Night with the Stars at Lennon Cup bash
THE atmosphere was electric as the cream of Louth GAA’s young football talent converged on DkIT for the ninth annual Lennon Cup AllStars last Wednesday night.
Some 50 players had been nominated by their schools for coveted places on the AllStars team, but only 15 could be selected and Argus and Drogheda Independent readers’ selections made up 50% of the overall votes before a judging panel convened to complete the voting process.
With teachers and family members looking on in anticipation, the job of announcing the successful nominees fell to three of the current crop of county players in Eoghan Callaghan, Sam Mulroy and Christopher O’Neill.
First to take the stage was Martin McEneaney from Bush PP and the St Patrick’s club who picked up the number one goalkeeper jersey.
The remaining 14 selections were then revealed, including St Mary’s Ardee and Ardee Community School forward Ciaran Keenan who became the first player ever to receive three Lennon Cup All-Star jerseys.
Indeed, Ciaran’s outstanding form in the tournament was about to be recognised yet again as he collected the inaugural Player of the Tournament award.
Making all the presentations was DkIT’s two-time Trench Cup winner, Monaghan star Niall Kearns.
Taking charge of the night’s proceedings was DkIT’s GAA development officer Craig Lynch who said a significant number of the Lennon Cup nominees would go on to enjoy successful inter-county careers. Proving his point, Craig listed all the previous Lennon Cup All-Star teams, each of which contained some household names in local GAA.
County Board chairman Des Halpenny, who had been re-elected the night before, spoke of the tournament going from strength to strength, recalling that in the early days the finals were played at lunchtime in front of just a handful of spectators.
He said that even just to be nominated was great for a young man to have on his CV.
Group editor John Mulligan spoke for the Argus and Drogheda Independent, congratulating all the nominees and expressing the wish that some of them would have the opportunity to play for Louth in an all-new County Grounds.
Louth Senior Colleges chairman Paul Malone reminded the large attendance of the Lennon Cup’s beginnings.
The competition was established in memory of Kilkerley native Brendan Lennon, a student of Colaiste Ris who tragically passed away during a training session with the school team back in 1970.
Other speakers on the night were DkIT sports and societies officer Derek Crilly and the college’s president Dr Michael Mulvey.
Afterwards the All-Star recipients gathered for a group photo before going their separate ways, but they reassembled at the college on Thursday evening for a special All-Stars 2018 v 2017 challenge.
ABP sponsored the Man of the Match to the tune of €1,000, with the funds going to the winning player’s club.