Paul Ring and Matthew Bradley look back on another memorable season for Aghabullogue

There was history made at the Muskerry GAA Gala Awards that were held at the Talbot Hotel in Ballincollig recently.

A strong crowd of just over 300 people were in attendance as Aghabullogue pair Paul Ring and Matthew Bradley were picked as joint winners of the Muskerry GAA/EPH Controls Sports Star of the Year.

It was very difficult for the members of the awards committee to separate the two players with both enjoying magnificent campaigns in 2025.

Aghabullogue achieved a second double in three seasons with Ring and Bradley both playing hugely influential roles.

The Coachford-based outfit won the McCarthy Insurance Group PIFC title before winning the Co-Op SuperStores IAHC crown.

“It’s a great honour to collect an award like this especially when it’s with a teammate,” Bradley says.

“It tops off a very successful 2025 and a good start to 2026. As the years go bye, you probably will be able to think back and remember all the success you were able to achieve.

“At the moment, you probably take it for granted, but definitely down the line you will be able to look back with fondness.” 

Bradley has paid tribute to the respective managers of Aghabullogue. It’s well documented how challenging balancing both codes can be, but the Muskerry team got the balance right once again last year.

Micheál McGrath was over the hurlers while Ray Keane looked after the footballers.

“In fairness to the two lads, they just wanted the best for each code. We learnt back in 2023 that the best solution to being successful as a club is to go forward playing both hurling and football. It’s after paying off twice, so the proof is in the pudding.” 

Ring, who previously played for the Cork senior football team, was Player of the Match in Aghabullogue’s football final victory over fellow Muskerry team Uibh Laoire, as the team in green and white joined the senior ranks in football for the first time.

“It was an unbelievable year in hindsight,” the defender states.

“When we did the double in 2023, you probably thought that this would never happen again. For it to happen so soon again, it’s just unbelievable. I don’t know if it was luck or what, but we just kept on getting over the line in tight games. We will make the most of it while we have it.

“Balancing both codes, it’s week on week. When the league starts in March, we will be out 18 weeks on the trot. When it comes to the championship, you look at last year, we didn’t receive a direct bye to the semi-final stage, so we had to play two quarter-final games, so we were week on week there as well.

“You just get into the swing of things and momentum is a big thing. When you are doing well in one code, it carries on to the following week when you're playing the other code. We know no different, we have been doing it all the way up. We will keep doing it.”