Kilruane MacDonaghs - North Tipp GAA Club of the Year. Back Row, Sean McAdams, John O'Meara, Jack Peters, Liam O'Shea, Damian Mulcahy, Justin Cahill, Michael Cahill, Matt Cleary, Michael Hogan. Front row, Gilbert Williams, Brian Gaynor, Mary McLoughney (Secretary), Len Gaynor, Joe Whelan (Chairman),

Cahill and Delahunty scoop North Players of the Year Awards

By Liam Hogan

 

Kilruane MacDonaghs Justin Cahill and Newport's Jack Delahunty were named North Tipperary Hurler and Footballer of the year respectively at the divisional boards annual awards held in Cloughjordan last Friday.

Cahill, who played minor, under 21 and senior hurling with Tipperary in the past, helped Kilruane MacDonagh regain the North Tipperary Senior Hurling title after a gap of 28 years and claimed the accolade ahead of Shane Nevin (Borrisokane) – Intermediate; Paddy Grace (Toomevara) – Junior; Jack Delaney (Toomevara) – Under 21 and Bryan McLoughney (Kiladangan) - Minor.

Justin becomes the fourth Kilruane player to win the award with Sean Hyland the first winner in 1977. Paddy Williams was a winner the following year while in more recent times Ray McLoughney won it in 2005.

Jack Delahunty became the Daryl Darcy North Tipperary Footballer of the year. Already a recipient of the under 21 footballer of the year for 2018, he overcame strong opposition in Darragh Egan (Kiladangan) - Senior; Colm Larkin (Borrisokane) - Intermediate; Noel O'Halloran (Portroe) - Junior and Darragh Tynan (Inane Rovers) - Minor.

Delahunty is a current member of the Tipperary senior football squad, and played a key role in helping Newport win back the North under 21 'B' football when defeating Kilruane MacDonaghs last Spring.

The Newport man joins four clubmen who won the accolade. John O’Brien won it in 1983 followed by Pat Shinnors in 1985 with Colin Moran the following year. PJ O’Rourke was a the most recent winner in 1996.

Kilruane MacDonaghs bridged a gap of thirty three years when claiming their fifth Club of the Year statuette. First winners in the inaugural year 1975, they have since won the award in 1977, ’78 and ’85.

 

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