurler of the year award in what was a high profile set of hurling winners for 2023 with Maher joined by Tipperary teammates Jake Morris (senior), Sean Kenneally (intermediate) and Darragh McCarthy (U19 ‘A’) all present to accept their awards with McCarthy also presented with the Nenagh Guardian Cup for Overall Hurler of the Year.
McCarthy is the youngest player to win overall hurler of the year since Lorrha’s Ken Hogan in 1980, who was also present on the night, along with the clubs other hurler of the year winner, Brian Mannion in 1984.
Shannon Rovers Padraic O’Meara was presented with the Darrel Darcy Perpetual Cup as Overall Footballer of the Year after guiding his club to North & County Junior ‘B’ titles and go in search of Munster glory next Sunday when they take on Oliver Plunkett’s of Cork in the provincial final.
North Tipperary GAA Award winners 2023
Club of the Year – Lorrha & Dorrha
HURLING
Overall & Under 19 Hurler of the Year - Darragh McCarthy (Toomevara)
Senior Hurler of the Year - Jake Morris (Nenagh Eire Og)
Premier Intermediate Hurler of the Year - Patrick Maher (Lorrha)
Intermediate Hurler of the Year - Seanie Kenneally (Moneygall)
Junior 'A' Hurler of the Year - Joey Kelly (Ballinahinch)
Junior 'B' Hurler of the Year - Adrian Browne (Knockshegowna)
Junior ‘C’ Hurler of the Year - Cathal McGrath (Silvermines)
Under 21 'A' Hurler of the Year - Luke Seacy (Roscrea)
Under 21 'B' Hurler of the Year - Michael Corcoran (Silvermines)
Under 19 'B' Hurler of the Year - Luke O’Brien (Silvermines)
GAELIC FOOTBALL
Overall & Junior ‘B’ Footballer of the Year - Padraic O’Meara (Shannon Rovers)
Junior ‘A’ Footballer of the Year - Darren Moran (Kiladangan)
Under 21 'A' Footballer of the Year - Charlie King (Ballina)
Under 21 'B' Footballer of the Year - Tadhg Whyte (Moneygall)
Under 19 'A' Footballer of the Year - JP Mbokha (Ballina)
Under 19 'B' Footballer of the Year - Sean Hayes (Kilruane MacDonaghs)