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Boxing

17th Dec 2014

Katie Taylor sees off Brian O’Driscoll in ‘Most Admired’ vote

Rugby dominates the PSG poll but is only Ireland's third most popular sport

Patrick McCarry

The Ireland football team are nowhere to be seen in a comprehensive end-of-year, sporting poll

Katie Taylor is Ireland’s Most Admired Sportsperson for 2014. The five-time world champion topped a public poll carried out by Pembroke-Slattery Group.

Taylor tops the PSG poll after claiming 34% of the vote. Brian O’Driscoll (14%) and Paul O’Connell (12%) are next on the ‘most admired’ list while Robbie Keane is fourth on 6%.

The Bray boxer’s fifth world title success, claimed in South Korea last month, ranks as Ireland’s best sporting achievement of the year. It polled at 30% with Ireland’s Six Nations championship in second at 18% and Rory McIlroy winning all and sundry in the golfing world third, at 8%.

Team of the Year, if the public had their way, would go to the Irish Men’s rugby team (38%) with their female counterparts (20%) beating Kilkenny’s hurlers into second place.

As for sporting participation, football leads the way (24%) with GAA (17%) and rugby (16%) polling way ahead of swimming and tennis (both 5%).

The poll results make headlines in many media outlets today but did not please everyone in our fair isle.

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