Carey equals all-time record for awards

ON the night that DJ Carey equalled the all-time record for individual awards, his Kilkenny team-mate Philip Larkin helped to make another bit of history last night when he received his first GAA Allstar at left corner-back.

With his better known father Fan having won awards in 1973, 74, 76 and 78 (all in the right corner), it marked the first occasion in hurling that a father-and-son combination was achieved.

At a more general level, Armagh captain Kieran McGeeney and Kilkenny hurler Henry Shefflin were predictably chosen as the respective players-of-the-year, adding to the accolades already showered on them. The choices were made by the 45 nominees in each code.

And not surprisingly Tipperary scoring ace Eoin Kelly was Young Player of the Year, in hurling for the second consecutive year. The award in football went to Armagh full-forward Ronan Clarke (who failed to gain selection on the Allstars team). These selections were made by the panel of national print, radio and television journalists who selected the Allstars.

In Kelly's case he had the distinction of being the only member of the 2001 Allstars team to be chosen again.

There have been three previous father-and-son combinations who won Allstar awards in football. The most recent was when Meath defender Paddy Reynolds was chosen in 1999 at left half-back the same position that his father Pat was picked in the inaugural team of 1971.

The others were gained by Liam and Kevin O'Neill with Galway and Mayo, respectively, in 1973 and 1993 and by Dermot Earley with Roscommon in 1974 and 1979 and his son Dermot with Kildare in 1998.

Eight of the hurlers named live on television last night were first-time award winners. In contrast, DJ Carey won his 9th a feat that was all the more remarkable in view of the fact that he played only two inter-county games in the whole year.

He was chosen at left corner-forward, where he won three awards previously in 1994, 95 and 2000. The others were gained at right half-forward (1999), left half-forward (1991 and 1993) and full-forward (1992 and 1997) and left corner-forward.

Kerry footballer Pat Spillane had held the record for the most awards since 1986, whereas former Kilkenny goalkeeper Noel Skehan's seventh award in 1983 stood as a record in hurling until Carey equalled it three years ago.

Brian Lohan gained a fourth award, Peter Barry was picked for the third time, while Davy Fitzgerald, Colin Lynch, Henry Shefflin and Eoin Kelly all picked up a second award.

The awards' presentation was made at a glittering banquet attended by more than 800 guests at the Citywest Hotel last night at which GAA president Sean McCague and Vodafone chief executive Paul Donovan were the principal guests.

In football, 10 players were honoured for the first time. Cork captain Colin Corkery was one of the most controversial omissions from the team.

Predictably, All-Ireland champions Armagh took the lion's share with six awards, while runners-up Kerry were confined to just two: team captain Darragh O Se and Colm Cooper.

On five occasions previously the All-Ireland runners-up were limited to two awards Mayo in 1997 (Kerry 5), Tyrone in 1995 (Dublin 7), Cork in 1993 (Derry 7) and Kerry in 1972 (Offaly 7).

In the 1983 final Dublin gained only four award as champions (finishing the game with just 12 players) and finalists Galway had only one player chosen.

In contrast Meath captured more awards as runners-up in 1991 than champions Down. That was the year of their four-game Leinster marathon with Dublin and they had six players honoured, as opposed to four for the northerners.