Munster heads in the mix for national awards

Munster’s hockey community showed support for its own in helping a number of its members make the final shortslists for the Irish Hockey Awards, which were announced today. This year, the IHA changed the structure to nominate the respective shortlists with a public vote allowing members of the hockey public to vote for their favoured recipients.

Over 5,000 votes were received to produce the shortlists in the majority of categories. Shortlists for the Club of the Year; Youth Club of the Year and Developing Club of the Year, though, were determined by specialised committees but winners by the hockey community. A Munster winner is guaranteed in the Senior Club Player of the Year (Men) award, with UCC’s Irish Hockey Trophy-winning captain Andy Gray up against Cork C of I’s David Harvey, Harlequins’ Paul Lombard and Jonny Bruton, the YMCA striker offering a Leinster representation of sorts. On the women’s side, UCD are rewarded for their fine year with recently capped Nicola Gray included along with club mate Brenda Flannery. She is one of two Connacht nominees along with Nessa McGettigan from Greenfields while Naomi Carroll – another recent Irish international – is named following an excellent season with Catholic Institute. Elsewhere, Cork Harlequins supremo Phil Oakley is up for Coach of the Year after guiding his side to a Munster league and cup double and a memorable against-the-odds Irish Senior Cup success, and Cork C of I’s young hitman Gary Wilkinson is up for U18 Player of the Year. Catholic Institute’s Ger O’Carroll and C of I’s Barry Crowley will both be popular nominees in the Volunteer of the Year category, as will 21-year-old Malcolm Coombes who is up for Umpire of the Year. Cork Harlequins are nominated in both the Club and Youth Club of the Year categories, with Fermoy in the Developing Club of the Year section, while Ursulines Thurles are up for Hockey School of the Year. For the most part, the scarcity of Ulster nominees is eye-opening with only James Lorimer among the 16 players in the mix across senior and U18 categories while the province does not feature in the two coaching sections as well as the volunteer list. The Awards night takes place at the Alexander Hotel on October 20 and will be hosted by RTE’s presenter Darragh Maloney. He will be joined by Gerry Duffy as guest speaker. In the summer of 2010, Duffy ran 32 marathons in just 32 days and has also completed a DECA Ironman – 24-mile swim, 1,160-mile cycle and 262-mile run. Beyond that, in June 2011, Duffy, along with 19 other competitors, went to the start line of the inaugural UK DECA Enduroman Ironman Challenge. Dubbed the ‘toughest 10-day endurance event in the world’, Duffy finished first by over 22 hours.

Irish Hockey Awards 2012 final shortlists (winners TBA on October 20) Senior Club Player of the Year (Men): Andrew Gray (UCC), David Harvey (Cork C of I), Jonny Bruton (YMCA), Paul Lombard (Cork Harlequins); Senior Club Player of the Year (Women): Nicola Gray (UCD), Naomi Carroll (Catholic Institute), Brenda Flannery (UCD), Nessa McGettigan (Greenfields HC); U18 Club Player of the Year (Boys): Gary Wilkinson (Cork C of I), David Cole (Monkstown), Jeremy Duncan (Railway Union), James Lorimer (Mossley); U18 Club Player of the Year (Girls): Elaine Carey (Galway HC), Emma Russell (Old Alex), Kate Lloyd (Railway Union), Ailbhe Finnerty (Greenfields HC); Coach of the Year: Mick McKinnon (Railway Union), Graham Shaw (Loreto/Glenanne/Rathdown), Phil Oakley (Cork Harlequins), Johnny Harte (UCD); Umpire of the Year: Malcolm Coombes, Carol Metchette, Colin Hutchinson, Aisling Keogh; Volunteer of the Year: Geraldine O’Carroll (Catholic Institute), Imelda Brennan (Greenfields HC), Donal Dempsey (Galway), Barry Crowley (Cork Church of Ireland); U18’s Coach of the Year: Steph Jones (High School Rathgar), Sarah Scott (Leinster), Miles Warren (Old Alex), Scott Beattie (Sutton Park School); Hockey School of the Year: St. Gerards Bray (Leinster), Ursulines Thurles (Munster), Alexandra College (Leinster), Banbridge Academy (Ulster); Youth Club of the Year: Cork Harlequins, Lisnagravey, Annadale, Loreto, Rathgar; Developing Club of the Year: Athlone HC, Rainey RFHC, Fermoy HC, Rathgar HC; Club of the Year: Victorians, Cork Harlequins, Avoca, Railway Union, Greenfields, Loreto.