Four of the season's top performers have been honoured for their displays during August and September as the final GAA Player of the Month awards, sponsored by Vodafone, were announced today.
The awards ceremony was further acknowledgement of four-in-a-row All-Ireland Hurling champions Kilkenny's outstanding season - one which also saw them collect the National Hurling League title - as legendary forward Henry Shefflin and goalkeeper PJ Ryan won the August and September awards respectively.
The football recipients were drawn from separate counties as Cork's Graham Canty took the August award, with September's recognition going to Kerry's Tom O'Sullivan.
The August award for Kilkenny star Shefflin was an acknowledgement of his stunning performance in the All-Ireland semi-final victory over Waterford in which he scored 1-14.
While Shefflin took the plaudits for his outstanding scoring feats, PJ Ryan's award recognised his Man of the Match All-Ireland final display in which he made four outstanding saves to keep Tipperary goalless and deny them a surprise victory over the Cats in one of the greatest finals of all time.
The August award for Cork centre half-back Canty, arguably the heartbeat of his county's drive to an All-Ireland final, will come as some consolation after Sunday week's defeat to neighbours Kerry.
Canty was outstanding in both Cork's quarter- and semi-final victories over Donegal and Tyrone respectively, maintaining a superb vein of form from earlier in the year that has seen him short-listed for GAA Player of the Year.
Kerry's long-serving corner-back O'Sullivan's Man of the Match display in the All-Ireland final won him the September award.
Incredibly for a corner-back, in that victory over Cork O'Sullivan was on the ball 19 times and completed all bar one pass, not only delivering an awesome defensive performance but also proving the platform for many successful Kerry attacks.
GAA President Christy Cooney said: 'When you look back on the season, there are many fantastic memories and it is fair to say that the men we are honouring today were at the heart of some of the best of them. It is no coincidence that we are honouring two Kilkenny hurlers here and it is a further endorsement of what is arguably one of the greatest teams we have ever seen.
'Much the same is being said of Kerry and Tom O'Sullivan's award is due recognition for one of the quiet heroes of that great side. Graham Canty, likewise, has been one of the stars of the season and no doubt this Cork side will be back challenging for the top honour in 2010.'
Jointly presenting the awards with the GAA President, Vodafone Ireland Head of Corporate Affairs, Rosemary Steen said: 'We have had a wonderful mix of winners this year, drawn from the traditionally stronger counties to up and coming ones such as Antrim, Tipperary and Wicklow in football and Dublin in hurling.
'It is great to see such a spread of awards but the past two months, as they say, have been the business end of the season and we are delighted to be honouring players from Cork and Kerry in football and Kilkenny in hurling.'
