Ulster counties tops in Lucozade awards

Tyrone, Armagh and Clare won the Lucozade Breakthrough Awards in football and hurling at Croke Park last night.

The Breakthrough Awards were organised by Lucozade Sport to reward the smaller counties who have come to the fore in the last decade.

The northern counties shared the award for football achievements.

Tyrone won the Sam Maguire for the first time last year, dethroning Armagh, who had captured the All-Ireland for the first time the previous year.

Clare won the hurling equivalent for their 1995 and 1997 All-Ireland championship wins.

A number of high-profile GAA stars attended the event, including Tipperary's Eoin Kelly who fronts an ad for the sports drink.

Hurlers Paul Flynn (Waterford), Brendan Cummins (Tipperary) and footballers Dessie Dolan (Westmeath) and Oisin McConville (Armagh) were also in attendance and are due to join Kelly in a new advertisement campaign.

Participating counties included Wexford, Waterford, Clare, Laois, Westmeath, Armagh, Tyrone, Down, Leitrim and Fermanagh.