Sarsfields crowned Munster club of the year, Quaid takes hurling gong

Having lost their great club man Teddy McCarthy only a few short months earlier, Sars celebrations having regained the Tadhg Óg Murphy Cup in 2023, after a nine-year wait, were cut short. 

The devastating effect of Storm Babet, only days after their county triumph, meant their Riverstown base went under water and that works to repair the facility would take some time. 

As great clubs do, having already saved a number of premises by using their pitch as a flood plain, they got to work. 

With all club teams forced to find temporary homes at grounds in the locality and beyond, it didn't deter their hunger for success. 

Having spent 12 months away from Riverstown, the Sars senior hurlers returned just in time for the 2024 county final meeting with Imokilly in October. 

Although they were to come out on the wrong side of that result, captain Conor O'Sullivan's words prior to the final spoke volumes. 

“It (Storm Babet) was a shock. It was an unbelievable week in the sense we won the county and the girls won the camogie county the following week and then sandwiched in the middle you had the storm. 

"A surreal week in general. Since then, it’s obviously not been without its challenges. And to finally get back to our own pitch today. There is something positive as well in that hardship travelling around the place, you get to see things from a different perspective.”

Onto Munster they went, despite the county loss. Once again and not for the first time in 2024, Sars rose to the challenge. They bested Clare champions Feakle in the semi-final, but Munster kingpins Ballygunner, who had inflicted a heavy defeat on them last season, awaited in the final.

Sunday, December 1 will live long in the memory down around Riverstown. They beat the four-in-a-row chasing Ballygunner 3-20 to 2-19. 

Limerick hurler Nickie Quaid has scooped the Munster hurler of the year gong. 

The goalkeeper's career success speaks for itself. Five All-Ireland medals, seven Munster and three Allianz League medals as well as three All-Stars, is not a bad haul by any stretch. 

Although 2024 did not go Limerick's way, Quaid - a 15-year servant at intercounty level - enjoyed a very fruitful year. 

Despite their loss to Cork in the All-Ireland semi-final, Quaid impressed enough to grab an All-Star for the season. 

Unfortunately for the veteran, he recently suffered a cruciate ligament injury that is set to keep him out of action for the majority of 2025, but such is the resilience of Quaid, we won't have seen the end of the Effin man between the Limerick sticks.

Meanwhile, Cork camogie star Laura Hayes - All-Star winner and player of the year for 2024 - has been crowned Munster camogie player of the year.

Hayes - from the St. Catherine’s club  - was Cork vice-captain for the 2024 season which started with the Rebels winning the Munster final - a game in which Hayes won player of the match.

Hayes' good form continued throughout the All-Ireland championship as Cork powered their way to the glory once more with victory over Galway, Cork's second in as many years and Hayes' third in total.

In the underage ranks, Kerry's Killian Dennehy and Tipperary's Euan Murray have been honoured with the football and hurling player of the year awards, respectively.

Kerry midfielder Dennehy performed admirably in green and gold throughout the year, and has continued to do so in St Pat's Castleisland colours in the Corn Uí Mhuirí.

Dennehy's performance against Tipperary in the Munster semi-finals was particularly notable, where he not only controlled the midfield but also added to the scoreboard.

Murray's announcement as the minor hurling winner for 2024 will come as no surprise to anyone who has watched him tog out during the year. 

The youngster not only led by example for the Tipperary minor hurlers as they claimed Munster and All-Ireland titles, he also has played a major role for his club Durlas Óg and school Thurles CBS in the Harty Cup. 

His performances during 2024 for Tipperary already earned him the title of Electric Ireland minor hurling player of the year.