Conor McManus
Monaghan star Conor McManus is the overwhelming winner of this week's GAA.ie Football Player of the Week award, driving home with 51 per cent of the vote.
McManus was sensational in Monaghan's narrow defeat to Dublin at Croke Park on Saturday night, kicking 12 points in a performance which saw him pick up the majority of all votes cast on the GAA's official Twitter (@officialgaa), Facebook and Instagram pages.
He finished ahead of Roscommon's Ciaráin Murtagh in second place, and Donegal's Ryan McHugh in third.
GAA.ie FOOTBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK RESULTS
**1. **Conor McManus (Monaghan) - 4,484 votes (51 per cent)
**2. **Ciaráin Murtagh (Roscommon) - 2,326 votes (26 per cent)
3. Ryan McHugh (Donegal) - 1,987 votes - (23 per cent)
Monaghan finished on the losing side at Croke Park on Saturday night against Dublin, but in** Conor McManus** they had the game's outstanding player. Monaghan came up just short against the All-Ireland champions but McManus did everything in his power to help his side to victory, scoring 0-12, three of which came from play. McManus' magic has become routine, but this display was a cut above. His free-taking was nerveless, while his taste and capacity for scoring for his team when they need it most is perhaps his most appealing attribute. On this form, he's the best forward in Ireland and he romped home with 51 per cent in our vote.
After their astonishing 18-point win over Cork, in which they scored 4-25, practically all the Roscommon players could have been nominated this week. In the end, we gave the nod to Ciaráin Murtagh, who scored 2-3 from centre-half-forward in a classy and commanding performance. Enda Smith, Fintan Cregg, Conor Devaney, Cathal Cregg and plenty of others could have been nominated but Murtagh's cool finishing, combined with his intelligent use of the ball throughout the game, saw him rise above. He finished second in our vote with 26 per cent.
In third place with 23 per cent was Donegal's Ryan McHugh. Still just 21-years-old, McHugh has already established himself as one of Donegal's most important players. The Kilcar man has had a superb start to the season, and it continued on Sunday in Donegal's win over Mayo in Ballybofey, their third in a row in Division I. McHugh was up and down the field with the same energy as always. He hit two points and found himself regularly in advanced attacking positions, whilst also fulfilling his duties as an extremely hard-working member of Donegal's defence.
Players of the Week are decided based on votes cast by followers of @officialgaa on Twitter, on the Official GAA Facebook Page and on the Official GAA Instagram page
