McDonald’s and the Irish FA have announced the regional winners of this year’s McDonald’s Irish FA Grassroots Football Awards.
The annual awards, which celebrate 25 years in Northern Ireland this year, recognise the unbelievable work and commitment of football clubs and volunteers who give up their time and make a long-lasting impact on young people and communities across Northern Ireland.
The national awards ceremony of the McDonald’s Irish FA Grassroots Football Awards is due to take place next month at Belfast City Hall.
The regional awards event was hosted at the Clearer Twist National Stadium at Windsor Park, where Northern Ireland legend and Fun Football Ambassador Pat Jennings presented the winners with their trophies.
Pat said: "Without grassroots football volunteers none of this could happen. Through the years I have witnessed first-hand the significant impact that McDonald’s Fun Football has had, and continues to have, on the lives of young people in Northern Ireland.
“It is fantastic achievement that McDonald’s is on track to deliver over 10 million hours of Fun Football for one million children across the UK by 2026.”
McDonald’s franchisee Paul Connan said McDonald’s was passionate about feeding and fostering communities and supporting local families, adding that its commitment to grassroots football was a great way for McDonald’s to demonstrate that.
He added: “The Grassroots Football Awards gives us a great opportunity to celebrate our local grassroots football heroes, who are the beating heart of the game we all love here in Northern Ireland. Congratulations to the winners.”
This year regional winner titles were awarded in the following categories: ‘Club of the Year’, ‘Football for All Award’, ‘Futsal Award’, ‘Wes Gregg Coach of the Year’, ‘Volunteer of the Year’ and ‘Young Volunteer of the Year’. In addition the shortlist for ‘The People’s Award for Outstanding Contribution to Grassroots Football’ was revealed. Voting for that award will open in due course.
The regional winners in the ‘Club of the Year’ category were:
- Castlecaulfield Youth FC, Co Tyrone
- Berlin Swifts and Swiftettes FC, Belfast
- Damolly FC, Newry
- Carryduff Colts FC
The regional winners of the ‘Football for All Award’ were:
- Bangor Swifts FC Juniors
- Michael Hilland (Trailblazers Powerchair FC, Belfast)
- Portaferry Town FC, Co Down
- Peter Leonard (Rosario Youth FC, Belfast)
- Stephen Rea
- Connie Hodge (Larne Lions)
The regional winners of ‘Wes Gregg Coach of the Year’ were:
- Chris Morrow (Castlecaulfield Youth FC)
- Clare McIlwaine (Crusaders Strikers, Belfast)
- Mark Lever (Dungoyne FC, Dundonald)
- Claire Little (Lurgan Town)
The regional winners of ‘Volunteer of the Year’ were:
- Cara Mulholland (Harry Gregg Foundation Youth League, Coleraine)
- Seamus Harkin (Dungiven Celtic FC, Co Londonderry)
- Grainne Pimley (St Malachy’s Old Boys Youth FC, Belfast)
The regional winners of ‘Young Volunteer of the Year’ were:
- Ben McCormick (Ballykeel Youth, Ballymena)
- Peter Hughes (Coleraine FC)
- Rebekah Johnston (Rathfriland FC, Co Down)
- Joel Mellon (Bangor FC 2016s)
- Mia Patterson (Damolly FC)
- Lucas McCullough (Ards Rangers FC)
The regional winners of the ‘Futsal Award’ were:
- Johnathan Dalzell (Sparta Belfast Futsal Club)
- Jonny Kavanagh (Claudy Futsal, Co Londonderry)
- David Alonso (Omagh Futsal Club)
- Jonathan Michael
- Dario Dielininkaitis (Carryduff Futsal Project)
Shortlisted for ‘The People’s Award for Outstanding Contribution to Grassroots Football’ were:
- Brian Kirker (22nd Old Boys and Ladies FC, Belfast)
- Darran McQuoid (Drumaness Mills FC, Co Down)
- Samuel McNeill (Harry Gregg Foundation, Coleraine)
Image: Jordan Reid (Game Development Manager, Irish FA Foundation), McDonald’s Fun Football Ambassador Pat Jennings and Paul Connan (McDonald’s franchisee) with some of the regional award winners.
