September award for Robbie Cotter
The timing for the ceremony may not have been the best given it was a short few days after the Premier Senior County Hurling Final, but September was a special month for dual player Robbie Cotter.
In that period his scoring exploits ensured Blackrock and St Michaels progressed to their respective county finals and Robbie was a worth recipient for the 96FM/C103 GAA Sports Star award for September in association with the Rochestown Park Hotel.
In accepting the award Robbie said that “while Sunday was a disappointment, at least we have the football final to look forward to and I am delighted to be receiving this award and my thanks to my teammates on both teams, the various selection committees and my family for their support at all times, thanks also to the sponsors for selecting me”.
On Sunday, St Michael’s play Knocknagree in the Senior A Final and it’s a match he is really looking forward to. “It’s a big game for us and hopefully we can deliver a big performance in what we know will be a tough game.”
County Board Chairman Marc Sheehan said: “While matters did not go your way in the hurling final, it should not take from a very special month in which you made a major contribution to your clubs getting to county finals and I wish you all the best for Sunday’s football decider.”
Marc also thanked 96FM/C103 and the Rochestown Park Hotel for “their continued support and promotion of these prestigious awards and also supporting the board in other means as well”.
Steve Cox of Rochestown Park Hotel and Kieran McGeary of 96FM also congratulated Robbie on his award and wished him continued success for the rest of the season.
Robbie was accompanied by his family father Aidan, mother Elaine and sister Julie while his uncle Kieran was also in attendance along with Ger Coughlan, Chairman Blackrock Hurling Club and Frank O’Connell, President St Michaels Football Club.
Robbie now joins the previous monthly award winners in the race for the overall award.
St Finbarr’s Sam Ryan was the January winner while Ballygiblin’s Joseph O’Sullivan picked up the February winner; there were joint winners in March with Rochestown College and Beara Community College honoured for their All-Ireland wins in hurling and football. Handball was acknowledged in April as All-Ireland doubles champions Brendan Fleming and Donncha O’Connor were honoured and in May Ben Shorten was the recipient as Ballingeary were crowned Comortas Peile Na Gaelthachta Senior Champions for the very first time.
The June award went to Colm Lyons on his appointment as referee for the All-Ireland Hurling Final, with Cork camogie star Libby Coppinger the July recipient. Erin’s Own’s Kieran Murphy was the August winner.
The 2022 banquet will now take place on 10 February in the Rochestown Park Hotel where GAA President Larry McCarthy will be the guest of honour.
2 other awards will be presented on the night: The Kieran O’Driscoll Youth Award and the Donal Lehane Distinguished Career Award.