Not surprisingly, DJ Carey and Seamus Moynihan are the first winners of the Gaelic Players' Association (GPA) Players of the Year awards following their outstanding performances in helping Kilkenny and Kerry to the All-Ireland hurling and football titles.

GPA chief administrator Donal O'Neill said: "Both Seamus and DJ really deserve this award. Both players were voted for by their peers, which is really the highest honour you can achieve in the game. However, it was a close contest with the best GAA players in the country on the roll of honour."

Meanwhile, the election of Dessie Farrell as GPA chairman in Killarney on Saturday was overshadowed by the low turnout at the association's a.g.m.. Only 50 players attended the a.g.m. and, considering the GPA claims to have a membership of 400 and given the high-profile players who have signed up, this was disappointing.

Asked about the GPA's reluctance to publish its list of members, Farrell said that up to now players felt uneasy about the idea, fearing repercussions from the GAA. However, Farrell said the GPA would consider publishing a breakdown of player numbers from each county.

The GPA want Farrell, as chairman, to be co-opted on to the GAA's players' committee, though Farrell rejected the view that the GAA, which refuses to acknowledge the GPA, would view this as an intimidatory gesture. "Essentially we want to open up lines of communication between ourselves and the players' committee," said Farrell.

The GPA also called for a study to be carried out on what it costs a player to compete at inter-county level. They denied this was a matter of looking for more money.

Donal O'Neill hopes to play a more low-key role in the administration of the association and wants the players to run the organisation. Jamesie O'Connor and Seamus Moynihan were elected president and secretary, respectively.