Munster Nominees For 2014 IRUPA Awards

Ireland’s Rugby Union Players Association (IRUPA) yesterday announced their 2014 award nominations with four Munster players in contention for honours.

Despite missing the end of the season through injury, squad captain Peter O’Mahony’s talismanic performances for both Ireland and Munster to date have seen him nominated for the ultimate award on the night – The Hibernia College IRUPA Players’ Player of the Year 2014. Also in contention for the accolade are two more of Ireland’s Six Nations winning side, Ulster’s Andrew Trimble and Leinster lock Devin Toner.

JJ Hanrahan’s last minute try away to Perpignan, in the pool stages of the Heineken Cup has earned him a nomination for the Volkswagen Try of the Year. Rob Kearney’s intercept try during Ireland’s heartbreaking defeat to New Zealand in the Autumn International Series and Jonny Sexton’s second try against France in Paris to secure the RBS 6 Nations title complete the try nominations.

You can play your part by voting for James Coughlan to become the IRUPA O2 Unsung Hero 2014. A stalwart of the Munster back row, Coughlan has led by example captaining Munster six times so far this season, picking up numerous man of the match awards along the way. Ulster’s Roger Wilson and for the third time, Michael Swift of Connacht have also been shortlisted for the award.

You can vote for James now by tweeting @O2IrlRugby using the hashtag O2UnsungHero. The winner will be announced at the awards ceremony.

Finally, Donncha O’Callaghan is in contention for the Hibernia College Medal for Excellence. Donncha has become one of Munster’s finest ambassadors of the game and it’s fitting to have him recognised in a category honouring players who match their playing and training with team support, studies, work, mentoring, charity and community involvement. 2013 saw Donncha, in his capacity of UNICEF Ireland Ambassador, go on a humanitarian mission to Lebanon where he saw first-hand the dire situation for Syrian children and their families. The work of Leinster’s Shane Jennings, Connacht’s Ronan Loughney has also been noted with nominations in this category.

Speaking about the awards, Chairman of IRUPA, Rob Kearney said; “All awards presented on the night are hugely significant, as there is no higher accolade than being recognized by your peers who you go into battle with each week. The Hibernia College Player of the Year Award is particularly coveted as it represents the one outstanding performer in all of Irish rugby as voted by all fellow players”

The awards will be announced at a sellout ceremony hosted by Scott Quinnell on Wednesday 7th May at Dublin’s Double Tree by Hilton Hotel. See a full list of the awards and nominees below.

HIBERNIA COLLEGE IRUPA PLAYERS’ PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2014
Peter O’Mahony Munster
Devin Toner Leinster
Andrew Trimble Ulster

NEVIN SPENCE YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2014
Rob Henshaw Connacht
Jack McGrath Leinster
Jordi Murphy Leinster

VOLKSWAGEN TRY OF YEAR 2014
JJ Hanrahan Perpignan v Munster Heineken European Cup
Rob Kearney Ireland v New Zealand Autumn Series
Jonny Sexton France v Ireland RBS 6 Nations

HIBERNIA COLLEGE MEDAL FOR EXCELLENCE 2014
Shane Jennings Leinster
Ronan Loughney Connacht
Donncha O’Callaghan Munster

BNY MELLON IRUPA HALL OF FAME 2014
Recipient to be announced on Tuesday 29th April 2014

POWERSCOURT HOTEL MOMENT OF THE YEAR 2014
Voted by the public on Twitter @PowerscourtHtl #PHMOTY the Rugby Moment of the Year will be unveiled at the Awards ceremony on Wednesday 7th May 2014.

BNY MELLON WOMEN’S SEVENS PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2014
The inaugural recipient to be announced at the Awards ceremony on Wednesday 7th May 2014.

BOARDMATCH IRELAND CONTRIBUTION TO SOCIETY 2014
The award will be presented at the ceremony on Wednesday 7th May 2014.

O2 UNSUNG HERO 2014
You can view and vote for the IRUPA O2 Unsung Hero on Twitter @O2IrlRugby using the hashtag ##O2UnsungHero. The winner will be announced at the 2014 Awards Ceremony on Wednesday 7th May.

NEWSTALK106FM SUPPORTERS’ PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2014
The Supporters’ Player of the Year as voted by listeners of Newstalk106fm will be announced at the IRUPA Awards on Wednesday 7th May 2014. Tune into Off the Ball from Monday 28th April to vote.