Award just the spur for O’Reilly to pursue dream

ORLA O’REILLY may take up the offer of a basketball scholarship at a US University after sitting her Leaving Certificate in June, but she says receiving yesterday’s Irish Examiner Junior Sports Star Award will spur her on to achieve even more in the future.

O’Reilly yesterday followed in the footsteps of her brother, Colin (2001 winner), in picking up a national award for excellence in her chosen sport following a memorable 2007 season during which her club, Team Montenotte Glanmire, won under-18 and under-20 national cups.

“To receive this is particularly special because my brother got it a few years ago,” said the Blackrock teenager. “It’s such a big award to receive and it’s great to be recognised alongside so many other sports stars in Ireland. They’re all people I’d even recognise even though they play different sports.