RÓISÍN UPTON’S whirlwind 12 months came to a fitting end at the Burlington Hotel on Saturday night, as she was named U18 Female Player of the Year at the sixth annual ESB Electric Ireland Irish Hockey Awards.

ONE of the top figures in Ulster hockey has said he looks forward to seeing its young stars in the green of Ireland, after the issue of Ulster’s U18 players being encouraged to declare for Great Britain was seemingly put to bed.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair will announce today that he will quit within a year, following one of the most serious political crises of his premiership.