Galway Gaelic football legend joins the Hall of Fame roll of honour

IN a year when the Galway footballers took a big step forward, it’s highly appropriate that one of the county’s most decorated exponents of the game will be honoured with the Galway Sports Stars Hall of Fame award for 2018.

Liam Sammon was an integral part of the Galway team which completed the famed All-Ireland three-in-a-row in 1966 and continued to give sterling service in the maroon jersey until the late seventies, winning seven Connacht titles in total and three All-Star awards.

A city native, Sammon also won four county titles with Fr Griffins and two hurling senior championships with Liam Mellows, while he led Galway to provincial glory in 2008 when senior team manager. A Gaelic football purist, the 72-year-old retains a deep passion for the sport and is serving as a county U20 mentor in 2019.

Indeed, the 54th annual Galway Sports Stars banquet in the Galway Bay Hotel on Saturday night, January 26, will be dominated by the sport of Gaelic football with Corofin’s sweeping of the boards celebrated with three different awards – Ian Burke, Player of the Year; Kevin O’Brien, Manager of the Year; and the Club of the Year honour.

It will also be special night for the footballers of An Spidéal whose never-say-die-spirit saw the Gaeltacht men capture the Galway and Connacht titles after some epic battles along the way. The Spiddal men’s historic achievement sees them being honoured with the Team of the Year accolade.

Though Galway fell at the final hurdle in their bid to retain the All-Ireland title, the terrific consistency of defender Padraic Mannion was one of the highlights of a memorable championship season and the Ahascragh/Fohenagh clubman had unrivalled claims for the Hurler of the Year award.

Galway captain Sarah Dervan led from the front in 2018 and her feats are recognised with the Camogie honour, while sharpshooter Tracey Leonard stood out in a progressive season for the county’s ladies footballers.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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