Young Mayo sports achievers honoured by The Connaught Telegraph
Up to 40 athletes and achievers, as well as a number of teams, have been honoured tonight at the fifth annual Mayo Young Sports Stars of the Year Awards hosted by The Connaught Telegraph in association with Togher Tyres, Castlebar, at Breaffy House Hotel.
The four top individual awards were secured by Mayo and Kilmaine GAA talent Oisin Mullin, Swinford triathlele Maeve Gallagher, Ballyhaunis golfer John William Burke and Castlebar motorsport competitor Patrick McEveney.
Mullin, who has established himself at No. 3 in the Mayo senior team during the National League campaign, was named best male sportsperson for his accomplishments and he was presented with the Darragh Doherty Memorial Cup by members of the Doherty family.
Oisin is a first cousin of the late Darragh Doherty.
He said: "This is a huge honour for me."
The Melissa Patterson Cup, for the best female sportsperson, was won by Maeve Gallagher, who made history last year by becoming the first Irish athlete to represent Ireland in three different sports in three European Championships.
Maeve thank the Patterson family and The Connaught Telegraph for the award.
Ballyhaunis golfer John William Burke was selected by readers of The Connaught Telegraph as their choice of outstanding young Mayo sports person of the year in recognition of his achievements at the US Kids European Golf Championships in Scotland last May.
The prestigious Volunteer of the Year Award was captured by Patrick McEveney, Snugboro, Castlebar, who has been involved in motorsport since the age of 14.
The county title-winning Knockmore minor squad was honoured as the Best Male Team, with the basketball panel of St. Mary's Secondary School, Ballina, was named Best Female Team.
The Eric O'Reilly Memorial Cup, for the best soccer team, went to the Mayo Under 12 girls team which captured the Gaynor Cup.
The guest speaker at the event was the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Michael Ring, who praised the abundance of sporting talent in the county under the age of 23.
*See our Facebook page and Twitter account for photographic coverage of the event.
Watch interview with Oisin Mullin at this link:
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