IRELAND HEAD COACH Joe Schmidt was on hand to congratulate the winners at the Ulster Bank League Awards in the Aviva Stadium, as Clontarf centre Matt D’Arcy was named Division 1A Player of the Year.
Matt D'Arcy scooped the Division 1A award after a brilliant season. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
D’Arcy was exceptional for Clontarf throughout the course of a season that saw the Dublin side narrowly beaten by Lansdowne in last weekend’s final. The midfielder scored an intercept try in that game, as well as racking up a hat-trick in January’s win over UCD.
Other highlights included his performance in the semi-final victory over Terenure, when he took over place-kicking duties with out-half David Joyce missing, as well as captaining the Ireland Clubs side.
D’Arcy was also the Top Try Scorer in Division 1A, while the reliable Josh Glynn of Old Belvedere was named Top Points Scorer. Having guided his Young Munster team into the semi-finals, where they pushed Lansdowne until the final play in extra time, John Staunton picked up the prize for Division 1A Coach of the Year.
Thrilling Lansdowne fullback Cian Kelleher succeeded Joyce as the recipient of the Rising Star of the Year award after a superb season that underlined the Leinster academy man’s rich potential.
John Cleary of Galwegians was named as Division 1B’s top player after playing a vital role in the Galway club’s automatic promotion, with Ian Cassidy of Old Wesley Player of the Year in 2A and Armagh RFC’s Neil Faloon scooping the 2B prize.
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Old Wesley were further honoured after a brilliant campaign that saw them promoted from 2B after winning 13 of their 15 games, as they were named Team of the Year. The club’s PRO, Thomas O’Brien, also beat off stiff competition to collect an award.
Cleary was brilliant for Galwegians this season. Mike Shuaghnessy / INPHO
Mike Shuaghnessy / INPHO / INPHO
Finally, the public votes for the provincial players of the year saw Galwegians’ Cleary win in Connacht, Alan Large of Old Wesley selected in Leinster, Young Munster hooker Ger Slattery honoured in Munster and Armagh’s Faloon top of the pile in Ulster.
Ireland coach Schmidt handed out the prizes in a ceremony at the Aviva Stadium.
Full list of winners from the Ulster Bank League Awards:
Player of the Year – Division 1A: Matt D’Arcy, Clontarf, Dublin
Top Try Scorer – Division 1A: Matt D’Arcy, Clontarf, Dublin
Top Points Scorer – Division 1A: Josh Glynn, Old Belvedere RFC, Dublin
Rising Star of the Year Award – Division 1A: Cian Kelleher, Lansdowne FC, Dublin
Coach of the Year – Division 1A: John Staunton, Young Munster RFC, Limerick
Player of the Year – Division 1B: John Cleary, Galwegians RFC, Galway
Player of the Year – Division 2A: Ian Cassidy, Old Wesley RFC, Dublin
Player of the Year – Division 2B: Neil Faloon, Armagh RFC, Armagh
Club PRO (Public Relations Officer) of the Year: Thomas O’Brien, Old Wesley RFC, Dublin
Provincial Player of the Year – voted by the public through Ulster Bank Rugby Social Media:
Connacht Player of the Year: John Cleary, Galwegians RFC, Galway
Leinster Player of the Year: Alan Large, Old Wesley RFC, Dublin
Munster Player of the Year: Ger Slattery, Young Munster RFC
Ulster Player of the Year: Neil Faloon, Armagh RFC, Armagh
Joe Schmidt hands out awards to Ireland's club rugby stars
IRELAND HEAD COACH Joe Schmidt was on hand to congratulate the winners at the Ulster Bank League Awards in the Aviva Stadium, as Clontarf centre Matt D’Arcy was named Division 1A Player of the Year.
D’Arcy was exceptional for Clontarf throughout the course of a season that saw the Dublin side narrowly beaten by Lansdowne in last weekend’s final. The midfielder scored an intercept try in that game, as well as racking up a hat-trick in January’s win over UCD.
Other highlights included his performance in the semi-final victory over Terenure, when he took over place-kicking duties with out-half David Joyce missing, as well as captaining the Ireland Clubs side.
D’Arcy was also the Top Try Scorer in Division 1A, while the reliable Josh Glynn of Old Belvedere was named Top Points Scorer. Having guided his Young Munster team into the semi-finals, where they pushed Lansdowne until the final play in extra time, John Staunton picked up the prize for Division 1A Coach of the Year.
Thrilling Lansdowne fullback Cian Kelleher succeeded Joyce as the recipient of the Rising Star of the Year award after a superb season that underlined the Leinster academy man’s rich potential.
John Cleary of Galwegians was named as Division 1B’s top player after playing a vital role in the Galway club’s automatic promotion, with Ian Cassidy of Old Wesley Player of the Year in 2A and Armagh RFC’s Neil Faloon scooping the 2B prize.
Old Wesley were further honoured after a brilliant campaign that saw them promoted from 2B after winning 13 of their 15 games, as they were named Team of the Year. The club’s PRO, Thomas O’Brien, also beat off stiff competition to collect an award.
Finally, the public votes for the provincial players of the year saw Galwegians’ Cleary win in Connacht, Alan Large of Old Wesley selected in Leinster, Young Munster hooker Ger Slattery honoured in Munster and Armagh’s Faloon top of the pile in Ulster.
Ireland coach Schmidt handed out the prizes in a ceremony at the Aviva Stadium.
Full list of winners from the Ulster Bank League Awards:
Player of the Year – Division 1A: Matt D’Arcy, Clontarf, Dublin
Top Try Scorer – Division 1A: Matt D’Arcy, Clontarf, Dublin
Top Points Scorer – Division 1A: Josh Glynn, Old Belvedere RFC, Dublin
Rising Star of the Year Award – Division 1A: Cian Kelleher, Lansdowne FC, Dublin
Coach of the Year – Division 1A: John Staunton, Young Munster RFC, Limerick
Player of the Year – Division 1B: John Cleary, Galwegians RFC, Galway
Player of the Year – Division 2A: Ian Cassidy, Old Wesley RFC, Dublin
Player of the Year – Division 2B: Neil Faloon, Armagh RFC, Armagh
Club PRO (Public Relations Officer) of the Year: Thomas O’Brien, Old Wesley RFC, Dublin
Provincial Player of the Year – voted by the public through Ulster Bank Rugby Social Media:
Team of the Year: Old Wesley RFC, Dublin
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