Messett honoured at FAI awards night
TO be recognised by the FAI is a wonderful achievement. To be recognised by them twice is just incredible.
That’s exactly what happened to Gary Messett on Sunday evening at the FAI International Awards as he received the prize for Football For All.
Messett was a previous recipient of the same honour in 2007 as a 19-year-old. Eleven years on, the Bray native, currently residing in Co. Wexford, is still flying the flag for Ireland with pride as part of Ireland’s Cerebral Palsy team.
The ex-Glencormac United and St. Fergal’s AFC had a guardian angel watching over his shoulder on Sunday as he crossed paths with Seamus Coleman, Damien Duff et al. Sadly, Messett’s granny – Dolores (Lollie) – passed away in February and it was on the same day that Messett discovered he was in the running for the gong for a second time.
Sitting waiting for him on his return home was four tickets to the event courtesy of the FAI and the night will go down as one of his best as he is more aware of its significance second time around.
“In terms of this as an achievement, it would be up there as the best. I previously won this award in 2007 but to be nominated again and then to win it again was amazing and I’m still in shock to be honest.
“I attended the FAI awards in 2007 but I was very young when I won it and to be honest I might not have appreciatde as much as I do now - especially now that I have my daughter Poppie in my life.”
Another rock in his life is his fiancée Hollie Davies who will have to cope without her beloved yet again when Messett jets off to the Netherlands in the summer with the Ireland CP team for the Euros.
“Next up for us is the European Championship in Holland. We fly out on July 23 and come home on August 6.
We currently still have emerging players trialling in different areas of the country and we are still promoting CP football around schools and clubs.”