Women's awards: Christina Heffernan of Mayo was yesterday presented with the Vodafone GAA Women's Footballer of the Year award, at the same time ensuring the honour stayed in the family.

Eimear McDonnell from Tipperary was also the fitting winner of the Camogie award for her key part in delivering another All-Ireland title to the county.

Heffernan was one of the truly inspirational figures on the Mayo team that won the All-Ireland title last month, and succeeds her sister Marcella as the award recipient. She also won the award in 1999.

A member of the successful Hollymount club, Heffernan has been playing for Mayo for the last 12 years and, with Marcella for company, has played a key role in the unprecedented success enjoyed by Mayo women footballers over the last four years.

For McDonnell, the effectiveness of her forward play was clearly influential in securing the camogie title for Tipperary. Her goal in the final, following an explosive solo run, was one of the moments of the championship.

Still only 22, this year's All-Ireland was the fourth for McDonnell. Her twin sister Deirdre was a member of this year's intermediate team and won an All-Ireland junior medal in Tipperary's double year of 2001.