In all, there were more than 70 members of the University of Limerick community – students and alumni – involved in All Ireland finals at senior, intermediate and U21 level across hurling, football and camogie in a glorious summer of 2022.
There was no less than 38 UL students and alumni involved in the men’s All-Ireland Hurling and Football finals featuring Limerick and Kilkenny and Kerry and Galway respectively. And there was a 20 strong representation from UL among the ranks of the All-Ireland Women's Football and Camogie finals featuring Meath and Kerry and Kilkenny and Cork respectively. In addition, there was 14 members of the UL community who took part in the U21s Men’s Hurling final in May.
Both man of the match awards at the men’s hurling and football finals went to UL graduates - Gearoid Hegarty (Hurling) and David Clifford (Football). Both also made eight-point contributions in their respective finals, Hegarty with 1-5 and Clifford with 0-8.
Professor Mey said: “To say that we are proud of our representation in All-Ireland finals this summer is an understatement. To have had some of the very best young hurlers, footballers and camogie players who are students and graduates of UL participate in what were incredible sporting spectacles illustrates the role the University has played in the development of not just great athletes but great leaders.
“Helping young men and women to become their very best is something we are extremely proud and not just in a sporting context of course. But UL is Ireland’s sporting campus and many of the players previously wore the UL jersey with pride in competitions like the Sigerson and Fitzgibbon cups, while our female athletes had just as large a representation on both the Ladies Football and the Camogie squads and we are so proud of them all.
“They spent some key development years with us here and we have no doubt that the very best facilities and coaching available to them at UL helped them along their amazing journeys and we will continue to do so.”
Hurling:
Limerick
Michael Casey, Colin Coughlan, Rory Duff, Adam English, Sean Finn, Declan Hannon, Kyle Hayes, Gearoid Hegarty, Michael Houlihan, David McCarthy, Dan Morrisey, Tom Morrisey, Barry Murphy, Barry Nash, Aidan O Connor, William O Donoghue, Brian O Grady, Cathal O Neill, Oisin O Reilly, Mark Quinlan.
Kilkenny
Michael Carey, Conor Fogarty, Martin "Mossy" Keoghan, Richie Leahy, Dean Mason, Alan Murphy, Padraig Walsh
Football:
Kerry
David Clifford, David Moran, Paul Murphy, Brian O Beaglaioch, Joe O Connor, Donal O Sullivan, Stefan Okunbor, Pa Warren, Gavin White.
Galway
Conor Flaherty, Jack Glynn.
Camogie:
Kilkenny
Aoife Prendergast – Senior
Cork
Aoife Hurley – Senior
Galway
Jennifer Hughes, Caoimhe Starr, Aisling Donnellan – Intermediate
Full total:
• All-Ireland Men's Hurling Final - 27 UL community members
• All-Ireland Men's Football Final - 11 UL community members
• All-Ireland Women's Football Final - 15 UL community members
• All-Ireland Women's Camogie Final - 5 UL community members
• All Ireland U21 Men’s Hurling final – 14 UL community members
