GPA monthly awards for Kelly and Hayes

Sligo forward David Kelly and Galway attacker Damien Hayes have been named as the Opel GPA Players of the Month for June in football and hurling respectively.

Kelly has been instrumental in Sligo's qualification for their first Connacht SFC final since 2007. The nippy corner forward scored three points in the opening win over defending champions Mayo, and notched a combined tally of 2-5 in the two games against Galway.

He grabbed a vital goal in the second half of last Saturday's semi-final replay against Galway at Markievicz Park, following on from his man-of-the-match performance in the drawn game.

The DCU student, who plays club football for Tubbercurry, has already won Sigerson Cup and NFL Division 3 honours this year. All his focus is now on winning a second Connacht SFC title in four years, with Roscommon providing the opposition in the July 18 final.

Fellow award winner Hayes played a key role in Galway winning through to their first ever Leinster SHC final. He was in sizzling form in the Tribesmen's attack, setting up a number of scores and firing home 2-3 from play in the semi-final replay win over Offaly.

The pacy Portumna star helped Galway win the NHL Division 1 title earlier this year and was their most productive forward in last Sunday's Leinster final defeat to Kilkenny, chalking up 1-1. He started in the full-forward line but was withdrawn to operate as a third midfielder as John McIntyre's men tried to mount a comeback.