The nominees
Sports Star of the Year
Sponsored by The Boulevard
CARL FRAMPTON: Bounced back into the ring with a big win over Tyler McCreary in November.
AYEISHA McFERRAN: Integral in helping Ireland’s hockey team qualify for their first ever Olympic Games.
RORY McILROY: Won four tournaments and the FedEx Cup, was also named PGA Tour Player of the Year.
JONATHAN REA: Won his fifth successive World Superbike championship.
Malcolm Brodie Player of the Year (Platinum) Sponsored by Crash Services
JOHN COONEY: Was one of Ulster’s stand-out players in 2019 despite missing out on the Ireland World Cup squad.
MARK DOWNEY: Won a bronze medal in the Points race at the Track Cycling World Championships, Ireland’s first medal since 2014.
JONNY EVANS: A key member of the Northern Ireland squad that secured a playoff spot for Euro 2020.
STEPHANIE MEADOW: Won the World Invitational at Galgorm Castle back in July and retained her LPGA Tour card.
Malcolm Brodie Player of the Year (Gold)
BETHANY FIRTH (below): Won two gold medals and a silver at the Worlds in London.
CIARA MAGEEAN: Qualified for the Olympics and ran an Irish record in the 1500m at the Worlds, also won cross country silver at the Europeans.
RHYS McCLENAGHAN: Won a bronze medal on the pommel horse at the Worlds, which also qualified him for the Olympics.
KATIE MULLAN: Captained Ireland’s hockey team to their first ever Olympic Games.
JASON SMYTH: Won his eighth World gold and continued a sensational unbeaten run in the T13
100m.
Young Player of the Year Sponsored by the Mary Peters Trust
BETH COULTER: Won the Irish Girls’ Close golf tournament and represented Ireland at the Vagliano Trophy, Europeans and Home Internationals.
MOLLY CURRY: Represented Ireland in rowing at the Junior Worlds in Tokyo and also claimed the British and Irish single skulls titles.
DANIEL HARPER: Won the Porsche Carrera Cup GB drivers’ title.
OLIVER SWINNEY: Won the 60m sprint titles at Ulster, Northern Ireland and Irish Under-17 level and gold at the 100m in the interpros for Ulster.
Team of the Year (Platinum) Sponsored by McCombs Coach Travel
BELFAST GIANTS: Won the Elite League and Challenge Cup titles, also reached the finals of the Playoffs and Continental Cup.
NORTHERN IRELAND MEN’S FOOTBALL TEAM: Secured a playoff spot for Euro 2020.
TEAM JOE BARR: Won his age category in the Race Across America and set a course record at the Sebring 24hr race.
ULSTER RUGBY: Reached both the quarter-finals of the Heineken Champions Cup and the semi-finals of the Guinness PRO14.
Team of the Year (Gold)
CIYMS CRICKET TEAM: Completed a sensational treble by winning all three of the NCU’s major trophies.
KILCOO GAELIC FOOTBALL TEAM: Won the first Ulster Club title in their history.
PEGASUS HOCKEY TEAM: Completed the double by winning both the Irish Hockey League and the playoffs.
SLAUGHTNEIL CAMOGIE TEAM: Won their fourth Ulster Club title in a row.
Young Team of the Year
JOHN McENTEE AND NIAMH McEVOY: Won gold at the European Pony Show Jumping Championships as a team.
METHODIST COLLEGE BOYS’ RUGBY FIRST XV: Won the Schools’ Cup title in an unbeaten year.
NORTHERN IRELAND SCHOOLS UNDER-18 FOOTBALL TEAM: Won the 2019 Centenary Shield.
ST MICHAEL’S, ENNISKILLEN: Won Fermanagh’s first ever Hogan Cup title.
Manager/Coach of the Year (Platinum) Sponsored by Crowne Plaza
SEAN DANCER: Coached the Ireland women’s hockey team as they qualified for their first ever Olympic Games.
DAVID HEALY: Won the Danske Bank Premiership with Linfield and nearly qualified for the Europa League groups.
DAN McFARLAND: Led Ulster to the quarter-finals of the Champions Cup and the semi-finals of the Guinness PRO14.
MICHAEL O’NEILL: Helped NI qualify for the Euro 2020 playoffs, earning him a job at Stoke City.
Manager/Coach of the Year (Gold)
LIAM HASLEM: Coached the Northern Ireland karate team to their greatest ever medal haul at the Worlds in Serbia.
NELSON LINDSAY: Coached Bethany Firth to three medals at the Worlds.
MICKEY MORAN: Led Kilcoo’s gaelic football team to the first Ulster Club title in their history.
GREG THOMPSON: Coached Pegasus to their domestic double.
Rising Star Award Sponsored by Bridgestone
ROBERT BALOUCOUNE: Burst onto the scene with Ulster, scoring six tries in his debut season.
BETH COULTER: See Young Player of the Year
DANIEL HARPER: See Young Player of the Year
TOM McKIBBIN: Won the prestigious Junior Invitational golf tournament in the USA
Sportsperson with a Disability of the Year Sponsored by JMK Solicitors
ROSS DAVIDSON: A stand-out player for Knights Wheelchair Basketball Club, is on track for the 2022 Commonwealths.
BETHANY FIRTH: See Player of the Year
BRIAN LENEHAN: Defended his National visually impaired tennis crown, also won titles in Loughborough and Newcastle.
NORTHERN IRELAND POWERCHAIR FOOTBALL SQUAD: Finished fifth at the European Championships, thereby qualifying for the World Cup in 2021.
CLAIRE TAGGART: Won six boccia medals, the NI and UK Championships, and reached the World Open quarter-finals.
Game Changer Award Sponsored by Electric Ireland
GEMMA BEGLEY: The sole employee of the Women’s Gaelic Players Association has set up many initiatives for players beyond the pitch.
BETHANY FIRTH: See Player of the Year
ASHLEY HUTTON: Won her 100th cap for Northern Ireland earlier this year and has been involved in work off the pitch too.
GAIL REDMOND: First team coach at Glentoran as they won a domestic treble, while also works at the IFA as Women’s Development Manager.
Local Heroes Award Sponsored by Sport NI
BRENDA LOUGHRAN: Won the All-Ireland Ladies Junior Football title at 53 alongside daughter Angela (17).
ST MICHAEL’S, ENNISKILLEN: See Young
Team of the Year
CIARA MARLEY: Coached St Catherine’s to Ulster and All-Ireland Schools’ titles while pregnant.
PADDY REA: Organises golf for the disabled at Castlerock GC.