Another award for Cork ace Corkery

CORK footballer Colin Corkery, who was controversially overlooked on the 2002 Allstar selection, was yesterday named AIB Munster Provincial Footballer of the year for the second consecutive season.

Corkery was one of the eight provincial winners from both hurling and football who will be honoured next month by Allied Irish Bank, sponsors of the All-Ireland club championship.

Ironically all of the winners were members of provincial championship winning sides.

Peter Canavan, whose Errigal Ciaran side face Corkery and Nemo Rangers in the All-Ireland semi final, was named the Ulster Award winner for his performances en route to the provincial title.

Crossmolina’s Kieran McDonald received the Connacht Provincial Player Award while Niall Kelly, who was so influential as Dunshaughlin won their first ever Provincial title in December, took the Leinster award.

In hurling, Waterford and Mount Sion Allstar Ken McGrath took the Munster award following his man of the match performance against Mullinahone when they won their first title since 1981.

The Ulster award went to Dunloy’s Gregory O’Kane, the second consecutive year a Dunloy player has won the Ulster award (last years winner was Alistair Elliot).

Reigning Club Champions Birr continued their trend of supplying the Leinster award winner as Rory Hanniffy became the third consecutive player from the club to take the accolade.

The Connacht award was won by Athenry’s Eugene Cloonan for his role in the Galway club march to their sixth Connacht title in nine years last November.

A voting panel drawn from the national and local media selected the winners.

All eight winners will be honoured for their outstanding contributions to the AIB Provincial Club Championships at a function in AIB Bankcentre, Ballsbridge on Monday March 3.