Meath Sports Awards - APRIL (two of two) RAY MOLONEY
The countdown is on for the Meath Chronicle Sportsperson of the Year awards with the 13th annual ceremony scheduled for its traditional home at Knightsbrook Hotel, Trim next Friday evening.
TICKETS
You can still buy tickets as there is limited availability - If you wish to attend contact Linda Cahill in the Meath Chronicle by Wednesday - linda.cahill@meathchronicle.ie or the Ticketline at (046) 9079654 - 10am - 2pm - Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday.
The overall 2019 Sportsperson of the Year will be selected from the monthly winners who will each be honoured on the night in recognition of their specific achievements during 2019.
The 2019 Sportsperson of the Year awards will be hosted by RTE’s Evanne Ni Chuilinn.
The list of contenders is listed at the end of this article and in this piece the focus is on one of the two April winers - Navan RFC player / coach Ray Moloney.
RAY MOLONEY
The Tipperary man took over the reins at Navan RFC for the start of the 2018 / 2019 AIL Div 2A season in September 2018.
Navan had achieved successive promotions under former coach Alan Kingsley and Div 2A was a big test for both the players and Moloney.
Under the guidance of Moloney, who also plays for the club, Navan had a consistent season and made it into the promotion play-offs where they defeated Cashel in the semi-final and then got the better of top Belfast Queens University by 34-19 in the final at Balreask Old last April.
A third successive represented a huge achievement for a club like Navan that just over a decade ago was playing junior rugby.
When the AIL was restructured in 2016 into five 10-team divisions Navan was graded in the lowest tier, Div 2C.
Navan adapted quickly and stormed to the AIL Div 2C title with a championship-winning display on the last day of the season that secured the title against Sligo at Balreask Old.
Twelve months later they made it into the promotion play-offs from 2B and went to Magherafelt and defeated Rainey Old Boys to make it into Div 2A for last season.
Both those successes were achieved under coach Alan Kingsley who departed to take up a position with Newport Gwent Dragons and he was replaced by Moloney who again found the winning formula through the play-offs with a place in Div 1B for 2019/2020 secured.
Securing promotion was an amazing achievement by Moloney and while life in Div 1B is proving to be difficult Moloney's style, hunger and desire will ensure that the Balreask Old side will give it their all.
MONTHLY WINNERS
January - Gavin Kennedy (Ashbourne RFC); February - Shane Aston (Trim AC); March - Ger Lyons (horseracing), Andy McEntee (GAA); Keith Donoghue (horseracing), Gavin Cromwell (horseracing), April - Ray Moloney (Navan RFC), Gordon Elliott (horseracing); May - Eamonn Murray (GAA); June - Nick Fitzgerald (GAA); July - Donal Keogan (GAA); August - Colin Keane (horseracing); September - Brian Carroll & Gary McConnell (handball); October - Cian Carey (motorsport); November - Mary Watters (athletics); December - Alan Murphy (Trim Celtic).
OTHER AWARDS
Other awards that will be presented include
Team of the Year - Na Fianna Camogie (voted by Meath Chronicle readers)
Outstanding Achievement Male - Jack Regan (voted by Meath Chronicle readers)
Outstanding Achievement Female - Natalya Coyle (voted by Meath Chronicle readers)
Young Sportsperson of the Year - TBA on the night (selected by Meath Chronicle)
There will be some Facebook live from the Knightsbrook next Friday night.