GAA Handball national awards announced

Brady and Reilly win main GAA Handball National All-Star Awards

GAA Handball Ireland have officially announced the National All Star award winners for 2012. Last season was unquestionably one of the most outstanding in the chronicles of GAA Handball with unprecedented success at the World Championships, while this very special event also highlighted the incredible input of hundreds of officials and volunteers.

There was little surprise at the announcement of the National Male and Female Players of the Year awards, with Paul Brady and Aisling Reilly collecting the two major accolades in the players domain following their World Senior Singles championship triumphs, as well as US Open glory. “2012 was the most fantastic ever in the history of GAA Handball and the World Championships showed the sporting world in general what we have to offer. That was the most breathtaking spectacle ever in world handball and the atmosphere when 5,000 spectators filled the Citywest arena for our world finals will be remembered for a very long time. These awards further highlight the brilliant high standards now reached by GAA Handball”, commented GAA Handball President, Walter O’Connor.

One of the most coveted awards, the Club of the Year, goes to the county of Armagh for the very first time, following a season when the highly progressive Lurgan Club, Clnn Eireann, picked up an unrivalled 12 World Championship medals. Add to that the fact that Charly Shanks from the Clann Eireann Club, also picked up the International Player of the year following his impressive run in the USA WPH Pro Tour, which saw him win his first pro stop and move to number 1 on the US circuit.

The 2012 GAA Handball National All-Star Award Winners are as follows:

Player Awards:

Male Player of the Year: Paul Brady, Cavan

Female Player of the Year: Aisling Reilly, Antrim

International Player of the Year: Charly Shanks, Armagh

Masters Player of the Year: Dominick Lynch, Kerry

Young Male Player of the Year: Martin Mulkerrins, Galway

Young Female Player of the Year: Lorraine Havern, Down

Youth Male Player of the Year: Colin Crehan, Clare

Youth Female Player of the Year: Ciana Ní Churraoin, Galway

Official of the Year: Austin McKenna, Monaghan

Clubperson of the Year: Eugene Kennedy, St. Brigid’s, Dublin