The hard nature of sport is reflected in the fact that the winner of the June PwC GPA Player of the Month Award in Men’s Football was recognised as an individual despite his team exiting the All Ireland Championships.

Darragh Canavan for Tyrone came up against a powerful Kerry team at Croke Park on Saturday, but the three other winners will all face their next stage on the road to glory over the coming ten days.

Caitrin Dobbin will represent Antrim against Tipperary in Saturday’s Glen Dimplex All Ireland Camogie Championship Quarter Final on Saturday.

Then Conor Whelan of Galway will be in action trying to dethrone Limerick in the All Ireland Hurling Semi Final straight after, and Nicola Ward faces a massive TG4 All Ireland Quarter Final the following Saturday against Mayo.

The presentation of the Awards in Galway yesterday also marked the dawn of a new era at the sponsors PwC with Enda McDonagh stepping up to the role of Managing Partner, succeeding Feargal O’Rourke who has been a long standing supporter of the firm’s sporting commitments and also a good friend to Sport for Business down the years.

We wish Feargal well in his future adventures and extend a warm welcome to Enda who has a similar high level of interest in the sporting fields as well as the boardrooms of Ireland and further afield.

“All of us at PwC would like to give our heartfelt congratulations to Caitrin, Nicola, Darragh, and Conor on being named the June Player of the Month Award winners,” he said.

“Each player gave immense performances over the month of June and are well deserving of the award, and we wish all of them well for the rest of the season, be that with club or county.”

“It is a great honour for us at PwC to partner with the GPA and the GAA to acknowledge and award equally the effort and commitment of both women and men across Gaelic Games.”

“Our championships have offered superb entertainment in recent weeks, thanks in no small part to the displays of our Player of the Month Award winners,” added GAA President Larry McCarthy.

“Conor’s attacking performances in the Leinster final and the All-Ireland quarter-final have helped Galway to a semi-final and Darragh Canavan played a central role in Tyrone’s march to a last eight spot.”

“Well done also to Caitrin Dobbin and Nicola Ward on their respective contributions to the Antrim camogie and Galway ladies football teams and best of luck to all of the winners who will be involved in big games in the coming weeks.”A word of acknowledgement also to PwC for their ongoing support of these awards.”

“Congratulations to each of the players on being selected as the winners of these awards by your peers,” continued Tom Parsons, CEO of the Gaelic Players Association.

“There is something really special in being recognised in this way by your teammates and opponents who know exactly what it takes to perform at the highest level. To Darragh, Conor, Nicola and Caitrín a massive well done.”

“It is also really important to thank PwC for all they have done to allow us to honour male and female players together on the same platform. Thank you for your ongoing support for inter-county players on an equal basis.”

“Thank you too to the GAA for your partnership in these awards.”

The PwC GPA Women’s Player of the Month and PwC GAA/GPA Players of the Month Award winners are voted for by the GPA’s membership.

The two Galway winners are pictured above in Eyre Square with Colm Begley of the GPA, Mairead Connolly of PwC and Connacht GAA Chair John Murphy.