Sometimes I need a little reminder of why I spend so much time doing this website, but then it throws up days like this!

Having caught up with our Schools player of the year, Ryan McGonigle, early Saturday morning I had the pleasure of spending Saturday night in the company of  twenty young ladies at the Ulster Women’s Team dinner at Newforge Country Club, though I must admit, it was a little scary at times!

The purpose of the night was to hand out team shirts to the Ulster Women players capped in this season’s Inter Provincial series and to thank, the soon to be departing, Women’s Team Manager, Natalie Bryant, before her return to Australia leaving the Women’s game in Ulster a lot better off for her input over the last few seasons. However,  I took advantage of the occasion to catch up with Nikki Caughey to present her with the Front Row Union Women’s Player of the Year 2011 Award.

This is our first Women’s Award for a few years now with the previous winner being Cooke’s Suzanne Fleming four seasons ago, and we couldn’t have chosen a more deserving recipient than the talented Caughey to carry on the mantle. After storming to prominence last season for Belfast Harlequins the gifted youngster has successfully pushed on, getting her first few caps for Ulster, scoring against Munster and being selected for the Ireland Women’s squad being highlights already this season.

With the girls taking advantage to their first break in the season since starting training for the Inter Provincials back in April it ended up a bit of a raucous night with fines and forfeits aplenty, but this ageing reporter had already made my excuses and left by that stage, but not before getting some pictures of Nikki and the girls and of course, a much requested picture of Shirelle in that dress!