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The future's bright: 7 Irish sports stars who made 2015 their own

It was a very special year for these athletes.

THE FUTURE OF Irish sport is safe with this group. 2015 was a breakout year for many athletes but these seven really had 12 months to remember.

Jon Walters

James McCarthy celebrates Cathal Noonan / INPHO Cathal Noonan / INPHO / INPHO

He has been around the Irish team for a few years but 2015 was when Walters reached hero status among Irish fans.

Key goals against Georgia and Bosnia ensured Ireland qualified for only their sixth major tournament but the forward’s tigerish work-rate without the ball has helped endear him to supporters too.

Shane Lowry

PGA TOUR / YouTube

What. A. Shot. Lowry’s down to earth nature has won him a lot of fans and, if for some strange reason you sat down and made a list of Irish sportspeople who you would like to have a pint with, Lowry would definitely feature highly.

But even leaving all that aside, Lowry also showed in 2015 just how much promise he has. His performance in the WGC at Bridgestone and at the US Open bodes very well for his future.

Paul Dunne

Golf - Alfred Dunhill Links Championship - Day Four - St Andrews PA WIRE PA WIRE

While he admits nerves got the better of him when he started the final day of the Open Championship in the lead, Irishman Paul Dunne was still the talk of the tournament.

The then amateur grabbed peoples attention with his assured performance at the major and he followed that effort up by winning his European Tour card.

Still only 23, Dunne has plenty of developing still to do but we’ve liked what we’ve seen so far.

Robbie Henshaw

robbie

It seems ridiculous that Robbie Henshaw is only 22. The centre is built like a hulking superstructure and smashes opponents and carries the ball like a far more experienced player.

Henshaw developed into one of Ireland’s key men throughout 2015 and as Joe Schmidt looks to move on from the disappointing World Cup, the Connacht back will be one of his most influential players.

Thomas Barr

Thomas Barr before the race Ian MacNicol / INPHO Ian MacNicol / INPHO / INPHO

After winning the 400m hurdles at the University Games, big things are now expected from the Waterford runnner. He was also awarded the European Athlete of the Month award for June and picked up the Irish Athlete of the Year prize too.

Sophie Spence

Sophie Spence tackled by Nuala Deans Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO

Spence was part of the Irish women’s rugby team who won the Six Nations after a emphatic final day thumping of Scotland and capped 2015 off by being nominated for World Rugby Player of the Year.

Women’s rugby is getting stronger by the day in Ireland and Spence is leading the development.

Michael Conlan

Michael Conlan is declared the winner Francis Myers / INPHO Francis Myers / INPHO / INPHO

The Belfast-born fighter is arguably Ireland’s most improved boxer since the last Olympics. After picking up a bronze in London, Conlon is probably the gold medal favourite in the bantamweight division.

He made history at the World Championships in Doha by being the first Irish male boxer to win a gold medal.

‘I thought that journey, from smoking opium to winning an All-Ireland, would make a great story’

The rising tide in League of Ireland attendances isn’t keeping all boats afloat

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27 Comments
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    Mute Ronan McGrath
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    Apr 30th 2019, 11:07 PM

    Messi is giving him nightmares and cold sweats. I imagine him rocking feverishly in his chair at 3am, fingernails dug into the wooden armrests. Poor Jurgen. At 10pm tomorrow he will be set free of his torment, for a week at least

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    Mute Porter Paddy
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    Apr 30th 2019, 11:13 PM

    @Ronan McGrath: Banter?

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    Mute David A Roberts
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    Apr 30th 2019, 11:14 PM

    @Ronan McGrath: how’s that stephen king novel going?

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    Mute Nollaig Elliot
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    May 1st 2019, 2:11 AM

    @Cionnadh:

    Lighten up ffs.

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    Mute Paul Cahoon
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    May 1st 2019, 9:26 AM

    @Ronan McGrath: nothing better than a load of shit to start the ball rolling. Silly.

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    Mute john murray
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    Apr 30th 2019, 11:19 PM
    11
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    Mute john murray
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    Apr 30th 2019, 11:24 PM

    @john murray: fantastic support

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    Mute David Weston
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    Apr 30th 2019, 11:33 PM

    @john murray: I’m surprised 12 minutes have passed since you posted that and no fans here have been on trying to defend that

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    Mute Seaniecp
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    Apr 30th 2019, 11:34 PM

    @john murray: ya d×ckheads. There’s no defending that. There is some pillocks out there.

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    Mute themansam
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    Apr 30th 2019, 11:37 PM

    @john murray: even better support
    https://twitter.com/Jayzinq/status/1116630524389253125
    But every club unfortunately has that element in it. Hopefully some of the footage in the clip you showed can be used against them

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    Mute John O Reilly
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    Apr 30th 2019, 11:52 PM

    @john murray: every English soccer team has some lout supporters

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    Mute Dougal67
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    Apr 30th 2019, 11:55 PM

    @john murray: It’s why the rest of the premier league is #any1butscousers! Never seen a team so hated and a side so not wanted to be champions in my life %75 on a hys last week, watching footie over 40 years can never remember it before, Utd a bit cos they won everything……

    come on Barca/City

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    Mute john murray
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    Apr 30th 2019, 11:58 PM

    @John O Reilly: well to some people on 42 ALL Chelsea fans and racist

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    Mute john murray
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    Apr 30th 2019, 11:59 PM

    @john murray: are,*

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    Mute themansam
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    May 1st 2019, 12:05 AM

    @Dougal67: https://youtu.be/5m6BHuTxZ2c
    This lad is 100%, watch the full video but especially around 6.20 minutes Dougal

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    Mute Dougal67
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    May 1st 2019, 12:08 AM

    @themansam: See

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    Mute Dougal67
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    May 1st 2019, 12:12 AM

    @themansam: @themansam: Seen it take some to beat the scousers, didn’t u rob your own fans and their children for tickets champs final years ago!!!!!!
    Even Uefa said they’ve never seen the likes of it before!

    https://www.google.ie/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/football/2007/jun/04/newsstory.sport13

    Why do u think most of prem want yous to lose???

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    Mute themansam
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    May 1st 2019, 12:19 AM

    @Dougal67: https://youtu.be/zBeeZVd6urI
    Hard to see why the world thinks this of Chelsea

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    Mute Dougal67
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    May 1st 2019, 1:32 PM

    @themansam: Easy to see what world thinks of pool fans, After study since 2003 Eufa found Liverpool fans worst behaved in Europe, but hey you know better apparently?

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    Mute themansam
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    May 1st 2019, 1:55 PM

    @Dougal67: did you have a look at the videos there pal?

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    Mute El_Monikerinho
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    May 1st 2019, 2:30 AM

    One never knows with Football but WE ALL KNOW WHO IS BETTER AT THE GAME. Still in sport and especially Football one never knows what can happen.

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    Mute Fr Romeo sensini.
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    May 1st 2019, 7:13 AM

    @El_Monikerinho: easy on the sauce.

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    Mute El_Monikerinho
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    May 1st 2019, 2:28 AM

    Klopp = total B L U F F E R

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    Mute BrianBoru
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    May 1st 2019, 8:30 AM

    @El_Monikerinho: klopp has managed his team to the top of the premiership where they are still in with a shout of winning, the final of the champions league last year and so far the semi final this year………….. you are an anonymous keyboard warrior on a small Irish sports news app. I wonder who the bluffer is! Clown.

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    Mute Johnny Ryan
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    May 1st 2019, 8:35 AM

    @BrianBoru: you’re right, but you’re also anonymous so you can’t really use that against him

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    Mute BrianBoru
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    May 1st 2019, 8:37 AM

    @Johnny Ryan: sure I can.

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    Mute Weldoninhio
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    May 1st 2019, 12:11 PM

    @BrianBoru: In with a shout, Cl final last year, semi’s so far this year.

    But what has he actually won?? He’s spent over £350m in 2.5 years and not even a coca cola cup to show for it.

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    Mute BrianBoru
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    May 1st 2019, 12:20 PM

    @Weldoninhio: sure sure, but it hardly makes him a bluffer now does it.

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    Mute Conor Pocock
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    May 1st 2019, 12:24 PM

    @Weldoninhio: how much has he sold though? Every year there’s been an improvement. The priorities have been league and champions league. Give me this over Europa league and relegation zone under Hodgson

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