Corkery fêted as outstanding Cork sports person for 2002

COLIN CORKERY was last night fêted as the outstanding Cork sports person for 2002 at the annual Jurys Cork Sports Star awards banquet.

The Gaelic football star was honoured for his part in helping Cork and Nemo Rangers to Munster Championship success, and his selection was enthusiastically received before a glittering gathering of sport, religious and civic leaders at Jurys hotel.

This distinction helped compensate for the disappointment of defeat for Cork in the All-Ireland semi-final and defeat for Nemo Rangers in their All-Ireland club final.

It also countered the unaccountable failure of the selectors to grant him a GAA Allstars award after a season in which he sustained a remarkable level of excellence in his individual performances.

The award was presented by Fergal Somers, manager, Jurys Cork.

His victory can only have been a narrow affair for the other contenders who won monthly awards during 2002 represented the top performers in a great variety of sports, from rugby to motor sport, camogie to rowing.

This awards scheme is the longest running event of its nature on the sports calendar, and the prestige attached to it is indicated by the achievements of previous winners over its 22-year history.

Corkery succeeded a distinguished line of famous persons Sonia O'Sullivan, Tony O'Sullivan, Teddy McCarthy, Roy Keane, Michael Kiernan, John McHenry, Seanie O'Leary, Donal Linehan, Kieran Joyce amongst them. In accepting the award he paid tribute to his colleagues with Cork and Nemo and also complimented the trainers and selectors.

The modest captain of both Nemo and Cork declined to highlight the fact that he kicked a remarkable 40 points for Cork in last year's Championship.

The evening's celebrations were invested with a special magic by the presence of many of the players who helped Munster qualify for the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup by beating Gloucester in such exuberant fashion at Thomond Park last weekend.

Three members of the Munster squad were honoured for their contributions to last year's exciting challenge by winning Jurys monthly awards Ronan O'Gara, Paul O'Connell and Anthony Horgan. Three former golf stars were inducted to the Jurys Hall of Fame - Larry McCarthy, Tom Egan and George Crosbie. For the first time a junior sports star award, jointly sponsored by the Evening Echo, was presented to 17-year-old tennis star Martin Higgins, Sunday's Well TC and St Aidan's, Dublin Hill.

The monthly award winners were: January: Anthony Horgan (Rugby). February: Eanna Falvey (Boxing). March: Alison Downey (Rowing). April: Michael Keohane (Motor sport). May: Paul O'Connell (Rugby). June: Graham Canty (Gaelic football). July/December: Colin Corkery. August: George O'Callaghan (Soccer). September: Fiona O'Driscoll (Camogie) October: Denis O'Sullivan (Golf). November: Ronan O'Gara (Rugby).