O’Toole crowned Tailteann Cup player of the year

Westmeath footballer Ronan O’Toole has been named as the first ever Tailteann Cup Player of the Year at a gala awards night in Croke Park tonight.

The St Loman’s, Mullingar forward followed up an outstanding display in Westmeath’s narrow Leinster SFC semi-final defeat at the hands of Kildare with a series of consistently excellent displays in the Tailteann Cup, kicking four points against Offaly in a dazzling semi-final performance.

O’Toole followed this up with a man of the match-winning contribution in the final, finishing the game with five points for Jack Cooney’s victorious side.

The former St Finian's College, Mullingar student is one of six Westmeath players on the Tailteann Cup Team of the Year, with Jack Smith (Skerries Harps, Dublin), captain Kevin Maguire (Caulry), Ronan Wallace (Multyfarnham) and O’Toole’s fellow St Loman’s clubmen John Heslin and Sam McCartan.

At tonight’s awards, the Joe McDonagh, Christy Ring, Nicky Rackard and Lory Meagher Cup hurlers of the year were also announced, with the awards won by Conal Cunning (Antrim), James Burke (Kildare), the late Damian Casey (Tyrone) – who died tragically last June – and Darren Geoghegan (Louth) respectively.

Members of Damian Casey’s family were present for the ceremony. The Dungannon man scored 0-14 in the Nicky Rackard Cup decider weeks before his untimely death.