Geraghty and the Kildalkey hurlers are selected

Winners come in all shapes and sizes, but it was the giants of Meath sport that were honoured at Knightsbrook Hotel on Friday night as national hunt jockey Barry Geraghty and Kildalkey senior hurlers were honoured as Outstanding Achievement award winners. Geraghty and the Kildalkey club were recognised for their feats in 2010 by the general public with both parties attracting substantial votes from Meath Chronicle readers to claim the prestigious prizes. To come out on top from such an illustrious list of some of Meath's finest sporting exponents in 2010 is a phenomenal achievement. In the Outstanding Achievement award – Individual category Drumree jockey Geraghty finished ahead of former Meath manager Eamonn O'Brien, who had guided Meath to a first Leinster SFC title in nine years and Joe Sheridan, who had been in outstanding form during the Royals run to provincial glory. Geraghty was kept busy on both sides of the Irish Sea throughout 2010 with leading UK trainer Nicky Henderson having first call on the talented Meath man for his services in England. As well as being a remarkable jockey, Geraghty's popularity and personality also made him an ideal candidate when Horse Racing Ireland appointed him as National Hunt Ambassador for the 2010/2011 in November. Geraghty's successes on the track were numerous, but the Drumree man told the huge gathering at the Meath Chronicle/Cusack Hotels Sportsperson-of-the-Year awards in Knightsbrook Hotel, Trim that his proudest moment came when he partnered Big Zeb to victory in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham last March. Geraghty was presented with his award by his former boss Noel Meade. the inaugural winner of the Outstanding Achievement accolade in 2008. Meade told master of ceremonies Micheal O Muircheartaigh that he was proud of Geraghty and how far he had come. “He came into my yard on his first day wearing a pair of Doc Martens boots, so I told that if he was serious about being a jockey he better get rid of them. “He worked very hard and I think it is fair to say that he is one of the leading national hunt jockeys in the world and it was a very wise choice by Horse Racing Ireland to select him as their ambassador,†said Meade. When Geraghty was quizzed by O Muircheartaigh about his early days with Meade and the effect the Castletown trainer had on him he recalled fondly some of the kind advice he received. “I got a few bollockings from Noel alright, but I'm very grateful to him and I'm very proud to have won this award,†said Geraghty. In one of the toughest categories of the evening, Kildalkey senior hurlers saw off Leinster Junior Club Camogie champions Kilmessan and the Meath senior football team to lift the Outstanding Achievement – Team award. Having endured many barren years at the senior hurling coalface, Kildalkey emerged from the gloom in 2009 to lift only their second Jubilee Cup. After such a long time in the wilderness they would have been forgiven for over-celebrating, but instead they got back down to hard work and recaptured the Meath SHC title in stunning fashion in 2010. It is often suggested that it is more difficult to retain a championship than win it in the first place, but Kildalkey excelled throughout the 2010 SHC and saw off Kilmessan in clinical fashion in the final to lift back-to-back titles Accepting the award on behalf of the Kildalkey club, chairman Brendan Harmon informed O Muircheartaigh that all the success was down to the hard work of the players and the entire club over many years. When quizzed about the prospects of a three in-a-row, Harmon issued a quiet warning to all pretenders. “Sure, why not. It will be tough, but they are a great bunch of lads and we'll give it a go,†he said. When Kildalkey were announced as winners they drew one of the loudest cheers of the evening, while near the back of the room racing men Johnny Murtagh and Ger Lyons cheered on Geraghty's win. It was that sort of evening, where everyone was a winner and proved that Meath is the Royal County of Ireland when it comes to reigning supreme on the sporting fields - at home and abroad.