Awards: Minor Footballer of the Year
December 20, 2011
Moynalvey's Anthony Forde
Dublin proved way too strong for Meath in the decider and eventual winners Tipperary scraped over the young Royals in the quarter-final, with a controversially disallowed Meath goal proving crucial in the eventual outcome..
Meath produced a string of very talented footballers at minor level in 2011. There are numerous contenders for this award.
Ratoath won the minor championship and supply three to this list. Bobby O'Brien. Bryan McMahon and Eamonn Wallace were outstanding during the past year. O'Brien and McMahon were two leading stars for the county team. Ratoath won their first ever Delaney Cup by beating Moynalvey in the decider.
O'Brien was voted man of the match in the decider while McMahon captained the team and scored four points in the final. Eamonn Wallace was to the fore also for the minors and was one of the driving forces behind Ratoath's path to the JFC B decider.
Simonstown defeated Donaghmore Ashbourne to land the Meath MFL Division 1 title. All through the campaign Nathan O'Brien was outstanding for the Proudstown Road outfit.
Seneschalstown had little difficulty in beating Moynalty to claim the Division 4 MFC at Pairc Tailteann. On a very wet and windy night Seneschalstown's Niall Lyons gave one of the best displays at this level all year. The talented corner foward scored an impressive eight points in the decider.
Moynalvey had an outstanding 2011. Intermediate and JFC C title's were won along with a MFL Division 2 crown. This bunch of minors have been winning titles since U12 and it was no surprise that they reached the MFC decider. Three of that team make our list. Cillian O'Sullivan and Padraic Harnan was outstanding all year at club and county level. Both won an IFC medal and indeed might have taken the MFC crown had O'Sullivan not been carrying an injury into the final.
Our award goes to Anthony Forde. The defender had an exceptional year. Forde was by far the best performer all year for the Meath minors. He was outstanding against Clann na nGael in the MFL Division 2 decider and again against Ratoath in the championship final. He also was our Man of the Match in the Meath IFC final against Gaeil Colmcille and is surely one for the future.
Tomorrow we pick our Club Manager of the Year, with the qualifying criteria that they must have been a former Meath player.
Previous award winners
Awards: Best comeback in a championship match
Awards: Best togged out team at adult level
Awards: Best display in a ladies football final
Awards: Most medals won Tweet
