Nominees announced for GPA awards
The nominees for tomorrow night's GPA (Gaelic Players Association) Player of the Year awards have been announced by the players' body.
Five of the seven players who have made the 2005 football shortlist hail from Ulster: Tyrone's All-Ireland winning trio Sean Cavanagh, Ryan McMenamin and Stephen O'Neill, Derry sharpshooter Paddy Bradley and Armagh's Steven McDonnell, who captains the province in Saturday's M Donnelly Interprovincial final.
Kerry duo Colm Cooper and Tomás Ó Sé, who both played in the Kingdom side that lost the All-Ireland decider to Tyrone, and last month's International Rules Series, are also in the running.
Wexford's Mattie Forde claimed the gong last year.
In hurling, All-Ireland winners Jerry O'Connor and John Gardiner will be hoping to keep the award in Cork after 2005 captain Sean Óg Ó hAilpín scooped the honour 12 months ago.
Kilkenny's Tommy Walsh, Eoin Kelly of Tipperary and Galway pair Damien Hayes and Ger Farragher have also made the small-ball shortlist.
The winners will be confirmed at the GPA's gala evening at Citywest Hotel tomorrow night.
Voted for exclusively by the players' body, the Players of the Year will each receive a new car valued at over €23,000.
Football nominees: Sean Cavanagh, Ryan McMenamin, Stephen O'Neill (Tyrone), Colm Cooper, Tomás Ó Sé (Kerry), Paddy Bradley (Derry), Steven McDonnell (Armagh).
Hurling nominees: Jerry O'Connor, John Gardiner (Cork), Tommy Walsh (Kilkenny), Damien Hayes, Ger Farragher (Galway), Eoin Kelly (Tipperary).
