Five More Irish Sports Stars Who Had A Year To Remember

In the latest issue of PLAY magazine, we took a look at a quintet of homegrown sporting heroes who’ll be looking back at 2019 fondly – though anticipating great things in the twelve months ahead! Well, we struggled to keep that list) to a mere handful; so much so, in fact, that we simply had to celebrate another batch of sporting successes!

 

Here’s another five athletes sorry to see 2019 go – but poised for a 2020 to remember…

 

AYEISHA MCFERRAN

 

The Antrim born netminder has been internationally rated for years, but this year finally achieved a longtime dream, as Ireland’s women’s hockey team booked a place in the 2020 Olympics. It was a nerve-wracking path – culminating in a shootout victory in the playoff against Canada – but finished with the girls in green securing a spot in the sport’s biggest tournament; McFerran will have her chance to shine in front of the world.

 

LEE O’CONNOR

 

He might be the least known of this list at this moment – but just you wait. Having made the move from Manchester United to Celtic during the summer, all the while impressing at underage international level, the scene is set for the Waterford-born defender to rise in meteoric fashion; indeed, his full debut in green arrived in November, a further suggestion that his time might be sooner than anyone thinks...

 

JAMES GALLAGHER

 

The man known – quite ingeniously – as the Strabanimal got things back on track in a major way this year, having suffered his first career loss in 2018. Three consecutive victories, two coming inside the distance, have put the featherweight back on track for the top, and with a date headlining Bellator Dublin already set for February, he’s not wasting much time in making the coming twelve months a productive spell too!

 

KATIE TAYLOR

 

What, exactly, can be said about Bray’s golden girl that hasn’t already been said a thousand times? If anyone was in any doubt of her brilliance, another year of spectacular displays would have put paid to that; a world title at a second division was simply the icing on the cake. More massive nights on Sky Sports await in 2020 – including what promoter Eddie Hearn has suggested might be the first million-dollar payday for a female boxer; no matter what, we’re willing to bet it’s going to be worth watching!

 

EOIN MURCHAN

 

Dublin’s five-in-a-row side have etched their place in history – and a goal right after half-time in the replayed final played no small part. What some viewers might not know is that Murchan had spent the previous season’s triumph crunching numbers in the team’s stat box; still just 23, we reckon his days on the sidelines are done for a while, as he joins his teammates in eyeing up the prospect of extending their winning run to a remarkable six…

 

Find more of the homegrown heroes making their mark in the latest issue of PLAY Magazine!