Main Awards:-
First Team Manager’s player of the year:- Dean Anderson
First Team Player’s player of the year:- Barry Travers
Second Team Manager’s player of the year:- Micheal Corrigan
Second Team Player’s player of the year:- Conor Boyle
Third Team Manager’s player of the year:- Rory Keown
Third Team’s player’s player of the year:- Michael Gribben
Castlewellan Town FC top goalscorer:- Aidan Burns
CTFC Young player of the year:- Conal Corrigan
CTFC Clubperson of the year:- John ‘Yohi’ Ward
Hall of fame award:- Pascal Toner
A grand night was had by all and good to see the top table awash with trophies. It was great to see the late Jimmy Kelly’s son and grandaughter there to present the clubperson of the year award to ‘Yohi’ a richly deserved award for the wee man, Jimmy would have been proud of him. Another richly deserved recognition was Pascal Toner getting the hall of fame award. Packie gave fabulous service to the club over the years 1976/2006 in various roles, as a player, manager, committee member and chairman. After receiving his award he gave his thanks and intimated that he would be back in some capacity for the coming season, which is the best news we could have hoped for, we’ve missed him badly. Incidently I also hear through through the grapevine of the imminent return to the fold of Tommy ‘Tucker’ McCombe another excellent addition to the backroom team. It’s thought that he will take up a role amongst the youth set up. For me personally the award that I look forward to most is the Young player of the year which went to Conal Corrigan, clearly one of the best young players at the club. He was selected for 30 of the 34 1st team games played last season, although some of those were as a substitute, but it shouldn’t be too long until he gets more game time. Barry Travers won that award in 2006 and last night picked up the 1st team player’s player award, what a great season he had, ‘Bert’ would have been beside himself with pride. Dean got the 1st team’s manager award, what can you say about the big man, he just keeps performing year in and year out. Let’s hope that we can get a couple more seasons out of him in our quest to win our ultimate goal ‘The Junior Shield’, a true leader is Dean who has now played in 11 Newcastle League finals and won 10 of them, who’s to say he wont add to it! Aidan Burns was the club’s leading goalscorer with an excellent return of 35 goals (not a record by the way Aidan!) but anyone would settle for it, some of Aidan’s performances were out of this world this season and there were no more important goals than his last two of the campaign. Just looking through the records of last season he scored 14 goals in the 4 games between Dec 10th and Jan 21st – Incredible!
There is an opinion about that next year we should have a goal of the season award, personally I think it is an excellent idea and looking back at last season there were a few candidates for such an award. Donal McKibben’s goal in the Harry Clarke cup 3rd round against Annalong would have been my pick, closely followed by a couple scored by Sean Russell, firstly his effort in the Bobby Dalzell final and also his goal at the tailend of the season away to Killough, not only was it a vital goal but it was a truly brilliant finish. Sorry Ruari neither of yours would have made it into my top 10.
All in all a truly wonderful season, the arrival of Aidan Kelly and the availability of Mickey Watson has added greatly to our strength, I hear also that Paddy Keown is fighting fit and raring to go next season, a fit Liam McKibben is well nigh unplayable and Stevie Trainor has shown that he still has plenty to offer as has Nial Toner and Conor Stratton must count himself unlucky not to have picked up one of the first teams player of the year awards with a season full of outstanding performances. Add to that Ruari McArdle’s return from America at christmas, a class act. What the town’s best 11 is next season is a difficult one I just hope we can get together early, not drop any silly points and build some momentum.
The future’s bright the future’s green and black!
