Gearoid McInerney voted GAA.ie Hurler of the Week.
Galway’s Gearoid McInerney has been voted GAA.ie Hurler of the Week.
The powerful centre-back won 2,958 of the votes on the GAA’s Official Twitter (@officialgaa), Facebook, and Instagram pages for his dynamic display against Tipperary with his fellow county-man Conor Whelan second and Tipperary’s Padraic Maher third.
GAA.ie Hurler of the Week
1: Gearoid McInerney (Galway) – 2,958 (39 per cent)
2: Conor Whelan (Galway) – 2,549 (34 per cent)
3: Paudie Maher (Tipperary) – 2,002 (27 per cent)
Gearoid McInerney’s emergence this year as a centre-back of real stature is one of the reasons why Galway now find themselves in an All-Ireland Final.
He was immense again on Sunday against Tipperary as he kept Patrick Bonner Maher on a tight leash and drove Galway forward with his ability to win hard ball and then use it wisely.
In the second-half in particular he rose his game to a new level and some of the high catches he made were hugely inspirational at key moments in the game.
Conor Whelan has been in sensational form all year for Galway and in Sunday's All-Ireland SHC semi-final he was the best forward on the pitch.
He scored four brilliant points, and won the majority of the balls hit in his direction thanks to his potent mixture of speed and ferocious strength.
One of plays of the match was the moment he raced back into his own half to make a critical hook on Michael Cahill as the Tipperary man wound up for a shot that could have changed the whole complexion of the match.
Tipperary captain Padraic Maher played his heart out in Sunday’s All-Ireland SHC Semi-Final and hardly deserved to be on the losing side.
The wing-back scored two spectacular points from play and drove Tipperary forward time and again with his ability to win hard ball and burst clear with it.
His debut season as captain featured three painful defeats against Cork and Galway twice, but Maher’s leadership was immense throughout the campaign.
Players of the Week are decided based on votes cast by followers of @officialgaa on Twitter, on the Official GAA Facebook Page and on the Official GAA Instagram page.
