February 17, 2011
By Staff Reporter
The place was packed with award winners, wives, girlfriends, teammates, friends, and GAA officials out to show their support. Chairman Seamus Dooley eventually managed to get everyone into the room to get the award ceremony underway. Dooley first presented special awards to Donegal man Frank “Chief” Molloy and Tom Fahey, the Waterford man who has refereed more matches in New York than anyone in recent years.
Each of the 30 players selected for the New York All-Star football and hurling teams received a crystal trophy. The vast majority of the winners made their way to McLean Avenue to pick up their awards in person, an indication of just how much the honor meant to them. The audience made their appreciation known as well, by applauding loudly for the honorees.
The Players of the Year honors were saved for last and Danny Doohan presented each of the six winners with a gold watch. Junior B Footballer of the Year Brendan Moran said the award meant everything and called it one of the highlights of his four years in New York. Moran was one of numerous players to say that the honor received would spur them to up their efforts even more in the coming year.
The success of the night and the awards give the Association a boost heading into the long off-season and looks set to become a fixture on the New York Gaelic seen.
The winners honored on Saturday night were:
Senior Hurling All Stars
Alan Gleason, Offaly. Matthew Mitchell, Offaly, Philip Wickham, Connecticut State, Adrian Guinan, Offaly, Tadgh Healy, New Jersey/Kilkenny, John Madden,
Tipperary, Enda Condren, Offaly, Tom Moylan, Tipperary, Paul Murray, Waterford, Michael “Bonny” Kennedy, Connecticut State, Ollie O’Neill, Connecticut State, Trevor Fletcher, Tipperary, Roy Henley, Waterford, Dave Simms, Galway, Denis McCarthy, New Jersey/Kilkenny
New York Football All Stars
Eunan Doherty, Donegal, Niall Corbett, Kerry, Paul O’Connor, Clare, James McIntyre, Cavan, Pa Murphy, Kerry, Matthew Mitchell, Donegal, Cathal McKeever, Derry, Cormac Kelly, Cavan, Sean Lordan, Cavan, Ronan Garvey, Clare, Alan McFadden, Leitrim, Dave McCarthy, Kerry, Micheal Keaveney, (Clare) Dermot Foley, Kerry, Paddy Smith, Cavan
SFA Football Players of the Year
Niall Corbett, Kerry, Matthew Mitchell, Donegal
Hurling Player of the Year
Bonnie Kennedy, Connecticut State
JFA Player of the Year
Ronan Garvey, St. Barnabas
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JFB Player of the Year
Brendan Moran, Offaly
NYGAA Nominations
Nominations for the New York GAA Board of Officers will take place Thursday night at the Riverdale Steakhouse. The top position of Chairman will be in the spotlight with John Moore expected to challenge the incumbent, Seamus Dooley.