2013 Press Releases
Sonia announces Sports Star Awards
Ten top student sports stars have been honoured by UCC at the Sports Star Awards 2012/2013, with Olympian Sonia O’Sullivan as the Guest of Honour.
The awards took place in the River Lee Hotel, Cork on Wednesday 17 April, with personalities from the world of sport, coaches, parents, students, UCC Clubs Executive and UCC staff in attendance.
The Annual Sports Star Awards, now in their 30th year, recognise outstanding sporting performances from UCC sports clubs. The awards were presented by Guest of Honour, Sonia O Sullivan, former International athlete and Honorary Graduate of UCC, and Dr Michael Murphy, President of UCC.
Irish Senior International Rugby player, Alison Miller from Portlaoise, the first female rugby player to be honoured last year, was recognised again this year. This comes following the Irish Women’s team’s outstanding achievements – winning the Grand Slam, Triple Crown and Championship - Alison being top try scorer of the women's RBS Six Nations Championship. Alison is also part of the Irish Women’s Seven’s Squad who have qualified for the World Cup later in the summer.
Irish Senior International Hockey player Miriam Crowley of Bishopstown, Cork was also being honoured. Miriam returned to UCC this year following a year out to concentrate full-time on hockey with the Irish Senior Team in their bid to qualify for the 2012 Olympics. Miriam’s experience helped UCC to reach the Munster Senior Cup Final and a third place finish in the Munster Senior League.
Other award recipients included Peter Catchpole (Waterfall, Cork) from the Men’s Hockey Club who was being honoured for his performances in assisting UCC win the Mauritius Cup and finishing Third in the Munster Senior League. Peter played a captains role throughout the year.
Josh O Shea (Cloyne, Cork) was the Soccer recipient and received the award for his immense contribution in getting UCC to the Collingwood Cup and Donie Forde Cup Finals and is currently on the training panel for the Irish Squad who will play in the World Student Games during the summer.
Clare Fitzgerald (Tralee, Kerry) was honoured again for her outstanding performance in field athletics, and representing Ireland at international level and for being Irish Senior and Intervarsity Champion in the Discus, and Shot Putt. Clare hopes to compete for Ireland in the World Student Games later in the summer.
Christian Anon receives an award for Basketball. Originally from La Coruna (North West Spain), Christian is an Erasmus student in UCC this year and also played with Blue Demons in the National League Division One. He won the Intervarsities with UCC last weekend. He helped UCC win the Colleges League title and was awarded MVP in the League Final. He won the Division One National league with Blue Demons and the Division One Cup title. He was awarded MVP in the League Final.
Inter-County hurler Conor Lehane from Midleton, Cork was honoured in recognition of UCC retaining the Fitzgibbon Cup and putting in a “Man of the Match” performance in the Final in Galway.
Kerry senior Intercounty player Peter Crowley (Killorglin, Co. Kerry) was the Gaelic Football recipient. Peter helped UCC reach the Sigerson Cup Final in Athlone and received a Sigerson All Star for his performances.
Josh O Sullivan-Hourihan (Ballycotton, Co. Cork) received his award for Orienteering, a sport that hasn’t been recognised for many years. Josh is Irish U20 Middle and Long Distance champion a member of the Irish Junior Squad and Mountain running Intervarsity champion.
Patrice Kearney (Fair Hill, Cork) was the Ladies Soccer recipient having helped UCC to Intervarsity success for the first time in 22 years and put in an All Star performance for her team. She is also a member of the all conquering Wilton Utd Ladies Soccer team.
This year’s Special Achievement Award known as “The Kieran Dowd Perpetual Award” was presented to Kieran Healy, UCC Men’s Hockey Club. Kieran has given many years of service to the club both on and off the field of play and retires from playing with them this year. Kieran has played in goals for the club for many years having graduated from UCC and also coaches the teams when needed.
This year the University also presented a “Supreme Sports Star Award” in recognition of it being the 30th year of the awards. Alison Miller was the recipient in recognition of her achievements with the Irish Senior Women’s Rugby Team.
UCC’s Director of Sport and Physical Activity (Acting), Christine O’Donovan praised the sports stars, their coaches and the sports clubs for their performance for UCC in 2012/2013: “The students and clubs continue to wear the skull and bones with pride and have had another very successful year - with successes in Badminton, Chess, Ladies Soccer, Orienteering, TWD and Kickboxing Intervarsities, in addition to the Hurling Club retaining the Fitzgibbon Cup following the traumatic start to their year, and the Men’s Hockey Club winning the Mauritius Cup following on from their Irish Trophy Cup success. The Hockey Clubs contested eight Cup Finals this year amongst all their teams – a tremendous achievement, winning 4 of them. League successes could still follow”.
Guest of honour Sonia O’Sullivan, who is a former World Champion, Olympian and one of Ireland’s leading sportspeople, was also honoured last weekend (13 April 2013) by UCC, when the new international standard 400 metre running track was re-opened and named the Sonia O’Sullivan Athletics Track at the Mardyke Sports Grounds in Cork.
The River Lee Hotel continues to be the main sponsor of this event and the Bank of Ireland is co-sponsor for the Awards programme. The event is organised annually by Christine O’ Donovan, Director of Sport and Physical Activity (Acting) at UCC.