Ireland cap and U20 Six Nations victory the highlight of Shane Mallon's 2022

We're back to that time of the year where we look back and look forward at the same time and in the Observer sports department, we're no different! Or maybe we know what works as we return with our popular sports review of 2022 over the next few weeks.

Like last year, we've asked some of the county's brightest sports stars to look back over the last 12 months along with some of those journalists on the sports beat around the county.

Bornacoola’s Shane Mallon had a superb breakthrough year with the Ireland U20 team as he won his first international cap and was part of the Irish team who won the Six Nations championship. Here Shane looks back over 2022.

Willie Donnellan’s highs and lows of Leitrim’s sporting year

Highlight of the Year

For me personally my highlight of the year had to be running out onto Musgrave Park in Cork in round 1 of the U20 six nations and earning my first cap for the Ireland U20s. It was such a surreal moment that I will never forget. Then also that feeling when we secured the grand slam in Cork and to celebrate with family and friends afterwards was such a proud moment for me.

Lowlight of the Year

Generally after such a good year, I have little to be disappointed with having played in Six nations with the U20s and signed into the Connacht academy. However my lowlight of the year came in June as I tore my hamstring and this left me in rehab for five months. This meant I missed the U20s summer series tournament in Italy. However I’m back now stronger and enjoying my rugby in Galway.

With the controversy over the staging of the World Cup in Qatar, what’s your view on the role of sport and politics/ social issues - should they mix? Should they be kept separate?

This question is quite a hard question to answer. Politics and Sport will always be mixed as most sporting organisations are funded by governments. Also I’m a firm believer that top level sportspeople are role models for younger generations to come. Playing at the top level gives you a platform to speak about problems in society. However sometimes it’s ultimately out of the hands of players and down to the sporting body in charge.

Personality of the Year

I think in Leitrim we have a huge amount of great sportspeople for our small county. Individuals like Muireann Devaney are making huge strides in ladies soccer and GAA. One could pick a string of individuals from the St Mary’s or county football teams. But my Personality of the year in Leitrim is Zac Moradi. He is doing big teams for Leitrim sport and brought great publicity to the county. And also did very well with his new book.

Team of the Year

I think, in Leitrim, when you look at teams it's hard to look past the St. Mary's seniors. For such a young team to go as far as they did and almost reach a Connacht final is a huge accomplishment for a club team from Leitrim. I think if you look internationally, the Irish men’s rugby team made history in New Zealand and beat South Africa in the autumn so they’ve had a great year also.

What are the big challenges facing Leitrim sport in 2023

I think Leitrim sport is growing year on year, we are improving every year. We have some great teams and individual athletes across many sports. I think it will always be hard for Leitrim to compete at top levels of football and hurling and other top team events purely with the challenge of our small population. But I’m confident we can strive to improve and compete above any level of expectation for our small county.

John Lynch looks back over 2022 Sporting Year

Not a fan of penalty shootouts, John Lynch is a fan of Katie!

Event that made me go wow in 2022

Chile beating the USA to qualify for their first ever world cup was an event that made me go wow this year. A second was when the Irish Women’s soccer team qualified for the world cup in Australia next year. This was massive and it makes for an exciting year next year with the rugby world cup and women’s soccer world cup.

One thing I’d do to make sport better in 2023

I think a view that is held by some adults and parents of young kids is that kids need to focus on one sport from a young age. This is the furthest from the best thing to do. Every child should be playing as many sports as they can growing up. Firstly, it helps with general health with exercise and secondly, skills are transferable between sports and playing many while you are young will make you better at one when you're older.

Santa visits Carrick RFC Juvenile training for Christmas - GALLERY

Carrick RFC Juveniles had a very special visitors to Aura Leitrim Leisure when Santa was the special guest at their final training session before the Festive season

One to watch in 2023

I think the Leitrim senior football team have a huge year ahead of them. I think they will be a great team to follow in 2023. An individual I think is a big one to watch is Katie Taylor if she fights in Croke park that would be a huge event. I really think this could be the year the Irish men’s rugby team really pushes on in the world cup. Let's hope the quarter final curse is well and truly gone.

Check out next week's Observer for the final part of our sporting review of the year from Niall Morahan, Muireann Devaney, Gerard O’Donnell and Michelle Guckian.