Vote now for Club Stars Senior Player of the Year award

Big guns to fight it out


Three footballers in line for Club Stars Senior Player of the Year award

Mike Finnerty

THE race to be crowned the Club Stars Mayo Senior Championship ‘Footballer of the Year’ is on this week with three of the summer’s big performers going head-to-head for the prestigious accolade.
Ballaghaderreen duo James Kilcullen and Barry Regan, plus Ballintubber’s Alan Dillon have all been selected for the senior shortlist by the Club Stars judging panel of John Casey, Austin Garvin, Sean Rice and Eamonn Clarke.
Now the rest is up to you!
The winner of the award will be revealed next Saturday night at the eighth annual Mayo News/O’Neills Club Stars Banquet at Knockranny House Hotel, Westport.
All three nominees will have their fate decided by the public — with readers of The Mayo News invited to cast their vote for the player they feel deserves to be honoured at www.mayonews.ie/poy between now and Friday, December 14 at 5pm.
There is sure to be huge interest in the competition over the next few days with all three players enjoying consistently excellent campaigns.
Barry Regan, Ballaghaderreen’s free-scoring full-forward, ended the year as top scorer in the Mayo senior championship. He also produced a string of eye-catching displays and led the line superbly in the absence of the injured Andy Moran.
His club-mate, James Kilcullen, also produced the goods when the chips were down in the club championship and was a midfield powerhouse all summer.
Kilcullen, a former county player, was back to his best in the big games.
Alan Dillon, meanwhile, remained the driving force for Ballintubber as they forced their way back to a third successive County Final. The Mayo playmaker is a regular at the Club Stars awards and remains his team’s key man.
The nominee that receives the most votes on The Mayo News website will be declared the Mayo SFC ‘Player of the Year’ and receive the Willie McNeela Perpetual Trophy, which is dedicated to the late, great Mid West Radio sports broadcaster.
Last year’s winner of the award was Ballintubber’s Cillian O’Connor.
The awards ceremony, which is being held in association with AIB, will see the ‘Team of the Year’ and five replacements revealed, plus a presentation will be made to the ‘Manager of the Year’, Mark O’Dowd.
The ‘Personality of the Year’ Kevin Connelly will also be recognised, as well as Special Achievement award winners, Moy Davitts GAA club and The Neale GAA club, as well as the Junior, Intermediate, and ‘Young Player of the Year’ awards.
All the proceeds are being donated to The Mayo/Roscommon Hospice.

KEEN HOTEL RATES
ANYBODY who would like to stay in Knockranny House next Saturday night should contact the hotel on (098) 28600 to avail of their ‘Club Stars’ rate.TICKETS SOLD OUT

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