Annual awards night another big success

They came in their hundreds to the magnificent Knightsbrook Hotel, Trim on Monday night for the second annual Meath Chronicle / Cusack Hotels sports personality-of-the-year awards. Olympic boxing bronze medallist Darren Sutherland was a popular winner of the overall award which was accepted on his behalf by his father, Tony. The glitz and glamour of the lavish occasion temporarily swept away the recession blues that are drowning the country as over 300 invited guests were feted by the Cusack Hotel Group and the Meath Chronicle. Guests from the sporting arena, business and politics and the media were regaled by master of ceremonies Micheal O Muircheartaigh. The presentations of the mementos to the 'outstanding achievement" nominees, Noel Meade, Colm Gilcreest, the Meath camogie team, Navan O"Mahonys, Kells handballers Tom Sheridan and Brian Carroll and Bohermeen"s St Patrick"s Athletic"s goalkeeper Gary Rogers, were greeted with approval. Meade was a popular recipient of the overall award in that category. The Castletown trainer endured mixed fortunes in 2008, but still managed to send out his 2,000th winner on 27th September when his stable jockey Paul Carberry partnered Rinroe to victory in the Kells Beginners Chase at Navan. Meade didn"t have to wait too long for winner number 2,001 when he also won the next race on the card at his local Navan track. Queried by O Muircheartaigh about his first winner, Meade told the audience that he remembered it well. 'My first winner, I rode it myself, it was the only winner I rode and it was in an amateur hurdle at Wexford on a horse called Tu Va almost 40 years ago,' he recalled. Tu Va was Meade"s first real racehorse and the grey gelding was puchased for the equivalent of €127 with a friend and enthusiast, Michael Condra. Meade also explained how he decided to give up Gaelic football at an early age after a few games with his local club, Castletown. Another big cheer greeted the inaugural Hall of Fame award which was presented to Sean Boylan. While praise has been lauded on other managers in recent years for their magnificent achievements, there are very few that can match Boylan for the success he has brought to Meath football with a succession of different teams. Prior to the Dunboyne man"s arrival as Meath senior football manager in October 1982, the trophy cabinet at Pairc Tailteann was relatively bare. The Sam Maguire cup hadn"t graced the banks of the Boyne since 1967 and the air of discontent was turning to apathy with support for the Meath team at an all-time low. However, Boylan wasn"t long in restoring some pride to the green and gold jersey. With the Dunboyne man in charge the Meath spirit was born as just months after taking over, the O"Byrne Cup was annexed in 1983. The following season was Centenary Year and an open draw competition caught the imagination of the nation and especially in Meath as Boylan"s men went on a remarkable run which culminated with a final victory over Monaghan by 0-10 to 0-8. Leinster SFC glory was still proving elusive. However, the Co Board stood loyal and in 1986 the breakthrough came. The Leinster crown was won in pouring rain as Dublin were finally defeated by 0-9 to 0-7, but in the All-Ireland semi-final Kerry proved too strong. The floodgates were open and with such illustrious stars as Mick Lyons, Michael McQuillan, Robbie O"Malley, Liam Harnan, Kevin Foley, Gerry McEntee, Liam Hayes, Joe Cassells, Colm O"Rourke and Bernard Flynn in the team, Meath were a force. The 20-year wait for All-Ireland glory ended in 1987 when Cork were defeated in the All-Ireland final and the following year the Rebels again felt the full force of Meath football at its very best. Meath won the 1990 NFL and were back with a bang in 1991 as Kevin Foley"s remarkable goal ended the four-in-a-row saga with Dublin on the way to an unsuccessful final appearance against Down. The National League crown was won again in 1994 before players like Darren Fay, Paddy Reynolds, Mark O"Reilly, Trevor Giles and Graham Geraghty ensured another All-Ireland title in 1996 with a win over Mayo after a replay. Three years later Meath were back in the winners enclosure again as Boylan"s remarkable reign brought another All-Ireland title with another final victory over Cork. Almost that exact team managed to inflict one of Kerry"s heaviest ever defeats in the All-Ireland semi-final in 2001, but the final loss to Galway that hurt Meath badly and they have struggled to get back to form since. Boylan was also the recipient of the October monthly award following his success in Australia with the international rules team. The monthly winners in the main category were: January - Kieran Kelly; February - Paul Carberry; March - Nina Carberry; April - Damien McGrane / Navan RFC (joint); May - Denis Hurley; June - Johnny Murtagh; July - Pat Coyle; August - Darren Sutherland; September - Rachel Eagleton; October- Sean Boylan; November - Kilmessan HC; December - Moynalvey GFC.