What more could the man have done?
Not much more. Con O’Callaghan fired Cuala to their second Leinster hurling title in a row last Sunday, to complete what is surely one of the greatest individual years in GAA history.
He is only 21. He has so much more to do, so much more potential, but it really is hard to believe that RTÉ felt 14 of the country’s sport-stars enjoyed better years than him in 2017.
Because this is what he achieved.
Con O'Callaghan's 2017 👑
All-Ireland club SHC 🏆
U21 Leinster football 🏆
U21 All-Ireland football 🏆
Leinster SFC 🏆
All-Ireland SFC 🏆
All-Star ⭐
Young Footballer of the Year 🏅
Dublin club SHC 🏆
Leinster club SHC 🏆That's a wrap 👏 pic.twitter.com/Hj777yDnuk
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) December 3, 2017
And he played a central role in every one of those team triumphs.
Con O’Callaghan is the best young footballer in the country. We’re all well aware of his exploits in the sky blue of the capital city this year. The only accolade he missed out on with Dublin this year was the league, but that’s because he wasn’t there for it.
As the season reached the business stages, Con O’Callaghan played a central role in Dublin’s crusade. He displayed his limitless talent. He grew and grew more into that Dublin shirt with every passing game. Maturity beyond his years, the man is a mammoth.
He could just as easily be the best young hurler in the country. But with the days of the dual player gone, his talent only comes to the fore on the club scene.
He’s been the best club forward in 2017, smashing in goal after goal and taking defender after defender to the cleaners. With goals like this one [below] in the Leinster decider. With power, strength, speed and tunnel-vision like this one.
What a year for Con O'Callaghan! Watch his goal that helped power @cualaCLG to @AIB_GAA @gaaleinster Senior Hurling Championship glory here! pic.twitter.com/nWrwkq8tyR
— The GAA (@officialgaa) December 4, 2017
Yet, RTÉ felt that each of the following 14 had better years than Con.
- Rena Buckley
- Ryan Burnett
- Joe Canning
- Katie George Dunlevy and Eve McCrystal
- Noelle Healy
- James McClean
- Michael McKillop
- Andy Moran
- Conor Murray
- Paul O’Donovan
- Robbie Power
- Jason Smyth
- Katie Taylor
- Joe Ward
You’ve got to be kidding us.
An emphatic case could easily be made that Con had a better year than every single one of them.
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