Young Mayo Club Star to be honoured

Young Club Star to receive award at sold-out event


Mike Finnerty

THE ‘full house’ signs will be up at Knockranny House Hotel, Westport on Saturday, December 15 after tickets for The Mayo News/O’Neills Club Stars Charity Banquet sold out yesterday (Monday).
Anybody who wishes to attend the event will now be placed on a ‘standby list’ due to a phenomenal demand for tickets in recent weeks. All proceeds from this year’s event are being donated to the Mayo/Roscommon Hospice Foundation.
Meanwhile, four up and coming young club footballers have been nominated for the inaugural Rising Star/’Young Footballer of the Year’ award on the night.
The award — which is sponsored by the Mayo Sports Clinic in Ballina — will recognise an ‘emerging talent’ that has made their mark during 2012 and the winner will be presented with their trophy by former Armagh All-Ireland winner, Oisín McConville, on the night.
Ballintubber duo Conor Finnerty and Diarmuid O’Connor, Castlebar’s Rory Byrne and James Shaughnessy from Claremorris have all been shortlisted for the accolade following their respective club performances over the course of the season.
Finnerty and O’Connor (who both played minor in 2012), as well as Byrne all featured for their clubs in the recent County U-21 ‘A’ championship final that went to a replay.
Shaughnessy, who was part of the Mayo U-21 panel earlier this year, made a big impression for Claremorris during the Mayo SFC as the South Mayo side qualified for the last eight.
“We’re delighted to be in a position to add in this exciting new category this year,” commented Austin Garvin, one of four Club Stars judges.
“There were so many young footballers that caught our eye during the season that whittling the list down to just four nominees was much easier said than done.
“But we feel that these lads performed consistently well and definitely fit the bill of being ‘emerging talents’.”
The Mayo Sports Clinic in Ballina, which is run by Dr Sean Moffatt and Liam Moffatt (both members of the Mayo senior football medical team) are the award sponsors.
The Clinic specialises in preventing, diagnosing and treating sports injuries and musculoskeletal problems. They also take a pro-active role in the crucial rehabilitation period that every individual has to go through after being treated for injuries.
Many of the Clinic’s clients are club players while Sean and Liam also treat top-level inter-county Gaelic footballers and hurlers, Olympic runners and boxers, and the person who simply participates in sport for their own personal enjoyment.

STANDBY LIST
TICKETS for the Club Stars awards ceremony have been sold out. However, if you would like to be placed on a standby list please call (098) 25311.