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Farrelly celebrates going “from Car to Cup”
26 September 2008 - Two years ago Colin Farrelly was new to Australia and living in his car parked at the Gaelic football grounds so he didn't miss game – this week his mother was here from Ireland to see him awarded the Paul Daly Cup as the best and fairest player at Brisbane’s Shamrocks Gaelic Football Club.
Pictured - 2008 best and fairest winners Colin Farrelly and Megan White; Colin Farrelly celebrates with his brother John and mother Geraldine out from Country Leitrim.
Farrelly, 23 and one of nine children for Geraldine and Gerry Farrelly in County Leitrim, won after leading his western suburbs Shamrocks team to the finals of both the Brisbane Shield and Queensland Championship, losing the latter by just a solitary point.
The mid-fielder led the scoring with the second highest total ever for the 25-year-old club, and equalled the team record for most points over in a game. It is the first time that the club’s leading scorer won the best and fairest award in the same year.
This was the first full season for Farrelly, who travels up from Mermaid Beach on the Gold Coast for training and games. He was a County Antrim representative at under 16, under 18, and under 21 level, before joining Shamrocks.
The Shamrocks best and fairest ladies award was won by former Queensland and Australian cricketer Megan White.
Playing at centre half back also in her first full season, White was an attacking force out of defence as the ladies Shamrocks won the Queensland League for the first time in nine years.
The O’Malley family literally around the world is celebrating after Donagh O’Malley won the Stuart Clement Trophy as the best and fairest minor (under 18) player.
It was a record third Shamrocks award won by the O’Malley family from County Meath in Ireland, after sister Michelle won the Most Consistent award in 1999, and brother David won the Paul Daly Cup in 2006.
John Collins won this year’s mens Most Consistent award to give him a record five club awards in just six seasons.
Scoring records were also acknowledged, with Reanna “Boots” Browne receiving commemorative pennants for a record 12 points over in a game, and 88 over for the season, both of which smashed eight-year-old records set by former World Cup winners. She was the team’s leading scorer.
Lyndall Daley, the team’s second leading scorer, equaled the record this year with goals in a single game, and finished the season with 27 for the second most in team history.
Here is the full 2008 honour roll for the western suburbs Shamrocks club, celebrating its 25th year:
Mens
Paul Daly Cup – Colin Farrelly
Stuart Clement Trophy – Donagh O’Malley
Most Consistent – John Colins
Most Improved – Ian McLoughlin
Best First Year – Marcus Jolly
Leading scorer – Colin Farrelly
Ladies
Best & Fairest – Megan White
Most Consistent – Kirby Short
Most Improved – Krystal Hansen
Best Team Player – Katherine May
Leading scorer – Reanna Browne
Related links:
Previous award winners
Club history
Farrelly leads Shamrocks into semi final
11 August 2008 - Colin Farrelly kicked his highest score of the year as his western suburbs Shamrocks team announced its readiness for the Queensland Gaelic Football Championship at Willawong at the weekend.
Farrelly kicked 3 goals 9 points to equal the team record for most points set by Brad Kennedy six years ago, as Shamrocks 5-20-35 demolished Easts 0-4-4 in the Championship quarter final.
Shamrocks now face Queensland League winners Harps in the semi final this Sunday.
Meanwhile, the newly crowned ladies Queensland League winners Shamrocks commence their championship campaign with a semi final against Sarsfields.
The semi finals are at Gaelic Park, Bowhill Road, Willawong, this Sunday, with the womens game at 11am and the mens at 2pm. Supporters are advised to arrive early to avoid parking issues.
Tricia takes time out for Oceania win
2 August 2008 - Tricia Brown, the best womens Gaelic footballer ever produced in Queensland, has taken time out from her western suburbs Shamrocks club to star for Australian rugby in Samoa last week.
Brown was amongst the stars as Australia won its inaugural Women’s Rugby Oceania Sevens to qualify for the Sevens World Cup in Dubai next year.
Playing in the humidity of Samoa, Brown’s Australian girls beat all-comers, including New Zealand twice to win the title.
Australia beat Fiji 21-7, thrashed the hosts 46-0 and Niue 59-0 before coming up against current 15-a-side world champions New Zealand.
Having never won against the Black Ferns in the traditional format the match was always going to be a challenge, but three tries to the Wallaroos including one to Tricia Brown saw off the pre-tournament favourites 15-5.
Going into the final day as top seeds the Aussies were drawn again with Samoa for the semi finals knowing victory would secure one of the two World Cup qualification spots. Australia defended strongly for a comfortable 29-0 win and a place in Dubai.
With the pressure of qualifying released the Aussies looked forward to a rematch with the New Zealand in the final.
After coming from behind to level the game at 5-all, both teams traded tries to be 15-all with only one minute to play. Then in the closing seconds, Tricia Brown’s flick pass was gathered and run in from 60 metres to win on the siren and seal the inaugural Women’s Oceania Sevens.
Brown has also done Queensland and Australia proud in the Gaelic game, including twice winning the World Cup with Australasia, and twice winning best and fairest awards for Australasia, Queensland, and her Brisbane western suburbs club Shamrocks.
In the meantime, Shamrocks coach Cameron Carney has guided his team to its first Queensland League title since 1999 and thereby breaking an eight year stranglehold by Harps, and now advance straight to the Championship semi finals.
Photo from www.rugby.com.au
Related links:
Previous Queensland League winners
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