Munster Rugby honoured two Currow natives among its 2014 list of award winners at a ceremony yesterday, Thursday, May 8th at the Maryborough Hotel & Spa in Cork.
The Munster Rugby Young Player of the Year was awarded to JJ Hanrahan. At only 21-years-old, the Kerryman is the youngest player in Munster’s current Heineken Cup squad.
The former Castleisland youths club member, Hanrahan was awarded a full senior contract with Munster before the start of this season, and since then has played 25 times for Munster, scoring four tries along the way.
One of those tries will be remembered for a long time to come – his breathtaking last-gasp score at the Stade Aime Giral in Perpignan to clinch a sweet victory for Munster in the pool stages of the Heineken Cup.
The Munster Women’s Player of the Year award went to Siobhan Fleming. Winning the award for a second time – her first was in 2011 – Siobhán is also from the amazing Rugby player producing village of Currow.
She joins the list of huge rugby talents that have come from there, including: Mick Galwey, Moss Keane, the Doyle Brothers Mick and Tom and her fellow award winner JJ Hanrahan. Siobhán Fleming holds the very unique distinction of being the only Grand Slam Medal winner – and in that kind of company that’s something else.
Having played inter-country football, she took up rugby in 2007 and won her first Munster cap in 2010. She has since gone from strength to strength, also making it all the way to the Ireland number 6 jersey.
Siobhán was part of last season’s Grand Slam-winning Irish team, and started all five of their Six Nations matches this year. Impressive performances have booked her a place in the training squad for the Women’s World Cup in France this summer.
Congratulations to both of them and it’s the kind of good news which the lovely little village of Currow could do with right now.
The full list of winners at the 2014 Munster Rugby Awards:
Player of the Year: Conor Murray; Young Player of the Year: JJ Hanrahan; Women’s Player of the Year: Siobhan Fleming; Academy Player of the Year: Shane Buckley; Hall of Fame inductee: Brian O’Brien; Referee of the Year: Kieran Barry; Senior Club of the Year: Nenagh Ormond RFC; Junior Club of the Year: Clonmel RFC; School of the Year: Crescent College Comprehensive; Club Youth Section of the Year: Bantry Bay RFC and Club Mini section of the Year: Killorglin RFC
