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08 Nov 2025

WATCH: Touching moment between John McGrath and fiancée after Hurler of the Year win

The Loughmore man won the award on Friday night during the 2025 All-Star awards at the RDS in Dublin and revealed he is getting married at the end of December

Tipperary's John McGrath has won Hurler of the Year for 2025 and shared a touching moment with his fiancée on the way up to pick up the award.

READ NEXT: WATCH: Emotional moment Tipperary's Darragh McCarthy wins Young Hurler of the Year

The elite of the GAA world arrived in style at Dublin's RDS on Friday evening for the 2025 PwC GAA/GPA All-Star Awards.

Joined by their partners and families for the glamorous annual event, Tipperary's victorious hurlers were honoured at the banquet, with Sportsfile photographers capturing the night's standout fashion moments.

READ NEXT: PICTURES: Tipperary hurling stars and partners on red carpet at glamorous All-Star awards

There was brilliant success on the night for the Premier County, with Toomevara's Darragh McCarthy received the PwC GAA GPA Young Hurler of the Year award, adding to the seven All-Star awards won by the All-Ireland champions, which were announced on Thursday and John McGrath capped it all off winning the most prestigious award on the night. 

John told Marty Morrissey it had been an incredible six months for him and added that it was going to get even better with his nuptials at the end of the year. 

READ NEXT: WATCH: Tipperary hurling manager Liam Cahill heading to South Africa

The All-Ireland champions led the way with a magnificent seven places on the PwC All-Stars for Hurling 2025. It is a team full of firsts with 10 All-Star debutants in all, the highest number since the 2013 selection.

The Tipperary players selected are Rhys Shelly, Robert Doyle, Eoghan Connolly, Ronan Maher, Jake Morris, Andrew Ormond and John McGrath.

Rhys Shelly was the unanimous choice for goalkeeper after a season where he proved himself invaluable to the Premier County and also capable of scoring from long range.

Kilkenny’s high-fielding Huw Lawlor claims a third all-star at full-back and is flanked by Tipp starlet Robert Doyle and Cork’s tenacious Seán O’Donoghue.

READ NEXT: Magnificent seven All-Stars for Tipperary in hurling team of debutants

After patrolling all over the defence in the Liam MacCarthy Cup-winning campaign, Tipperary stalwart Ronan Maher is the anchor of this team, winning a third award, and is joined by teammate Eoghan Connolly and Cork’s Ciaran Joyce after prolific performances.

Darragh Fitzgibbon scored 0-16 in the championship and was hugely influential for the Munster championship-winning Rebels and in their subsequent march to the final. He is joined in midfield by Galway talisman Cathal Mannion who scored 2-67 in the championship.

In attack, Jake Morris is named at wing forward after a prominent season for Tipperary and becomes the recipient of the 1,600th All-Star since the scheme started in 1971 when Offaly goalie Damien Martin was the first All-Star.

Tipp’s Andrew Ormond is at centre forward and is another first-timer after catching the eye and scoring 2-15 in the championship. On the left wing, there is recognition for Dublin sharpshooter Cian O’Sullivan, after the St Brigid’s man scored 5-22 from play this season.

At corner forward Kilkenny’s Martin Keoghan joins an exclusive group of family winners as he follows his father Liam who won an All-Star in 1997 and crowns a championship where Martin scored 6-15.

At full forward John McGrath is honoured for his incredible season of impacts for Tipperary. He scored 7-16 from play in the championship, including 2-2 in the final.

Top of the left then is Cork powerhouse Brian Hayes, with the St Finbarr’s man bagging 5-9 in total.

The breakdown is Tipperary seven, Cork four, Kilkenny two and one each for Dublin and Galway.

The team is:

Rhys Shelly (Tipperary)
Robert Doyle (Tipperary)
Huw Lawlor (Kilkenny) (2022, 2023)
Seán O’Donoghue (Cork)
Eoghan Connolly (Tipperary)
Ronan Maher (Tipperary) (2016, 2019)
Ciaran Joyce (Cork)
Darragh Fitzgibbon (Cork) (2018, 2024)
Cathal Mannion (Galway) (2015)
Jake Morris (Tipperary)
Andrew Ormond (Tipperary)
Cian O’Sullivan (Dublin)
Martin Keoghan (Kilkenny)
John McGrath (Tipperary) (2016)
Brian Hayes (Cork)

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