10 young Irish sports stars you'll hear about in 2022

Soccer starlet Evan Ferguson is set for a Premier League bow in 2022, one of many nascent Irish talents we will all cheer and toast this year. Cathal Dennehy nominates him among the 10 to keep an eye on

Sat, 01 Jan, 2022 - 07:00

Cathal Dennehy

If there was one thing we learned in 2021, it’s that Irish sport — on the whole — is in a good place. From rowers to boxers, jockeys to swimmers, it was a year where our best and brightest lit up the biggest stages.

But a new year brings a new wave — that of the up-and-coming talent. While some are better known than others, what they share is a trajectory that’s headed skyward, meaning they could well be the next Kellie or Katie, the next Sexton or O’Donovan.

Evan Ferguson, Soccer

Whether it’s nature or nurture that’s behind it, there’s no denying this 17-year-old from Meath has the ability to make a major mark in the beautiful game.

He’s a tall, strong, seriously imposing striker, one with the touch to match his athleticism — a combination that has those who know their stuff truly excited.

What’s more, he has a mentor who has walked this path before. Evan is the son of Barry Ferguson, ex-Coventry, Longford Town, Bohemians, and Shamrock Rovers. Evan made his debut for Bohemians at the age of 14 in a friendly against Chelsea and scored his first goals for them in January 2020 against Drogheda United.

In January this year, he signed for the academy at Brighton & Hove Albion, making his debut for them in the Carabao Cup off the bench in August. Plying his trade in Premier League 2 in recent months, he’s caught the eye of many, winning the Player of the Month award for August and the club’s November Goal of the Month for a superb weaving run that was finished off with a wonder-strike.

In December, he was named on the bench for the first team’s clash against Wolves, and his first bit of game time in the Premier League now looks imminent. He has played for the Republic of Ireland at U15, U17, and U21 level, and on his current path it seems a matter of time before he starts knocking on the door at senior level.

Kate O’Connor, Athletics

Kate O’Connor at the European U23 Championships in Tallinn: She’ll have no shortage of championships to choose from over the coming year. Pic: Marko Mumm, Sportsfile

A master of all athletic trades, O’Connor has quietly taken a wrecking ball to the Irish multi-event records in previous years. She’s the national U-18, U-20, U-23, and senior record holder in the heptathlon, which comprises seven events: 100m hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200m, long jump, javelin, and 800m.

In 2019 O’Connor shot to prominence by winning silver at the European U20 Championships, the first major international medal in history by an Irish multi-eventer, and she has only improved since. In April, O’Connor racked up a superb 6,297 points at an event in Italy, which would have placed her inside the top 10 at the last two World Championships.

She had one foot on the plane to Tokyo after that performance, her score putting her well within the ranking cutoff, but the Dundalk star saw her Games slip away in

June. She needed a similar performance at a final qualifying event in Tenerife but an injury forced her out, and O’Connor dropped just outside the qualifying quota weeks before the Games.

She’ll have no shortage of championships to choose from over the coming year, once she stays healthy until the summer, with the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon, in mid-July; the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in early August; and the European Championships in Munich in mid-August.

At just 21, medals will likely prove a step beyond her at senior level this year, but she has the ability to succeed in the years to come at the very highest level. Multi-events may not attract too much attention on these shores, but O’Connor could well change that on the path to the Paris Olympics.

Brian Deeny, Rugby

With a background in Gaelic football, Brian Deeny has relentlessly pursued his rugby dream, eventually moving to Clontarf, where he caught the eye of U20s coach Noel McNamara. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

The Leinster and Ireland rugby teams may be filled with players who came through the private-school production line, and while there’s no doubting the efficiency of those talent factories, there’s still space for youngsters from a different background.

One of those is Brian Deeny, a 21-year-old from Wexford whose 6ft 7in, 111kg frame looks perfectly built for high-level success as a lock.

Like his fellow Wexford man Tadhg Furlong — who he cites as a source of inspiration — Deeny had a background in GAA, playing Gaelic football with St Peter’s in Wexford town through his schooldays. To chase his rugby dream, he moved from Wexford Wanderers to Clontarf, honing his skills in the cutthroat world of Division 1A.

It was at Clontarf that he caught the eye of Noel McNamara, the Ireland U20s coach.

In 2018 Deeny entered the Leinster sub-academy and the following year he was offered a place in the academy, also earning a spot on the Irish team for the U20 World Cup in Argentina, where Deeny scored a try against England.

Deeny never got a call-up for international duty at U18 level, and he admitted that “things like that drive you on because you’re more jealous of the lads who got the opportunity.” He harnessed that frustration well, and is now in year three of the Leinster academy, getting called up alongside Devin Toner for a pre-season clash with Harlequins back in September.

It likely won’t be too long before he breaks into the Leinster side.

Sarah McAuley, Hockey

Ireland’s Sarah McAuley, an ever-present force in the World Cup qualifiers will be a central figure on the team’s journey to that showpiece event in July. Pic: Giuseppe Fama, Inpho

So much of sport is about being in the right place at the right time. That was the case for Sarah McAuley this year when the Irish women’s hockey team was hit with long-term injuries to Zoe Wilson and twins Serena and Bethany Barr. The 20-year-old Dubliner had all the credentials to take advantage, drafted in as defensive cover for the uncapped series against Great Britain in March. She was then a travelling reserve for European Championships in June, where she won her first international cap against Scotland, helping to keep a clean sheet in a 3-0 victory. That earned her a spot on the squad for the Tokyo Olympics.

It capped a long, steady rise to the top level. McAuley started hockey with Avoca’s U8s and played tennis at Monkstown LTC alongside her close friend Sarah Healy, who was also on the Irish Olympic team (for athletics) in Tokyo.

A standout schools star at Muckross Park, McAuley went on to play in the senior team for four successive seasons, and also helped Muckross to the Leinster Schoolgirls Senior Cup. In 2020 McAuley was training with Irish development squads and didn’t look to be the reckoning for an Olympic berth, at least until those injuries to key players earlier this year.

She seized the opportunity with both hands, looking right at home from the outset, making a big tackle on Lily Owsley — an Olympic gold medallist in 2016 — early in the game. In October she played an ever-present role in the World Cup qualifiers and McAuley should be a central figure on the team’s journey to that showpiece event in July.

Sam Ewing, Racing

Young Antrim pilot Sam Ewing had 25 winners on the flat and 2021 — 2022 should see that figure increase again. Pic: Healy Racing

From ponies to thoroughbreds, this 18-year-old jockey from Ballyclare, Co Antrim has made huge waves in recent years. While he’s not a name many outside of racing know just yet, he likely will be. The son of trainer and former amateur rider Warren Ewing, Sam was a star of pony racing, riding over 100 winners and landing the Dingle Derby at the age of 13. He rode his first winner on a racecourse in August 2020 for Ger Lyons, with whom he’s now an apprentice.

Ewing had 16 winners on the flat last year and this year he’s racked up 25, while 2022 should see that figure increase again. It’s a curious arena of success for a young guy who grew of dreaming only of national hunt glory. “I wouldn’t really follow flat racing when I was younger,” he said recently. “It was all the jumping, I looked up to Paul Carberry, Barry Geraghty. If I ever needed advice, I’d ring them.”

Those mentors have served him well, and Ewing has already netted many high-calibre rides, including on two-time Grand National winner Tiger Roll in a flat race in Navan last year. The association with Lyons will ensure plenty of winners come his way in the year ahead.

“Ger’s been very good to me, he’s given me plenty of opportunities,” he said.

If he’s looking for inspiration to reach the next level, he need only look to stable jockey Colin Keane, who went from champion apprentice in 2014 to champion professional in 2017. Ewing could well carve a similar path.

Colin Coughlan, Hurling

THAT’S MY BOY: Limerick manager John Kiely celebrates with Colin Coughlan after their All-Ireland SHC final win over Cork. Pic: Stephen McCarthy, Sportsfile

It just keeps on coming — the well-oiled production line of prodigious Limerick hurlers. For the neutrals who watched last year’s championship and wondered when the champions’ dominance might wane, exhibit A to counter such thoughts is Colin Coughlan.

The Ballybrown wing-back made his debut for Limerick’s senior team during the national league last year and made quite the impression, scoring 0-2 from play. He also made a brief cameo in their All-Ireland final rout, replacing an injured Declan Hannon with five minutes to play and making an immediate mark by creating a Cian Lynch point.

He made his first appearance on the intercounty scene with the Limerick minors back in 2018 and graduated to the U21s in 2020 before being drafted into John Kiely’s setup this year. Having sat his Leaving Cert at Ardscoil Rís this summer, Coughlan looks set to be the latest huge talent to graduate from that programme and take his place among the best there is at intercounty level.

Along with fellow teenager Cathal O’Neill, he received high praise from 2020 Hurler of the Year Gearóid Hegarty, who noted a physical presence far beyond his years.

“Their strength and conditioning is just outrageous for two young fellas that are sitting their Leaving Cert,” he said. “They’re so far ahead of where I was at 18 it’s just off the charts. They’re exceptional young men and they’re in a great position.” As is the future of Limerick hurling.

Emma Slevin, Gymnastics

ARTIST: Ireland’s Emma Slevin will be aiming high at August’s European Championships in Munich and at the World Championships in Liverpool in October. Pic: Thomas Schreyer, Sportsfile

A world senior finalist, Emma Slevin isn’t so much a one-to-watch as a one-to-continue-watching, but she is included here based on the fact she’s a young star we’ll hear lots more about in the years ahead. As good as she’s been, the reality is that her achievements have often existed in the shadows of Rhys McClenaghan, who in 2019 became Ireland’s first-ever World Championships medallist.

But Slevin, 18, is quietly carving history of her own on the women’s side. In October, the Galway gymnast finished 19th in the All-Around final at the World Championships in Japan despite a couple of uncharacteristic errors. It made her the first Irish female to make a final at that level.

“An amazing experience. To make history for my country is something I will be proud of forever,” said Slevin, who quickly turned her thoughts to climbing even higher. “I’m feeling very motivated to get back into the training gym.”

Coached by Sally Batley, Slevin made her international debut in 2017 and has since travelled the world to chase her gymnastics dream, finishing sixth in the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Argentina. Her dedication has long been astonishing, with Slevin putting in four to eight hours of through her teenage years in addition to her schoolwork.

Look out for her at the European Championships in Munich in August and at the World Championships in Liverpool in October, where she’ll be aiming to create more history for Irish gymnastics.

Jamie Mullins, Soccer

GYSPIES GEM: Jamie Mullins became the youngest ever goalscorer for Bohs in the Airtricity League Premier Division last year. His stock is rising fast. Pic: Michael P Ryan, Sportsfile

There’s always a danger in reading too much into one moment, one goal, and extrapolating all sorts of projections about future potential. However, anyone who watched 16-year-old Jamie Mullins become the youngest ever scorer for Bohemians in the League of Ireland over the summer knew they’d seen a truly precocious talent. Neatly controlling a pass about 10 yards outside the box, Mullins dinked it past one challenger, fended off a second, then beat a third before firing a bullet into the bottom left corner, leaving the keeper with no chance.

Former teammate Ross Tierney — who recently left Bohs for Motherwell — described Mullins’ feet as “like hands, the way he runs with the ball”, and while Mullins has so far plied his trade at number 10 he’s likely to eventually step into the void left behind by Tierney in midfield.

Once upon a time, a talent as big as his would already have made its way across the water, but Brexit means U18 players no longer have the ability to transfer freely from Irish to British clubs, with FIFA regulations only permitting transfers within the EU.

All the better for those at Bohemians, where Mullins has been able to steadily hone his skills and mature into one of the club’s most exciting young prospects.

He won’t turn 18 until next November, and where he goes then will likely hinge on how his profile develops over the next 12 months. Right now, it’s rising fast.

Maggie Boylan, Rugby

FROM THE FRONT: Munster’s Maggie Boylan, from Tipperary, has shown her versatility and superb finishing prowess as a winger and full-back. Pic: Brian Little, Inpho

It’s a period of significant change for Irish women’s rugby, and whatever about all that’s happening off the pitch, one of the keys to bring about a rise in fortunes on it is to nurture the biggest talents.

One of those is undoubtedly Maggie Boylan, a 21-year-old for Blackrock College and Munster who looks destined for big things.

The Tipperary native grew up playing with Carrick-On-Suir RFC and has repeatedly shown her versatility and superb finishing prowess as a winger and full-back, racking up a series of tries for her club. Back in 2018, she played for the Irish sevens at the U18 European Championship. With Blackrock College, she’s turned in many impressive displays this season, helping them to third in the AIL regular-season standings, with cup action ahead in January before the league round-robin kicks into gear later in the month. With Munster, Boylan made her mark during their successful Interprovincial Championship in August and September, coming off the bench against Ulster and showing great pace on the wing, and then earning a start for their subsequent victory over Connacht.

Those in rugby circles believe it’s not a matter of if, but when, Boylan will earn her spot in the Irish set up — her youth, pace and precocity seeming just the elements that Greg McWilliams will be on the lookout for as the New Year brings with it a new — and hopefully brighter — dawn for the women’s game.

Ciarán Archer, Gaelic football

After a spell playing soccer in his teens, Ciarán Archer racked up a scarcely credible 8-30 in four games on the path to the U20 All-Ireland final two years ago. Pic: Ryan Byrne, Inpho

The dominance had to end eventually, and while one loss will not have been cause for outright panic in Dublin football, there’s little doubt Dessie Farrell will have gone root-and-branch since to ensure they get back on top in 2022.

As he scans the landscape for attacking talent, one of those who will be on his radar is Ciarán Archer, whose underage performances in recent years marked him out as a sharpshooter destined for the highest level. On the path to the U20 All-Ireland final two years ago, Archer scored a scarcely credible 8-30 in four games, the St Maur’s man racking up a higher tally than the rest of his Dublin teammates combined.

In his teenage years, the Rush native gravitated towards soccer, moving to England at the age of 15 and signing a two-year deal with Yeovil Town. But, in the end, it wasn’t for him, Archer returning home a year later and saying that “in the GAA you’re appreciated a lot more as a person, whereas in soccer you’re more of an asset”.

In 2019 he was the U20 player of the year and while he hasn’t yet featured for the boys in blue at senior level, he said in the wake of that award he would keep working towards that goal. This could be the year.

“I don’t think there’s any pressure or rush to push on,” he said. “But I obviously wouldn’t say no.”