Matthew Walls, APS Pro Cycling by Team Cadence Cyclery, has been named the first-ever recipient of the Paudie Fitzgerald ‘Mol an Óige’ Award.
The new annual prize from Irish Cycling Hub recognises outstanding young Irish riders still on the developmental pathway, primarily competing on the domestic scene.
Named after the late Kerry rider and 1956 Rás Tailteann winner Paudie Fitzgerald, the award carries a €300 prize and a custom-made Dingle Crystal commemorative medal.
Rigorous Peer-Driven Selection
The selection process was deliberately rigorous and peer-driven. A shortlist of 22 riders, which was compiled using several criteria, was given to twelve of Ireland’s top-ranked domestic riders that independently ranked their top five from that shortlist, awarding 10, 7, 5, 3 and 1 points.
The collated, anonymised totals of the top 3 riders were passed to WorldTour professional Dillon Corkery, Team Picnic PostNL.
Drawing on his own experience from Irish domestic racing through to the highest level, the 2023 Rás Tailteann winner made the final selection of a single winner.
I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT YOU’LL SUCCEED IN WHAT YOU WANT TO DO OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS.
– Dillon Corkery, Team Picnic PostNL
No second or third place is awarded; the winner stands as recognition for the depth of young talent across the season.
Standout 2026 Season
Matthew Walls emerged as the 2026 winner after this lengthy process. The 19-year-old from Mulhussey, Co. Meath, delivered a standout 2026 season packed with consistent high-level results on the Irish C1 calendar and national championships, while also gaining valuable experience abroad.
Key 2026 Results
Walls collected multiple victories and strong placings, including:
- 1st – Boyne GP
- 1st – Mondello Series Round 1 & Round 6
- 1st – Maxi Maguire Cup
- 1st – Collins Christle Memorial
- 1st – Bobby Crilly Classic
- 1st – Bray Wheelers / Cycleways Kermesse
- 1st – Irish National Elite Men’s Hill Climb – his first national title
- 2nd – Irish National U23 Men’s Individual Time Trial
- 2nd – Mountnugent Grand Prix
- 3rd – Bobby Power Memorial
- 5th – Brian & Cora McNamara Memorial
Further results included 8th at the Shay Elliott Memorial, 8th in the Irish National Men’s Elite Criterium, 10th at the Donal Crowley Memorial, and Top-20 finishes in other C1 events.
I’M NOT DOING ANY U23 RACES, JUST STRAIGHT IN WITH THE SENIORS
– Matthew Walls, APS Pro Cycling by Team Cadence Cyclery
He also raced the Rás Tailteann (contributing to teammate Conn McDunphy’s overall victory in his debut), the Sibiu Cycling Tour, and the Tour of Romania, where he impressed with over 100kms of breakaway action.
On the next step up on the international stage he contested events such as the Philadelphia Cycling Classic against World Tour teams.
Clear Potential for Further Progression
The combination of aggressive racing, multiple wins on home soil, a national title, and a silver medal in the U23 time trial marked Walls out as one of the standout young talents of the season.
The award celebrates exactly this blend of domestic dominance and clear potential for further progression.
Congratulations to Matthew Walls, his family, coaches, club, and team on a superb season and this well-deserved recognition.
Mol an Óige!
