Two current DCU students have been nominated for the TG4 Senior Players’ Player of the year award. Emma Duggan and Vikki Wall are joined on the shortlist by former DCU student Emma Troy. All three of the Senior nominees were part of the historic Meath team who won their first ever All-Ireland title last month against Dublin.
Wall was the last years winner of the Intermediate Players’ Player of the year award and will be looking to add the prestigious Senior honour to her ever-growing trophy cabinet. She was also ‘Player of the Match’ in the All-Ireland final and last week was named as Irish Times Sportswoman of the Month for September.
First year student Emma Duggan also played a pivotal role in what was one of the greatest stories in the history of Ladies Gaelic Football. The first-year student scored a fantastic goal, lobbing Dublin goalkeeper Ciara Trant, which proved to be crucial to the Royals victory. She also scored a colossal 3-19 in total during the Championship campaign. Duggan definitely has an extremely bright future ahead and like Wall and Troy would be a well-deserved winner of the award.
The 2021 TG4 All-Star Awards Banquet, in association with Lidl, will take place on Saturday November 13th at the Bonnington Hotel in Dublin.
Three current DCU students have also been nominated for the annual Camogie Association ‘Soaring Star’ awards. Ciara Banville was a member of the Wexford team who won the Kay Mills Cup, becoming All-Ireland Premier Junior Champions for the first time in their history last month. Banville played an instrumental role on the successful Wexford team, who earlier in the year had won Division 3 of the League.
Ava Lynskey is also nominated for award. Lynskey was part of the Galway Intermediate team who were narrowly defeated by Antrim in the All-Ireland semi-final. The Ardrahan club member also played an important role as half-forward for the team who were unlucky not to make it to Croke Park on All-Ireland final day.
Kilkenny’s midfielder Ciara Phelan is also hoping to make the award-winning team. Phelan had a superb season in the Black and Amber of the Cats who were ultimately defeated by Antrim in the All-Ireland Intermediate final.
Two DCU alumni are nominated for All-Star awards. Aoife Norris of Kilkenny is hoping to be honoured as the country’s top goalkeeper, while fellow Kilkenny player Mary O’Connell is also one of the 36 nominees and will be in contention for a place in the half-forward line.
The 2021 Camogie Association All- Stars and Soaring Stars teams will be announced at a gala banquet at the Osprey Hotel in Naas, Co. Kildare on Friday November 26th.
Image Credit: Brendan Moran (Sportsfile)
Rory Cassidy