CELEBRATE STARS
Ladies Football
AS St Patrick’s Captain, Sarah Delahunt set the standard required this year for her teammates through hard work, dedication and ultimate commitment.
In her ninth year as a Senior player, she led her team fearlessly to the club’s first ladies Senior championship final.
Her leadership qualities are a positive example to all young players playing the game in Wicklow.
She is also a dedicated county player for the last number of years and is a fully deserving winner of WHEN it comes to the crunch in a big game you need a certain type of player to pull you through and Carnew’s Jody Byrne is just that type of warrior.
Shrewd, intelligent, capable, the affable Byrne helped guide Carnew Emmets to the Junior ‘B’ hurling crown thanks to a sterling performance in the county final in Ballinakill.
Byrne, together with his wily colleague John Kavanagh, helped Carnew claim another hurling crown and rest assured we will see him on the playing fields again in 2018. ‘TINO’ still has the power to turn a game and he still has the sweet right foot that can stick a ball over the bar from anywhere in the opposition half and for that reason alone he is a pleasure to watch on the football fields of Wicklow.
Hollywood’s rapid return to Senior ranks was a welcome development, certainly for the west of the county, and Tony Hannon’s infleunce on Mick Murray’s charges was key to their sensational Intermediate football championship campaign that culminated in that superb victory over Dunlavin in Joule Park, Aughrim.
Hannon is a tank at full-forward for his club and his free-taking ability petrifies defences.
He turned in a very decent showing in their Leinster championship defeat to Emo in Hollywood, opening the scoring with a majestic point and walloping home a penalty just before the break. He is a legend. RATHNEW’S winning Junior ‘B’ captain James kavanagh had a great 2017 from the start of the year.
As small as he might be in stature, he has a huge heart.
Kavanagh was started in the half-forward line to test him, but the Village management always knew he was a very good man marker and in lots of games last year he matched up certain players and wouldnt give them an inch.
Very good at setting up attacks or winning dirty ball, 2018 will only get better for James and as much as there is a stepup to Junior ‘A’, there is no doubt he loves the challenge and will be prominent for the Village yet again. LARAGH’S magical season in 2017 will live long in the memory of everyone associated with the proud club and the performances of Mark Miley will be a highlight that springs to mind whenever there is cause to reflect upon that wonderful journey.
Miley’s worked his socks off over the course of a tricky and difficult Junior ‘A’ championship campaign, contributing many vital scores and covering ground when needed.
Laragh’s wonderul victory over Kilcoole will be remembered for generations and Mark Miley should be proud of the role he played in that big win.
Their journey in Leinster proved to be very entertaining and Mark Miley was again to the fore in the win over Kilcavan and the defeat to the eventual champions. WHAT a season for Coolboy’s Chris Doyle on the handball court.
A dream year for the talented Doyle which started off with the national men’s ‘C’ doubles title with Wexford’s Sean Nolan before he follwed that up with the Junior ‘B’ Leinster singles in 60x30 before going on to clinch the All-Ireland in the same competition.
He then joined forces with Jerome Willoughby and claimed the Leinster Junior ‘B’ doubles before the pair marched on to take the All-Ireland in the same event to complete a superb 2017. Trevor Conyard and family celebrating after the Junior ‘C’ victory over Tinahely.
Junior ‘C’ Football
WHEN Ashford needed someone to take the Junior ‘C’ football final by the scruff of the neck there was nobody better than Trevor Conyard.
Talented Trevor drove hard at the Tinahely defence all day and contributed handsomely to the scoring on the day and without him the black and amber most certinaly wouldn’t have been celebrating what was a wonderful victory.
What makes it even more special was that Conyard had returned from football two years previous due to a nasty knee injury but had made a welcome return to help guide his team to the county final.
This is a very fitting award given the courage and dedication Trevor Conyard showed in what was a wonderful adventure for the Ashford GAA Club, culminating in that very special victory in Pearse’s Park, Arklow, when they toppled Tinahely to claim the Junior ‘C’ football crown for 2017. GLENEALY’S hurlers enjoyed a magic season on the field of battle in 2017 with their Senior werriors winning all round them while their Intermediates put the old enemy to the sword in Pearse’s Park, Arklow.
Key to that victory was the the performance of Ronan Manley.
Glenealy lost full back and captain Michael A. O’Neill to a shoulder injury coming up to half-time.
They moved Matthew Traynor to full-back and brought midfielder Ronan Manley to wing back. Both players had excellent second periods with Manley excelling in the red jersey.
A young man, Ronan Manley always gives his all and we look forward to seeing him in 2018. NO shortage of hurling pedigree here in the form of Bray’s David Maloney. His older siblings include Seanie, Luke and Daire Maloney with David being the second of the Maloney boys to win the award in recent years. His performances this year were outstanding HURLING in St Patrick’s is booming at the moment, and a memorable year culminated in the winning of the Junior ‘C’ hurling title by the Wicklow town side. Key to that victory was the performance of John O’Neill whose quality play came to the fore in the final.