Kerry’s David Clifford and Limerick wing back Diarmaid Byrnes have been named Players of the Year at the GAA PwC All Stars banquet in Dublin’s Convention Centre – the first in-person awards ceremony in three years, the previous two having been called off because of Covid.
The awards are voted on by their playing peers in other county panels.
Clifford has been a phenomenon since he was an underage player, winning two All-Ireland minor medals and captaining the team in the second year, 2017 and scoring 4-4 in the final in the process.
This year has been a triumph for him, as Kerry regained the Sam Maguire after eight years. His contribution to the season’s achievement, which included winning the league and provincial championship, was immense, scoring 1-21 in four matches, 1-13 from play.
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Challenged by Shane Walsh’s magnificent performance in the All-Ireland final against Galway, Clifford rose to the occasion and that evening was an uncontentious choice as The Sunday Game Footballer of the Year.
An acute free at the Hill End awarded in the 67th minute of the All-Ireland final gave Kerry a lead they never lost. Clifford said on Friday that the difficult angle was a familiar one.
[ All-Ireland champions Kerry lead the way with seven All Star awardsOpens in new window ]
“Yeah, I can remember just thinking I wanted to start it at the left post and let it drift back. I’ve hit that free so many times. It’s funny, where we come out at Fitzgerald Stadium that’s kind of the first angle on the pitch – and it’s the last place we’d kick from as well at the end of training.
“So, it’s a free I’ve kicked a lot. You just go back to your routine in a moment like that.”
At 23, Clifford’s career has many years left but already he looks poised to break records. Since his elevation to senior straight from minor, he has now won four All Stars in five years.
Limerick’s Byrnes has kept the hurling award in his club Patrickswell after club-mate Cian Lynch won it last year. His contribution to the county’s first three-in-a-row was high-profile from the start against Cork in the opening championship match in April.
On a day when the team looked a bit rattled at times, Byrnes rallied them with six long-range points, half from play, and went on to provide a prolific source of scores from right wing back. He totalled 0-36 over seven matches, including six from play.
[ Hurling champions Limerick lead the way with seven All-Star awardsOpens in new window ]
“It is something I’ve worked hard at, especially the frees,” he said on Friday. “Against Clare I scored eight from eight and I got one from play. It’s something I have put an emphasis on because they’re so important. You don’t know what situation you’re going to be given. Whether it’s to break the momentum of a match, put us up by one point, or three points to give us a bit of breathing space.”
The Young Players of the Year are Mikey Butler, who was one of Kilkenny’s All Stars and maintains the county’s strong record in the category as the fourth winner in a row after Eoin Cody, twice, and Adrian Mullen.
Young Footballer was Galway’s Jack Glynn, another corner back and an under-20 All-Ireland winning captain with the county, who had a fine year, as the county reached a first All-Ireland since 2001.
