John McGrath and Niamh Mulcahy honoured at Munster GAA Awards

John McGrath capped a stellar breakthrough year in the Tipperary senior set-up by winning the Hurler of the Year award in the 2016 Munster GAA Awards. 

And Limerick’s Niamh Mulcahy has been rewarded for an outstanding season — in which she was the second highest championship scorer — by being crowned Camogie Player of the Year.

Unsurprisingly, Ballyea’s maiden Clare and Munster senior hurling championship wins have been marked with the Club of the Year prize.

They took the Clare hurling world by storm winning their first senior title after a replay against Clonlara.

And they continued their good run in the Munster campaign with a thrilling win over Thurles Sarsfields after extra-time and then defeated Glen Rovers in the Munster decider.

Munster and All-Ireland winners Jake Morris of Tipperary and David Clifford of Kerry were recognised for minor hurling and football respectively.

And the Handball award went to Aishling O’Keeffe of the Ballydesmond GAA Handball Club, who won two Senior All Ireland titles and two Senior Munster titles in 2016.

McGrath, from the Loughmore-Castleiney club, made his full championship debut for Tipperary in the Munster quarter-final win over Cork, scoring a point and cementing his place in Michael Ryan’s exciting forward line.

He also scored a point in the semi-final win over Limerick and was at his explosive best in the Munster final win over Waterford, shooting 3-2 and scooping the RTÉ Man of the Match Award.

Munster GAA Chairman Jerry O’Sullivan said: “I would like to congratulate John, Niamh, Aishling, and Ballyea on their well-deserved awards following their outstanding displays during 2016. They have set very high standards of achievement in their varied contributions to the family of Gaelic Games.”

The awards will be presented on Saturday night at a gala dinner at the Rochestown Park Hotel in Cork.