2007 GPA/OPEL Gaelic Players Hurling Team of the Year:

Started by GaillimhIarthair, October 23, 2007, 01:15:38 PM

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GaillimhIarthair

2007 GPA/OPEL Gaelic Players Hurling Team of the Year:

Damien Fitzhenry (Wexford)

Michael Kavanagh (Kilkenny)
Stephen Lucey (Limerick)
Jackie Tyrrell (Kilkenny)

Tommy Walsh (Kilkenny)
Ken McGrath (Waterford)
Mark Foley (Limerick)

James Fitzpatrick (Kilkenny)
Michael Walsh (Waterford)

Eddie Brennan (Kilkenny)
Ollie Moran (Limerick)
Dan Shanahan (Waterford)

Andrew O'Shaughnessy (Limerick)
Henry Shefflin (Kilkenny)
Martin Comerford (Kilkenny)



GaillimhIarthair

Cats lead the way in GPA hurling awards

All-Ireland champions Kilkenny have seven award winners on the Opel GPA Hurling Gaelic Players Awards team for 2007 following this morning's announcement at Jurys Hotel, Croke Park.

Michael Kavanagh, Jackie Tyrrell, Tommy Walsh, James 'Cha' Fitzpatrick, Eddie Brennan, Henry Shefflin and Martin Comerford are the Cats' award winners.

Comerford is rewarded having missed out on an All-Star last Friday night at Citywest. He is just one of four changes between the Vodafone GAA All-Stars team and the GPA side.

Wexford goalkeeper Damien Fitzhenry and Limerick duo Stephen Lucey and Mark Foley are the other recipients to be rewarded in this scheme chosen by the players.

The chairman of the Hurling selection committee is former Cork manager Donal O'Grady and he stressed the validity of the awards.

'We nominated three players for each position and then the players selected the award winners,' O'Grady said.

Unlike other awards schemes the players were picked in their positions while league performances were also considered as well as the championship.

O'Grady extended his congratulations to all the award winners.

'I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all the recipients on this year's team. To be honoured by your peers is the one of the highest accolades available in hurling.'

GPA Chief Executive Dessie Farrell was also happy with the selection. 'Congratulations to the 15 winners on receipt of this endorsement from their fellow players.

'Next to an All-Ireland medal, this is the most prestigious award for an individual hurler but while recognising these outstanding achievements we must also acknowledge the contribution of all their team-mates during this year's thrilling championship,' he said.

The hurling award winners will collect their awards on Friday, December 2 at the Citywest Hotel while the football team will be announced next week.

Meanwhile, there will also be individual player of the year award winners from each of the Tommy Murphy, Christy Ring and Nicky Rackard Cups.


theskull1

I'm not going to legitamise the GPA by commenting on their players player award
It's a lot easier to sing karaoke than to sing opera

Jack_Black

Quote from: theskull1 on October 23, 2007, 02:42:22 PM
I'm not going to legitamise the GPA by commenting on their players player award

here, here Skull.

orangeman

What have you lads against the GPA ( not that I have great time for them either ) ?

billy the kid

I think the GPA should be ashamed of themselves they are undermining everything the GAA stands for.  What they are asking for is Pay for |Play dressed up in fancy clothes.

They are an elitist Organisation who are only concerned with themselves and I firmly believe its a case of a few leading the many.

Don't get me wrong i totally agree with players being treated well and looked after if they get injured but they are always looking for more and more.

Currently every season inter-county players in Derry get:

2 pairs of boots
2 full kits a season,
2 full sets of training gear. (1 wet and 1 normal)
1 rain jacket
1 zip up top
1 jumper
2 polo shirts
1 tracksuit
Home training Equipment
Free access to state of the art gym

All the above are official Derry gear from O neills with emblems and crests and this is only the gear I KNOW FOR CERTAIN they get!

Also they have access to a top class physio, team doctor dietician and heart screening facilities.

they receive meals after ALL games and on the way to away games

they get fed after every training

and they also get VERY GOOD rebates on their mileage expenses.

Again these are jut the things i KNOW FOR CERTAIN!!

for each national league game they receive 4 passes each allowing friends and family to gain admission to the games for FREE and the passes can be used for both hurling and football even if only involved in one code.

They receive at least 2 and sometimes more FREE tickets for ALL championship matches they are involved in

They receive 2 good tickets for the all Ireland final in their code (hurling or football) for FREE

Before the club championship begins they receive a pass allowing them to gain FREE entry to ALL championship matches within the county in EITHER code at ANY level
 
The above list was given to me when I asked a PRESENT COUNTY PLAYER from our club about conditions at inter-county level.

I don't think anyone would begrudge them these things as the gear and medical farcicalities are a MUST and so are the mileage expenses and the meals.

The other stuff are added perks and again I would say Just right they are training very hard and giving a big commitment to Our County.

Looking at the list I would say our county players are fairly well looked after wouldn't you? And this is just the example of our county alot of other counties like Armagh and Tyrone get even more gear and perks which again is fair enough.

But to ask for money and to make out that they are so hard done by and listening to some of their leaders you'd think some were hardly fit to feed themselves and on the way to financial ruin is an absolute myth and border line lie!! Nobodies making them play!!!

What ever happened to being proud to play for your county and pride in the jersey? That used to be enough to make people play for their counties.

Has Pride and honour fallen of the radar of the GPA in their obsession with self-worth and self-gain.
If pride in the jersey and being honoured to represent your County plus the list i have supplied aren't enough to make individuals play for OUR county teams do we really want them to? The type of character who would undermine the very fabric of our great organisation to line his own pockets.   

I was also informed by the County player from my own Club that most county players don't want to strike but are being openly pressurised to do so. Is this Democracy?

Its also evident the GPA are so far removed from the grassroots GAA and the supporters that they haven't noticed that the vast majority are strongly against it, but why would they listen to us mere mortals?

Down Manager Ross Carr has the right idea:

If these prima donnas strike and refuse to play Each County should find a panel of players who will represent their counties for pride honour and the other perks i listed. There would be a stampede to trials and it would totally negate the strike and render their actions futile and meaningless.

We cannot let the elitist few hold the rest of us to ransom while they try to gain financially for doing what most TRUE Gaels consider an Honour and a privilege – PLAY FOR YOUR COUNTY  
If it moves hit it
If it doesnt hit it anyway!!