IRISH TIMES IRISH SPORTS COUNCIL Gaelic Football & Camogie All Stars win Sportswoman of the Month

Dublin Gaelic football captain Denise Masterson and Wexford camogie captain Una Leacy have been named joint winners of The Irish Times / Irish Sports Council 'Sportswoman of the Month' for the month of November.

The pair missed out on the September award to Katie Taylor's world title win, but their All Star awards in November has provided the opportunity to acknowledge their achievements, both as individuals and as representatives of this year's All-Ireland champions.

Despite being defeated in the 2003, 2004 and 2009 All-Ireland finals, as well as suffering relegation from Division One of the National League earlier this year, the Dublin team fought on and triumphed over Tyrone, giving the county its first senior All-Ireland title. Masterson's contribution to their 3-16 to 0-9 victory was immense, both as captain and as her team's driving force in midfield.

In contrast, Wexford's form throughout 2010 indicated that a second All-Ireland title in four years was on the cards, the team retaining their National League title by beating Kilkenny back in April. This year they completed the double with a two-point defeat of Galway. Leacy's display in the Wexford attack against Galway, and her leadership of her team, was no less impressive than Masterson's contribution to Dublin's success against Tyrone, making the pair inseparable when it came to deciding on the award.

Leacy and Masterson will battle it out against the other monthly winners next week (17th December 2010) for the overall 2010 Sportswoman of the Year title.

Established in 2004, the aim of the Sportswoman of the Year awards is to recognise the abilities and achievements of women in Irish sports. The awards run over a 12 month period, with the judges selecting a winner each month for her ability to excel at sport. From the 12 monthly winners, the overall Sportswoman of the Year is selected and announced at the end of the year. The winner is decided by a judging panel, which is represented by individuals from The Irish Times, RTة, and the Evening Herald.

Further details on the Sportswoman of the Year Awards can be found on www.irishtimes.com/events/sportswoman/.