The Irish Hockey Association has today announced the shortlists for the various categories for the 2011 / 2012 Electric Ireland Irish Hockey Awards. In addition to the below 12 awards there are 2  players players awards for the National Teams voted on by the internationals themselves and the President’s award which is decided upon by the IHA President.

Disappointingly there are only 6 nominees from Ulster throughout all the categories, with Bann’s Peter Brown and Matthew Bell  missing out on the shortlist for the Under-18 boys Player of the Year category.  One bright note for hockey in the local area is that Banbridge Academy have made the shortlist for the Hockey school of the Year category.

This year Irish Hockey changed the structure and voting process for the awards facilitating much more involvement from the hockey community and the response was overwhelming with 5,000 of the hockey community getting involved. Their involvement determined the shortlists and winners for the majority of the awards categories (shortlists for the Club of the Year; Youth Club of the Year and Developing Club of the Year were determined by specialised committees but winners by the hockey community).

The Awards night takes place at the Alexander Hotel on October 20th and is a night to celebrate all involved and connected to our sport, not just those who are shortlisted but the community at large. The night is being hosted by RTE’s top sports presenter Daragh Maloney and Irish Hockey are delighted to reveal  that Gerry Duffy will be guest speaker. Gerry firmly believes that  human beings can do so much more than we give ourselves credit for and is keen in leading by example and is a massive inspiration to anyone who hears him speak. In the summer of 2010  Gerry ran 32 Marathons in just 32 Days he has also completed a DECA Ironman (24 Mile Swim, 1160 mile cycle and 262 mile run) but beyond that in  June 2011 Gerry along with 19 other competitors went to the start line of the inaugural UK DECA Enduroman Ironman Challenge. Dubbed the ‘Toughest 10 Day Endurance event in the World’ , Gerry finished first by over 22 hours.

Short Listed for Electric Ireland Irish Hockey Awards

Senior Club Player of the Year (Men)
Andrew Gray   (UCC) 
David Harvey   (Cork Church of Ireland)         
Johnny Bruton   (YMCA)
Paul Lombard  (Cork Harlequins)   
   
Senior Club Player of the Year (Women)
Nicola Gray   (UCD)
Naomi Carroll   (Catholic Institute)      
Brenda Flannery  (UCD) 
Nessa McGettigan (Greenfields HC)         

Under 18 Club Player of the Year (Boys)
Gary Wilkinson  (Cork Church of Ireland)    
David Cole   (Monkstown)       
Jeremy Duncan  (Railway Union)
James Lorimer   (Mossley)    

Under 18 Club Player of the Year (Girls)
Elaine Carey   (Galway HC)       
Emma Russell   (Old Alex)
Kate Lloyd  (Railway Union) 
Ailbhe Finnerty  (Greenfields HC)    
   
Coach of the Year
Mick McKinnon  (Railway Union)   
Graham Shaw  (Loreto/Glenanne/Rathdown)  
Phil Oakley  (Cork Harlequins)    
Johnny Harte   (UCD) 
   
Umpire of the Year   
Malcolm Coombes 
Carol Metchette     
Colin Hutchinson
Aisling Keogh     

Volunteer of the Year
Geraldine Carroll   (Catholic Institute)   
Imelda Brennan   (Greenfields HC)   
Donal Dempsey   (Galway)    
Barry Crowley    (Cork Church of Ireland)   

Under 18’s Coach of the Year
Steph Jones    (High School Rathgar) 
Sarah Scott   (Leinster)    
Miles Warren   (Old Alex)    
Scott Beattie    (Sutton Park School)   

Hockey School of the Year  
St. Gerards Bray   (Leinster) 
Ursulines Thurles  (Munster)   
Alexandra College   (Leinster)    
Banbridge Academy   (Ulster)     

Youth Club of the Year
Cork Harlequins
Lisnagravey
Annadale
Loreto
Rathgar

Developing Club of the Year
Athlone HC
Rainey RFHC
Fermoy HC
Rathgar HC

Club of the Year
Victorians
Cork Harlequins
Avoca
Railway Union
Greenfields
Loreto

For further information on the awards please contact Katie Roche 00 353 1 7163264 / Katie.roche@hockey.ie