Kerry's Paul Galvin and Tommy Walsh of Kilkenny were tonight named as the Vodafone Players of the Year in football and hurling respectively. Meanwhile, the Young Player of the Year awards have gone to Donegal footballer Michael Murphy and Tipperary hurling sensation Noel McGrath. Galvin's capture of the football accolade completes a fairytale 2009 after his term as Kerry captain last year was ruined by a controversial three-month suspension. He claimed the award ahead of fellow county-man Tomas O Se and Cork centre back Graham Canty. As expected, Tommy Walsh added the Hurler of the Year accolade to his seventh successive All-Star award after another magnificent year for Kilkenny. He saw off competition from Tipp's Lar Corbett and John Mullane of Waterford to land the coveted gong. Michael Murphy made up for the disappointment of not winning an All-Star by succeeding Kerry's Tommy Walsh as Young Footballer of the Year ahead of Aidan O'Shea (Mayo) and Colm O'Neill (Cork), while the Young Hurler of the Year award is destined for Loughmore-Castleiney after Noel McGrath pipped Galway's Joe Canning and Tipp team-mate Padraig Maher to the prize. Tweet

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