Sports Awards

Winners for 2018 are:

Overall Winner

Longford Pony Club

The Longford Pony Club ladies team comprising Aisling McGreal riding Rincoola Tintean, Rebecca Lyons riding Castlerea Draoi, Edel Whyte riding Abel Star and Rebecca Yorke riding La Vie Hof Ter Zeedycke were crowned UK International Show Jumping champions. Representing their area, club, county and country at the UK Pony Club Championships, the talented Longford team produced their brilliant best to win this prestigious International competition for the second year in succession.

Hall of Fame Winner

Frank Gearty

Frank gave 32 years uninterrupted service to Tennis in County Longford from 1975 to 2007 when he retired from tennis activities. Throughout those years he played a central role in reviving the Longford tennis Open Week in 1976 and building it up to the successful national Tournament that it is today. Every year since 1976 an average of over 100 visiting competitors come from far and wide to Longford where they take part in the week long tournament every July. The Tournament is a recognised National Event and attracts competitors from all over Ireland and internationally.　 Players from all over the world have played Longford Tennis over the years.　 Frank ran the Tournament as director from it’s revival in 1976 until his retirement in 2007. The tournament has put Longford very much on the Tennis map. As well as the tournament, Frank was involved throughout his years with the Club in the development of the Club premises and running Club Committee affairs including many years as Chairperson. He has been dedicated to tennis being a whole community inclusive sport in County Longford. Frank is just part of a team of dedicated volunteers who ran and continue to run the Club very successfully. The award going to Frank is really a mark of tribute not just to Frank but all of the many others in the local Community – parents, coaches players and sponsors who have given so much to Longford tennis over the years.

Club Volunteer of the Year

Leslie Finnan

Junior Sports Person of the Year

Cian Mc Philips

Ardagh’s Cian McPhillips, representing Longford Athletic Club, broke the Irish record in clocking 3:57:28 on his way to winning the U-17 1500m at the National Indoor Juvenile Championship Finals (Day 1) at the Athlone IT International Arena. Class act Cian smashed the existing record by over six seconds and in doing so gained the qualifying time for the European Outdoor Junior Championships in July. And McPhillips completed a magnificent All-Ireland double when he also won the Gold medal in the 800m on Day 3 of the National Indoor Juvenile Athletics Championships.

Sports Ability Award

Niall Murphy

January

Rugby: Kieran O’Gorman

Longford Rugby Club First XV produced one of their best performances of the season to crush Coolmine 36-10 for a bonus point win in the Leinster League Division 1B clash at CPL Park and were particularly impressive in the first half as they built up a commanding 21-3 lead at the break. The defensive efforts of Kieran O’Gorman as he made tackle after tackle was a joy to watch

February

Athletics: Nelvin Appiah

Longford Athletic Club were very successful on Day 2 of the Connacht Indoor Juvenile Championships at the Athlone IT Arena, winning Gold in 11 events along with a number of Silver and Bronze medals. Longford’s leading individual athlete was Nelvin Appiah who completed a magnificent treble in the U-18 category by virtue of winning the 60m, 200m and the High Jump.

March

Athletics: Cian McPhillips

April

Swimming: Darragh Greene

Longford swimming sensation Darragh Greene completed a magnificent hat-trick of National Senior titles, capturing the Gold medals in the Men 50m, 100m and 200m Breaststroke events at the Irish Open Swimming Championships.
Darragh was at his brilliant best in producing a superb performance to set a new Irish record on his way to winning the 100m Breaststroke final at the National Aquatic Centre in Dublin, clocking 1:00.21 in making the consideration time for the European Championships in August and he was subsequently selected on the Ireland squad.

May

GAA Football: James McGivney

In producing a terrific team effort the outsiders Longford scored a famous victory over Meath to reach the Leinster Senior Football Championship semi-final for the first time in 30 years, holding out for a richly deserved 0-16 to 0-14 surprise success at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park. There were many Longford stars on this memorable occasion and particularly impressive in attack was Mullinalaghta man James McGivney, the chief marksman with four cracking points from play.

June

Soccer: Aodh Dervin

For the first time this season Longford Town succeeded in beating one of the other main contenders for promotion in the Airtricity League First Division as they overcame Galway United 3-2 at City Calling Stadium. The Town were particularly impressive in the first half as they established a comfortable 2-0 lead and it was promising young local lad Aodh Dervin, a real joy to watch, who broke the deadlock in the 7th minute with a beautiful strike from just outside the box.

July

GAA Football: Eoghan McCormack

A tremendous start laid the foundations for the Longford U-17s richly deserved 1-13 to 0-11 victory over Dublin in the Leinster Minor Football Shield Final at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park. There were a number of very good performances, led by inspirational captain Eoghan McCormack, and the tenacious Carrickedmond lad was a real driving force at centre-half-forward in giving the entire team a great lift.

August

Equestrian: Longford Pony Club

September

Ladies Football: Sarah Shannon

Carrickedmond produced an excellent display to capture the Ladies Football Senior Championship title for the first time in 31 years following their emphatic 5-7 to 0-12 win over Killoe in the final. Particularly prominent for the new county champions was ace attacker Sarah Shannon who clocked up the tremendous total of 3-5 in playing a major role in the winning of the Alison Smyth Cup.

October

GAA Football: Nigel Rabbitte

Abbeylara footballer Nigel Rabbitte, getting over the disappointment of another county SFC final loss, also featured for the Underdogs against Dublin after coming through the selection process. In the final episode of the Reality TV show with the match live on TG4 the Underdogs crashed to a heavy defeat but at least the Longford viewers got to see wing forward Nigel converting a couple of frees in the first half.