Hurling dominates Galway Sports Stars awards
IN a year in which Galway hurlers swept the boards in spectacular fashion, it’s highly appropriate that one of the county’s greatest ever exponents of the game will be honoured with the Galway Sports Stars Hall of Fame award for 2017.
Athenry’s PJ Molloy was an integral figure in Galway’s long-awaited All-Ireland triumph in 1980, and also featured in the Tribesmen’s championship success in 1987. A gifted and skilful attacker whose scoring exploits for both club and county will stand the test of time, Molloy also won All-Ireland U21 and National League medals, together with inspiring his club to an emotional county title in 1987.
Indeed, the 53rd annual Galway Sports Stars banquet in the Galway Bay Hotel on Saturday night, January 27, will be dominated by the sport of hurling with the county’s glorious run to All-Ireland success celebrated with three different awards – Joe Canning, Player of the Year; Micheál Donoghue, Manager of the Year; and Galway receiving the Team of the Year honour.
Hurling also features in the Special Achievement category as Liam Mellows’ first county championship triumph in 47 years after defeating Gort in the final, together with their unstinting promotion of the sport in the city, is recognised.
In camogie, Galway defender and a key member of the Sarsfields team which retained their domestic supremacy, Tara Kenny, stood apart from her peers, while Olivia Divilly will be presented with the Ladies Football accolade after some big displays for Galway and helping her club, Kilkerrin-Clonberne, win yet another county title.
One of the most respected Gaelic footballers in the county, Kieran Fitzgerald, is being feted as well after picking up a record-breaking 12th county medal with Corofin last year and also helping the club maintain their supremacy at provincial level. The former All-Star remains a formidable competitor as the Galway champions turn their sights on a third All-Ireland success.
Fifteen years after his previous Horse Racing award, Craughwell’s Pat’s Kelly fittingly bridges that gap after pulling off a stunning win for the second season running by landing the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham National Hunt festival, this time with Presenting Percy.
In the long history of the Sports Stars awards, volleyball has only featured once before, but Loughrea’s Olivia Molloy has broken the mould in not alone continuing to captain the Irish senior team, but also leading Galway Volleyball Club to All-Ireland League and Cup glory.
It will also be a special night for Sinead Keon, who won gold and silver medals in table tennis and the javelin respectively at the World Dwarf Games in Canada, while Galway Water Polo Club’s remarkable success at various All-Ireland levels sees them take the Club of The Year award
The All-Ireland Senior Cup is the most sought-after prize in amateur team golf and Galway GC came up trumps in decisive fashion by overcoming Limerick 4-1 in the AIG sponsored final in Carton House last September, an achievement which sees them honoured with the golfing accolade.
Kieran Molloy (Boxing), Alanna Lally (Athletics) and Claire Rockall (Basketball) are previous award winners who are being feted again, while joining the honours list for the first time are Diarmuid Mulkerrins (Handball), Tiernan O’Halloran (Rugby), Dave Mannion (Rowing), Stephen Folan (Soccer), Jessica Burke (Showjumping) and Sarah Kelly (Swimming).
The Sports Stars awards are the definitive benchmark of sporting achievement in the county and special guest at the presentation banquet – the social highlight of the local sporting year – will be Kilkenny’s Henry Shefflin, the most decorated hurler of all-time.
Galway’s biggest private employers and medical devices company, Medtronic, continue as sponsors of the Sports Stars awards and the panel of local journalists who adjudicate on the awards are indebted to the US multinational for its valued support.
The selection panel comprised of: John McIntyre, Connacht Tribune; Billy Coss, Tuam Herald; Mártan Ó Ciadhra, Raidio na Gaeltachta; Frank Farragher, Connacht Tribune; Stephen Glennon, Connacht Tribune; Mark Walsh, Tuam Herald; Michael Glynn, Connacht Tribune; Seán Bán Breathnach, Raidio na Gaeltachta; Keith Kelly, Connacht Tribune; and Dara Bradley, Connacht Tribune.
Full coverage in this week's Connacht Tribune