11 May Navan RFC Honours Senior & Youth Stars at Annual Awards Night
The Ardboyne Hotel was a sea of Navy & Sky Blue last Friday evening as Navan RFC gathered for one of the most anticipated events on the club calendar, the 2025/26 Senior and Youth Awards Night.
The evening served as a fitting tribute to a season of immense growth and competitive success across our Senior Men’s and Women’s squads, the Under 20 Men, and the Under 18.5 Boys and Girls teams. Club Honorary Secretary Gerry Sweeney acted as the Master of Ceremonies, guiding a packed room through a night defined by pride, camaraderie, and outstanding individual achievements.
The atmosphere was electric from the start, with live music from “The Sandmen” and a high-energy set from DJ Tracey Hanby ensuring the celebrations continued long after the final trophy was presented.
The 2025/26 Roll of Honour
Under 18 ½ Squads
The future of the club was front and center as our oldest youth squads were recognized for their development into senior-ready athletes.
- U18 ½ Boys: James Martin (Most Improved) & Rhian Flaherty (Players’ Player).
- U18 ½ Girls: Sine Curley (Most Improved) & Aisling Caffrey (Player of the Year).
- Special Recognition: Mia Kavanagh was the proud recipient of The Hannah O’Dea Spirit of Rugby Award, while Lorcan Craik was named Youth Player of the Year.
Men’s Under 20s & Junior Rugby
- Under 20s: Caolan Duffy (Players’ Player) & Noah Kavanagh (Player of the Year).
- J3 XV: Adam St.Ledger (Most Improved) & Andy Kiernan (Player of the Year in memory of Dave McAteer).
- J1/2nd XV: Alesandro “Ale” Maltese (Most Improved) & Ciarmhac “Ciwi” O Fionnagain (Player of the Year).
Women’s Rugby
Following a historic season that saw the club field three adult teams, the awards reflected the incredible depth of talent in the women’s section:
- 1st XV Players’ Player: Shona White
- 2nd XV Players’ Player: Martina O’Neill
- 3rd XV Players’ Player: Sarah White
- Young Player of the Year: Katie Kearney
- Best Newcomer: Lisa O’Neill
- Most Improved: Anna McGarry
Senior Men’s 1st XV
- Young Player of the Year: Fionn Craik
- Player of the Year: Kit Waddington
Club Player of the Year
The most prestigious individual accolade of the evening, the Navan RFC Club Player of the Year in memory of Pete Hogan, was awarded to Ben McEntagart for his exceptional contributions and consistency throughout the season.
A Fond Farewell to a Loyal Partner
A poignant moment in the evening occurred when Club President Eddie Lyons made a special presentation to Eimer Hannon of Hannon Travel.
As Hannon Travel concludes its term as a club sponsor, the presentation was a small token of the club’s sincere appreciation for Eimer’s unwavering support over the past six years. Her commitment has been instrumental in the club’s progress, and she departs with the deepest thanks of every member at Balreask Old.
Acknowledgements
The success of such a large-scale event is down to the dedicated professionals behind the scenes. The club wishes to thank:
- Gerry Sweeney for his superb work as MC.
- HIGCO Sound and Lighting for the flawless technical setup.
- Arosha Dharmasena for capturing the memories of the night through his photography.
- The staff of the Ardboyne Hotel for their excellent hospitality.
Congratulations to all our winners and to every player who wore the jersey this season. We are already looking forward to seeing you all back on the pitch for 2026/27!
More Photos are available to view on the Navan RFC Instagram!