Westmeath lead 2019 Camogie Soaring Stars nominations

The 36 nominees for these awards are drawn from across the Intermediate and Premier Junior grades with awards being presented to the 15 most outstanding players from this year’s Championships. The 15 recipients will be announced at the Camogie All-Stars Awards banquet, sponsored by Liberty Insurance at Citywest Hotel on Saturday October 19^th.

All-Ireland Intermediate champions Westmeath receive nine nominations. Amongst their nominees are goalkeeper Fiona Keating and defenders Laura Doherty, Fiona Leavy and Meadbh Scally. Midfielder Muireann Scally is joined by forwards Megan Dowdall, Pamela Greville, Mairéad McCormack and Sheila McGrath.

Intermediate runners-up Galway receive seven nominations for their superb year. They include goalkeeper Laura Glynn and defenders Ciara Donohue, Dervla Higgins, Kate Screene and Laura Ward.  Ava Lynskey and Tara Rutledge are both nominated in the forwards.

All-Ireland Premier Junior champions Kerry receive two nominations with defender Sara Murphy and Player of the March in the Final, Patrice Diggin, nominated in midfield. Beaten finalists Limerick have three nominations through goalkeeper Leah O’Carroll, defender Eva Butler and forward Rebecca Noonan.

At Intermediate level Semi-Finalists Down and Tipperary each have four nominations. The Mourne County are represented by defenders Nicole Kelly and Karen McMullan, and forwards Niamh Mallon and Sorcha McCartan. For Tipp, defenders Laura Shinners and Sabrina Larkin are nominated along with forwards Andrea Loughnane and Clodagh McIntyre.

Derry receive three nominations with midfielder Áine McAllister and forwards Gráinne McGoldrick and Gráinne McNicholl nominated for the Oak Leaf county. Antrim’s Katie McAleese, Cork’s Áine Crowley and Kilkenny’s Hannah Scott complete the nominations list.

President of the Camogie Association Kathleen Woods congratulated the nominees stating that “The Soaring Stars team celebrates the achievements of our players at Intermediate and Premier Junior level in this year’s Championships as well as the skill, commitment and sportsmanship of our players and I congratulate each of this year’s nominees. While Camogie is a team sport it is important to acknowledge at a national level the continued contribution that our players make to our game.”

Speaking on behalf of Liberty Insurance, Stuart Trotter said: “Congratulations to each of the players who have been nominated for a Soaring Stars Award. These nominations recognise the outstanding performances of the players involved in this year’s Premier Junior and Intermediate Championships. We’re delighted to share in this celebration of sporting excellence, and we are looking forward to what is always a very special occasion on October 19th.

“Our current brand campaign was designed to showcase how the skills gained on the Camogie pitch, can be applied also off the field. The players that featured in our campaign, no less than the Soaring Stars nominees today, are role models in their communities whose accomplishments inspire girls and young women to participate and stay involved in sport for years to come.”

The 2019 Camogie All-Stars team will also be announced on the night, as will the Manager of the Year Award. Nominees for the Camogie Association/WGPA Senior, Intermediate and Junior Players’ Player of the Year Awards sponsored by Liberty Insurance will be announced in the coming weeks.

Laura Glynn (Galway), Fiona Keating (Westmeath), Leah O’Carroll (Limerick)

Eva Butler (Limerick), Áine Crowley (Cork), Laura Doherty (Westmeath), Nicole Kelly (Down), Meadbh Scally (Westmeath), Laura Shinners (Tipperary), Laura Ward (Galway)

Ciara Donohue (Galway), Dervla Higgins (Galway), Sabrina Larkin (Tipperary), Fiona Leavy (Westmeath), Kate Screene (Galway), Karen McMullan (Down), Sara Murphy (Kerry)

Patrice Diggin (Kerry), Katie McAleese (Antrim), Áine McAllister (Derry), Hannah Scott (Kilkenny), Muireann Scally (Westmeath)

Megan Dowdall (Westmeath), Ava Lynskey (Galway), Kate Nolan (Kilkenny), Rebecca Noonan (Limerick), Mairéad McCormack (Westmeath), Sheila McGrath (Westmeath), Gráinne McNicholl (Derry)

Pamela Greville (Westmeath), Andrea Loughnane (Tipperary), Niamh Mallon (Down), Sorcha McCartan (Down), Gráinne McGoldrick (Derry), Clodagh McIntyre (Tipperary), Tara Rutledge (Galway)

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