Clann na nGael
Player of the Year - 1991
In any club the honour of being named ‘Player of the Year is indeed the greatest honour a club can bestow on one of its players, but in a club as successful as Clann na nGael this award holds even higher status and is a very highly coveted award with many top players never attaining it.
Like many other players within the club this year’s winner has been in strong contention for ‘Player of the Year’ for many years now and the fact that he has not previously received the award is testimony to the calibre of previous winners.
Playing much of his early football as a forward he roved his ability at an early age and was rewarded with two Under-16 County Medals in 1978 and 1979. On the County scene he won a Minor Connaught Championship in 1981 as his ability as a star forward became unuestionable.
However, as he made a permanent place on the Clann senior team, now entering its most prosperous period, he reverted to midfield, before eventuallly finding his true calling as a defender.
In 1981 he won his 1st Senior County Medal and in 1982 his 1st Club Championship Medal and played in Clann’s first All-Ireland Final wearing the number 9 jersey.
Since then he has won a County Under-21 Medal with Clann in 1983 and collected a total of 7 Connaught Club Championship, 10 Roscommon Senior Championship Medals and 9 O’Rourke Cup Senior Leagues as well as 3 County Cup Medals and a 1989 All-Ireland 7-a- side medal.
The highlight of his career to date must have been in 1986 when at the age of 23, as captain, he led Clann to a 3-in-a-row of Roscommon and Connaught Championships. However, in March of 1987 Clann were defeated by St.Finbarrs on All-Ireland Final Day and his dream of lifting the Andy Merrigan Cup vanished.
Now at the age of 28 and having won a Connaught Championship with Roscommon in 1990, he has settled into the left side of the Clann defence and numerous excellent games throughout 1991 has eventualyy gained him that coveted ‘Player of the Year Award’.
The ‘1991 Clann na nGael Player of the Year’ is ...
Fran Nicholson