Mack Hansen and Catherine Martin were the big winners at the annual Connacht Rugby Awards Ball as they were crowned the respective Men's and Women's Players of the Year for 2021/22. The accolade is the latest in a string of achievements for Hansen who has enjoyed a whirlwind first season with Connacht. The back-three ace has scored seven tries in 14 appearances for the province, and also started four of Ireland's five Guinness Six Nations games, scoring a famous try against France and winning the Triple Crown. His performances meant he was duly voted the Men's Player of the Year by his Connacht team-mates, with Cian Prendergast and Conor Oliver also nominated for the award. The Women's Player of the Year award went to centre Martin after her excellent appearances for Connacht in this season's Vodafone Women's Interprovincial Championship. Meanwhile, Prendergast's breakthrough season was deservedly acknowledged by the supporters, with the flanker named the Fans' Player of the Year after a week of public voting on connachtrugby.ie. Matthew Devine capped a brilliant season with the scrum half named the Academy Player of the Year, largely thanks to his terrific form for the Ireland Under-20s during their Grand Slam-winning Six Nations run. There were also emotional scenes at the Clayton Hotel when the late, great Mick Grealish was posthumously awarded the Lifetime Contribution to Connacht Rugby award. His wife Maureen and family received the accolade on his behalf.

2021/22 CONNACHT RUGBY AWARDS - LIST OF WINNERS & NOMINEES:

Under-18 Men's Player of the Year - sponsored by Sound to Light Winner: Max Flynn – Galway Corinthians RFC/CC Roscrea Hugh Gavin – Galwegians RFC/The Jes Ryan Roche – Galwegians RFC/St. Paul's Oughterard Under-18 Women's Player of the Year - sponsored by RDJ Winner: Molly Boote – Connemara RFC/Clifden Community College Éabha Nic Dhonnacha – Galway Corinthians RFC/Chuimsitheach na Chiaráin, An Cheathru Rua Karly Tierney – Tuam/Oughterard RFC/Salerno Salthill Under-19 Men's Player of the Year - sponsored by Benchmark Recruitment Winner: Harry West – Ballina RFC/The King's Hospital John Devine – Ballinasloe RFC/Garbally College Adam Hunter – Sligo RFC/Sligo Grammar School Academy Player of the Year - sponsored by Total Health Winner: Matthew Devine Cathal Forde Diarmuid Kilgallen Referee of the Year - sponsored by LK Shields Winner: Andrew Fogarty Siobhán Daly Gerry Geraghty Coach of the Year - sponsored by Deloitte Winner: Charlie Couper – Buccaneers RFC Martin Cummins – Dunmore RFC Henry O'Toole – Connemara RFC Women's Club Player of the Year - sponsored by CityLink Winner: Aoife Williams – Galwegians RFC Noreen Coyne – Westport RFC Hazel Kilduff – Buccaneers RFC Men's Junior Club Player of the Year - sponsored by Laya Winner: Brian Diffley – Creggs RFC Steven Conroy – Ballinrobe RFC Ian Staunton – Connemara RFC Men's Senior Club Player of the Year - sponsored by Aerogen Winner: Calum Quinn – Ballina RFC Shane Layden – Buccaneers RFC Mark McDermott – Galway Corinthians RFC Club of the Year - sponsored by Bank of Ireland Winner: Creggs RFC Buccaneers RFC Sligo RFC Fans' Player of the Year - sponsored by Intersport Elverys Winner: Cian Prendergast Jack Carty Shane Delahunt Mack Hansen Conor Oliver Lifetime Contribution to Connacht Rugby - sponsored by Heineken Mick Grealish RIP Women's Player of the Year - sponsored by Genesys Winner: Catherine Martin Orla Dixon Fiona Scally Men's Player of the Year - sponsored by Genesys Winner: Mack Hansen Conor Oliver Cian Prendergast