cgormley

TENNENT'S/UGAAWA MONTHLY MERIT AWARD
October 2007

Conor Gormley from Carrickmore receives the Tennent's/UGAAWA Monthly Merit Award for October 2007 from Jeff Tosh , Regional Controller InBev.
© Houston Green Photography

IT seems that GAA action never stops nowadays which gives us a wide berth to choose our Tennent’s Monthly Merit Award winner.

Standing out from all other activities was, undoubtedly, the M Donnelly Interprovincial Football Championship with Brian McEniff’s squad bring home the Railway Cup for a 14th time in 24 years. The defeat of Munster, under lights at Croke Park, was, indeed, a historic affair.

There was no-one played a bigger part in that than CONOR GORMLEY who played a true captain’s role in the defeats of both Connacht and Munster, particularly in the decider when he tamed Kerry’s new ‘Bomber’, Kieran Donaghy.

But it wasn’t just Conor’s on-field action that tipped the scales in is favour as winner of our Tennent’s October Award. He also showed leadership within his own club, Carrickmore. On the morning of the interpro semi-final, he was on the sideline coaching his club’s Under-16 team in the Tyrone Juvenile League final.

They drew the game with Errigal-Ciarán and the replay was the day after the Railway Cup Saturday night final. Conor didn’t hang around Croke Park for the celebrations – instead he headed home to be with his teenagers in the replay which they won.

“I couldn’t let the lads down or the team manager Noel Slane,” stresses Conor, “but winning this award is fantastic. It’s not something I ever expected.”

Alongside this award in his trophy cabinet will be two All-Ireland SFC medals, two Railway Cup medals, an All-Ireland and an Ulster Under-21 medal, three Ulster Minor awards, four Tyrone SFC medals and one Tyrone Under-21 medal. Quite a haul.

For his latest award he had to fight off strong challenges from Dunloy hurling captain Greg O’Kane, Clontibret’s Conor McManus, Ulster camogie star Jane Adams, Errigal-Ciarán teenage footballer
Lycrecia Quinn and Ulster team boss Brian McEniff.

As his award, he receives a Tennent’s Sports Voucher, an engraved Belleek China vase, specially designed cuff links from Omeath jeweller Gareth Mallon, training gear from Pro*Star Sport plus two tickets and overnight accommodation to the UGAAWA banquet on November 24. The presentation was made at a function in the Ulster Brewery on November 7 by Jeff Tosh, Regional Controller InBev.