Leading talents honoured at Sports awards

Seventeen of Ireland’s leading young sporting talents were honoured today at the Irish Examiner National Junior Sports Stars Awards in association with TV3.

Athletes from seventeen sporting disciplines between the ages of 15 and 19 received the awards in recognition of their extraordinary achievements in 2002 in their chosen sports.

In a new edition to the awards format, eighteen-year old Limerick hurler, Andrew O’Shaughnessy from the Kilmallock Club, was selected as the inaugural Irish Examiner Supreme National Junior Sport Star.

Andrew won two All-Ireland medals in 2002, with the Limerick U-21 hurling team and an All-Ireland Colleges Senior ‘A’ title with St. Colmans, Fermoy.

Andrew became the youngest Munster man to play in a Railway Cup and is now an integral member of the Limerick senior panel.

The selection of Andrew as the ultimate underage achiever in 2002 was endorsed by the public through a nationwide vote.

The Irish Examiner National Junior Sports Stars, in their 19th year, are a unique initiative, honouring the cream of Ireland’s young sports people between the ages of 15 and 19, across all sporting disciplines.

Through their support of the National Junior Sports Stars, the Irish Examiner underpins their commitment to comprehensive and exciting Irish and international sports coverage.

Since its inception in 1984, over 400 teenagers have been honoured by the Irish Examiner including Irish rugby international and Munster star Anthony Foley, Irish international soccer heroes Damien Duff and Robbie Keane, former World Cross Country Champion and Olympic silver medallist Sonia O’Sullivan and GAA All-Ireland medal winners Seamus Moynihan and Sean Óg Ó Hailpín.

Congratulating the winners, Tom Murphy, Chief Executive, Irish Examiner said “This ceremony is a celebration of young Irish sporting excellence.

"These seventeen award winners have already experienced remarkable success and the country awaits their further achievements with great anticipation.

"We at the Irish Examiner are committed to excellence in sports journalism and are particularly proud of our wide-ranging coverage of Irish and international sport. It is from this commitment that the National Junior Sports Star concept emerged”.

Andrew Hanlon, Director of News, TV3 said, "TV3 are delighted to be involved again this year with these awards. Our commitment to the awards is recognition of young talent, which has been a major factor in the continuing success of TV3.

"Through programmes like Sports Tonight, we have recognised many of the stars of tomorrow and look forward to this years winners gracing the TV3 screen over the coming years!"

The 2002 Irish Examiner - National Junior Sports Stars in association with TV3 are:

* Hurling and Supreme National Junior Sports Star - Andrew O’Shaughnessy (Limerick), Athletics - Mark Christie (Mullingar), Badminton - Jennifer King (Dublin), Basketball - Grainne Dwyer (Thurles), Boxing - Andy Lee (Limerick), Camogie - Gemma O’Connor (Cork), Canoeing - Neil Fleming

(Kildare), Cycling - Paidi O’Brien (Cork), Fencing - Siobhan Byrne (Germany), Gaelic Football - Micheal Meehan (Galway), Golf - Cian McNamara (Limerick), Hockey - Timmy Cockram (Down), Horse Racing - David Condon (Cork), Ladies Football - Gillian Joyce (Galway), Rugby - Stephen Grissing (Dublin), Soccer - Darren Potter (Liverpool), Special Olympics - Carmel Leech (Roscommon).