As the year 2001 has been designated the year of the volunteer, I would like to pay a very special tribute to the hundreds of workers that make an enormous contribution to the promotion and development of our game week in week out - be they, club officials, players, managers, coaches, administrators or individuals who help out on the odd occasion. We are deeply indebted to all you magnificent people, who give of your time and energy in the promotion of the game at all the various levels of football throughout the county.

This has been a wonderful competitive season, with lots of top class team performances, and some really outstanding individual performances. I congratulate all the award winners here tonight, and would say that you are worthy recipients of whatever accolade is bestowed upon you. It has been my privilege to see most of the teams and clubs in action over the course of the season, and I am fully satisfied that the standard of play and the quality of our players has continued to improve. The ongoing coaching process has ensured that Mayo will continue to produce top quality players capable of reaching International standard. Indeed the number of Ladies, Youths, and Schoolboy International caps that have been awarded to Mayo players in recent years is testimony to the standards that we have attained in this county.

I would like to say a special thanks to all our referees. They have an extremely difficult job to do. Sometimes they are out 3 or 4 times per week. I would like to acknowledge their huge contribution to the game in Mayo. I would also like to congratulate the Mayo branch once again on the appointment of 3 Mayo officials for the Oscar Traynor Cup Final. They did a tremendous job, and we all felt proud of their performance on the night. I would also like to appeal to all the clubs to encourage people within their clubs that may have recently retired from the playing side to take up refereeing. We are in great need of more referees to officiate at our games, and if we don't have them we will not be able to complete our fixtures programme on time.

A word to our sponsors - Without your financial support we would not be able to run our competitions in the manner that our clubs are now accustomed to. We are deeply indebted to you for your continued support, and you are you are helping to promote and develop our game at all levels and all age groups. You are so important to securing our future, and I must thank the McHugh family of the Welcome Inn Hotel, Declan O'Connor and Sean Leahy of T.S.B. Bank, Vincent Kenny of Westaro, Peter Glynn and his colleagues throughout the county in A.I.B. Bank, David Flannelly of Flannelly Insurances, Oliver Kelleher, The Connaught Telegraph, Colm Hynes, and Chadwicks for your ongoing support and sponsorship over the years. I would hope that your sponsorship has been worthwhile and rewarding, and I would ask all our clubs to support all our sponsors at every available opportunity.

I would like to thank all the members of the media in Mayo for their coverage throughout the season. Our Junior League has over 1200 registered players, with a further 1700 registered underage players at Schoolboy, Youths and Ladies level. This would mean that there is upwards of 1500 people actively participating in competitive football every week during the full playing season. We are clearly the second biggest participant sport in the county, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the members of the press and the radio for the coverage they give to our games. We believe that young people are further encouraged into sport when we have good press and radio coverage.

I would like to say well done to our Mayo Oscar Traynor Cup team under the management of Fergie McEllinn. I am asking on Fergies behalf and on behalf of his panel of players to come out and support them tomorrow fortnight in Milebush, when they are pitted against Galway. The players and the management have put in a tremendous amount of effort into their preparations, and I am calling on all clubs in the League to lend their vocal support to the team on the day. I wish the team and their management the very best of luck.

Before I conclude, I would like to acknowledge the wonderful achievement of our International team manager, Mick McCarthy in securing a place in the finals of the World Cup to be held in Japan and Korea next year. It has been a tremendous performance by him and his panel of players, and we wish him well in the finals. - Don't forget, it was our own Pat Quigley that stood by him during troubled times, and had the confidence in him to do the job and perform. This he did in style. Pat Quigley unfortunately cannot be with us tonight, as he is just recovering from surgery in Dublin. It must be the first function in 20 years that he has failed to attend. We wish Pat a full and speedy recovery.

Finally, I would like to thank you, all the clubs in the League, the officers of the F.A.I. and C.F.A., the F.A.S. office in Castlebar, John Lavelle and Pat McTigue who look after Milebush for us, our local politicians, my fellow committee members, my family, and all those that I have had dealings with during the past nine months, for your wonderful support and assistance since I became the Chairman of the Mayo League. Your support and backing has been a great source of encouragement for me. Congratulations once again to all our awards winners, and let the game of football be the real winner at the end of the day. Thank you very much.

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