Paul Fennessy
What was your sporting highlight of the year?
It’s a toss-up between Ireland beating Scotland to qualify for their first-ever Women’s World Cup and what was the most exciting World Cup final I can remember (having watched them live from ’94 onwards) with Lionel Messi getting the spectacular climax that his career deserves and Kylian Mbappe looking like a potential heir to the throne. Even as a mere observer, you felt exhausted and exhilarated watching both, and inevitable sleepless nights followed in the two instances. Those incredible moments won’t leave me anytime soon.
And what was your biggest disappointment?
With some notable exceptions, including the Germany, Australia, and Iran teams, the relative absence of protests at the Qatar World Cup, and the continuing lack of accountability for the thousands of migrant workers’ deaths — Fifa, of course, rather than the players, deserve much of the blame for the countless problems caused by choosing to host the tournament in that location. And while many journalists covering the tournament did fantastic work, there also unfortunately were a significant number who attempted to justify the competition taking place in the country and treated the widespread criticism with a tone of dismissiveness and whataboutery — a convenient, ignorant opinion seemingly based purely on the fact that nobody in Qatar had done anything untoward to them personally, which of course mirrors the collective sense of self-interest that enabled the Asian country to win the hosting rights in the first place.
Who is your Irish sports star of the year?
There are plenty of strong contenders and not much between them, but I’ll go with Josh van der Flier. The fact he is just the third Irishman to win the World Rugby men’s player of the year award after Keith Wood (2001) and Johnny Sexton (2018) goes some way towards conveying the scope of his achievement. Moreover, when you consider that he rose to those heights, after not getting picked for Irish games as recently as a few years ago, it makes the 29-year-old’s story all the more incredible. Honourable mentions too for the consistently brilliant Katie Taylor and remarkable rowing duo Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy.
Who is your international sports star of the year?
It has to be Lionel Messi. You can point to the fact that his PSG form (six goals in 26 Ligue 1 games last season, for instance) has been below par by his impeccable standards. But really, 2022 was about one thing — winning the World Cup. And the 35-year-old did it, inspiring a limited enough Argentina team who improved with every game while registering seven goals and three assists to secure the Golden Ball along the way.
What event are you most looking forward to in 2023?
With Ireland qualifying, it has to be the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, though the Rugby World Cup is a close second. It would be especially incredible if Vera Pauw’s side could emulate the men’s team’s achievement of never exiting in the group stages from three attempts, though it certainly won’t be easy with two higher-ranked rivals in Australia and Canada drawn alongside them in addition to a potentially tricky encounter with Nigeria.
Ciarán Kennedy
What was your sporting highlight of the year?
Ireland’s series win in New Zealand. It’s one thing to win down there, but to do it with such style was remarkable. Also had the privilege of watching David Clifford and Shane Walsh deliver two of the all-time great All-Ireland final performances.
And what was your biggest disappointment?
The first live sport I was ever brought to was to watch the Waterford hurlers. Year on year, it’s the hope that kills you.
Who is your Irish sports star of the year?
Daaaaavid Clifford. Already one of the most gifted players to ever pick up a ball and at 23, he’s only getting started — a frightening prospect for a Dublin fan. A special, special talent.
Who is your international sports star of the year?
2022 was the year Lionel Messi finally reached the promised land. What a shame that when he got there, Salt Bae was waiting.
What event are you most looking forward to in 2023?
Christ, where to start? The football championship should be a cracker with the Dubs welcoming back Paul Mannion and Jack McCaffrey, and I think the hurling will be more competitive than ever. Has to be France 2023 though. Can Johnny Sexton do a Messi on it?
Gavan Casey
What was your sporting highlight of the year?
I was fortunate enough to find myself reporting from ringside at Madison Square Garden as Katie Taylor came back from the dead to earn victory over Amanda Serrano. It’s tough to synopsise the magnitude of the occasion, or indeed of Taylor’s comeback from that fifth-round shelling; what I can say is that whole week in New York, and watching one of Ireland’s greatest ever sportspeople fist-pumping over the top rope amid the absolute bedlam that met the judges’ verdict, will stay with me for the rest of my days.
And what was your biggest disappointment?
There has been an aching cavity in my soul ever since I saw Larry David shilling cryptocurrency in a Super Bowl ad.
Who is your Irish sports star of the year?
Taylor again, but I’d love for more people to understand the sheer greatness of boxer Amy Broadhurst’s 2022. The Dundalk woman took home gold medals from each of the World Championships, the European Championships, and the Commonwealth Games — which is incredible, to begin with. But even more impressive is that she won her World and European golds a division above her optimal fighting weight, laying waste to all and sundry at 63kg while Kellie Harrington remains the Irish selectors’ top pick in the 60kg Olympic division. The long and short of it is that Amy Broadhurst is, in the very best way, a freak.
Who is your international sports star of the year?
The World Cup remains the biggest show on Earth and, in time, this year will become synonymous with Lionel Messi just as 1986 did with Maradona, and 1970 did with Pele, and so on. But 2022 will also one day be seen as the year in which Carlos Alcaraz told tennis, and the entire sporting world, ‘I’m coming.’
What event are you most looking forward to in 2023?
I’m confident from all I’ve heard that Taylor-Serrano II will happen at Croke Park but I’ll choose something more concrete for the moment; and even though it’s a Rugby World Cup year, I’m mostly looking forward to this year’s men’s Six Nations. Ireland are digging out wins against the world’s top teams with scope for improvement. France are the world’s top team, albeit unofficially, with a home World Cup on the horizon. England have a clean slate under Steve Borthwick. Our old buddy ‘Gats’ is back in the saddle with Wales. Italy are coming in off the back of two huge scalps in 2022. And Scotland are bound to pull somebody’s card — just hopefully not Ireland’s. It’s gonna be absolute cornage. Bring it on.
David Sneyd
What was your sporting highlight of the year?
Seeing Stephen Bradley’s son, Josh, who was diagnosed with Leukaemia during the year, lead the Shamrock Rovers players out to lift the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division trophy. The eight-year-old then ran towards the fans behind the goal saluting them with the same fist pump celebration his father is fond of. It was an emotional sight, but also a powerful one, and it just trumps the Ireland women’s team qualifying for the World Cup purely on the tear count.
And what was your biggest disappointment?
As mentioned during the World Cup review, the words of the tournament’s chief executive, Nasser al-Khater, are a grim and glib reminder of the value they put on the lives lost to deliver what amounted to Qatar’s vacuous flash of the leg to the world. “Death is a natural part of life – whether it’s as work, whether it’s in your sleep.” This was not his attempt to sidestep questions about any number of the reported thousands of migrant worker deaths in the years leading to the World Cup, but rather the death of a Filipino national working at the Saudi Arabia training base during the tournament.
Who is your Irish sports star of the year?
If we were to keep this purely to domestic achievements, David Clifford cannot be overlooked – there were enough people making that clear when RTÉ did just that for their own awards this year. Roberto Lopes’ achievements must not also be ignored, though. Domestically, the Dubliner helped Rovers win their third title in a row while on the international front, the Cape Verde international (his father is from there) was a key cog in the side which progressed from their group in the African Cup of Nations before being beaten by Senegal. Injury in the middle of the year also prevented him from playing in the crucial opening games of the Hoops’ Europa Conference League group-stage campaign.
Who is your international sports star of the year?
There was a great line from Golf.com’s Alan Bastable when he was assessing Rory McIlroy’s season. “[He] slung the PGA Tour over his shoulder and carried it through the most tumultuous year in the history of professional golf.” The rise of the LIV Tour was met head-on by McIlroy, who also still managed to finish the year as world number one. He went into the final day of the Open at St Andrew’s with a share of the lead and was pipped by Cam Smith, who later defected to the rebel tour. To those on the outside — and believe me, I am — he is bigger than golf and bigger than just Ireland.
What event are you most looking forward to in 2023?
Katie Taylor fighting at Croke Park would be something special, and the Ireland women’s football team taking part in the World Cup will be a ground-breaking moment for Irish sport. But what I am looking forward to — hopefully — is the FAI sending out another email in December 2023 (like the one that landed five days before this Christmas) highlighting the continued rise in League of Ireland attendances. So much good work has been started, maintained and increased during the most troubling of times for Irish football. The people on the ground care, they are smart and diligent and know they have something special which can grow into an event that is part of the fabric of Irish life. Conor McGregor’s next Twitter meltdown is also highly anticipated.
Sinead Farrell
What was your sporting highlight of the year?
It has to be the Republic of Ireland women’s team qualifying for the 2023 World Cup. Watching Amber Barrett score the winner against Scotland on that historic night in October was such a poignant moment. In addition to sending Ireland through to their first-ever major tournament, her goal was also a fitting tribute to the 10 people who sadly died in the tragedy at Creeslough in her home county of Donegal just a few days previously.
And what was your biggest disappointment?
It was heartening to see Lionel Messi finally win the World Cup after such a dramatic final that is arguably one of the greatest sporting moments in history. But the Qatar backdrop of this tournament cannot be ignored. It was hugely disappointing to see such a prestigious sports competition take place in a place where human rights are not respected, and where members of the LGBTQ+ community are not welcome.
Who is your Irish sports star of the year?
There have been some exceptional individual feats by Irish sports stars this year. David Clifford has been such a consistent performer for his county and gave another memorable display in the All-Ireland final as the Kingdom ended an eight-year wait to lift the Sam Maguire. Rhys McClenaghan’s gold medal display in the final of the pommel horse at the World Gymnastics championships was a definite highlight. But my number one pick goes to Katie Taylor. Watching her extend her professional boxing record to 22-0 was exceptional.
Who is your international sports star of the year?
Lionel Messi’s World Cup coronation was such an inspiring moment, particularly when it looked like France were going to take the glory from him after battling back so well.
What event are you most looking forward to in 2023?
The Women’s World Cup. Now that Ireland have ended their long wait to reach this point, the whole country will be eager to watch them go and make the most of their opportunity.
