Connacht Awards For Henshaw And Marmion
Connacht Rugby celebrated the past year at their annual Awards Dinner in the Radisson Blu Galway Hotel last Saturday night.
Over 400 people attended the event which saw awards presented to players, coaches and volunteers across a range of categories.
The cream of Connacht’s underage talent kicked off the ceremony followed by awards for junior and senior clubs and players and the event was rounded off with the players awards.
Scrum half Kieran Marmion was named Connacht Young Player of the Year, while 19-year-old full-back Robbie Henshaw picked up the award for Connacht Senior Player of the Year.
The focal point of the evening was the celebration of outgoing head coach Eric Elwood. Eric’s colleagues, friends and family paid tribute to the Connacht legend in a special video montage prepared by Kieran Hartigan, director and producer of the documentary, ‘The West’s Awake’.
Dr. Mick Molloy was inducted into the Connacht Rugby Hall of Fame for his extraordinary contribution to rugby within Connacht and Ireland.
Mick played for Connacht from 1966 to 1978 and his international career spanned over a decade. He was the Irish rugby medical officer up until 2006 and recalled fondly working with a young Eric Elwood.
The full list of winners from the 2012/13 Connacht Awards Ceremony is below:
CONNACHT UNDER-18 SCHOOLS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Ciarán Gaffney
CONNACHT UNDER-18 CLUBS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Conor Kyne
CONNACHT UNDER-19 PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Connacht Tribune; presented by Dave Hickey, CEO Connacht Tribune
Sean O’Brien
CONNACHT UNDER-20 PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Deep Riverrock; presented by Huge Early, Deep Riverrock
Darragh Leader
CONNACHT WOMEN’S INTERPRO PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Emma Clery
CONNACHT WOMEN’S CLUB PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Marian Sheridan, Tuam RFC
CONNACHT CLUB OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Heineken; presented by Jim Glynn, Heineken
Corinthians RFC
CONNACHT COACH OF THE YEAR
Pat Cunningham, forwards coach, Corinthians RFC
CONNACHT VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR
John Folan, Galwegians RFC
CONNACHT JUNIOR CLUB PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by the Connacht Hotel; presented by Shay Livingstone, general manager, the Connacht Hotel
Mickey Murphy, Ballina RFC
CONNACHT SENIOR CLUB PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by iRadio; presented by Deborah Fagan, CEO, iRadio
Finn Gormley, Corinthians RFC
CONNACHT EAGLES PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Elverys; presented by Jimmy Staunton, chairman, Elverys Sports
Matt Healy
CONNACHT YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Mazda; presented by Michael Butler, dealer principle, Windsor Mazda, Galway
Kieran Marmion
CONNACHT SENIOR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Mazda; presented by Michael Butler, dealer principle, Windsor Mazda, Galway
Robbie Henshaw
CONNACHT RUGBY HALL OF FAME
Sponsored by Anthony Ryans; presented by Steve Cunningham, Connacht Rugby PGB
Dr. Mick Molloy