Paddy Deegan and Conor Glass honoured at GAA Club player awards

WINNER: AIB GAA Club Footballer of the Year Conor Glass with his AIB GAA Club Footballer of the Year and Football Team of the Year awards during the AIB GAA Club Players Awards, held at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

O’Loughlin Gaels' Paddy Deegan and Watty Graham’s Glen’s Conor Glass have been named as the AIB GAA Club Players of the Year 2023/24 after their stellar campaigns in the Hurling and Football Club Championships.

The announcement was made on Friday night at the end of a special function at Croke Park to honour the teams of players who were earlier this week announced as the AIB GAA Club Players of the Year.

Paddy Deegan has become an inspirational figure for club and county. Named at centre back on the club hurling team of the year, he was instrumental in O’Loughlin Gael’s dramatic campaign that saw them progress after epic clashes in Kilkenny including the dethroning of All-Ireland champions Ballyhale Shamrocks and then later seeing off Na Fianna in the Leinster final and a tough battle with Ruairí Óg before their memorable dual with St Thomas’ of Galway in the All-Ireland final where they came up just short.

AIB GAA Club Hurler of the Year Paddy Deegan, centre, receives his award from AIB Head of Marketing Engagement Nuala Kroondijk and Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael Jarlath Burns.

In football, Conor Glass of Watty Graham’s, Glen added another award to his growing collection of accolades in a career that has rocketed since his return from a stint playing in the Australian Football League (AFL).

Glass’s ferocious work rate, ability to make match defining contributions and scores saw him stand out – typified by his performance in the last quarter of the All-Ireland club final to overhaul St Brigid’s and claim victory. He was chosen ahead of fellow nominees Shane Walsh of Kilmacud Crokes and Ben O’Carroll of St Brigid’s.

Uachtarán CLG Jarlath Burns said: “My congratulations to Paddy and Conor – two players who are natural leaders, and who typified the high quality that we have come to expect from the AIB GAA Club Championships.

"It is a great honour for the players, their clubs and their families and well deserved. Well done again to all of those who have been honoured on the teams of the year, and our thanks to AIB for their continuing support of these fantastic competitions.”

The AIB GAA Club Players Awards have been held since 2018 and are selected by a panel of Gaelic Games correspondents from across print, digital and broadcast media.

AIB GAA CLUB PLAYERS AWARDS 2023/24 FOOTBALL

1.Rory Beggan (Scotstown)

2.Ryan Dougan (Watty Graham’s, Glen)

3.Brian Stack (St Brigid’s)

4.Pearse Frost (St Brigid’s)

5.Ruaidhrí Fallon (St Brigid’s)

6.Ciaran McFaul (Watty Graham’s, Glen)

7.Michael Warnock (Watty Graham’s, Glen)

8.Conor Glass (Watty Graham’s, Glen)

9.Emmett Bradley (Watty Graham’s, Glen)

10.Eunan Mulholland (Watty Graham’s, Glen)

11.Paul Mannion (Kilmacud Crokes)

12.Shane Walsh (Kilmacud Crokes)

13.Ben O’Carroll (St Brigid’s)

14.Darragh Kirwan (Naas)

15.Brian Hurley (Castlehaven)

GAA CLUB FOOTBALLER OF THE YEAR

Conor Glass (Watty Graham’s, Glen, Derry)

GAA CLUB PLAYERS AWARDS 2023/24 HURLING

1.Gerald Kelly (St Thomas’)

2.Paddy Burke (Ruairí Óg, Cushendall)

3.Fintan Burke (St Thomas’)

4.Huw Lawlor (O’Loughlin Gaels)

5.David Fogarty (O’Loughlin Gaels)

6.Paddy Deegan (O’Loughlin Gaels)

7.Shane Cooney (St Thomas’)

8.David Burke (St Thomas’)

9.Paddy Leavey (Ballygunner)

10.Mark Bergin (O’Loughlin Gaels)

11.Conor Cooney (St Thomas’)

12.Peter Hogan (Ballygunner)

13.Dessie Hutchinson (Ballygunner)

14.Éanna Burke (St Thomas’)

15.Neil McManus (Ruairí Óg, Cushendall)

GAA CLUB HURLER OF THE YEAR

Paddy Deegan (O’Loughlin Gaels, Kilkenny).