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The Cricket Ireland Annual Awards Lunch took place in Dublin this afternoon, with winners from all over the country receiving their awards after another exciting season on the domestic and international front.
Cricket Ireland Chief Executive Warren Deutrom welcomed guests to the event and spoke about the achievements of Irish Cricket in the past year, and how the perception of those achievements shows the game has progressed in Ireland.

“Perhaps our own expectations of ourselves have been set so high that we can dismiss 3 victories against Test nations, promotion to the highest division in the ECB women’s T20 cup, and a clean sweep in Europe (for all junior squads and women) as a fairly flat year.”

“When I began in this job in December 2006, I inherited a strategic plan starting that year, one of whose objectives was ‘to be competitive in the ECB Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy’. Wind the clock forward 5 years to January 2012 and we are announcing that we are no longer trying to act like the 19th English County, but instead are aiming to be the 11th Test country. By any reckoning, that is quite a leap.”

After a hugely successful year Kevin O’Brien and Cecelia Joyce won the RSA Men’s and Women’s International Player of the Year awards, whilst fellow international Andrew Poynter picked up the Newstalk FM Inter-Provincial Player of the Year.

With both players breaking onto the international scene, Craig Young and Peter Chase both received awards, the Sunday Independent Aengus Fanning International Emerging Player, and the Shapoorji Pallonji Cricket Ireland Academy Player of the Year respectively.

Cricket in Ireland is not just about the international stage though, and there was plenty to celebrate in the domestic game. The Newstalk Inter-Provincial series is now an established part of the cricket calendar and participation is at a high.

“Irish Cricket is richer in scope, and has greater depth than at any time in its long history. Nearly 45,000 people, men and women, boys and girls, able-bodied and disabled, Irish and non-Irish play our game from Clare to Carrick, from Killyclooney to Clondalkin. It’s that breadth and diversity, and that pride in club and province, as well as at the elite end, that we celebrate today.”

With today marking just three months until the start of the ICC Cricket World Cup, there was undoubtedly a focus on the senior men’s team, and what they could achieve in Australia and New Zealand. Whilst Deutrom acknowledges that moments like Sabina Park in 2007 and Bangalore in 2011 are what create the headlines and what excites the public, it is not the sole reason to be excited by cricket in Ireland. In his pre-awards speech Duetrom reminded guests they were there not just to celebrate what may or may not happen on the international stage.

“Whatever we do, there is reason to be proud of Irish cricket today. That our sport achieves so much on an annual basis is testament to massive endeavour at all levels. I have only mentioned headlines, but I’m delighted that we can recognise other achievements, both sung and unsung today.”

The lunch also saw the presentation of the Toyota Coach of the Year award won by Waringstown & Ireland Under-15s coach Simon Johnston, whilst representatives from Carrickfergus CC were in attendance after they won the Tildenet Club of the Year award. The Notts Sport Official of the Year award was presented to Mark Hawthorne, David Williams was recognised with the Experis Outstanding Contribution to Irish Cricket Award, and Jack Short was inducted into the Cricket Ireland Hall of Fame.

Back on the playing side Dekker Curry of Ardmore won the O’Neills Player of the Year and James McCollum won the Castleknock Hotel Junior Player of the Year.

2014 Cricket Ireland Award Winners:
RSA International Men’s Player of the Year – Kevin O’Brien
RSA International Women’s Player of the Year – Cecelia Joyce
Sunday Independent Aengus Fanning International Emerging Player of the Year – Craig Young
Castleknock Hotel Junior Player of the Year –James McCollum
Shapoorji Pallonji Cricket Ireland Academy Player of the Year – Peter Chase
Newstalk Inter-Provincial Player of the Year – Andrew Poynter (Leinster Lightning)
O’Neills Club Player of the Year – Dekker Curry (Ardmore)
Notts Sport Official of the Year – Mark Hawthorne
Toyota Coach of the Year – Simon Johnston
Tildenet Club of the Year – Carrickfergus
Johnston, Mooney & O’Brien Volunteer of the Year – Lawrence Moore
Experis Outstanding Contribution to Irish Cricket – David Williams
Cricket Ireland Hall of Fame Induction – Jack Short

[2654] 2014 Cricket Ireland Awards – 2014-cricket-ireland-awards
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