Katie Taylor remains the most popular athlete in the country, while Troy Parrott's dramatic hat-trick in Budapest was voted the most memorable sporting moment of 2025.
Parrott's 95th-minute winner against Hungary to seal a famous 3-2 win to keep Ireland’s World Cup dreams alive, was voted the most memorable sporting moment of 2025 with 37% of the vote.
90+5mins: 🇭🇺 2-3 🇮🇪
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) November 16, 2025
Ireland holds its breath, on the last throw of the dice... Hattrick for Parrott 😮😮😮😮😮😮😮
📺 @rte2 @rteplayer https://t.co/xaKTb2LBVG
📻 @rteradio1 https://t.co/PEszeaDYyf
📱Updates: https://t.co/TC5xt2IxRd pic.twitter.com/Ags3WrAwOz
In second place (12%) was Taylor’s victory at Madison Square Garden, with two golfing moments sharing third place on 10% each.
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 couldn’t be separated in the public vote.
The annual Teneo Sport and Sponsorship Index found that Taylor is still Ireland's most popular athlete, garnering 14% of the vote.
A win in her only fight of the year, the highly anticipated trilogy fight against Amanda Serrano, was enough to see her retain her super-lightweight title.
Parrott’s goalscoring exploits against Portugal and Hungary three days later placed him as Taylor’s closest challenge on the most admired athlete list with 10% of the vote.
Rory McIlroy took third place (7%) after completing the career Grand Slam at Augusta, followed by Shane Lowry in fourth (6%).
The Republic of Ireland men’s football team has been voted Team of the Year, securing 25% of the vote after lifting the nation with wins against Portugal and Hungary to secure a place in the World Cup play-offs.
The Triple Crown winning Ireland men’s rugby team take second place for the second year running on 14%, while the Republic of Ireland women’s football team finish third with 12% following their promotion in the Nations League.
GAA teams round out the top five with All-Ireland men’s senior football champions Kerry in fourth on 10%, and the Tipperary senior hurlers in fifth place on 8% after winning the Liam MacCarthy trophy for the first time since 2019.
Gaelic games (Gaelic football, ladies Gaelic football, hurling and camogie) was voted Ireland’s favourite sport for the eighth consecutive year, receiving 21% of the vote, just ahead of soccer, with rugby third on 15%.
Athletics and tennis share fourth place with 5% each, while golf sits in sixth place on 4%.
Watch the RTÉ Sport Awards on Saturday from 8.05pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on the RTÉ News App and on rte.ie/sport.
