{"id":367699,"date":"2026-03-27T08:18:12","date_gmt":"2026-03-27T08:18:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/367699\/"},"modified":"2026-03-27T08:18:12","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T08:18:12","slug":"electric-ireland-celebrates-excellence-with-2026-rising-star-hurlers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/367699\/","title":{"rendered":"Electric Ireland Celebrates Excellence with 2026 Rising Star Hurlers"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Electric Ireland has unveiled the 2026 Electric Ireland GAA Higher Education Rising Stars Hurling Team of the Year, recognising 15 of the standout performers from this season\u2019s third-level championship and underlining the continued strength of the higher education pathway within the GAA.<\/p>\n

The announcement follows a landmark campaign that concluded at Croke Park, where the competition returned for its final for the first time in four decades. The iconic venue provided a fitting stage for a high-quality decider between University of Limerick and Mary Immaculate College Limerick.<\/p>\n

UL once again demonstrated their dominance in the Fitzgibbon Cup, securing a 4-31 to 3-21 victory to claim their tenth title overall. The win marked a fourth triumph in five seasons and back-to-back championships, reinforcing the institution\u2019s position as a powerhouse in higher education hurling.<\/p>\n

That success is reflected strongly in the composition of the Team of the Year, with seven UL players selected. Mary Immaculate College Limerick account for four places, while the University of Galway and Dublin City University D\u00f3chas \u00c9ireann each have two representatives.<\/p>\n

Standout performers across the campaign included Cathal O\u2019Neill, Darragh McCarthy and Jack Leahy, whose scoring contributions proved decisive in the final, alongside Adam English and Jack O\u2019Neill, who added crucial goals. For Mary Immaculate, Shane O\u2019Brien\u2019s remarkable 1-12 in the decider highlighted the quality on show despite defeat.<\/p>\n

2026 Rising Stars Hurling Team of the Year<\/p>\n

The full selection reflects both individual excellence and the competitive balance across the championship:<\/p>\n

Liam Hoare (University of Galway)
Cian Scully (Mary Immaculate College Limerick)
Mark Fitzgerald (University of Limerick)
Daniel O\u2019Meara (Dublin City University D\u00f3chas \u00c9ireann)
Killian Doyle (University of Limerick)
Colin Coughlan (University of Limerick)
Jimmy Quilty (Mary Immaculate College Limerick)
Adam English (University of Limerick)
Jack O\u2019Neill (University of Limerick)
Sam O\u2019Farrell (University of Galway)
Aidan O\u2019Connor (University of Limerick)
Denis Walsh (Dublin City University D\u00f3chas \u00c9ireann)
Adam Screeney (University of Limerick)
Shane O\u2019Brien (Mary Immaculate College Limerick)
Ois\u00edn O\u2019Farrell (Mary Immaculate College Limerick)
Sustainability at the Core of Sponsorship<\/p>\n

Electric Ireland\u2019s activation around the championships continues to evolve, with sustainability a central pillar of its long-standing partnership with the GAA.<\/p>\n

Across the season, 25 Player of the Match awards were presented spanning the Ashbourne, Sigerson and Fitzgibbon Cups. In a further step forward, all branded trophy ribbons this year have been produced entirely from recycled materials.<\/p>\n

The Rising Stars awards themselves will be crafted from renewable beechwood, aligning with the material used for Player of the Match trophies and reinforcing the brand\u2019s environmental commitments within sport.<\/p>\n

Speaking on the announcement, Jarlath Burns praised the players\u2019 ability to combine elite performance with academic commitments.<\/p>\n

He noted that the selected athletes \u201cembody the spirit of the championships,\u201d highlighting both the historic return to Croke Park and the consistently high standard delivered throughout the campaign.<\/p>\n

Jillian Saunders, Group Sponsorship and PR Manager at Electric Ireland, added that the Fitzgibbon Cup continues to showcase the depth of talent within the higher education system, reinforcing why the company remains committed to supporting the competitions.<\/p>\n

The Rising Stars will be formally honoured at an awards ceremony on March 30th, where the Hurling and Football Players of the Year will also be announced.<\/p>\n

The Electric Ireland Higher Education programme will continue into April, with the Camogie Third Level Rising Stars Team of the Year set to be revealed on April 2nd, completing a comprehensive celebration of student-athlete excellence across Gaelic games.<\/p>\n

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Image credit: Electric Ireland<\/p>\n

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