Mike Finnerty
MAYO GAA history was made at last Friday night’s GAA/GPA All Star awards when Diarmuid O’Connor became the second member of the famous Ballintubber footballing family to win the prestigious ‘Young Footballer of the Year’ award.
The 20 year-old, who had an outstanding second season with Mayo, follows in the footsteps of his brother, Cillian, who won the ‘Young Footballer’ gong in both 2011 and 2012.
It is a wonderful achievement by the youngest son of Tony and Mary O’Connor; Diarmuid also won an All-Ireland Minor medal with Mayo back in 2013.
“Personally, it’s a good achievement but obviously it doesn’t fill the gap for an All-Ireland medal. But it’s a great honour and nice to be recognised,” the DCU student told RTÉ presenter, Michael Lyster, at the awards ceremony at Dublin’s Convention Centre.
“I suppose I can’t complain, this is my second year involved and I’ve won two Connacht medals. But, unfortunately for me we haven’t been able to get over the semi-final both years. They’ve gone to replays and we’ve fallen short.
“So I’m just looking forward to getting back at it and trying to improve for next year.
“It’s only my second year but some of the lads have been doing this for seven, eight, nine years and they keep bouncing back. They’re a credit, coming back year after year.
“Unfortunately, they still haven’t been able to get over the final hurdle but we’ll just come next year, train harder.
We’ve no other choice.”
Meanwhile, Westport wing-back Lee Keegan also wrote his name into the record books by becoming only the second footballer from the county to win three All Star awards.
Keegan joins Keith Higgins on that particular roll of honour.
And a good night for Mayo was rounded off when Aidan O’Shea won an All Star for his stellar performances at full-forward during the course of the championship season.
The Breaffy clubman was winning his second All Star award.
