GALWAY FOOTBALLER SHANE Walsh and Clare hurler Jamie Shanahan were the two recipients of The Sunday Game’s man-of-the-match awards yesterday.
Newly-crowned Connacht SFC winner Walsh capped an impressive performance against Roscommon at Dr Hyde Park with the individual accolade.
The Kilkerrin-Clonberne forward finished up with a 0-8 tally, two of those inspiring scores slotted from play in the first-half to lift the Tribesmen’s momentum.
Teammate Tom Flynn and Roscommon full-forward Diarmuid Murtagh were the other two nominees the panel gave Walsh the nod ahead of.
Connacht SFC Man of the Match Shane Walsh says it was a team effort. pic.twitter.com/vRIRoP56N0
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) June 17, 2018
He was also selected for The Sunday Game’s Team of the Connacht championship at half-forward alongside seven other Galway men.
Elsewhere, there were five Roscommon representatives and one a-piece from Mayo and Sligo — Keith Higgins and Kyle Cawley respectively.
Meanwhile, Jamie Shanahan was given the title of man-of-the-match in Clare and Limerick’s meeting at Cusack Park, Ennis.
John Conlon and Tony Kelly were also nominated for their roles in the Banner’s 11-point Munster SHC win but it was Shanahan who came out on top.
The two-time All-Ireland U21 winner was immense in the free role, scoring one point from play as his side set up a provincial final meeting with Cork on Sunday 1 July.
And while Cork left it late to beat Waterford in the other Munster hurling clash of the day, there seems to have been no man-of-the-match award handed out by The Sunday Game.
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Yes and yes. Was also great to see Tom Parsons on last nights panel.
@Sam Walsh: Be it on the Sunday Game last night or at the last Mayo match or on Off the Ball, every appearance he’s made since the injury would make you admire the man and his positivity. A tireless battler on the pitch and clearly the same off it.
@EnKy: a honest player.
Shane Walsh was the best player on the pitch in the Hyde by a country mile. There was no other contenders.
I thought John conlon would get it, his having a great year so far, a man with the strenght of 2 horses as buff egan would say !!!!
Tony Kelly for me, drove Clare on in the second half.
Shanahan had a great game no doubt but it’s easy look good as the spare man. Saw it a lot over the last few years with Waterford sweepers picking up heaps of man of the match awards. Conlon for me for consistency over the game. If Kelly could consistently play for 70 the way he did in the second half he’d never fail to win a MOTM again
@Ciarán: Bill cooper all day long. Won the match for Cork nearly on his own.