Munster duo Eimear Cregan and John Jermyn were amongst the winners at this year's 400-attendee black-tie ESB Dawson Travel Irish Hockey Awards at The Burlington Hotel in Dublin, Ireland.
Cregan claimed the ESB Women's Player of the Year Award for her consistently strong performances for Ireland and for Cork Harlequins, whilst Jermyn claimed the Dawson Travel Player of the Year Award for the second year in a row. In a fantastic year for the Cork Church of Ireland man, Jermyn was player of the tournament at this year's Club Championships and joint top goal scorer in Ireland's victorious Setanta Sports Trophy campaign, where he netted four goals.
Ulster athletes dominated the junior player of the year categories, with teenage sensation Amy Stewart capturing the ESB Junior Women's Player of the Year Award and 15-year old Ryan McCrea winning the Dawson Travel Junior Men's Player of the Year. Both players were outstanding in last year's U16 Eurohockey Youth Nations Championships, where Ireland girls won bronze medal and the boys finishing an excellent fourth place.
In the other categories, Pembroke Wanderers were rewarded with the Club of the Year Award for a great year that saw them qualify both their men's and women's senior teams for European action by retaining the Men's Club Championships and reaching the final of the ESB Women's Irish Senior Cup. The head coach of Ireland's bronze medal-winning U16 girls team Una McCarthy was rewarded with Coach of the Year, whilst Carol Metchette won Umpire of the Year.
It was a great night for Monkstown Hockey Club, with the club winning Youth Club of the Year and Monkstown coach Gordon Watkins claiming Development Coach of the Year. And Greenfields Hockey Club took out the second of the two categories they were shortlisted for, winning the Emerging Club of the Year Award.
Loreto's Inez Cooper was awarded Volunteer of the Year, not only for the fine work she has undertaken for Loreto Hockey Club, but also for the leadership shown in her chairing of the Competition Reform Working Group that drew up proposals for the IHA's new All-Ireland League club that is to be adopted in 2008.
Finally, long-serving IHA volunteer Railway Union's Rita Parsons was awarded the inaugural President's Award for her outstanding, longstanding services to the sport.
Source: Irish Hockey Association
