
Munster's Tom Farrell earns recognition from his peers with nomination for Irish player of the year award
Farrell has been Munster's standout player in the Dubliner's first season with the province since joining from Connacht last summer.
The 31-year-old, tipped to earn his first Ireland cap on the summer tour to Georgia and Portugal, is one of two Munster players up for the RPI award.
Farrell is joined on the shortlist by teammate Tadhg Beirne and Leinster duo Jamison Gibson-Park and Caelan Doris.
Regarded as the highest individual honour in Irish men's rugby, the award is voted on by fellow players. Last year's winner was Bundee Aki.
In the women's category, Dorothy Wall has received a timely morale boost following news of a long-term injury setback, with her teammates nominating her for the women's XVs players' player of the year. The Tipperary native is shortlisted alongside Amee-Leigh Costigan, Aoife Dalton, and Niamh O'Dowd.
Meanwhile, Sam Prendergast is up against Leinster teammate Gus McCarthy and Connacht scrum-half Ben Murphy for the Nevin Spence men's XVs young player of the year, while Ruth Campbell, Aoife Dalton and Erin King, who, like teammate Wall, also recently suffered a long-term injury, are nominated for the women's young player of the year award.
The awards will take place at the Aviva Stadium on May 28, with former players Andrew Trimble and Barry Murphy set to host the evening.
List of nominees
OCC Consultants Men's XVs Players' Player of the Year
Tadhg Beirne
Caelan Doris
Tom Farrell
Jamison Gibson-Park
OCC Consultants Women's XVs Players' Player of the Year
Amee Leigh Costigan
Aoife Dalton
Niamh O'Dowd
Dorothy Wall
TritonLake Men's 7s Player of the Year
ADVERTISEMENT
Learn more
Niall Comerford
Dylan O'Grady
Mark Roche
TritonLake Women's 7s Player of the Year
Hannah Clarke
Kate Farrell McCabe
Lucinda Kinghan
Nevin Spence Men's XVs Young Player of the Year
Ben Murphy
Gus McCarthy
Sam Prendergast
Energia Ireland Women's XVs Young Player of the Year
Ruth Campbell
Aoife Dalton
Erin King
MSL Ballsbridge Men's XVs Try of the Year
Stewart Moore v Stormers
Dan Sheehan v England
Dan Sheehan v Ulster (1st try)
AIB Corporate Banking Women's XVs Try of the Year
Amee Leigh Costigan v England
Linda Djougang v Wales
Anna McGann v Italy (3rd try)
The Zurich Contribution to Irish Society Award and the Druids Glen Hotel & Golf Resort Moment of the Year will also be presented on the night

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Irish Sun
21 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
‘Feels like she's been with us for years' – RTE football pundit & wife joyful after birth of second child
RICHIE Sadlier and wife Fiona have revealed the birth of their second child - a daughter they've named Molly. They're now a family of four having 4 The 46-year-old cradling his newborn daughter Credit: @richiesadlier 4 He also shared this photo of wife Fiona holding her Credit: @richiesadlier 4 They had had the name Molly in their minds since 2018 Credit: @richiesadlier 4 Big brother Sam saying hello for the first time Credit: @richiesadlier In an emotional Instagram post, Richie shared photos from the maternity hospital as the whole family got acquainted with one another. Speaking from the heart he recounted: "Say hi to our gorgeous little daughter, Sam's little sister … Molly. "We decided on the name Molly in August 2018 when we began our first round of IVF. "We didn't have a boy's name picked, so from then on, every follicle, egg and embryo we encountered along the way was referred to as Molly. Read More On Irish Football "The room that could become a child's bedroom in our new home in 2020 was called Molly's room. "On our good days, long before there was a pregnancy, we wondered what Molly will think of us as parents, and what kind of kid she would be. "On our tougher days, during four years of unsuccessful fertility treatment, we questioned whether we'd ever get to meet her. "We never said the name to anyone in all that time, agreeing never to say it unless she made it. Most read in Football "She was born on May 20, and came home with us three days later, but it honestly feels like she's been with us for years." The welcome update on Neymar SENT OFF for attempting to score Maradona-style Hand of God goal ours after old club PSG win Champions League Ireland legend and fellow In a similar vein, another ex-Ireland WNT star in Stephanie Zambra expressed her delight at seeing and hearing the happy news. The former Two greats from the men's national team in Lastly, Since Molly was actually born almost two weeks ago, Sadlier had been able to carry out his media work as per usual over the weekend. This of course revolved around the national broadcaster's coverage of the Champions League final on Saturday night. He was in studio alongside Stephen Kelly and Kevin Doyle as they acclaimed one of the all-time great European Cup final displays by


Irish Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Greta Thunberg sets sail on Gaza aid ship wearing League of Ireland jersey
Climate activist Greta Thunberg was spotted wearing a Bohemians jersey as she set sail on board the Madleen, as part of an effort to bring aid to Gaza. Thunberg appeared on Instagram wearing the club's third jersey, sponsored by Fontaines DC, an Irish band that has been involved in fundraising efforts to try to bring relief to the besieged territory. Bohs have played their part in raising awareness of the plight of Palestinians. Last year the club's senior women's team welcomed the Palestine women's international side to Dalymount Park for a friendly. And the club's Chief Operating Officer Daniel Lambert is manager of Kneecap, a band that has long been vocal in its support of Palestine. Thunberg is one of 12 people hoping to bring aid to Gaza. They set sail from Sicily on Sunday with the aim of bringing aid and awareness in the wake of the ongoing humanitarian crisis there. Game of Thrones actor Liam Cunningham is another member of the Madleen crew.


Irish Examiner
an hour ago
- Irish Examiner
Hendrikse's wink failed to deter Crowley but raises the question of sportsmanship in rugby
URC quarter-final: Shark 24 Munster 24 (Sharks win on place kicking competition 6-4) Munster coach Ian Costello did not address 'the wink' with local media following his side's 6-4 penalty shootout defeat in the United Rugby Championship (URC) quarter-final at Kings Park on Saturday. It might not even have been a topic of discussion in the Munster dressing room because for all the subsequent online furore, it was a fairly commonplace act in the modern game. The wink though, certainly caused a social media hullaballoo that seemed disproportionate to the alleged offence. The incident in question was when Sharks scrumhalf Jaden Hendrikse went down with 'cramp' after landing his second kick of a penalty shootout after the URC quarter-final against the Sharks had ended 24-24. Sharks phyios came on the pitch to treat the canny Bok halfback, all within a few feet of Munster flyhalf Jack Crowley, who was waiting to attempt his second kick at goal. Crowley let his feelings be known, telling the Sharks medical staff to 'f*&k off.' Hendrikse, on his back, winked at Crowley in response. Cue indignation from keyboards around the world. The image of the wink spread through social media like only social media outrage can spread. For the record, Crowley nailed his kick anyway, and no harm was done. It's also possible that Hendrikse was genuinely cramping. And it's also possible that he was able to wink at Crowley and cramp at the same time – the two actions are not mutually exclusive. The real damage in the shootout was done without any noticeable gamesmanship when Rory Scannell missed his first attempt, from 15 metres in from touch on the 22-metre line. That happened minutes before the Hendrikse wink. It wasn't the wink that shaped the course of the shootout. Despite social media's predictable outrage there, Hendrikse genuinely appeared to cramp up as soon as he struck his second kick in the shootout. Players swear, nudge, blow kisses, occasionally wink at each other and more worryingly, fall about feigning injury over 80 minutes as a matter of course these days. There is seldom, if ever outrage. Suddenly, in a shootout, it's deemed unacceptable by many people on social media who are happy to hurl insults at those disagreeing with them. No one, including Crowley, knew Hendrikse's precise physical state. His painful reaction following his second kick, looked authentic. Whether it was or wasn't, is conjecture. His wink was clearly intended to rile Crowley up. It had the opposite effect, and apparently added to Crowley's determination as he slotted his kick. So, it's safe to deduce that Hendrikse's wink, as an act of disrupting the opponent, failed. Which only leaves one to navel gaze about whether it was in the spirit of the game, yet another dangerous road to go down. Players literally cheat, or attempt to cheat throughout a rugby match. A jersey tug here, hands in the ruck there, holding a player down for a few seconds longer, berating the ref, or the particularly English act of screaming in the faces of opposition for winning a scrum/penalty/breakdown. Hendrike's wink was a bit of shithousery that is commonplace in rugby, as it is in most sports. Crowley used it as fuel and channelled it successfully. There really was nothing to see, which is probably why neither coach bothered to address the wink, if they had even seen it. For Munster the lasting take away was how close they came to an upset and how well they defended in the second half when the momentum shifted to the home team. 'I'm devastated and gutted for the team, for what they invested into that,' Costello said. 'The Sharks had an exceptional set piece, but we didn't take a step back all day and when they went ahead, we came back. 'It's all a blur, but I'm unbelievably proud of them and it's heartbreaking to lose a game like that. 'In terms of processing it I'm devastated for the boys for how much they put into it and for how much they've invested into this in the build-up and on the field. 'It was exceptional and I'm proud of the fight, the character and the quality that they showed tonight. Games like that at this level, playing away from home, come down to moments. And we just came out slightly on the wrong end of moments. Simple as that.' SHARKS: A Fassi; E Hooker, L Am, A Esterhuizen, M Mapimpi; Jordan Hendrikse, Jaden Hendrikse; O Nche, B Mbonambi, V Koch; E Etzebeth (c), J Jenkins; J Venter, V Tshituka, S Kolisi. Replacements: F Mbatha, N Mchunu, H Jacobs, E van Heerden, P Buthelezi, B Davids, F Venter, Y Penxe. MUNSTER: T Abrahams; C Nash, T Farrell, A Nankivell, D Kilgallen; J Crowley, C Casey; M Milne, N Scannell, S Archer; J Kleyn, T Beirne (c); P O'Mahony, J Hodnett, G Coombes. Replacements: D Barron, J Wycherley, J Ryan, T Ahern, A Kendellen, C Murray, R Scannell, M Haley. Referee: Mike Adamson