Shane Kingston impressed for UCC.
Due to the on-going Covid-19 pandemic, Electric Ireland, together with the GAA Higher Education Committee have cancelled the 2020 Electric Ireland GAA Higher Education Rising Stars Awards Ceremony and will not bring players, coaches and their families together to celebrate this achievement. Both organisations remain committed to celebrate some of the most consistent performers throughout the 2020 competitions, many of whom are the GAA’s brightest Rising Stars as well as recognising the Player of the Year.
Acknowledging this great achievement, Electric Ireland, proud sponsors of the GAA Higher Education Leagues and Championships, announce today that University College Cork hurler, Shane Kingston has been named Electric Ireland Higher Education GAA Rising Star Hurling Player of the Year 2020 as the Electric Ireland Higher Education GAA Rising Stars 2020 Hurling Team of the Year has been unveiled.
Shane Kingston, a member of Cork’s Senior Hurling team, was named in last year’s Electric Ireland Higher Education GAA Rising Stars Hurling Team of the Year and continued his terrific form in the competition in 2020. The Douglas club man was a consistent threat to opposition teams and scored four great points in the Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon Cup Final as he claimed his second Fitzgibbon Cup medal and this year’s Electric Ireland Higher Education GAA Rising Star Hurling Player of the Year title.
This year’s Higher Education Hurling season showcased incredible skill and was a wonderful advertisement for these prestigious competitions with UCC winning back-to-back titles overcoming IT Carlow, whom also contested the Final of the Electric Ireland Sigerson Cup, in the Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon Cup Final. In the Electric Ireland Ryan Cup, Garda College gained promotion to next year’s Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon Cup by defeating Ulster University in the Final.
Following the defence of their Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon crown, UCC dominate this year’s Team of the Year with no fewer than seven Rising Star representatives. Following their impressive run to the final, IT Carlow have four representatives on this year’s team. Beaten semi-finalists, DCU DÉ and Mary Immaculate College make up the rest of the team with three and two representatives respectively.
Electric Ireland Higher Education GAA Rising Stars 2020 Hurling Team of the Year
- Oisin Foley - DCU DÉ, Crossabeg Ballymurn, Wexford
- Shane Reck - IT Carlow, Oylegate Glenbrien, Wexford
- Robert Downey - UCC, Glen Rovers, Cork
- Eanna McBride - Mary Immaculate, J.K Brackens, Tipperary
- Paddy O Loughlin - UCC, Kilmallock, Limerick
- Conor Burke - DCU DÉ, St. Vincent’s, Dublin
- Mark Coleman - UCC, Blarney, Cork
- Darragh Fitzgibbon - UCC, Charleville, Cork
- Richie Leahy - IT Carlow, Rower Inistioge, Kilkenny
- Rory O Connor - DCU DÉ, St. Martin's, Wexford
- Shane Conway - UCC, Lixnaw, Kerry
- Cathal Dunbar - IT Carlow, Naomh Éanna, Wexford
- Chris Nolan - IT Carlow, Mount Leinster Rangers, Carlow
- Shane Kingston - UCC, Douglas, Cork
- Tim O Mahony - Mary Immaculate, Newtownshandrum, Cork
Marguerite Sayers, Executive Director, Electric Ireland, commented: “We are happy to announce the Electric Ireland Higher Education GAA Rising Stars 2020 Hurling Team of the Year. While it is unfortunate that due to the on-going Covid-19 pandemic we will not be able to recognise the players through the annual Electric Ireland GAA Higher Education Rising Stars Awards Ceremony, the health and well-being of the players and their families is the top priority for both ourselves as sponsors and the GAA. We remain determined to spotlight 15 standout performances in these highly coveted competitions. 2020 was another thrilling season and it’s a pleasure to be able to support these players as they combine their studies with life on and off the pitch.”
Uachtarán CLG John Horan said: “I would like to congratulate Shane Kingston and the Electric Ireland Higher Education GAA Rising Stars Hurling Team of The Year 2020 on their incredible achievements during 2020 Higher Education Hurling season.Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we will not be able to honour these young men in front of their families, friends and coaches, however, they should all be very proud of what they have done in 2020. They are a credit to their club, county and most importantly, their third-level institution.”
The Football Team of the Year and Football Player of the Year will be unveiled on Thursday, 2nd April.
