Ulster Rugby announce end-of-season award winners including top youngsters

Ulster Rugby have announced their end-of-season award winners as the curtain falls on another year for the province. It proved a turbulent campaign for the senior men's team, with Dan McFarland departing as head coach to be replaced by Richie Murphy.

But amid the chaos there were plenty of star performers, and a number of breakthrough kids making their mark in the underage squads.

Ulster announced the annual award winners on Wednesday, with back-row David McCann being voted both Ulster's Bank of Ireland Men’s Player of the Year and the Rugby Writers' Player of the Year. The 23-year-old received the double honour after playing in all three back-row positions across 15 games in the United Rugby Championship and three outings in Europe.

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Meanwhile, back-row Brittany Hogan was named Women’s Player of the Year award following a season where she was outstanding for both her province and Ireland. Hogan was Player of the Match in Ireland’s 15-12 victory over Scotland at Kingspan Stadium, a victory that sealed qualification for next year’s World Cup.

Elsewhere, John Cooney was voted Ulster Rugby Supporters’ Club Player of the Year, in which McCann was also nominated. Harry Sheridan won Young Men’s Player of the Year, having started in seven games since Murphy's arrival.

The departing Luke Marshall was the Heineken Ulster Rugby Personality of the Year.

Ulster hailed Marshall's service to the province, saying: "Luke has served his home province with distinction across the past fifteen years, from starting out in the Academy to becoming a key player in the Senior Men’s team, and making Ireland international caps.

"Luke has shown great resilience during some testing times in his career with injuries. On each occasion, he has gone through the gruelling rehab and got back into the side.

"An experienced voice in the dressing room, Luke will be missed by all at the club and will forever be remembered as an Ulster Rugby legend."

A number of other awards were handed out, including theYoung Women’s Player of the Year going to Sophie Barrett ( Enniskillen RFC / Railway Union RFC), and Ulster Girls’ Youth Player of the Year being Erin McConalogue (Inishowen RFC). The Danske Bank Girls Schools’ Player of the Year is Niamh Fulton (Sullivan Upper School).

Conor Magee (Banbridge Academy) was named Danske Bank Boys Schools’ Player of the Year. Magee was part of the Banbridge Academy team that reached the quarter-final stage of the Danske Bank Schools’ Cup.

The Ulster Boys’ Youth Player of the Year went to Dylan Fox (Malone RFC). Fox has been a standout performer in the youth club game over the past number of seasons, and his performances with Malone RFC have seen him gain recognition with Ulster U18 clubs.

Bradley McNamara (Instonians RFC) won the Ken Goodall Club Player of the Year, while the Kukri Club of the Year is Ballyclare RFC.

Other winners included:

• Ulster Rugby Foundation Community Impact Award – Civil Service NI RFC

• Referee of the Year, Keane Davison (Omagh RFC)
  

• Dorrington B Faulkner (Services to Rugby) - John Carleton (Grosvenor RFC)

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