Updated at 21.33
A MEMORABLE 12 months for Stephen Kenny was recognised last night as the Dundalk boss was named Personality of the Year at SSE Airtricity/Soccer Writers’ Association of Ireland Awards.
The 45-year-old helped Dundalk win their third successive league title as well as guiding them to group stages of the Europa League.
Kenny emerged victorious ahead of five fellow nominees – Dundalk trio Chris Shields, Daryl Horgan and Andy Boyle, with the latter two since joining Preston, while Cork boss John Caulfield and striker Sean Maguire were also recognised.
It is the second time Kenny has received the award after he previously won it in 2014.
In addition, Cork City’s Mark McNulty picked up the Goalkeeper of the Year award.
The 36-year-old was a key part of the Cork side that won the FAI Cup and finished runners-up in the league, conceding just 23 goals and earning 25 clean sheets.
Meanwhile, the Special Merit award winner (Liam Tuohy Salver) was Joe Veselsky.
The Slovakian nonagenarian was a director at Shamrock Rovers, while he has been UCD’s Executive Life President since 1987.
Veselsky was born before World War One was over and served in World War Two as a partisan in the Tartra Mountains, fighting for his homeland against the German advance.
He settled in Dublin in the late 1940s and captained the Irish team in table tennis, subsequently becoming Life President of the Irish Table Tennis Association.
Robbie Keane received a special presentation from Irish boss Martin O’Neill on behalf of the SWAI in recognition of his outstanding service to Irish football.
The striker retired from international football last August after scoring 68 goals in 146 appearances as well as appearing at three major tournaments.
Keane also made a presentation on behalf of the SWAI to former Finn Harps and Sligo Rovers striker Brendan Bradley, the League of Ireland’s all-time top goalscorer with 235 goals.
SWAI Personality of the Year winner: Stephen Kenny (Dundalk)
SWAI Goalkeeper of the Year winner: Mark McNulty (Cork City)
Special Merit award winner: Joe Veselsky
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We were blessed to get a point out of the game.Galway were the better team ‘hopefully they can stay up as well
@robert grehan: a favour from drogheda isn’t likely
Delighted with the point and premier football returning to the marketsfield next season. Fair play to galway and their supporters who were fantastic tonight. They played the best football as we sat off them and invited them on. They were very unlucky not to take all three points but Fortunately for us we held tough.
There will be major changes next season at Limerick, an overhaul is badly beeded. Roll on next season already!!!
Appalling ref who ruins every game he does.
Thankfully we’re safe. Up and down season. Heres to next seasons rollercoaster.
Fair play to all the limerick lads on here saying it as it is. DCFC fan
Surely the ref is at the ground at least an hour before kick off , and first thing inspect the shirts ? Mr buttimer imo seek s to be the attraction at most games he refs ! But a good ref when he cuts out this nonsense
Blessed to get a point ? All talk when the manager arrived was we are pushing for a europa spot , fast forward and we were relegation contenders , a lot of hard decisions to be made for next year ?
A very poor display by Limerick. It lacked guts and this stems from the manager who plays an archaic Martin O’Neill type of football. Galway who are very average were made look good. They tried hard and were the better team by a distance. They should have had a stonewall penalty in the last minute. In saying that their first one was dodgy at best, the swan dived earned it. McDonald needs to buy two cbs and go from there.
@Fergus McGrath: Stephen Folan would be a great signing for limerick next season.
CCFC fan here who was at the game last night, (drops down to a number of games when CCFC are playing away).
Yes in fairness I would agree that the posts on here from LCFC fans are accurate. While agreeing that Galway are average as stated I would say that LFC are only above average themselves. I don’t agree that Limerick made them look good, considering Galways periless position they came to the Markeks Field with a positive game plan, stuck to in and should have been 2 up instead of 2 goals down at half time.
Its great that Limerick are safe but they are at a crossroads, no doubt the managers position will have to be reviewed for the 2nd time this season while also a couple of their better players, namely Heny and Ogbene will be courted by other clubs and will possibly move on.