AFTER a fantastic season which saw them win the silver medal at the FEI European Championships, the Irish eventing team were named as runners-up in the Team Of The Year category by the Olympic Federation of Ireland at the 2025 Team Ireland Olympic Sport Awards last Saturday night at the Royal Convention Centre.

Team members Padraig McCarthy, Aoife Clark and Robbie Kearns, as well as chef d’equipe Dagg Albert, flew in from their bases in England to join Irish-based Ian Cassells on a night of fun and celebrating out of the jodhpurs.

The Team Of The Year title was awarded to Rowing World Championship bronze medal winning duo Fintan McCarthy and Philip Doyle, with the Irish eventing team sharing runner-up spot with Ireland’s Men’s 3×3 Basketball Team.

In a year of extraordinary results across multiple sports, the awards highlighted the importance of recognising athletes’ achievements, especially in a year of global championships, Olympic qualification battles, and standout moments on the world stage. Each winner received the Olly, the Olympic Sport Award Trophy, inspired by the Olympic torch. The judging panel, along with strong input from the public, faced particularly tough decisions this year given the breadth and depth of performances across Irish sport.