Katie Taylor remains Ireland’s most famous sportsperson overall.
Ireland’s Troy Parrott(Image: Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/James Crombie)
Ireland striker Troy Parrott has been named Ireland’s most popular sportsman ahead of Rory McIlroy.
The International soccer star is a fan favourite with the green army, with his hat-trick against Hungary and brace over Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal still fresh in the minds of fans.
And while that World Cup campaign ultimately ended in heartbreak, Parrott cemented his status as a big match player, scoring in normal time before burying his penalty in the doomed shootout.
Rory McIlroy (Image: Hector Vivas/Getty Images)
In a new study commissioned by Betway, Parrott has been named the most popular male sports star in Ireland, with a popularity rating of 98.65%, putting him ahead of two-time Masters champion McIlroy, who has a popularity rating of 76.04%.
Both of whom trail Katie Taylor, who was crowned Ireland’s most popular sports star, with a popularity rating of 99.26%.
Soccer stars dominate the top-10 with Seamus Coleman, Caoimhín Kelleher and Chiedoze Ogbene all mentioned, with David Clifford the sole Gaelic footballer mentioned in the top-10.
Katie McCabe takes 10th spot, with athletics heroes Ciara Mageean and Rhasidat Adeleke both just outside the top-10, alongside boxing icon Kellie Harrington.
“Looking at this study, there is no doubt that Troy Parrott’s heroics against Portugal and Hungary really struck a chord with the Irish public,” said a Betway spokesperson.
“We saw the support the team received from fans for the World Cup play-off in Prague and we now have a situation where players like Troy Parrott, Caoimhin Kelleher and Chiedozie Ogbene occupy a place in the Irish cultural conversation which might have been occupied by rugby players over the last decade or so.”
“It really says a lot about Katie Taylor that even in a twelve month period that saw such hype around the football team and a Masters triumph for Rory McIlroy, she still emerges as number one with an unwavering amount of love and support”.
Ireland’s most popular sportspeople.