TIERNAN O’HALLORAN VOTED CONNACHT RUGBY PLAYERS’ PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Connacht back Tiernan O’Halloran was voted the Connacht Rugby Players’ Player of the Year by his fellow team mates and received the accolade at the annual Connacht Rugby Awards Ball in Galway on Sunday night.

26-year-old O’Halloran has had a phenomenal season as a leader in Connacht’s young back line. The Clifden man has featured in 24 games for the province this season, starting all but one. In the Guinness PRO12, he holds the record for the most carries and the most metres made this season. He earned his third international cap against Canada in the 2016 November Series, touching down for a brace of tries in the Aviva Stadium win.

O’Halloran was up to the stage for a second time on Sunday night to pick up the award for Back of the Year while Connacht captain John Muldoon, who this season celebrated his 300^th cap for the province, was the deserved recipient of Forward of the Year for the second year in a row.

Ballina RFC were awarded the Connacht Club of the Year following an outstanding season of success and development across every aspect of the Mayo club from regenerating the facilities at Heffernan Park to a thriving schools and competitive youths’ programme.

Their remarkable success underpins the senior men’s team who, as well as winning the Cawley Cup, claimed a first Connacht Junior League title in 32 years.

Chris Davies was presented with the Outstanding Contribution to Rugby award for his commitment to schools rugby in Connacht over the past decade. He steps away from the role as Chairman of the Schools Committee having played a massive part in the development of schools rugby with the number of games played tripling in recent years.

Awards Winners

CONNACHT U18 PLAYER OF THE YEAR, sponsored by Top Oil
Niall Murray

CONNACHT U19 PLAYER OF THE YEAR, sponsored by Edward Holdings
Sean Masterson

CONNACHT U18 GIRLS PLAYER OF THE YEAR, sponsored by Mongey Communications
Sarah Dent

CONNACHT WOMEN’S CLUB PLAYER OF THE YEAR, sponsored by Eventus
Emma Clery, Galwegians RFC

CONNACHT WOMEN’S PLAYER OF THE YEAR, sponsored by My Club Finances
Grainne Egan

CONNACHT COACH OF THE YEAR, sponsored by Deloitte
Brett Wilkinson, Buccaneers RFC

CONNACHT CLUB OF THE YEAR, sponsored by Ulster Bank
Ballina RFC

CONNACHT REFEREE OF THE YEAR, sponsored by Golden Eye Security
Karol Collins

CONNACHT JUNIOR CLUB PLAYER OF THE YEAR, sponsored by Radisson Blu Hotel
John O’Brien, Connemara RFC

CONNACHT SENIOR CLUB PLAYER OF THE YEAR, sponsored by Keller Travel
Jordan Conroy, Buccaneers RFC

OUTSANDING CONTRIBUTION TO RUGBY, sponsored by AIB
Chris Davies

CONNACHT ACADEMY PLAYER OF THE YEAR, Sponsored by RDJ
Conor McKeon

CONNACHT RUGBY FORWARD OF THE YEAR, sponsored by Heineken
John Muldoon

CONNACHT RUGBY BACK OF THE YEAR, sponsored by Deep RiverRock
Tiernan O’Halloran

CONNACHT RUGBY TRY OF THE YEAR, sponsored by Irish Independent
James Connolly, Connacht v Ulster

CONNACHT RUGBY TEAM MAN OF THE YEAR, sponsored by Mazda
Jake Heenan

CONNACHT RUGBY PLAYERS’ PLAYER OF THE YEAR, sponsored by Bank of Ireland
Tiernan O’Halloran