Shane O’Donnell and Paul Conroy have been named the PwC GAA-GPA Hurler and Footballer of the Year for 2024. The announcement, made at Friday night’s presentation of the All Star awards in Dublin’s RDS, was no surprise.
O’Donnell has been in startlingly good form for Clare over the past three years, winning an All Star each year since 2022 but his performances went to a new level this season. A regular Hurler of the Month winner, the Éire Óg, Ennis clubman added two further citations this year in April and June.
He has been Hurler of the Year-elect nearly all championship, which he crowned with a second All-Ireland medal, 11 years after he burst into the game’s consciousness as a 19-year-old with a hat-trick of goals in the 2013 All-Ireland replay.
Now 30, his ability to win ball and create or take scoring chances was a feature of the team’s memorable year.
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Galway footballer Conroy is similarly a veteran at this stage. At 35, he has won his – and his club St James’s – first All Star and on Friday, capped the year by being named the game’s outstanding player.
A classical centrefielder, his performances were of the highest quality as Galway closed in on another All-Ireland final.
He was Footballer of the Month for July after a hugely influential semi-final against Donegal and in the final against Armagh when the team in general disappointed in a match they could have won, he kicked 0-3 to keep the county in contention.
There were Young Player of the Year awards for Clare’s All Star corner back, Adam Hogan – the county’s second successive win in the category – and Armagh’s Oisín Conaty, whose year culminated in the Man of the Match citation for the All-Ireland final.
Clare lead the way in this year’s PwC hurling All Stars with six awards. History has been made in this year’s selection, which for the first time is entirely composed of 15 Munster players from just three counties.
In 2017, no Leinster players were selected but All-Ireland champions Galway, who now compete in the province, had seven.
The All-Ireland champions may be slightly disappointed with their haul, two fewer than 11 years ago when they previously won Liam MacCarthy. Two of their defenders, corner back Conor Leen and centre back John Conlon, can be counted as unlucky after excellent years.
The composition of the team reflects an exciting hurling season when the three leading teams, Clare, Limerick and Cork were tightly bunched, each losing two matches: Clare twice to Limerick, Limerick twice to Cork and Cork twice to Clare.
All-Ireland finalists Cork receive five awards and outgoing champions Limerick, who completed six-in-a-row in Munster, take three.
The All-Ireland champions representation was largely undisputed. Shane O’Donnell’s extraordinary season made him an automatic choice at full forward whereas Tony Kelly, having to work his way back from injury, finished the season strongly – as Man of the Match in the All-Ireland final defeat of Cork; his 1-4 from play runs like a career highlights reel.
Wing back David McInerney adds another award to his first from 2013, creating the longest gap between two All Stars in the history of the scheme. Colleague David Fitzgerald was the player of the league and wins a second award.
Adam Hogan wins a first at corner back and at corner forward, Mark Rodgers has built on his Young Hurler of the Year citation from last year.
For Cork, the Downeys, Eoin at full back and Robert at centre back, join three other sets of brothers, the Cashmans (Tom and Jim), Ó hAilpíns (Seán and Setanta) and O’Connors (Ben and Jerry) to have represented the county as All Stars.
It completed a great day for Rob, who was earlier named Cork captain for next year.
Darragh Fitzgibbon wins his second award at centrefield whereas Shane Barrett, who will be the county’s vice-captain next year, is honoured for the first time and Séamus Harnedy wins a third.
Limerick goalkeeper Nickie Quaid had a terrific year, which had him in the HOTY conversation. Dan Morrissey wins a fourth after another formidable year in defence, while Kyle Hayes wins his fifth award in a row in the half-back line, whereas Gearóid Hegarty, a starting wing forward, is chosen in the right corner, where he was switched to great effect during the season.
PwC Hurling All-Stars 2024 (Previous winning All-Star year in brackets)
- Nickie Quaid (Effin, Limerick) [2020 and ‘22]
- Adam Hogan (Feakle, Clare) [1st award]
- Eoin Downey (Glen Rovers, Cork) [1st award]
- Dan Morrissey (Ahane, Limerick) [2018, ‘20 and ‘23]
- David McInerney (Tulla, Clare) [2013]
- Robert Downey (Glen Rovers, Cork) [1st award]
- Kyle Hayes (Kildimo-Pallaskenry, Limerick) [2020, ‘21, ‘22 and ‘23]
- Tony Kelly (Ballyea and Clare) [2013, ‘20, 21 and ‘22]
- Darragh Fitzgibbon (Charleville, Cork) [2018]
- David Fitzgerald (Inagh-Kilnamona, Clare) [2022]
- Shane Barrett (Blarney, Cork) [1st award]
- Séamus Harnedy (St Ita’s, Cork) [2013 and ‘18]
- Gearóid Hegarty (St Patrick’s, Limerick) [2020, ‘21 and ‘22]
- Shane O’Donnell (Éire Óg, Clare) [2022 and ‘23]
- Mark Rodgers (Scariff, Clare) [1st award]
- PwC GAA/GPA Footballer of the Year – Paul Conroy (Galway)
- PwC GAA/GPA Young Footballer of the Year – Oisín Conaty (Armagh)
- PwC GAA/GPA Hurler of the Year – Shane O’Donnell (Clare)
- PwC GAA/GPA Young Hurler of the Year – Adam Hogan (Clare)
