Castlebar Mitchels star Neil Douglas was named as the Mayo Senior Football Championship Player of the Year at the 12th annual Mayo News/O’Neills Club Stars Charity Banquet in Knockranny House Hotel, Westport last night.
Douglas was rewarded for a string of stellar displays for the county champions and was presented with his award by special guest, Peter Canavan.
Neil is currently in India where he is training to be a yoga teacher, so his father, Ian, accepted the Willie McNeela Perpetual Trophy on his behalf.
But Neil did speak to the crowd at last night’s awards via a video link from Goa in India, and said he was delighted to win the prestigious award.
Westport defender Kevin Keane was named as the Intermediate Championship Player of the Year, Louisburgh’s Kevin Gibbons won the Junior Championship equivalent, while Stephen Coen from Hollymount/Carramore was the winner of the Young Player of the Year accolade.
Neil Douglas was also named at full-forward on the Club Stars Team of the Year.
Rory Byrne, Donie Newcombe, Ger McDonagh, Paddy Durcan, Barry Moran and Cian Costello were also among the Castlebar Mitchels contingent named in the Club Stars Team of the Year.
Ray O’Malley and Fergal Durkan also picked up replacement awards for their efforts in 2015.
Ballintubber’s Cillian O’Connor, who was picked at corner-forward on the Team of the Year, also won the Golden Boot award for Top Scorer in the Mayo Senior Football Championship while Shrule/Glencorrib’s Mark Ronaldson was the Intermediate Championship Golden Boot winner.
Footballer of the Year Lee Keegan received a standing ovation from the huge crowd when he was presented with a ‘Special Achievement’ award, while Michael Solan was chosen as the ‘Personality of the Year’ after managing the Mayo under 21 football team to the All-Ireland title.
Two-time All-Ireland medal winner Paddy Prendergast was inducted into the Club Stars ‘Hall of Fame’, while Ciaran McBrien from Charlestown was the popular winner of the ‘Volunteer of the Year’ accolade.
The ‘Hurling Recognition’ award winner, Stephen Broderick from Westport also received a standing ovation when he accepted his award for years of service in promoting hurler in Mayo. He was presented with the Adrian Freeman Perpetual Trophy by Seamus and Ita Freeman, along with award sponsor, Jim Hogan.
A capacity crowd attended the event last night, with all the proceeds being donated to Western Care.
Read more on the 2016 Mayo News/O’Neills Club Stars awards in this week’s Mayo News, plus see lots of pictures from the big night.
Mayo News/O’Neills Club Stars 2016 Team:
1 Rory Byrne (Castlebar Mitchels)
2 Donie Newcombe (Castlebar Mitchels)
3 Ger McDonagh (Castlebar Mitchels)
4 Kevin Keane (Westport)
5 Sean Ruttledge (Knockmore)
6 Brendan Harrison (Aghamore)
7 Paddy Durcan (Castlebar Mitchels)
8 Barry Moran (Castlebar Mitchels)
9 Kevin McLoughlin (Knockmore)
10 Andy Moran (Ballaghaderreen)
11 Cian Costello (Castlebar Mitchels)
12 Keith Ruttledge (Knockmore)
13 Liam Irwin (Breaffy)
14 Neil Douglas (Castlebar Mitchels)
15 Cillian O’Connor (Ballintubber)
Replacements
16 Aidan Kilcoyne (Knockmore)
17 Ray O’Malley (Castlebar Mitchels)
18 Gerry Jennings (Breaffy)
19 Fergal Durkan (Castlebar Mitchels)
20 Lewis Cawley (Westport)
Joint Managers of the Year
John Kelly (Louisburgh)
Damian Loftus (Westport)