Waterford SHC Team of the 2024 Championship
Ballygunner's Kevin Mahony was the star of the JJ Kavanagh & Sons Co. SHC for 2024. Photo: INPHO/Ken Sutton
Waterford’s greatest goalkeeper. His distribution is on a different level to any other netminder in the county. The Gunners got 1-5 from his restarts during the first half of the final. His mammoth point was the icing on the cake.
A tight marking number two. Gets in the grill of opposition forwards. Shut down Abbeyside corner man Charlie Treen in the county final. He has added scores to his game. Sent over a point against Dungarvan.
A stopper and a scorer. Held Austin Gleeson scoreless from play in a textbook man marking job and then went up the other end to shoot a point any forward would be proud of. He also tagged Jamie Barron, Patrick Curran and Dessie Hutchinson. The All Star defender raised four white flags.
A nightmare for any inside forward. An in-your-face defender who gets up close and personal with the marquee attackers. Tracked Maurice Shanahan and Kevin Mahony in crucial knockout games. They only managed a point apiece from play. Brian Looby from Abbeyside is unlucky to miss out.
A leader for Passage in defence and attack. Scored three points from centre back in a fantastic duel with Déise colleague Jack Prendergast. His second half goal against Roanmore proved a turning point in that cracking quarter final. Frustrated the Ballygunner attack as a spare defender.
Once Ballygunner's Roy Keane returned from injury, the goal chances dried up for the opposition. Provides full time security for the full back line. Rarely wastes a ball out of defence. So influential that teams now consider man marking the number six.
Showed his man marking and his scoring ability. Chipped in with a point in all four matches and delivered quality ball into the forwards. Put the shackles on De La Salle danger man Jack Twomey in the first round. Lismore captain Finbar Reaney ran him mighty close.
His best ever season in red. The Passage captain lifted his team with eight monster points from play and from frees. Two second half efforts drove them to that memorable victory over Roanmore. Rifled over two against Lismore and three against De La Salle. Shadowed Austin Gleeson in round one.
A workhorse midfielder. Got on the ball 28 times in a semi final tour de force against Mount Sion. Dominated puckouts, won frees and laid the ball off unselfishly to his team mates. His one-handed stick pass to create Charlie Treen’s goal was one of the highlights of the championship. Can the Abbeyside powerhouse force his way into Peter Queally's plans?
46 points for the former Waterford footballer (nine from play). His accuracy from dead balls kept the scoreboard ticking over for the Villagers throughout the summer. Hit double figures on three occasions. Starred in the knockout wins against Dungarvan (0-10) and Mount Sion (0-9). His point tight to the sideline of the main stand in Walsh Park was a peach.
Still pulling the strings from number eleven. Top scorer in the Déise for 2024 with 1-48 (28 frees, 0-18 from play, a penalty and two 65s). Pops up in the right place at the right time. 24 points across the semi final and final steered his team to eleven in a row. Links up brilliantly with Dessie Hutchinson. Assisted the first goal of the final.
An heir to Owen Connors on the placed balls for Passage. The 18-year-old notched 42 points in total (31 frees, ten from play and one 65). The tall number twelve came up trumps in the big games. Shot six in the win over Lismore (three from play). Tallied thirteen in the quarter final comeback against Roanmore including two long range efforts from play. Added eight more from nine shots in the semi final loss to Ballygunner.
Missed the group games through injury but made his mark on the business end of the championship with 1-12 from play. Shot six points and won a penalty on his return to the team against De La Salle. Got 1-4 in the final off Conor Prunty and was involved in Patrick Fitzgerald's goal.
A ball winner, a score getter and a scavenger on the edge of the square. Picked up from where he left off with the county. The Gunners' go-to man fired 3-12 from play in five starts. When the News & Star trophy was on the line against De La Salle, the full forward delivered 1-4, won three frees and assisted two points. Absolutely unmarkable. Netted another crucial goal against Lismore when the champions needed it. Player of the Championship.
The Abbeyside captain led from the front all season long. Totalled 6-13 including 4-13 from play. Netted doubles against Ferrybank (2-5), Mount Sion (2-2) and Ballygunner (2-1). Unbeatable under the high ball. Dragged his team back into the semi final by winning and scoring the penalty. Abbeyside's best performer on county final day. His point in front of the bank in Fraher Field was jaw dropping.
