GAA young guns to be honoured with Rising Star awards
Some of the most promising footballers and hurlers in the country will be honoured at the Ulster Bank Rising Stars awards ceremony at the bank's headquarters in Dublin tonight.
The award winners were selected for their performances in this year's Higher Education GAA Championships, with eight players from Sigerson Cup champions UCC making the football team.
Kildare midfielder Conor Brophy and Dublin attacker David Quinn are notable inclusions from Sigerson Cup semi-finalists NUI Maynooth, while runners-up UUJ have three representatives - Monaghan's Conor Galligan, Donal Morgan and Conor McManus.
University of Limerick, this year's Fitzgibbon Cup winners, have five players in the hurling side, just one more than beaten finalists Limerick IT. There are only two non-Munster players in the line-up - wing back Kieran Joyce from Kilkenny and Galway midfielder David Burke.
GAA President Christy Cooney, who will present the awards, said: "We are delighted that the Rising Stars awards scheme has become one of such high regard within the Association.
"The awards themselves are taken as a real honour by the players who receive them. I also want to thank Ulster Bank for their continued support of the GAA at various levels."
Sean Martyn, Director, Business Banking Area East, Ulster Bank, added: "The Ulster Bank GAA Rising Star swards honour individual athletic achievement and outstanding team commitment.
"The standard of play we have seen throughout this year's Ulster Bank Sigerson and Fitzgibbon Cups, among others, has been exceptional and I have no doubt that these players will become household names in years to come.
"I would like to wish them every sporting success for the future and congratulate them on their achievement today."
Ulster Bank Rising Stars 2011 - Football: Ken O'Halloran (UCC/Cork); Peter Crowley (UCC/Kerry), Eoin O'Mahony (UCC/Cork), Conor Galligan (UUJ/Monaghan); Sean Kiely (UCC/Cork), Donal Morgan (UUJ/Monaghan), Shane Redmond (UCD/Carlow); Conor Brophy (NUI Maynooth/Kildare), James Fitzpatrick (UCC/Cork); John O'Loughlin (UCD/Laois), Mark Collins (UCC/Cork), Kevin O'Driscoll (UCC/Cork); David Quinn (NUI Maynooth/Dublin), Conor McManus (UUJ/Monaghan), JB Spillane (UCC/Kerry).
Ulster Bank Rising Stars 2011 - Hurling: Tommy Quaid (CIT/Limerick); Conor Cooney (LIT/Clare), Philip O'Loughlin (UCC/Limerick), Seamus Hickey (UL/Limerick); Brendan Bugler (UL/Clare), James McInerney (LIT/Clare), Kieran Joyce (UL/Kilkenny); David Burke (UL/Galway), Nicky Quaid (IT Tralee/Limerick); Seán Collins (LIT/Clare), Colm Casey (CIT/Cork), Patrick Cronin (UL/Cork); Luke O'Farrell (UCC/Cork), Seán Tobin (LIT/Limerick), Dean Brosnan (UCC/Cork).
