Here are YOUR ten favourite sports videos of 2016
From the depths of hell, via the boulevards of France, it’s your top-ten most viewed sports videos of 2016, .
10. Dream goal
This stunning strike from six years ago netted one Cork footballer’s club €12,700 after impressing Jamie Redknapp and Jamie Carragher.
Colm Coveney’s belter for Blackpool Celtic was named a runner-up in the 2016 Budweiser Dream Goal competition, for obvious reasons…
9. Shell-shock
The term ‘favourite’ doesn’t really fit for this video, but the country was united in sympathising with Katie Taylor’s grief after a first loss in five years.
Her defeat at the European Olympic qualifiers was the first of three losses in 2016, although the latter two were controversial decisions.
Thankfully, Taylor’s move to the pro game has her on trajectory to go on to bigger and better things.
8. Olympic homecoming
There were wild scenes at Cork Airport for the arrival of the O’Donovan family.
First, there was the pride of Gary and Paul’s mother, Trish, recalling her memories of their Rio odyssey…
…And then there was the long-awaited arrival of the brothers to a huge crowd at Cork Airport.
7. Páirc life
Our videographers have been bringing you inside the Páirc Uí Chaoimh redevelopment through the past 18 months.
With Munster finals and potential Rugby World Cup games to be held in the venue, you’ve been keen to check in on the progress of the demolition and, more recently, construction work.
6. Before the fame
Before Gary and Paul O'Donovan were pulling like dogs in Rio, our reporters caught up with the Skibbereen boys at the National Rowing Centre.
In between morning and evening training sessions, the O’Donovans revealed their ambitions of an Olympic medal.
And, as you can see, their success and fame hasn’t changed them or their devotion to their Nana.
5. How did this not go in!?
The ladies football championship produced excellent video coverage of their games across the country this year.
Perhaps the most dramatic moment was this finger-tip save by Wicklow goalkeeper Kim Connors.
The Roscommon crowd were already celebrating a goal but Connors quickly put an end to that.
4. You’re hired!
Interest in the progress of the boys in green at Euro 2016 was matched by the storm of interest in the antics of the travelling band of fans following them across France.
Our videographer was on the ground to capture one moment when Irish fans intervened to help a Bulgarian girl’s bid to get a job at The Blarney Stone pub in Bordeaux.
3. A sporting finish
A world apart from the winner-takes-all culture of professional sport, there was a welcome act of sportsmanship at a local road race.
At the Cork Business Houses Athletic Association 6k in Carrigtwohill, a wrong turn stole the lead from Ken Devine.
However, new leader Bryan Crowley surprised those at the finishing line with his commendable act.
2. The Irish fans hailed a new hero in Paris
Another hit from the Green Army comes in at number two in our countdown.
On the eve of Ireland’s tournament bow, the streets of Paris were introduced to our craic-having abilities by a gathering of our social diplomats.
They made one unsuspecting local man the life of the party, cheering and jeering his every move on the balcony above.
1. The run from the depths of hell
Phil Healy’s anchor leg of the Women’s 4x400 metres relay at the Irish Intervarsity Track and Field Championships went viral around the world after being reported here.
“It was crazy because we didn’t expect to win and I only decided to run 20 minutes before the event,” Healy would later explain.
“I had run in the 100 and 200 metres and one of the girls just asked would I fill in on the last leg and I said ‘throw me in and I’ll see what I can do’”.
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