Beggan and McManus hit jackpot to
the All-Stars to Philadelphia on Thursday, Beggan was in rather more modest surroundings but delighted to be there to collect his Ulster President’s Footballer of the Year award.
Provincial supremo Michael Hasson admits, too, that it was not a particularly difficult choice for him nor was his decision in choosing Neil McManus as his Hurler of the Year an arduous assignment.
“I think we are blessed with superbly talented players in both codes in Ulster and I believe that Rory and Neil are outstanding ambassadors in their respective fields,” says Hasson.
McManus was in superb form for Cushendall in winning both the Antrim and Ulster club championship titles and is now looking forward to the team’s All-Ireland club semi-final against Connacht side St Thomas’s in the New Year.
And while Beggan and McManus collected the playing honours, long-time Derry county board officer Danny Scullion is the recipient of the Ulster President’s Lifetime Achievement award.
Scullion, a familiar figure within the Ulster corridors of power for decades, is a former Derry secretary and treasurer and is one of the most respected administrators within the GAA.
There was a special award, too, for the popular John McKillop, so often referred to as ‘Cushendall’s 16th man’.
John was presented with the Ulster President’s award for a person with a disability and indeed Hasson could hardly have chosen a more worthy recipient.
Ulster Council PRO Michael Geoghegan believes the awards reflect all that is good in GAA in the province and points to the massive interest there has been in the recent county championships and in the Ulster club championships at the different levels.
“We have had huge crowds at all our county finals and these were replicated at our Ulster club matches. We will be bringing the curtain down on our season this weekend with the Ulster intermediate football championship final and the senior club final but we will only have time in which to catch our breath before the Bank of Ireland Dr McKenna Cup