Sports award for dynamic Dolan after key role in Garrycastle's success
GARRYCASTLE star Dessie Dolan has been chosen as the December winner in the Westmeath Independent/Hodson Bay Hotel Sports Awards. Dolan, 32, delivered a man of the match display as Garrycastle defeated St Brigid's (Dublin) on a 1-8 to 0-10 scoreline in the Leinster Club SFC final at O'Connor Park, Tullamore.
The superb Dolan scored five points as the Athlone outfit became the first ever Westmeath club to clinch Leinster club football's greatest prize. Dolan was also hugely instrumental as Garrycastle swept aside Longford Slashers and Athy in the previous rounds of the Leinster series, while his displays in the two instalments of the 2011 Westmeath SFC final, against Mullingar Shamrocks, were immense.
Dessie - a Leinster SFC winner with Westmeath in 2004, and All-Star recipient that same year - has proved one of Westmeath football's finest ever talents, with some observers ranking him as the Lake County's greatest ever footballer. Speaking to the Westmeath Independent, Dessie said he was extremely grateful to receive a Westmeath Independent/Hodson Bay Hotel Sports Award for 2011. Dessie and his Garrycastle team-mates are currently preparing for a mouthwatering All-Ireland Club SFC semi-final clash against near neighbours St Brigid's, when Dessie will be one of seven cousins involved in either squad (four for Garrycastle and three for St Brigid's). While predicting St Brigid's 'might have a slight edge over us', and saying the South Roscommon side's experience of appearing in last year's All-Ireland Club final will stand to them, Dolan is looking forward to a great game on Saturday, February 18 (at Pearse Park, Longford).
'It's probably going to be a massive occasion with a big crowd, and we're looking forward to it. 'It's a strange situation where we have to wait around two months, since beating St Brigid's in the Leinster final, to play the All-Ireland semi-final, but that's the way it is,' Dolan said. 'I suppose people are so intrigued by the game against St Brigid's (Roscommon) because there's so many factors attached to it. You have the Dolan situation, Anthony Cunningham (Garrycastle manager) having had a successful spell managing St Brigid's, the fact we're both from Athlone and know each other fairly well, and even the colour clash of jerseys!
'It's going to be a great occasion, but at the moment I'd say St Brigid's extra experience gives them a little edge over us,' he continued. Dessie and the eleven other monthly award winners in the 2011 Westmeath Independent/Hodson Bay Hotel Sports Awards will be presented with their monthly awards at a special gala ceremony in the Hodson Bay Hotel on Friday, January 27.
On the night, the overall sports star for 2011 will be announced, while readers also have the chance to vote for the readers' choice award. Both of those coveted awards will be chosen from the 12 monthly award winners. Please see voting coupon on this page or log on to www.westmeathindependent.ie/sport