Sports Stars of the Year

With just over the sporting year completed, interest in the Westmeath Examiner and Mullingar Park Hotel Sports Stars of the Month is continuing to mount. Already, Kathryn Nea, Mullingar Hockey Club and Darren McCormack have been selected as the inaugural three winners for 2009 and this it was confirmed some very worthy sporting ambassadors will join at a Gala Ball to be held in the Mullingar Park Hotel early next year.

Last April, one of the truly outstanding referees of the modern area, Barry Kelly was unveiled as the Vodafone Referee of the Year for 2008. A knight of the whistle for much of his adult level, the Mullingar Shamrocks and St. Oliver Plunketts clubman has taken charge of virtually every big in the land, including last year's All-Ireland Senior Hurling final. He is widely respected by players and officials and he a very worth winner of the April award.

In May, a rare but wonderful occasion was celebrated by camogie lovers across the county when the Under 16 girls were crowned All-Ireland champions. They put in a wonderful amount of work to reach the highest pinnacle and collectively, the squad involved has been selected as the Sports Stars of the Month for May. In recent years, Westmeath has been renowned for producing top flight athletes and yet again a new batch of exceptionally talented young stars is emerging.

Two of the most successful members at juvenile level are Mullingar Harriers' Jake Byrne and Shane Fitzsimons. They have had wonderful cross country seasons, culminating in their selection on Irish international teams in June. The pair have undoubted potential and truly deserving of selection as the June Sports Stars of the Month. In July, the sport of pitch and putt received a very timely boost when a young Kilbeggan woman took on allcomers and came out tops at the All-Ireland Juvenile Pitch and Putt Championships.

Aoife Carton returned to a hero's welcome after her magnificent performance and she has raised the profile of pitch and putt to a new level, particularly among her peers. She is a very worthy winner of the July award. As stated the monthly winners will be the guests of Mullingar Park Hotel and the Westmeath Examiner, at a Gala Presentation Awards Night, to be hosted by RTE's Colm Murray early in the New Year.