THE ALL-ROUNDERS WERE the recipients of the biggest awards at the All-Stars on Friday evening as Shane O’Donnell and Paul Conroy were named Hurler and Footballer of the Year.
While their seasons ended in contrasting emotions, the common thread was that the importance of O’Donnell and Conroy to their teams couldn’t be measured by scores alone. Their creative and possession-winning abilities were equally key to their teams’ successes.
The awards will mean all the more having been voted on by current players.
For O’Donnell, a second All-Ireland win has felt a long time coming and he spoke before the final about the “strange trajectory” his career has taken.
By his own admission, he wasn’t a star in an underage career where he started out as a corner-back. But his relentless running and eye for goal made the Éire Óg prospect a poster boy when rewarding a surprise start with a hat-trick in the 2013 All-Ireland final replay.
Clare wouldn’t win another game in Croke Park for another 11 years. During that period, O’Donnell considered retiring in 2021 due to the ill effects of a concussion, which kept him out of work for six weeks.
Since he returned to the panel, his form has been electric as he became the focal point of the Banner attack. He won his first All-Star in 2022 and turned that into three in a row this week.
Shane O'Donnell keeps his eye on the sliotar during the All-Ireland SHC final against Cork. Morgan Treacy / INPHO
Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
Given the leeway to return to training later in the spring, his only National League involvement since 2021 was seeing out Clare’s Division 1 final victory over Kilkenny in April.
In championship fare, he has hit the ground running. His brilliant pass assisted the goal in their opening defeat to Limerick. He was a central figure against Cork, scoring 1-1 and directly assisting 1-6 with the goal created by a brilliant catch and turn.
Having skipped pre-season, within a month of returning O’Donnell was voted the Hurler of the Month for April.
He only scored two points against Waterford but was named man of the match with his clever movement enabling the goal and handling plenty more deliveries into the attack.
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Against Tipperary, he gave an exhibition of set-up play. He scored 0-2, instigated the goal, was fouled for six scoreable frees, and assisted three more points.
“He’s an unbelievable player and we’re so lucky to have him,” said goalscorer Diarmuid Ryan after that victory. “The way he makes the ball stick inside, it’s like a magnet.”
Limerick’s Dan Morrissey and Kyle Hayes tackle Shane O’Donnell of Clare. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
In the Munster final, he got off to a flying start with his fingerprints on four of Clare’s first five points but was starved of possession as Limerick inflicted another loss.
He responded in the All-Ireland quarter-final against Wexford with a superb 1-4 tally for another man of the match trophy and another Player of the Month award. The goal showed his threat, beating his marker and wrongfooting the keeper with a deceptive finish.
In the semi-final, O’Donnell’s 0-1 contribution again masked his full effect. His switch out to the half-forwards helped to turn the game with his ability to win breaks and put Kilkenny on the back foot. All that playing with a severe finger wound which couldn’t be stopped bleeding until after the full-time whistle.
He played the All-Ireland final with another injury, to his hamstring, but still came alive to cut the gap from seven to two by creating a goal and floating over the next two points.
At 30, it was O’Donnell’s sweetest win of all and made all the sweeter on Friday.
Paul Conroy celebrates after beating Donegal. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
Paul Conroy’s year didn’t end with the joy of success but the 35-year-old can take personal pride from his performances in 2024.
Ten years on from his championship debut, a double leg break put his football career in jeopardy in 2018. He was confined to a wheelchair for a period during his recovery and couldn’t start a new teaching post until the following January. Between rehabilitation and Covid, it was 28 months before he togged out again in championship.
Since 2022, he has been a crucial cog in Galway’s resurgence to reach two of the past three All-Ireland finals.
An All-Ireland-minor-winning captain, Conroy debuted in 2008 by scoring 0-6 but his scoring threat from deep positions has never been so consistently evident until this year. In all, he racked up 2-16 from 29 shots, including points off both feet.
He began with 1-3 against London, including a palmed goal in the Ruislip massacre. That was all his scoring during their successful Connacht campaign, aside from his usual careful, clever, and progressive distribution and aerial nous. He went up a notch in the All-Ireland series.
Galway’s Paul Conroy contests a high ball with Jack Carney of Mayo. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
He received his first post-match crystal with an outstanding display against Derry, kicking three points and dominating the midfield. After dispatching Westmeath, he tagged on another pair in the draw with Armagh.
That meant one-week turnarounds for successive knockout clashes, which proved fatal for everyone except Galway.
Another sublime Conroy performance netted 0-3 and the man of the match prize against Monaghan before upending Dublin with another vital score from their no.8 as part of the comeback.
“He’s like a fine wine,” said Pádraic Joyce between those games. “He made his debut here in 2008 when I was still playing myself. He is a warrior. That’s the kind of man he is.
“He is a proper player and a proper midfielder. I’m just glad he is in our dressing room. His leadership and his quality is huge, he is always looking for the ball.”
Galway’s Paul Conroy celebrates defeating Dublin with his son Páidí. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
While many teams favour the short option, Conroy’s reliability has enabled his side to target opponents with long kick-outs.
He accounted for 1-1 in the semi-final, with the goal from a point attempt that deceived the Donegal stopper.
In an All-Ireland final defeat, Conroy was the leading man in maroon, scoring a superb trio of points and cruelly blocked with a late equalising effort. Despite the defeat, he was voted the Footballer of the Month for July. And now can add Footballer of the Year to the collection.
Like O’Donnell in 2022, this was a long-awaited first All-Star for Conroy. Who knows, there could be more still to come. With the two-point scoring arc proposed for 2025, Conroy’s scoring threat might be about to double.
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The importance of Clare and Galway stars cannot be measured by scores alone.
THE ALL-ROUNDERS WERE the recipients of the biggest awards at the All-Stars on Friday evening as Shane O’Donnell and Paul Conroy were named Hurler and Footballer of the Year.
While their seasons ended in contrasting emotions, the common thread was that the importance of O’Donnell and Conroy to their teams couldn’t be measured by scores alone. Their creative and possession-winning abilities were equally key to their teams’ successes.
The awards will mean all the more having been voted on by current players.
For O’Donnell, a second All-Ireland win has felt a long time coming and he spoke before the final about the “strange trajectory” his career has taken.
By his own admission, he wasn’t a star in an underage career where he started out as a corner-back. But his relentless running and eye for goal made the Éire Óg prospect a poster boy when rewarding a surprise start with a hat-trick in the 2013 All-Ireland final replay.
Clare wouldn’t win another game in Croke Park for another 11 years. During that period, O’Donnell considered retiring in 2021 due to the ill effects of a concussion, which kept him out of work for six weeks.
Since he returned to the panel, his form has been electric as he became the focal point of the Banner attack. He won his first All-Star in 2022 and turned that into three in a row this week.
Given the leeway to return to training later in the spring, his only National League involvement since 2021 was seeing out Clare’s Division 1 final victory over Kilkenny in April.
In championship fare, he has hit the ground running. His brilliant pass assisted the goal in their opening defeat to Limerick. He was a central figure against Cork, scoring 1-1 and directly assisting 1-6 with the goal created by a brilliant catch and turn.
Having skipped pre-season, within a month of returning O’Donnell was voted the Hurler of the Month for April.
He only scored two points against Waterford but was named man of the match with his clever movement enabling the goal and handling plenty more deliveries into the attack.
Against Tipperary, he gave an exhibition of set-up play. He scored 0-2, instigated the goal, was fouled for six scoreable frees, and assisted three more points.
“He’s an unbelievable player and we’re so lucky to have him,” said goalscorer Diarmuid Ryan after that victory. “The way he makes the ball stick inside, it’s like a magnet.”
In the Munster final, he got off to a flying start with his fingerprints on four of Clare’s first five points but was starved of possession as Limerick inflicted another loss.
He responded in the All-Ireland quarter-final against Wexford with a superb 1-4 tally for another man of the match trophy and another Player of the Month award. The goal showed his threat, beating his marker and wrongfooting the keeper with a deceptive finish.
In the semi-final, O’Donnell’s 0-1 contribution again masked his full effect. His switch out to the half-forwards helped to turn the game with his ability to win breaks and put Kilkenny on the back foot. All that playing with a severe finger wound which couldn’t be stopped bleeding until after the full-time whistle.
He played the All-Ireland final with another injury, to his hamstring, but still came alive to cut the gap from seven to two by creating a goal and floating over the next two points.
At 30, it was O’Donnell’s sweetest win of all and made all the sweeter on Friday.
Paul Conroy’s year didn’t end with the joy of success but the 35-year-old can take personal pride from his performances in 2024.
Ten years on from his championship debut, a double leg break put his football career in jeopardy in 2018. He was confined to a wheelchair for a period during his recovery and couldn’t start a new teaching post until the following January. Between rehabilitation and Covid, it was 28 months before he togged out again in championship.
Since 2022, he has been a crucial cog in Galway’s resurgence to reach two of the past three All-Ireland finals.
An All-Ireland-minor-winning captain, Conroy debuted in 2008 by scoring 0-6 but his scoring threat from deep positions has never been so consistently evident until this year. In all, he racked up 2-16 from 29 shots, including points off both feet.
He began with 1-3 against London, including a palmed goal in the Ruislip massacre. That was all his scoring during their successful Connacht campaign, aside from his usual careful, clever, and progressive distribution and aerial nous. He went up a notch in the All-Ireland series.
He received his first post-match crystal with an outstanding display against Derry, kicking three points and dominating the midfield. After dispatching Westmeath, he tagged on another pair in the draw with Armagh.
That meant one-week turnarounds for successive knockout clashes, which proved fatal for everyone except Galway.
Another sublime Conroy performance netted 0-3 and the man of the match prize against Monaghan before upending Dublin with another vital score from their no.8 as part of the comeback.
“He’s like a fine wine,” said Pádraic Joyce between those games. “He made his debut here in 2008 when I was still playing myself. He is a warrior. That’s the kind of man he is.
“He is a proper player and a proper midfielder. I’m just glad he is in our dressing room. His leadership and his quality is huge, he is always looking for the ball.”
While many teams favour the short option, Conroy’s reliability has enabled his side to target opponents with long kick-outs.
He accounted for 1-1 in the semi-final, with the goal from a point attempt that deceived the Donegal stopper.
In an All-Ireland final defeat, Conroy was the leading man in maroon, scoring a superb trio of points and cruelly blocked with a late equalising effort. Despite the defeat, he was voted the Footballer of the Month for July. And now can add Footballer of the Year to the collection.
Like O’Donnell in 2022, this was a long-awaited first All-Star for Conroy. Who knows, there could be more still to come. With the two-point scoring arc proposed for 2025, Conroy’s scoring threat might be about to double.
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All-Stars Clare GAA Footballer of the Year GAA Gaelic Football Galway GAA Hurler of the Year Hurling