By Eugene Kyne

The off-season is here for the New York GAA, and individual awards were handed out last weekend with the all-star presentation at Ned Devine’s.

The only election on the cards, that for the auditor position, was completed last Thursday, with all other officers returned unopposed. The election was a run-off for three positions with four contestants. Peter McKiernan (Cavan, 45 votes), Geraldine O’Brien (Brooklyn/ Long Island, 44 votes) and Mark McAllister (Armagh, 38) were the incumbents, and they were returned with Frank Molloy (Donegal, 29 votes) the odd man out.

While no other posts had competition, it was still startling to see just 51 delegates voting in this one out of a possible total of 78. As they say in political circles just 65% at the polls, very disappointing numbers with serious work ahead for the association with Gaelic Park being developed as we speak.

The divisions within the association are having their meetings this Thursday for the election of the officers within same, with the junior football kicking it off at 7:30 p.m. followed by senior football and hurling.

The individual clubs are also kicking of their respective annual meetings, with Sligo, the reigning Senior B championship and knockout holders, holding theirs on Sunday, December 10 at Behan’s on Katonah Avenue at 5 p.m. New members are welcome as they step forward into the Senior A ranks.

The all-star awards show was also disappointing when less than half the winning players were on hand to accept their trophies. It is a privilege and an honor to be selected on any representative squad, but alas for a variety of reasons a certain amount of players were absent.

With players of the year in hurling, senior A and B football as well as the two junior groups the trophies were magnificent. The following players were selected in the various football divisions. Senior A: Dan Doona (Kerry), Senior B Dermot Fleming (Sligo), Junior A Mark Dobbins (Down), Junior B Justin O’Halloran (Stamford). Alan Gleason (Offaly) was the Senior Hurling winner.

Senior football: 1 Dermot Fleming (Sligo and Galway), 2 Niall Corbett (Kerry), 3 Aidan Power (Leitrim), 4 Derek Riney (Kerry), 5 Pa Murphy (Kerry), 6 Matt Mitchell (Kerry), 7 Dave Rooney (Cavan), 8 Ronan Garvey (St. Barnabas), 9 Dave McSweeney (Kerry), 10 Aidan McCarran (Four Provinces), 11 Robbie Moran (Leitrim), 12 Dermie Foley (Kerry), 13 Paddy Smyth (Cavan), 14 Dan Doona (Kerry), 15 Mike Creegan (Sligo and St. Raymond’s).

Junior football: 1 Brian McGonigle (Brooklyn/Long Island), 2 Alan Foley (Astoria Gaels), 3 Anthony Glacken (Kerry), 4 Liam Briodie (Dublin), 5 Francie Sheridan (Down), 6 Collie Fearon (Armagh), 7 Justin O’Halloran (Stamford), 8 Derek McKenna (Astoria Gaels), 9 John Walsh (Roscommon), 10 Tommy Quaid (Kerry), 11 Mark Dobbins (Down), 12 Danny O’Sullivan (Roscommon), 13 Sean Munnelly (Astoria Gaels), 14 C.J. Molloy (Donegal), 15 Noel McPartland (Armagh).

Hurling: 1 Alan Gleason (Offaly), 2 Matt Mitchell (Offaly), 3 Ritchie Gaule (Conn State), 4 Phil Wickham (Conn State), 5 Adrian Guinan (Offaly), 6 Tom Moylan (Tipperary), 7 Sean Corrigan (Galway), 8 Tomas Maher (New Jersey/Kilkenny), 9 Kieran Bergin (Offaly), 10 Bonnie Kennedy (Conn State), 11 John Madden (Tipperary), 12 Paul Murray (Conn State), 13 Kevin Kennedy (Tipperary), 14 Martin Finn (Tipperary), 15 Colin White (Offaly).