Paul Conroy should be Footballer of the Year
MAIN MAN: Midfielder Paul Conroy played a central role in Galway reaching this year's All-Ireland senior football final against Armagh. Picture: INPHO/Ryan Byrne
Usually the morning after the All-Ireland senior football final, the Player of the Year is a straightforward choice. That’s not the case this season as, just like the All-Ireland final pairing, it’s a hard one to call.
Armagh defender Barry McCambridge alongside Galway duo, Paul Conroy and John Maher, are in the running. Paul Conroy may be in the silver medal position when it comes to the betting, but he would be my choice for Footballer of the Year.
Barry McCambridge, just like his fellow Armagh swimming sensation Daniel Wiffen, has gold on his mind and is 4/9 favourite with the bookies to be crowned Footballer of the Year. The corner-back was in superb form, scoring 2-5. His goals against Roscommon and Kerry were crucial for the Orchard County. He was given so many man marking jobs over the course of the season as Kieran McGeeney trusted his defensive general.
Then you have Paul Conroy, a 35-year-old midfielder who had an outstanding championship in the engine room for the Tribesmen. Her ended up as Galway’s top scorer from play in the championship with 2-16, which is incredible for a number 8 in the modern game.
The former Roscommon Community College teacher has come back stronger after a double leg fracture. Like a good wine, he is getting better with age. He was the outstanding player the longer the championship went on, playing in all of Galway’s ten games.
While McCambridge appears to be in the box seat, my vote goes to Paul Conroy to win the football’s main Oscar.
As Kellie Harrington was winning her second Olympic gold medal in the boxing ring, my Tuesday Teaser was proving to be a knockout blow for Roscommon Herald readers.
Can you name the only player to have played in an All-Ireland SHC final and a Joe McDonagh Cup hurling final?
It was Davy Glennon who came on as a sub for Galway in the 2012 SHC final against Kilkenny and played for Westmeath in the 2021 Joe McDonagh Cup final.
Liam Dooley, Ballyhaunis, was first to go the distance. Paddy Conlon, Taughmaconnell; QPR, Frenchpark; Murt Hunt, Ballyhaunis; Pat, Sligo; Michael Scally, Ballaghaderreen, and Luigi, Ballyhaunis, survived standing counts.
This week’s Teaser: Apart from Galway last Sunday, who was the last county before that to lose three All-Ireland senior finals in the one season?
Answers by e-mail to willieefc@gmail.com or by text to 086 8356227. This week’s Teaser comes from Dublin.
You never miss the water until the well runs dry, so it is going to take a few days to digest that the Olympics Games are over. The wall-to-wall coverage over the past two weeks has left a big vacuum to fill.
It was like having an affair with the television for two weeks. The wife, girlfriend and partner knew what was going on but, by midweek, they had also got hooked by what was happening in Paris.
France put on a show decorated with magical sporting moments as Team Ireland enjoyed their best-ever Olympics Games by securing seven medals.
Then, out of nowhere, Timmy McCarthy arrived with his wonderful, colourful and entertaining commentary on the basketball. Buzzwords like “Boom Shakalaka” and “from downtown” are now staple diets in every household.
Imagine if McCarthy had been doing the recent All-Ireland SHC final between Clare and Cork, there would have been more extraordinary scores “from downtown” than tourists in New York City.
I will miss the Paris Olympics — it was a real slam dunk, with so many different sports and incredible athletes on show.
My personal Olympic Games highlight was Novak Djokovic, at 37 years of age, winning his tennis gold medal.
Star pupil: Niamh Fitzgerald who scored four goals for St. Dominic’s as they beat Kilbride in the Roscommon LGFA Senior Championship.
Crucial win for: St. Dominic’s as they reached the Roscommon SHC semi-final with a comfortable victory against Tremane.
Much do better: For the second year in succession, Pádraig Pearses, who were champions in 2020, have been knocked out of the senior hurling championship.
Spot of bother: Galway who have lost three All-Ireland senior finals this season — men’s football, ladies’ football and Camogie Weekend highlight: A brilliant All-Ireland senior camogie final between Cork and Galway.
What a cracker: There are some intriguing clashes in the local club football championships next weekend, but the bells are ringing out for the meeting of Tulsk and Castlerea St. Kevin’s on Friday evening.
“The only time you should ever look back is to see how far you’ve come.”
Niamh Mallon, who played for Galway in last Sunday’s All-Ireland senior camogie final, was the nutritionist for the Galway senior men’s football team in 2024.
The Leitrim ladies’ footballers, after winning the All-Ireland intermediate championship, will play Division Four League and All-Ireland senior championship football in 2025 — remarkable, mad, and lopsided.
