LAST UPDATE | 27 Jan 2021

DUBLIN’S ACHIEVEMENT in completing six-in-a-row in the All-Ireland senior football championship has seen them voted Team of the Year while Katie Taylor is again Ireland’s undisputed number one sports star.

They are the main findings for 2020 from the annual Teneo Sport and Sponsorship index, a comprehensive 1,000 person national survey which produces findings from the 2020 sporting year.

Dublin just edged out Limerick’s all-conquering hurlers for the team award while Gaelic Games remained the country’s favourite sport according to the survey. Taylor was the clear winner of the most admired sports star category with Jonathan Sexton in second place.

Taylor’s victory over Delfine Persoon last August was voted the most memorable sporting moment of 2020 while the delayed Tokyo Olympic Games is the event the country is most looking forward to.

“For the first time in seven years, a GAA side takes sole possession of top spot in the Team of the year category,” remarked Rob Pearson, Director of Teneo Ireland.

“GAA sides typically struggle in national bodies of research given the local nature of the games and appeal of teams, but the incredible achievement of Dublin’s footballers is recognised after their historic All-Ireland six in-a-row.

“Katie Taylor remains undoubtedly our favourite sport star and she is Ireland’s most admired for the fourth year in succession. Along with Dublin’s Ladies Footballers strong showing in the Team of the Year category, it proves once again the appetite for women’s sport amongst Irish people.”

The survey looks to examine the Irish general public’s attitudes towards sport and their sporting heroes. It is the view of the general public and not a survey of sports fans. The research was carried out from 14-19 January with quotas impsoed across gender, region, age and social class.

2020 Selected Research Findings

Ireland’s Favourite Sport (top six only)

• Gaelic Games – 24%
• Soccer – 14%
• Rugby – 13%
• = Cycling / Tennis – 5%
• = Athletics / Golf – 3%

Team of the Year (top five only)

• Dublin Senior Football Team – 24%
• Limerick Senior Hurling Team – 23%
• Leinster Rugby – 20%
• Dublin Ladies Football Team – 12%
• Dundalk FC 10%

Most Admired Athlete (top five only)

• Katie Taylor – 30%
• Jonathan Sexton – 6%
• Shane Lowry – 5%
• = Joe Canning / Padraig Harrington / Conor Murray / Sam Bennett – 4%

Most Memorable Sporting Moment (top five only)

• Katie Taylor has her hand raised after beating Delfine Persoon – 32%
• Sam Bennett wins the Tour de France final stage in Paris – 15%
• Tipperary win their first Munster SFC title in 85 years – 11%
• = Limerick beat Waterford to win the All-Ireland / Waterford recover from nine points down to beat Kilkenny in the All-Ireland semi-final– 7%

Greatest Sporting Achievement (top five only)

• Katie Taylor out-points Delfine Persoon for the second time to retain her unified world lightweight belts – 27%
• Sam Bennett wins the Tour de France green jersey – 16%
• Dublin Senior footballers win All-Ireland six in-a-row – 9%
• Tipperary win Munster Senior Football Championship – 8%
• Limerick win the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship – 7%

Event Most Looking Forward to in 2020 (top five only)

• Tokyo Olympic Games – 20 %
• Six Nations – 17%
• All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship – 14%
• All-Ireland Senior Football Championship – 11%
• Euro 2020 – 10%

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