The 2018 overall winner of the Park Hotel Waterford Supreme Sports Star award will be presented tonight at a Gala Banquet in the Park Hotel
John Treacy, former World Cross Country Champion, Olympic Silver medallist and CEO of the Irish Sports Council is the guest speaker at the Awards.
The full-list of monthly winners is as follows:
JANUARY
JACK O’DONOGHUE (RUGBY)
The Woodstown man had a great January in the red of Munster, including one of his best ever displays for his province in the 39-13 Pro14 win over Connacht in Thomond Park. He also made big contributions in the Pro14 meeting with Ulster and the Champions Cup clashes with Racing 92 and Castres to win his second monthly award.
FEBRUARY
CRAIG BREEN (RALLYING)
A second placed finish at Rally Sweden, his best ever finish so far in a World Rally Championship event, earned the former overall winner Breen his sixth monthly award. He is the first Republic of Ireland driver to stand on the podium after a WRC event.
MARCH
ALAN REYNOLDS (SOCCER)
Waterford FC enjoyed a brilliant month as they continued their superb run in their first season back in the Premier Division in March. The Blues played six games, winning five, against Sligo, Bohs, Shamrock Rovers and Limerick in the league and UCC in the EA Sports Cup. Manager Alan Reynolds is collecting his second monthly award.
APRIL
TOM CARNEY (SOCCER)
The big centre-half was captain and man of the match as Tramore AFC defeated St Kevin’s of Dublin in the FAI National Youths Cup final at Ozier Park after an epic 4-3 win. It capped an amazing 12 months for Tom and his Seagulls’ team-mates after they won the National U-17 Cup the previous year.
MAY
ROBIN DAWSON (GOLF)
The Tramore GC member had a May to remember when he won the much coveted Irish Amateur Open Championship at Royal County Down. A brilliant opening round of 65 put him out in front and there he would stay, holding off all challengers to ensure the Irish international star got his hands on one of the most famous trophies in Irish golf and his fourth Park Award.
JUNE
KIERAN JACKSON (TRIATHLON)
The Tramore man made Park Awards history in June when he won a first monthly award for the sport of Triathlon. The Irish international triathlete did so for winning the Airpower Hook or by Crook Triathlon in Dunmore East which had assembled a star studded field as part of the BMW National Series.
JULY
ANTHONY CONDON (SHOWJUMPING) & ANDREW GOFF (ROWING)
Cappagh showjumper Anthony Condon was the star of the show as Ireland won the Longines FEI Nations Cup of Britain at Hickstead. Ireland and Great Britain finished level after all riders had jumped so Condon went for Ireland in the jump-off and came home in front to land his fourth Park Award.
UCD rower Andrew Goff, from Waterford City, is winning his second Park Award in as many years after he starred for Ireland as they came home from the World U-23 Rowing Championships in Poznan, Poland with silver in the lightweight quad event.
AUGUST
THOMAS BARR (ATHLETICS)
The Ferrybank AC man was the toast of Waterford and Irish sport in August when he claimed bronze in the final of the 400m hurdles at the European Championships in Berlin to become the first Irish man to ever win a sprint medal at the Europeans. It was a fifth monthly award for the two time overall winner of these awards.
SEPTEMBER
JOE GOUGH (ATHLETICS)
Joe took his fifth monthly award after his wonderful gold medal double at the World Masters Athletics Championships in Malaga, Spain. He won the Over 65 800m title in a European record time of 2.16.38 and then the 1500m title in an Irish record time of 4.49.63. His win saw athletics become the first sport to make it to 50 monthly Park Awards.
OCTOBER
LEE O’CONNOR (SOCCER)
Manchester United’s Lee O’Connor captained the Republic of Ireland U-19 team to European Championship Qualifier wins over the Faroe Islands, Bosnia and Holland in Longford to lead them into the Elite Qualifying stages in the Spring where hopefully they will earn their place in the finals in Armenia in July. This is his first Park Award.
NOVEMBER
PHILIP & PAURIC MAHONY (BALLYGUNNER)
The Mahony brothers played starring roles as Ballygunner defeated Ballyea of Clare in the semi-final and hot favourites Na Piarsaigh of Limerick in the final to claim the club’s first Munster Senior Hurling title since 2001. Philip scored a last gasp goal to bring the semi-final to extra-time and was outstanding in the final at centre-back, while Pauric scored 0-14 in the Ballyea game and 1-6 in the final to help the men in red and black to conquer Munster. It’s a first award for Pauric and a second for Philip.
DECEMBER
HENRY DE BROMHEAD (HORSE RACING)
The 2017 overall Park Award winner had an unbelievable December as he trained a remarkable 16 winners. This included a treble at Thurles and doubles at Naas, Leopardstown and Down Royal, with four winners and two winners respectively at the Leopardstown and Limerick Christmas Festivals. This is Henry’s eighth monthly Park Award.
WLR's Kieran O' Connor is a member of the judging panel, he told WLR Sport the Park Hotel awards are always a major date on the Waterford Sports calander, Kieran joined us on this afternoon's "On The Ball" - Listen Back here:
https://soundcloud.com/wlrfmwaterford/kieran-o-connor-park-hotel-preview-on-the-ball-sat-jan-18th
Who will be crowned as the @ParkHotelDungar Waterford Sports Star? @HenrydeBromhead @PauricMahony @Philipmahoney @leeoconnor @jeogough @TomBarr247 @anfrewgoff @Kierantri @dawson_robin @Tramorefc @WaterfordFCie @Craig_Breen @JackODonoghue8 @WaterfordNS @WaterfordSport @wlrfm pic.twitter.com/9iMRgXWhEu
— Park Hotel Dungarvan (@ParkHotelDungar) January 16, 2019
