Cummins, Owens chosen as players of the month

Tipperary goalkeeper Brendan Cummins and Fermanagh defender Barry Owens have been chosen as the Vodafone GAA Players of the Month for February.

The duo, outstanding in their counties' starts to the National Hurling and Football Leagues, were presented with their specially commissioned trophies at the Westbury Hotel in Dublin by GAA President Sean Kelly and Vodafone's head of brand and marketing, Helen Marks.

It was Cummins' second Vodafone hurling player award. The Ballybacon-Grange goalkeeper's previous win was in 2001, the year of his second AllStar.

The 30-year-old starred in Tipperary's NHL clash with Kilkenny last month, pulling off six top-drawer saves including blocks on two Richie Power penalties.

It was Owens' first Vodafone football player award. The 24-year-old Teemore Shamrocks clubman also scooped the Tennent's Ulster GAA Writers' Monthly merit award for February last week.

Owens was a rock at the back in Fermanagh's two league wins over Monaghan and Tyrone in February. He also won an All-Ireland inter-firms championship with the Quinn Group last month. He chipped in with a point in the 1-9 to 1-8 final win over the Dublin Garda side.

GAA supremo Kelly congratulated both players, saying: "We have enjoyed a very exciting start to the new season and the performances of Brendan and Barry have certainly been the highlights.

"They have helped whet our appetites for the months ahead."

Vodafone's Marks added: "Both of these players have set an exemplary standard in the early stages of the year that will be hard to match. Brendan's place in hurling's hall of fame is already secure and Barry is quickly establishing himself as one of the great full backs of this generation."