Carlow Sports Star Award winners annouced

Tue, 21 Jan, 2025 - 13:29

Today we announce this year’s Carlow Sports Star Award winners after another magnificent year for Carlow sport.

Rathvilly’s Conor Doyle takes the GAA Football award after a starring role for club and county through 2024, just as Hurling winner James Doyle did with St Mullins and Carlow.

Ladies Football winner Ruth Bermingham captained Carlow to a historic National League title before returning to her club and playing a starring role in Bennekerry/Tinryland's run to All-Ireland glory in Croke Park.

Aimee Nolan came up trumps for Myshall at the business end of the season with huge performances at the business end of the year.

Padraig Amond returned to League of Ireland football for the first time in over a decade and his performances earned him a place in the PFAI Team of the Year and he was one of three players nominated for their Player of the Year award.

Aoife Kelly takes the Ladies Soccer award once again. She was nominated for the FAI U19 Player of the Year after appearing at the U19 European Championships where Ireland competed very well against Spain, Germany and Netherlands. Aoife also continued her League of Ireland career with Shamrock Rovers.

Mens Rugby winner Stephen Smyth appeared for Ireland at the U20 Six Nations and then travelled South Africa with the Emerging Ireland squad. He went on to make his Leinster debut against Connacht in October.

Womens Rugby winner Dannah O’Brien enjoyed another stellar year in an Ireland jersey with the undoubted standout moment coming when she kicked a late conversion to secure a win over world champions New Zealand in Vancouver in September.

Matthew Callinan Keenan took national indoor and outdoor pole vault titles and is a deserving winner of the Athletics award.

Willie Mullins’ status as a horse training legend is already well established but even by his lofty standards, 2024 was a magnificent year. He racked up his 100th Cheltenham Festival winner as part of nine winners in the Cotswolds, including Galopin Des Champs retaining the Gold Cup. He went on to win his first Aintree Grand National since 2005 with I Am Maximus and that set him up to become the first Irish trainer to win the UK Trainers’ title. A truly record breaking year.

Sailing winner Finn Lynch qualified for the Paris Olympic and went on to turn in some superb displays in difficult weather conditions to reach the final and eventually clinch a too 10 place.

Amy Dooley takes the Basketball Award again after firmly establishing herself on the Ireland squad.

Dual All-Ireland winning cyclist Jack Woods takes the Youth Award.

There are three Outstanding Award Winners with All-Ireland champions Bennekerry/Tinryland and the U16 Carlow Camogie team recognised, as well as Darragh Foley after he brought the curtain down on a record breaking career.

There will also be a special surprise award on the night.

As always, the night will be rounded off by the Service to Sport and Hall of Fame awards and Paul Lyons and Paticia Amond are once again outstanding candidates.

Carlow Nationalist sports editor Ger McNally said finalising the winners was a difficult process.

“There were plenty of heated debates with the selection committee before this list was finalised but I think the list of winners once again shows the strength of sport in Carlow.”

“Bennekerry/Tinryland’s wonderful success was a great way to bring down the curtain on the sporting year in Carlow and we look forward to celebrating that on the night and we’ll be touch with all the winners very shortly.”

The event takes place in the Woodford Dolmen Hotel on Friday 21 February with Brendan Hennessy as MC and The Nationalist are delighted to announce that this year’s special guest is former jockey Davy Russell, something that McNally was very pleased with.

“In my two years involved with these awards we’ve had Davy Fitzgerald and Niall Quinn as our guests and they really added to the night. They were joining an illustrious list of special guests before them and Davy certainly will continue that trend. His sporting CV as one of Ireland’s greatest ever jockeys speaks for itself and since his retirement he has become a top class pundit, as well as a very entertaining stint on Dancing with the Stars. We look forward to welcoming Davy on the night and I’m sure he’ll add to everybody’s enjoyment of what is always a wonderful occasion.”