Connacht Rugby Awards

Shamus Hurley-Langton and Nicole Fowley were the big winners at Saturday's 2024 Connacht Rugby Awards, presented by Globalization Partners.

The flanker and out-half were named Men's and Women's Player of the Year for the 2023/24 season, after stellar campaigns for their respective teams.

17 winners in all were named across categories in the domestic, player pathway and senior setups, with over 500 people in attendance at the Galmont Hotel in Galway.

Two further highlights was the announcement of late, great Gerry O'Donnell posthumously receiving the Lifetime Contribution to Rugby Award, and long-time U18 Women's team manager Natalie Fox receiving the Unsung Hero award.

2024 CONNACHT RUGBY AWARD WINNERS

U18 Men's Player of the Year, sponsored by Sound to Light

Winner: Diarmaid O'Connell (Carrick-on-Shannon RFC/Sligo Grammar)

Nominees: Rory Gavin (Galwegians RFC/Coláiste Iognáid), Sean Walsh (Corinthians RFC/Colásite Éinde)

U18 Women's Player of the Year, sponsored by RDJ

Winner: Ailish Quinn (Ballina RFC/St. Mary's Ballina)

Nominees: Jemima Adams Verling (Creggs RFC/Coláiste Mhuire Ballygar), Sarah Purcell (Creggs RFC/Convent of Mercy Roscommon)

U19 Men's Player of the Year, sponsored by Oliver Carty

Winner: Tomas Farthing (Corinthians RFC)

Nominees: Orin Burke (Corinthians RFC), Bobby Power (Galwegians RFC)

Academy Player of the Year, sponsored by Has Integration

Winner: Hugh Gavin

Nominees: Matthew Devine, Finn Treacy

Referee of the Year, sponsored by Heineken

Winner: Siobhan Daly

Nominees: Michael Honan, Cian Hough

Coach of the Year, sponsored by Deloitte

Winner: Michael Harding (Corinthians RFC)

Nominees: Owen Lydon & Norman Tierney (Tuam RFC/Oughterard RFC), Paddy Pearson (Sligo Rugby)

Women's Club Player of the Year, sponsored by VHA

Winner: Hannah Clarke (Tuam RFC/Oughterard RFC)

Nominees: Sarah Jane Fox (Tuam RFC/Oughterard RFC), Tara McNulty (Westport RFC)

Men's Junior Club Player of the Year, sponsored by laya

Winner: Fintan Crawley (Ballyhaunis RFC)

Nominees: David McDonagh (Connemara RFC), Ian Murphy (Tuam RFC)

Men's Senior Club Player of the Year, sponsored by Aerogen

Winner: Tom Gormley (Sligo Rugby)

Nominees: Ambrose Bamber (Sligo Rugby), Jack Winters (Galwegians RFC)

School of the Year, sponsored by GP

Winner: Sligo Grammar

Nominees: Marist College, Summerhill College

Club of the Year, sponsored by Bank of Ireland

Winner: Sligo Rugby

Nominees: Ballinasloe RFC, Corinthians RFC

Connacht Rugby Unsung Hero

Winner: Natalie Fox

Try of the Year, sponsored by Western Postform

Winner: Matthew Devine (vs Zebre)

Nominees: David Hawkshaw (vs Leinster), Diarmuid Kilgallen (vs Glasgow), Sean Jansen (vs Lyon),

Fans' Player of the Year, sponsored by Murty Rabbitt's

Winner: Cathal Forde

Nominees: JJ Hanrahan, Shamus Hurley-Langton, Joe Joyce, Cian Prendergast

Women's Player of the Year, sponsored by GP

Winner: Nicole Fowley

Nominees: Clara Barrett, Aoibheann Reilly

Men's Player of the Year, sponsored by Genesys

Winner: Shamus Hurley-Langton

Nominees: Cathal Forde, Cian Prendergast

Lifetime Contribution to Connacht Rugby

Winner: Gerry O'Donnell