GPA honour two players who went extra mile

ONE OF them has come through a recent cancer scare, having previously endured two heart operations, and a freak domestic accident. The other has raised almost €1 million for cancer research, first by cycling across Canada, and more recently from Canada to Texas. And both, naturally, have exemplary records on the field of play.

Little surprise then that Fermanagh footballer Martin McGrath and Clare hurler Tony Griffin have been honoured with the Halifax/Gaelic Players Association (GPA) Fair Play awards for 2008.

The awards are as much about off-field behaviour as on-field, and the humility with which both McGrath and Griffin accepted their awards in Dublin yesterday was further testament to their unique devotion to Gaelic games.

McGrath had only last Friday returned from Australia, where he was part of Ireland's success in the International Rules series.

That he made this trip at all was remarkable given it was just over a month since he underwent an operation for testicular cancer, which McGrath had been diagnosed with during Fermanagh's run to this year's Ulster final.

"I was never thinking I wouldn't make it back, no," recalled McGrath. "I was just thinking about what I had to do to get back. But it was trying to get the balance as well, between rest, and training. And the thought now is what I have to do to win an Ulster medal.

"I first got word about it before we played Down in the championship. I just put it aside for the games. Unfortunately, it didn't work out for us in winning the Ulster title. But thankfully it worked out for myself. And the football was a good distraction.

"I wasn't too concerned though, because there is such a good success rate on it. You've seen the people that have recovered so well, Ronan McGarrity, Dermot Earley, and how well they're playing. You only have to look at them at think you'll get on with it."

As if the cancer scare wasn't bad enough, two years ago McGrath twice underwent heart surgery to correct a minor defect, and then early last year sustained a broken bone around the eye socket having been accidentally struck on the head by a digger.

If it weren't for bad luck, you would think, he would have no luck at all.

"Bad luck? I wouldn't think so," he responds.

"I'm still playing, at 27, so I see myself as just lucky to be doing that. Hopefully I can get a bit more luck before I finish. You always think there's more there. It's about reaching out and grabbing it. Hopefully that's the end of it now.

Griffin's award came with the news that he's to take up a position within the GPA in player health, charity work, and related programmes, and no better for man for it.

Again, only last Friday, he returned from the 54-rider relay-style cycle from Halifax to Austin, Texas - some 4,300km - as part of the Tony Griffin Foundation, which he set up in early 2007 when he first cycled the 7,500km across Canada.

"It started as an idea to do one event," he explained.

"But so many people got behind that and involved that it became something so much bigger. We've now raised well over €700,000, so it's grown into something I'd never imagined.

"It's still very close to my heart, and that's why you do it.

"Our aim is to have Lance Armstrong come to Ireland, possibly after this year's Tour de France. He's been talking about this global cancer awareness, so if that's the case, we want him to come here. Maybe that would bring some closure to it."

Griffin, however, expressed some concern about the apparent increase in verbal abuse within GAA circles: "I did feel this year in the club championship in Clare there were supporters verbally abusing players as they walked off the field. I was saying to myself, 'was this always the case?' I don't know.

"If you look at rugby, I'm always amazed at how physical the game is, and yet when the referee speaks, everyone backs away. We're stupid in the GAA really because we think we're going to argue the referee out of a decision, which hasn't yet happened."

Bonnar takes charge in Wexford

THE WEXFORD County Board last night announced the appointment of Colm Bonnar as their new senior hurling manager.

The two-time All-Ireland winner with Tipperary in 1989 and 1991 takes over from John Meyler, who failed to get another term in charge in controversial circumstances, despite putting his name forward.

Bonner brings a range of credentials to the position. An All Star winner at midfield in 1988, he has a BA in Business, Recreation and Sport Management from Waterford Institute of Technology, where he is presently completing an MA in Management in Education.

His previous experience includes being WIT GAA Coach, Development and Administrating Officer from 1987 to 1992, and is currently the WIT Sport and Student Development Officer.

He has also been physical trainer/coach with the Tipperary All-Ireland Senior Camogie champions 1999, in Waterford hurling under Gerald McCarthy from 1999 to 2001, and also under Justin McCarthy from 2002 to 2003.

He was manager of the WIT Fitzgibbon Cup team for the last six years in which WIT have won four of out six titles. He played with Tipperary from 1982 to 1998, winning 11 Munster hurling medals (one minor, three under-21, five senior, one junior and one intermediate) and played in 10 All-Ireland finals with Tipperary, winning minor, under-21, Intermediate and senior All Ireland hurling medals. He also won two National Leagues medals and represented Munster on numerous occasions, winning Railway Cup medals in '94 and '95. Fixtures in Sports Round-Up