The WLR/ Granville Hotel GAA Awards will take place on January 13th 2024, when one Waterford GAA star will be crowned the overall WLR / Granville Hotel GAA Awards winner.
During 2023, 13 GAA stars across Waterford were awarded monthly awards, and the overall WLR / Granville Hotel GAA Awards winner will be announced in The Granville Hotel Waterford on Saturday, January 13th, as well as the winner of the Kevin Casey Award, awarded annually to a young GAA star aged 18 or under.
The guest speaker on the evening will be Martin Storey.
Former Wexford captain Martin Storey is a three-time All-Star winner, and is best known for playing a leading role in the famed 1996 All-Ireland success. The Oulart the Ballagh clubman won two Leinster titles and an All-Ireland in his time playing for Wexford. He was an All-Star in 1993, 1996 and 1998. Since retirement from playing, Storey has become involved in team management and coaching. After serving as a selector at club level, he subsequently served as trainer of the Wexford senior camogie team and manager of the Wexford minor hurling team.
Here are your monthly winners:
FEBRUARY - Lauren McGregor (Joint Winner)
13 February 2022; Lauren McGregor of Waterford during the LIDL Ladies National Football League Division 1B Round 1 match between Waterford and Dublin at Fraher Field in Dungarvan, Waterford. Photo by Ray McManus/Sportsfile
Dungarvan’s Lauren McGregor was the joint-winner of the February award on account of some stellar showings for the Waterford ladies’ footballers in their National League campaign. McGregor scored 6-05 in seven games for the Deise, with her green flags proving crucial in victories against Mayo, Donegal and reigning All-Ireland champions Meath.
FEBRUARY - Michael Kiely (Joint Winner)
7 January 2024; Michael Kiely of Waterford during the Co-Op Superstores Munster Hurling League Group B match between Waterford and Tipperary at Fraher Field in Dungarvan, Waterford. Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile
Abbeyside man Michael Kiely picked up a second consecutive February award, having once again starred for UL in another Fitzgibbon Cup-winning campaign. The full-forward starred in the final against NUI Galway, scoring 4-1 to secure back-to-back titles for the Treaty men. Michael was also named Man of the Match in both the 2022 and 2023 deciders.
MARCH - Beth Carton
De La Salle and Waterford camogie star Beth Carton picked up her sixth monthly award in March, having fired the Deise to glory in the Division 1B of the National League. Carton scored a whopping tally of 2-56 across six games en-route to silverware. Carton was named Player of the Match in that league final victory over Wexford at Semple Stadium, notching eight points in the decider.
APRIL - Megan Dunford
23 May 2021; Megan Dunford of Waterford before the Lidl Ladies Football National League Division 1B Round 1 match between Dublin and Waterford at Parnell Park in Dublin. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile
Waterford ladies’ football defender Megan Dunford was the winner of this year’s April award, having been named in the Team of the League following an excellent individual campaign. Dunford impressed in games against Cork, Kerry, Mayo and Donegal and also chipped in at
the other end of the field versus Galway. Rated as one of the tightest markers in the ladies’ game, this was the first monthly award for Dunford.
MAY - Mark Fitzgerald
13 May 2023; Mark Fitzgerald of Waterford in action against Peter Duggan of Clare during the Munster GAA Hurling Senior Championship Round 3 match between Waterford and Clare at FBD Semple Stadium in Thurles, Tipperary. Photo by John Sheridan/Sportsfile
Waterford hurler Mark Fitzgerald collected his first ever monthly award in May, having been the star man for the Deise in the Munster Senior Hurling Championship. The 20-year-old Passage club man was a consistent performer for Davy Fitzgerald's side throughout the campaign. In February, he claimed a Fitzgibbon Cup medal with UL, before kicking on and starring in Waterford’s comfortable Munster win over Tipperary.
JUNE - Mairead O’Brien
22 July 2023; Mairéad O'Brien of Waterford in action against Aoife McGrath of Tipperary during the All-Ireland Camogie Championship semi-final match between Tipperary and Waterford at UPMC Nowlan Park in Kilkenny. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
20-year-old Mairead O’Brien was one of the shining lights of the Waterford camogie side this season and picked up her first monthly award in June. The Modeligo native scored 3-3 as the Deise topped their group before moving on to the All-Ireland Semi-Finals. O’Brien was instrumental in victories over Antrim, Limerick and Offaly as Waterford progressed to the final four with ease.
JULY - Lorraine Bray
5 June 2022; Lorraine Bray of Waterford fires a shot at goal during the Glen Dimplex Senior Camogie Championship match between Tipperary and Waterford at Semple Stadium in Thurles, Tipperary. Photo by Ray McManus/Sportsfile
Waterford camogie captain Lorraine Bray was to the fore once again as she helped her side get over the line to reach a first All-Ireland final in 78 years with a famous one-point victory over Tipperary at Nowlan Park. The Cappoquin midfielder picked up her third monthly award as a result, and went on to pick up another All-Star award for her outstanding performances.
AUGUST - Gavin O’Brien
Gavin O’Brien played a starring role for Roanmore throughout the course of their Waterford Senior Hurling Championship campaign. The half-forward was immense throughout, with his contribution of 0-15 in the quarter-final victory over Mount Sion proving the highlight. O’Brien contributed with 0-36 in the first three games of Roanmore’s campaign, having also shone in the victories over Lismore and Clonea.
SEPTEMBER - Peter Hogan
12 February 2022; Peter Hogan of Ballygunner during the AIB GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Club Championship Final match between Ballygunner, Waterford, and Shamrocks, Kilkenny, at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
Ballygunner and Waterford regular Peter Hogan was the star of the championship at wing forward as the Gunners completed a record-breaking ten county titles in a row. Hogan scored 1-10 from play in the 2023 championship, including 1-2 against De La Salle on county final day. He duly picked up his first ever monthly award, before going on to make history as part of the three-in-a-row Munster winning side.
OCTOBER - Kelly Ann Hogan (Joint Winner)
27 October 2019; Kelly Ann Hogan of Ballymacarbry during the Munster Ladies Football Senior Club Championship Final match between Ballymacarbry and Mourneabbey at Galtee Rovers GAA Club, in Bansha, Tipperary. Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile
Ballymacarby had a season to remember, and Kelly Ann Hogan was an integral part throughout. Ballymac won a 42nd consecutive Waterford county title with a hard-fought victory over Comeragh Rangers, before going on to win a 16th Munster title. Hogan kicked 0-5 in the county final victory and 2-5 in the Munster quarter final victory versus Fethard to collect her first monthly award.
OCTOBER - Conor Murray (Joint Winner)
3 June 2023; Conor Murray of Waterford during the Tailteann Cup Round 3 match between Tipperary and Waterford at Páirc Ui Chaoimh in Cork. Photo by Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile
Rathgormack and Deise footballer Conor Murray was at the peak of his powers in October, guiding his club to Conway Cup glory for the first time since 2018. The forward kicked 1-10 from play across the course of the championship, before the Comeragh men saw off the Nire in the decider. Murray also starred in wins over Stradbally, Clashmore/Kinsalebeg and An Rinn en route to his second county medal.
NOVEMBER - Brid McMaugh
3 December 2023; Bríd McMaugh of Ballymacarbry evades te tackle of Ashleigh Fleville of Clann Éireann during the Currentaccount.ie All-Ireland Ladies Senior Club Championship semi-final match between Clann Éireann of Armagh and Ballymacarbry of Waterford at Clann Éireann GAC, Armagh. Photo by Tyler Miller/Sportsfile
The Ballymacarbry star played a pivotal role as they secured back-to-back Munster Ladies' Football titles with victory over the Banner of Clare in the provincial final - before defeating Ulster champions Clan Eireann in the All-Ireland semi-final. McMaugh was the star of the show in the Munster final, knocking over 0-7 in a player-of-the-match performance, and she also kicked 0-3 from play in the All-Ireland semi-final victory.
DECEMBER - Stephen O'Keeffe
5 November 2023; Ballygunner goalkeeper Stephen O'Keeffe during the AIB Munster GAA Hurling Senior Club Championship quarter-final match between Ballygunner and Sarsfields at Walsh Park in Waterford. Photo by Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile
Stephen O’Keeffe once again played a pivotal role throughout the campaign for Ballygunner as they marched on to the All-Ireland semi-finals. They became the first ever side to win three consecutive Munster senior club titles when defeating Clonlara comfortably in the Munster decider - handing O’Keeffe his fourth Munster club medal.
The awards night will be hosted by WLR’s Nigel Kelly and Damien Tiernan.
