DICK CLERKIN GETS HIS IRISH NEWS ULSTER GAA ALL STAR AWARD.
Monaghans Dick Clerkin was rewarded for his consistency this year when he picked up one of the midfield spots on the Irish News Ulster GAA All-Stars team where he, along with Down's Ambrose Rogers was regarded as the ideal midfield partnership. Despite reaching the final of the Ulster senior football championship Monaghan only picked up one All Star award as opposed to the multiple awards the county picked up the last time Monaghan reached the provincial decider in 2007. The bulk of the awards went to Down who picked up seven awards this year, reflecting their progress through the qualifiers to where they are now poised on the cusp of a 6th All Ireland senior football championship title for the Mourne County. Tyrone who won the Ulster championship this year were second in the representative stakes with five awards while Armagh had two and Monaghan had one. If there was any degree of surprise expressed on the night at some of the selections it was that Armagh's Jamie Clarke got the nod at corner forward ahead of either Conor McManus or Tomas Freeman, McManus for many one of the most impressive forwards on view in this year's Ulster championship. The awards were presented to the winners by Thomas Hawkins, sports editor of the Irish News and the legendary Mick O'Dwyer who was also the after-dinner speaker. In his address to the gathering which held people almost spellbound O'Dwyer recalled some of the great matches between his native county Kerry and teams from Ulster and how difficult teams from the province always were when they got on the big stage in Croke Park. He mused light heartedly about all the speculation regarding his next move in team management, joking with Christy Cooney that for one county that his name was associated with, the money wasn't big enough. When quizzed by MC Joanne Cantwell he was non-committal as to his plans although he was categorical that he was not coming to Monaghan. Also present on the night was GAA President Christie Cooney who was lavish in his praise for the Irish News and the extensive coverage that they afford gaelic games in the province citing them as an example for other national newspapers to follow. The 2010 Irish News All Stars Team: Brendan McVeigh (Down), Brendan Donaghy (Armagh), Justin McMahon (Tyrone), Damien Rafferty (Down), Kevin McKernan (Down, Joe McMahon (Tyrone), Philip Jordan (Tyrone), Dick Clerkin (Monaghan), Ambrose Rogers (Down), Danny Hughes (Down), Martin Clarke (Down), Martin Penrose (Tyrone), Brendan Coulter (Down), Owen Mulligan (Tyrone), Jamie Clarke (Armagh). Tweet

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