Couper and Devine among winners in Connacht Rugby Awards
There was plenty of local interest in the Connacht Rugby Awards held in Galway last weekend, with Charlie Couper and Matthew Devine among the award winners.
The long-serving Couper of Buccaneers RFC was chosen as Coach of the Year. Originally from Scotland, Couper has been associated with rugby in the Athlone area and indeed further afield for many years. The Coosan resident has provided guidance to a huge number of young players during that time.
Congratulating Charlie on his award, Buccaneers RFC described it as "truly well deserved" and "long overdue recognition for the coaching work done by him over many decades".
Devine from Ballinasloe capped a brilliant season by being named the Academy Player of the Year. The scrum-half and former Garbally College student received the accolade largely thanks to his excellent performances for the Ireland U20s in their Grand Slam-winning Six Nations campaign.
Athlone natives Jack Carty and Fiona Scally and Buccaneers player Shane Layden were also among those nominated for awards
Buccaneers RFC was nominated for Club of the Year, with the award going to Creggs.
In addition, Matthew Devine's brother John was nominated in the U19 Men’s Player of the Year category.
Mack Hansen and Catherine Martin were the big winners at the awards, with the pair named Men’s and Women’s Player of the Year respectively for 2021/22.
Australian native Hansen scored seven tries in 14 appearances for the province, and also started in four of Ireland’s Six Nations games, scoring a famous try against France in the process.
There were emotional scenes at the Clayton Hotel when the late, great Mick Grealish was posthumously awarded the Lifetime Contribution to Connacht Rugby Award, with his wife Maureen and family on hand to receive the accolade on his behalf.
The full list of winners and nominees is as follows below.
U18 Men’s Player of the Year (sponsored by Sound to Light): Max Flynn (winner) – Corinthians RFC/CC Roscrea; Hugh Gavin – Galwegians RFC/The Jes; Ryan Roche – Galwegians RFC/St Paul’s Oughterard.
U18 Women’s Player of the Year (sponsored by RDJ): Molly Boote (winner) – Connemara RFC/Clifden Community College; Éabha Nic Dhonnacha – Corinthians RFC/Chuimsitheach na Chiaráin, An Cheathru Rua; Karly Tierney – Tuam/Oughterard RFC/Salerno Salthill.
U19 Men’s Player of the Year (sponsored by Benchmark Recruitment): Harry West (winner) – Ballina RFC/King’s Hospital; John Devine – Ballinasloe RFC/Garbally College; Adam Hunter – Sligo RFC/Sligo Grammar School.
Academy Player of the Year (sponsored by Total Health): Matthew Devine (winner), Cathal Forde, Diarmuid Kilgallen.
Referee of the Year (sponsored by LK Shields): Andrew Fogarty (winner), Siobhán Daly, Gerry Geraghty.
Coach of the Year (sponsored by Deloitte): Charlie Couper (winner) – Buccaneers RFC; Martin Cummins – Dunmore RFC; Henry O’Toole – Connemara RFC.
Women’s Club Player of the Year (sponsored by CityLink): Aoife Williams (winner) – Galwegians RFC; Noreen Coyne – Westport RFC; Hazel Kilduff – Buccaneers RFC.
Men’s Junior Club Player of the Year (sponsored by Laya): Brian Diffley (winner) – Creggs RFC; Steven Conroy – Ballinrobe RFC; Ian Staunton – Connemara RFC.
Men’s Senior Club Player of the Year (sponsored by sponsored by Aerogen): Calum Quinn (winner) – Ballina RFC; Shane Layden – Buccaneers RFC; Mark McDermott – Corinthians RFC.
Club of the Year (sponsored by Bank of Ireland): Creggs RFC (winner), Buccaneers RFC, Sligo RFC.
Fans’ Player of the Year (sponsored by Intersport Elverys): Cian Prendergast (winner), Jack Carty, Shane Delahunt, Mack Hansen, Conor Oliver.
Lifetime Contribution to Connacht Rugby (sponsored by Heineken): Mick Grealish, R.I.P.
Women’s Player of the Year (sponsored by Genesys): Catherine Martin (winner), Orla Dixon, Fiona Scally.
Men’s Player of the Year (sponsored by Genesys): Mack Hansen (winner), Conor Oliver, Cian Prendergast.