Mayo rugby international guest of honour at Claremorris Colts award night

Aoife Heaney from Garrymore was the guest of honour at the recent Claremorris Colts Rugby Club annual awards night in the McWilliam Park Hotel in the town. Aoife became the first Irish International player from the Mayo club when she featured in the recent Six Nations U-18 Championship in England.

The club was formed back in 2009 and around 200 people enjoyed the meal, celebrations and presentations with Liam Horan from Ballinrobe as compére for the ceremonies.

The awards, sponsored by CBE, Claremorris, with company executive JP Kirrane in attendance, were presented to all teenage boys and girls squads and senior team members with crystal trophies for Player of the Year, Most Improved Player and ‘Hail, Rain or Shine’ Player of the Year.

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Aoife Heaney, who was also a leading member of the Mount St Michael senior team that won the Connacht Schools title this season, officiated at the presentation of the trophies to the players and she later received the Youth Player of the Year for the second season in a row. She also presented her first Irish jersey to Fergal Byrne, chairman of the club.

The chairman welcomed members of the Heaney family and expressed delight with the honour Aoife had bestowed on the club by being honoured with the Irish team jersey. He also thanked the ongoing main sponsors, the local Credit Union, Phelan Motor Factors for their long-standing jersey sponsorship and post pads, CBE, and Donnellan Funeral Directors for the awards sponsorship, and all who had contributed spot prizes along the way.

Fergal had further words of thanks for the coaches, players, parents, and expressed gratitude on behalf of all at the club to the organising committee of the celebration night led by Siobhan Jennings.

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The awards winners in the three categories for the 2024/2025 season were: (First named - Most Improved Player; Second named - Hail, Rain and Shine; Third named - Player of the Year): U-13 Boys: James Larkin, Oran Cowley, Ruairí O’Dea; U-14 Boys: Shane Diskin, Riley Quinn, Conor Fitzsimons; U-14 Girls: Ruby Judge, Maeve Heaney, Grace Jennings; U-15 Boys: Johnny Prendergast, Jack Mullaney, Shane Heaney.

U-16 Boys: Aodhan Flatley, Cian Healy, Eoghan Loughney; U-16 Girls: Lara McNulty, Sadhbh Doherty, Ruth Cunnane; U-18.5 Boys: Tadhg Feerick, Ronan Murphy, Stephen Colleran; U-18 Girls: Emma Heffernan, Leah Judge, Emma Gibbons.

Senior Hail, Rain or Shine: Cathal McHugh; Senior Players’ Player of the Year: Jack Colleran; Senior Young Player of the Year: Liam Heaney; Senior Club Player of the Year: Oisín O’Connor; Youth Player of the Year: Aoife Heaney.