GAA Site
TENNENT'S/UGAAWA
MONTHLY MERIT AWARD
August 2006
Pictured making the presentation are Seamus Horisk , Regional Sales Manager
of Tennent's lager and Sean McMahon , UGAAWA Chairman which took place at
the Ulster Brewery.
August 2006 was a rare month in Ulster GAA circles. It was a month when two Ulster men led a Connacht team to the All-Ireland SFC final; when Antrim won the Christy Ring Cup and when Derry won the Nicky Rackard Trophy. It was also a month when five World Handball Championship titles came to the province and the coach of the official Irish team of 12, that brought home 10 titles, came from Belfast.
Much to muse over, indeed, and when all the arguments died down and the votes were totted up it emerged that Handball was the winner. Today, the Tennent’s Monthly Award is divided equally between Fiona Shannon and Paul Brady who retained their World Senior crowns in Edmonton, Canada, in the face of stiff opposition from various corners of the earth.
It’s not the first time that Fiona and Paul shared our monthly honour. In 2003 when they became the first Irish players to win the men’s and women’s championships they also shared the monthly award and that year they shared the annual Handball Award, as well.
“This award puts the icing on the cake,” enthuses Fiona. “It is wonderful to be recognised in this way.”
Breffni ‘boy’ Brady is undoubtedly the world’s outstanding player at present. He currently holds the World, US and Irish National Championship titles. That’s a trio of awards that no-one else has ever collected.
Apart from that, he finds time to play senior football with Cavan and he has also helped his club Mullahoran into the Cavan Senior Football Championship semi-final.
Still, Brady and Shannon had to fight off stiff opposition from Mayo manager Mickey Moran (Derry) and his assistant John Morrison (Armagh) for the award, after they took their the team into the All-Ireland final this month.
The three underage world champions from Ulster will be recognised by the Ulster GAA Writers but Fiona Shannon and Paul Brady get the Tennent’s Sports Voucher, the inscribed Belleek China Vase, training gear from Pro*Star Sport, specially designed silver cuff links from Garrett Mallon (Omeath), tickets and overnight accommodation at the GAA Writers’ banquet in Bundoran in November.
The presentation was made at a function in the Ulster Brewery on Wednesday, September 6 by Tennent’s Regional Sales Manager Seamus Horisk.
