There was a great atmosphere in Clonduff Club on Saturday 17th November 2018 when the Gaels of the Parish and their guests gathered to pay homage to past and present players. Fear an Tí was Francis Quinn who had prepared some great videos and ‘grilled’ some of the guests. Special guests who were welcomed were Paddy Tally (Down Football manager), Kathleen Woods (National President Camogie Association),Sean Rooney (Down Chairman), Deirdre McGrath (Down Camogie Chair), Paula Magee (Down Scór), Fr Charlie Byrne PP and Ms Una Lawless Principal St Patrick’s PS.
Presentations were made between the meal courses and first up were the Football Awards:-
Minor Footballer of the Year – Sean McCumiskey
U21 Footballer of the Year – Jamie O’Hagan
Thirds Footballer of the Year – Darren Quinn
Seconds Player of the Year – John McPolin
Senior Player of the Year – Jamie Gribben
Special presentations to Tony Wilson, Kevin McGrath and Rory Matthews who were members of the Down Masters Shield winning team
Minor LGFA Player of the Year – Erin Rafferty
Framed team photos and medals were presented by County Chairman Sean Rooney to the Junior Hurling Champions, followed by the inaugural presentation of the Sean Cairns Memorial Trophy, by his family for the Most Improved Hurler of the Year – Conor Pio Gribben
James Matthews Trophy to Senior Hurler of the Year – John Murphy who also recently picked up the County Award for Junior Hurler of the Year.
Francis then conducted a Q&A session with the new Down Manager Paddy Tally – it contained a great mixture of serious and hilarious Q&A as did all the Q&A sessions of the evening – Hurling Manager Declan Napier and Captain Sean Downey and later in the evening with Camogie Manager Damien Farnon.
Kathleen Woods National Camogie President addressed the crowd before presenting the County and Ulster medals to the team.
Minor Camogie Player of the Year – Joint – Niamh Fitzpatrick & Katie Magilligan
Senior Camogie Player of the Year – Sara Louise Graffin.
Deirdre McGrath Down Camogie Chair made presentations to Soaring Stars and Gaelic Life All Stars – Fionnuala Carr, Sara Louise Graffin, Paula O’Hagan
College All Stars – Isabella O’Hare and Beth Fitzpatrick.
Next up was the award of the Hugh McShane Trophy for the Club Person of the Year – this was jointly presented to Anita Brannigan and Dermot Fitzpatrick by Gerard McShane.
The finale as always is the induction of a past player into the ‘Hall of Fame’ and the presentation of the PJ McAlinden Memorial Trophy by Bronagh McAlinden. The citation was eloquently delivered by Fintan Mussen and the recipient was – Cathal Murray Senior.
Club Chairman Paudie Matthews brought the evening to a close by thanking all who attended and presenting beautiful bouquets to Kathleen Woods, Deirdre McGrath, Mairead Rooney, Paula Magee and Anita Brannigan.
With the formalities now concluded there were opportunities for photos and ‘the craic’. (See FB Page for photos)
