The first Eric O'Reilly Cup goes to Westport United girls
By Stuart Tynan
With no Young Sports Stars Awards taking place this year due to Covid-19, The Connaught Telegraph will be taking a trip down memory lane reviewing each of the five awards ceremonies that have taken place to date. Up next is the 2016 Young Sports Stars Awards.
THE second Connaught Telegraph Young Sports Stars Awards took place in Breaffy House Hotel on February 10, 2017.
A total of 21 recipients across 12 different sporting disciplines, including table tennis, swimming, boxing, camogie, Gaelic football, soccer, badminton, and athletics were honoured on the night, as well as the addition of a brand new award in memory of the late Eric O'Reilly.
Eric's name was synonymous with Iorras Aontaithe, and he played an instrumental part in the sides Mayo Premier Division title win in 2000 and also the Super League in 2003.
He was also at the centre of all activities within the organisation, from fundraising to coaching, and it was because of his work with numerous underage teams that The Connaught Telegraph decided – with the support of his family to create the Eric O'Reilly Memorial Cup to award to a soccer team that achieved something special.
The inaugural winners were the Westport United Under 12 A girls, who not only won the Mayo Premier Division but, on a memorable day in Dublin, also claimed the FAI Women's Under 12 sheild in 2016.
In addition, the Mayo side who won the All-Ireland Under-21 title were crowned male team of the year while another All-Ireland winning team, the Mayo Under-14 camogie squad, claimed the female team of the year.
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The Mayo team that captured the 2016 All-Ireland title was recognised as the top male team of the year at the second annual Connaught Telegraph Young Sports Stars Awards. PHOTO: SPORTSFILEImage 2 of 2
Matthew McNeive and Michaela Walsh were the Outstanding Young Sportsman and Outstanding Young Sportswoman respectively at the second annual Connaught Telegraph Young Sport Stars Awards.Swinford native Michaela Walsh won the Melissa Patterson Perpetual Cup for Outstanding Young Sportswoman for the second year in a row while Knock's Matthew McNeive won the Darragh Doherty Perpetual Cup for Outstanding Young Sportsman.
The other main award winner, selected by The Connaught Telegraph readers, was Louisburgh Gaelic football star Padraig Prendergast, who played a significant role in his sides historic Connaught JFC win, the first for the club.
2016 CONNAUGHT TELEGRAPH YOUNG SPORTS STARS AWARDS WINNERS
January: Sarah Baynes (soccer) and Mark Bolger (badminton)
February: Michaela Walsh (athletics)
March: Eoin Lavin (boxing) and Saoirse Ludden (soccer)
April: Nicholas Quinn (swimming)
May: Matthew Ruane (Gaelic football)
June: David Kenny and Sean Regan (hurling)
July: Shannon Sweeney (boxing) and Matthew McNeive (Transplant Game, athletics and table tennis)
August: Dayna Finn (basketball) and Maeve Gallagher (athletics)
September: Ava Lambert (camogie)
October: Paddy Durcan (Gaelic football)
November: Fionn McDonagh and Padraig Prendergast (Gaelic football)
December: Jordan Loftus (soccer), Ciara Ginty (boxing) and Shauna Heffernan (tennis)
Male Team of the Year: All-Ireland Mayo Under 21 Gaelic football squad
Female Team of the Year: All-Ireland Mayo Under 14 camogie squad
Eric O'Reilly Memorial Cup: Westport United Under 12 girls soccer team
Melissa Patterson Perpetual Cup for Outstanding Young Sportswoman: Michaela Walsh
Darragh Doherty Perpetual Cup for Outstanding Young Sportsman: Matthew McNeive