Dual hero to be inducted into hall of fame as Offaly GAA players of year announced

OFFALY football and hurling folk hero, Liam Currums will be inducted into the Offaly GAA hall of fame when the annual Offaly GAA/Tullamore Court Hotel awards are presented on February 7 at a gala dinner in the hotel.

Normally, there are separate football and hurling selections for the hall of fame but it was decided this year to go with one special award for the Kilcormac man.

The Offaly GAA players of the year awards in senior, senior “B”, intermediate, junior and U-20 football and hurling and handball will be presented on the night. They were selected by a panel of local journalists.

Players of the year awards in camogie and ladies football will also be presented – they were selected by their own County Boards.

The football and hurling awards recognise the outstanding performers in the various grades in 2024, taking into account both club and county displays in the senior and U-20 in particular.

Tullamore's Cormac Egan is the senior footballer of the year. He was in great form for Tullamore as they retained the Senior Football Championship for the first time since 1926 while he was a revelation for Offaly when moved to wing back early in the National Football League.

Kilcormac-Killoughey's Charlie Mitchell has been selected as the senior hurler of the year. He was outstanding for Offaly as they won the Joe McDonagh Cup early in the season. He was named as the Joe McDonagh Cup player of the year at national levels and also had some fine games for K-K during their title winning run.

Mitchell's club mate Adam Screeney has been named at the U-20 hurler of the year. He was very good as Offaly won the All-Ireland U-20 hurling title and was outstanding for K-K seniors and U-20s later in the year.

One of Offaly football's brightest prospects, Cillian Bourke of Tullamore is the U-20 footballer of the year.

Liam Currums' induction will be a highlight of the evening. He was a brilliant dual player for a few years in the early 1980s, winning All-Ireland Senior Hurling and Football Championship medals in 1981 and 1982 – he won hurling and football All-Stars in the All-Ireand winning years. He played most of his club football and hurling with Kilcormac and injury had more or less ended his career by the time Kilcormac and Killoughey amalgamated at the end of 1986, though he did play briefly with them before transferring to Lavey in Derry. He now lives in Donegal and will be a very popular reipient.

The full list of award winners is:

Hall of fame – special dual award

Liam Currums (Kilcormac)

Senior hurler of the year
Charlie Mitchell (Kilcormac/Killoughey)

Senior footballer of the year
Cormac Egan (Tullamore)

Senior “B” hurler of the year

Peter Geraghty (Kilcormac/Killoughey)

Senior “B” footballer of the year

Keith O’Neill (Clonbullogue)

Intermediate hurler of the year

Declan Parlon (Coolderry)

Intermediate footballer of the year

Robbie Gallagher (Ballinagar)

Junior hurler of the year

Ronan Flynn (Belmont)

Junior footballer of the year

Cian Murphy (Edenderry)

U20 hurler of the year

Adam Screeney (Kilcormac/Killoughey)

U20 footballer of the year

Cillian Bourke (Tullamore)

Hurling referee of the year

Joey Deehan (Clara)

Football referee of the year

Eamon O'Connor (Ballycommon)

Handballer of the year

Sian Cooke (Crinkle Handball Club)

Camogie players of the year: The Camogie awards were chosen by the Offaly Camogie Association

Senior

Rachel Brennan (St. Cillian's Camogie Club)

Intermediate

Jane Cleary (Shinrone)

Junior

Orla Kilmartin (Kilcormac/Killoughey)

Ladies players of the year -The ladies awards were chosen by the LGFA;

Senior

Lorraine Keena (Naomh Ciaran)

Intermediate

Susan O'Grady (Shamrocks)

Junior

Ella Fanning (Edenderry)