McCoy and Fitzgerald win RTÉ Sports awards

The RTÉ Sports Person of the Year for 2013 is jockey Tony McCoy.

The Moneyglass rider, who passed the 4,000 jumps winner mark in November and has won 18 consecutive champion jockey titles, was presented with the award by Irish Sports Council chief executive John Treacy.

After over a quarter of a century in the saddle , the Moneyglass man has now turned his attention to the 5,000 winner landmark.

The 39-year-old, who has been a jockey for more than 25 years, has previously claimed the BBC Sport version of the prize three years ago and finished third this year.

He fought off stiff competition from Rob Heffernan, Martyn Irvine, Tony Kelly, Michael Darragh Macauley, Michael McKillop, Annalise Murphy, Joseph O’Brien, Jason Quigley, Jonathan Sexton and Jason Smyth to lift the prize.

McCoy said: "It’s great, it’s a fantastic honour. Any one of them would be a very worthy winner."

The Clare hurling team won the RTÉ Sports Team of the Year gong and manager Davy Fitzgerald, who guided the young team to the All-Ireland SHC title, landed the RTÉ Sports Manager of the Year award.

Last night also saw the former Republic of Ireland international Paul McGrath being inducted into the RTÉ Sports Awards Hall of Fame.

The cultured defender, who enjoyed long stints with both Manchester United and Aston Villa, cited the 1990 World Cup as a career highlight.