Footballer & Manager of the Year – 2015 Munster GAA Awards

PRESS RELEASE MUNSTER GAA AWARDS – FRIDAY DEC 11

Footballer, Ladies Footballer and Manager of the Year Announced for 2015 Munster GAA Awards

Kerry’s David Moran and Bernie Breen and Limerick Under 21 hurling manager, John Kiely, have secured the Senior Footballer, Ladies’ Footballer and Manager of the Year accolades respectively in the 2015 Munster GAA Awards. The awards will be presented on Saturday night at a gala dinner in Dromoland Castle, Co. Clare where all the award winners for 2015 will be honoured.

David Moran of Kerins O’Rahillys was in devastating form throughout this year’s Munster championship and played a major role in Kerry’s retention of the provincial title. He made his senior debut for the Kingdom as far back as 2008, but just as he was coming to his prime, injury struck – not once but twice, effectively wiping out three championship seasons. 2014 saw him return to centre stage and what a return it was ending his season with an All Ireland medal and an All Star to boot! He carried on that super form into 2015 but a nagging injury that he failed to shake off curtailed his training during the All Ireland phase of the championship and Moran, and indeed Kerry, were left to rue his misfortune.

Bernie Breen has been a leading player for Kerry Ladies for the past few seasons and was an inspirational captain. She has been nominated five times for an All Star and has been named on the Team of the League twice. She is the holder of 3 County Championships & County League Division 1 titles. She also has 4 All Ireland School titles, National League Division 2, Two Munster Senior Championship medals & also an Under 14 All Ireland title. Bernie has been a member of numerous Munster Interprovincial teams & has travelled many times with the All Stars on their Exhibition tours.

John Kiely has a long and successful track record as a player, selector and manager with Limerick teams at all levels. One of his finest achievements was undoubtedly managing Limerick to Munster and All Ireland under 21 hurling success this year and he will no doubt be pleased to see two of the players on that team, Cian Lynch and Diarmaid Byrnes, receiving Munster awards this year. John was manager of the Limerick Intermediate hurlers in 2010 and 11. He was a selector with the Limerick under 21 hurlers in 2011 and the senior hurlers in 2012 and 13 assisting both teams to win Munster titles.

Speaking on the announcement of these awards Robert Frost, Chairman of Munster GAA said “David Moran and Bernie Breen contributed hugely to their teams’ performances this year and are deserving winner of the top playing awards in Gaelic Football and Ladies Gaelic Football respectively. We had a wonderful under 21 hurling championship in Munster with Limerick emerging as worthy winners. They added to that success by going on to win the All Ireland title. Their performances all year were a tribute to the leadership and managerial skills of John Kiely and he is a deserving winner of Manager of the Year”

The full list of Munster GAA Award winners for 2015 are as follows:
Minor Hurling – Lyndon Fairbrother (Tipperary)
Minor Football – Mark O’Connor (Kerry)
Under 21 Hurling – Cian Lynch (Limerick)
Under 21 Football – Steven O’Brien (Tipperary)
Intermediate Hurling – Diarmaid Byrnes (Limerick)
Junior Football – Conor Cox (Kerry)
Camogie Award – Cáit Devane (Tipperary)
Ladies Football – Bernie Breen (Kerry)
Handballer of Year – Dominick Lynch (Kerry)
Service to Refereeing – Michael Wadding (Waterford)
Service to Education – Jimmy Browne (LIT and Clare)
Media Award – Paul Collins (Tipperary)
Special Merit Award – Michael Ryan (Waterford)
Hall of Fame Football – Ray Cummins (Cork)
Hall of Fame Hurling – Ger Loughnane (Clare)
Club of Year – Clomel Commercials (Tipperary)
Senior Hurler of Year – John O’Dwyer (Tipperary)
Senior Footballer of Year – David Moran (Kerry)
Manager of Year – John Kiely (Limerick)