Boxer Katie Taylor remains the nation’s most admired athlete and Republic of Ireland footballer Troy Parrott’s 95th-minute winner against Hungary was voted most memorable sporting moment of the year, findings from the 16th annual Teneo Sport and Sponsorship Index (TSSI) indicate. The Republic of Ireland men’s football team was team of the year.
Katie Taylor’s victory over Amanda Serrano in their trilogy fight at New York’s Madison Square Garden was the second most memorable sporting moment, followed by Rory McIlroy’s Grand Slam clinching putt to win the Masters at Augusta and Shane Lowry’s celebrations after holing a pressure seven-foot putt on the 18th at Bethpage to secure victory for Europe.
Goal
Parrott’s dramatic goal in keeping Ireland’s World Cup qualification hopes alive in Budapest saw him debut in second place as the most admired athlete. Rory McIlroy was third, followed by Shane Lowry in fourth. Bundee Aki, the Ireland, Connacht and British and Irish Lions centre, shared fifth place with double Olympic boxing champion Kellie Harrington.
Also sharing fifth place were retired steeplechase jockey Rachael Blackmore (above) and two Republic of Ireland players, goalkeeper Caoimhín Kelleher and defender Séamus Coleman. On the team of the year front, the Triple Crown-winning Ireland rugby team took second place for the second year running, and the Republic of Ireland women’s football team was third.
GAA teams round out the top five with All-Ireland men’s senior football champions Kerry in fourth, and the Tipperary senior hurlers in fifth place after winning the Liam MacCarthy trophy for the first time since 2019. The TSSI is a 1,000-person national survey. The findings reflect the views of the general public, not solely sports fans and experts.
2026
The Fifa World Cup is the most anticipated sporting event next year, ahead of the Six Nations rugby championship. The World Cup play-offs in March, where Ireland have a chance of qualifying for the tournament, rank third. GAA (Gaelic football, ladies Gaelic football, hurling and camogie) was voted Ireland’s favourite sport for the eighth consecutive year.
