RTÉ Sport has announced the shortlist of nine finalists for the RTÉ Sports Person of the Year Award and eight finalists for the RTÉ Team of the Year Award. The winners will be presented with their awards at The RTÉ Sports Awards 2010 in association with The Irish Sports Council which will be broadcast live on RTÉ One, Wednesday 22 December at 9.30pm.

Presented by Darragh Maloney, Michael Lyster, Joanne Cantwell and Des Cahill, the live show will review how Irish athletes performed throughout 2010 and look back on the dramatic and memorable sporting moments of 2010. The winners on the evening will be selected by RTÉ sports journalists, editorial staff and broadcasters and will be announced live on the night.

The show will be directed by Kevin O’Connell (Sattitude) and edited by Paula Fahy (The Sunday Game). The RTÉ production will feature a pair of floor managers, Kieran McDonagh and Kim Burrows.

The RTÉ Sports Person of the Year shortlist consists of:

• Irish and International sports individuals such as Graeme McDowell, US Open champion and Ryder Cup team member
• Katie Taylor, third time World Amateur Boxing Champion
• Grainne Murphy, European Long and Short Course Swimming Championships triple medal winner; A.P. McCoy, Grand National and Champion Hurdle winning jockey
• Lar Corbett, Tipperary hat-trick hero in this year's All Ireland Hurling final
• Paddy Barnes, European Boxing Champion
• Tommy Bowe, RBS 6 Nations Player of the Year and Magners League winner
• Derval O'Rourke, European Athletics Championships silver medallist
• Rory McIlroy, winner of his first PGA Tour event at 20 years of age and the youngest winner since Tiger Woods on America's PGA tour.

The RTÉ Sports Team of the Year shortlist looks to celebrate the collaborative achievements of Irish athletes and the chosen individuals include:

• Irish Men's Senior Boxing team, winners of an unprecedented five medals at the European Boxing Championships
• All Ireland Football Championship and National League winners, Cork
• FIFA World Cup quarter finalists, the Republic of Ireland U17 Women's Football Team
• First time All Ireland title winners, the Dublin Ladies Football team
• Airtricity League Premier Division title winners, Shamrock Rovers Football Club
• All Ireland Hurling Champions, Tipperary
• European Championship Gold Medal Winners, the Irish Men's U-23 Cross Country team
• All Ireland Camogie Champions, Wexford

The RTÉ Sports Awards 2010 in association with The Irish Sports Council will be broadcast live on RTÉ One on Wednesday, December 22nd at 9.30pm.

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