Reviewing the Irish sporting year

Michael Lyster, Darragh Maloney and Joanne Cantwell are on hand to present The RTÉ Sports Awards 2008 live from O"Reilly Hall, UCD, in association with The Irish Sports Council. The gala awards ceremony will include a review of the sporting year and look back on the dramatic and memorable sporting moments of 2008. On the night, a panel of well known Irish sports stars and analysts will reflect on the shortlists, debating the Irish sporting year that was. The panellists will include Tony Ward, Dara Ó Cinneide, Michael Duignan and John McHenry. The night"s awards will be RTÉ Sportsperson of the Year, RTÉ Sports Team of the Year, RTÉ/Irish Sports Council"s Hall of Fame Award. It was another exciting year in Irish sport with Padraig Harrington winning his second Open title in a row and the USPGA, the successful performances of the Irish boxers at the Olympics Games in Beijing, Munster"s formidable clash against the All Blacks in the newly re-opened Thomond Park and the achievements of our athletes at the Paralympics. The GAA Championship also enjoyed a dramatic year including Tyrone"s destruction of Kerry"s three-in-a-row dream. The RTE Sports Awards 2008 will be broadcast on Sunday, December 21, at 9.30pm on RTE One.