The Vodaphone Player of the Month awards for February proved most prescient when Dublin hurler Conal Keaney and Galway footballer Micheál Meehan were honoured in Dublin yesterday.
Meehan was Man of the Match in NUI Galway's Sigerson win over UCD. Keaney was also successful - albeit in football - playing for the victorious Tallaght IT side in the Trench Cup on Saturday before scoring three goals for the Dublin hurlers in their NHL defeat by Clare the following day.
Both players are acknowledged as among the most promising in their respective codes. Meehan, a brother of All-Ireland winners Tomás and Declan, won an under-21 All-Ireland with Galway last October.
He graduated to the seniors at the start of this season and impressed in the league wins over Donegal and Kerry.
Keaney has been identified for a couple of years as the classiest hurler in Dublin, having starred with the Dublin Colleges and minor teams. A dual player, he faced Meehan in last year's under-21 football final but has made a big impact with the county senior hurlers and was prominent in Dublin's memorable Walsh Cup win last month against All-Ireland and league champions Kilkenny.
At the awards ceremony, attended by the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, outgoing GAA president Seán McCague was also honoured by Vodaphone at the conclusion of his term of office.
Meanwhile, the Gaelic Players Association (GPA) has announced its latest scholarship programme at Parnell Park in Dublin.
The 12 recipients will receive bursaries and playing gear, courtesy of sponsors Azzurri. The awards bring to 20 the number of scholarships being maintained by the GPA.
There are some familiar names among the listed players. Current All Star Kevin Cassidy (Galway-Mayo IT) and the players' Young Footballer of the Year Ronan Clarke (St Mary's, Belfast) are two of those who have picked up awards.
Other well-known players are Galway senior Joe Bergin (Galway-Mayo IT), who captained the county's under-21s last year and added an All-Ireland at the level to the one won with the seniors in 2001.
Hurling is represented by Gearoid Considine (Limerick IT), the highly-rated Clare player, and Brian Dowling (Waterford IT), a panellist with All-Ireland champions Kilkenny.
JOE BERGIN: Mountbellew, Co Galway - Galway, Mayo IT footballer.
PADDY BRADLEY: Kilrea, Co Derry - Jordanstown University footballer.
KEVIN CASSIDY: Gweedore, Co Donegal - Galway, Mayo IT
footballer.
RONAN CLARKE: Co Armagh - St Mary's University, Belfast footballer
DICK CLERKIN: Clones, Co Monaghan - Queen's University footballer
GEAROID CONSIDINE: Cratloe, Co Clare - Limerick IT hurler.
BRIAN DOWLING: Johnswell, Co Kilkenny - Waterford IT hurler.
CONALL DUNNE: Letterkenny, Co Donegal - Queen's University footballer.
ADRIAN FLEMING: Quinn, Co Clare - UCD hurler.
BRIAN GEARY: Castletroy, Co Limerick - Limerick University hurler/footballer.
ALAN MULHALL: Walsh Island, Co Offaly - Waterford IT footballer.
MICHELLE ROSS: Legan, Co Longford - Waterford IT footballer.
