ULSTER GAA WRITERS ANNUAL AWARDS BANQUET.

The awards season is in full swing with the GPA All Star awards ceremony taking place tomorrow week, Friday, November 6th and the following Friday, the 13th it is the big gala night in Ulster when the winners of the much sought after and highly cherished Ulster GAA Writers Annual Awards will be presented at a banquet in the great Northern hotel, Bundoran. Unfortunately this year Sam Maguire will not be present but that doesn't take away from the action across all genres of the GAA in Ulster. It was another year of high octane action in many sections of the association, something that the members of the Ulster GAA Writers' Association discovered when it came to selecting their annual winners.

Despite the fact that the ultimate prize was not won in men's football, the fare served up by many players, from various counties, was excellent. Monaghan's Anglo Celt triumph was exciting plus Tyrone's trip to the All-Ireland semi-finals, and the team's display against Kerry, proved excellent. Fermanagh's National League promotion and journey to the championship quarter-finals was, also, eye catching.

Ladies' football produced some superb results and performances with camogie giving a good account of itself in some quarters, too.

As usual, Ulster handballers went top of the pile, not only at home but abroad to prove to be the best in the world. Both the men's and women's World Open Championship titles rest in Ulster with a number of underage crowns won, as well.

Hurling, in senior ranks, may not have kept pace but lower grade National League titles came to the province with, sometimes, two northern province teams fighting it out for national honours.

In fact, history is made with the hurling nominations as, for the first time in the 28 years' existence of the UGAAWA, neither an Antrim or Down player is short-listed for Hurler of the Year.

All the annual winners will, as usual, receive their awards at the Ulster GAA Writers' forthcoming black tie banquet on Friday, November 13th at the Great Northern Hotel in Bundoran to which all the nominees will be invited as guests.

Also invited will be provincial and annual GAA dignitaries plus all the Quinn Building Products Monthly Merit Award winners.

The Services to the GAA, Cultural Award and the Chairman's Personal Award will be announced on the night of the function.

Tickets for the function are available for purchase and can be booked with any member of the UGAAWA or at the Great Northern Hotel directly. A discount is available for tables of ten or more.

The nominations for the annual awards are:

Male Footballer of the Year - Mattie Donnelly (Tyrone), Conor McManus (Monaghan), Sean Quigley (Fermanagh).

Female Footballer of the Year - Geraldine McLaughlin (Donegal), Yvonne McMonagle (Donegal), Aimee Mackin (Armagh).

Hurler of the Year - Damien Casey (Tyrone), Paddy Henry (Derry), Brian McLaughlin (Fermanagh).

Camogie Award - Karen Kielt (Derry), Niamh Mallon (Armagh), Orla Mullan (Derry).

Handball Award - Paul Brady (Cavan), Conor McElduff (Tyrone), Aisling Reilly (Antrim).

Club Award - Slaughtneil (Derry), Ballinderry (Derry), Termon Ladies (Donegal).

Team of the Year - Fermanagh Footballers, Fermanagh Hurlers, Tyrone U21 Footballers.

Young Achiever of the Year - Mark Bradley (Tyrone), Ciarán McGeary (Tyrone), Aimee Mackin (Armagh).

Communications Award - Noel Duffy (Monaghan), Eunan Lindsay (Tyrone), Pauric McGurn (Fermanagh).

Personality of the Year - Mickey Harte (Tyrone), Malachy O'Rourke (Monaghan), Sean Quigley (Fermanagh).

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