The Nationalist's Quarterly Sports Star Awards
Mikey Bambrick
Fermanagh should have known. Maybe they just felt that it wouldn’t happen to them. But it did. Carlow captain, Mikey Bambrick, came to Brewster Park and scored 2-4 as the so-called Tailteann Cup minnows ushered the Ulster county out of the competition.
Teams who have come up against Old Leighlin and Carlow sides have struggled to contain Mikey Bambrick. His incisive runs through tried and trusted defences has been a feature of the Carlow captain of 2025 for many years now. It is all very well getting into a scoring position but Mikey knows how to finish the job too. Whether it be the top corner and a low shot just inside the posts, he invariably finds a way to rattle the net. And so it was when Carlow travelled north-west. The Carlow captain scored an early goal against Fermanagh and when push came to shove in the second half, Mikey was on the mark again with another three-pointer. He also scored four points, one-two pointer as the Barrowsiders prevailed by 3-18 to 2-18. Carlow had what was a 50-50 season but the captain’s performances and super finishes will endure for some time to come.
At the start of June, Tinryland bridged a gap of 57 years when they won the Carlow Senior Football League Division 1 title. They came through a tough qualifying group and followed this up with a semi-final win over Éire Óg.
Rathvilly awaited them in the final. They reigning county champions. Tinryland had the edge for a long spell. When their rivals reeled them in it looked ominous.
It was going to take something special to win it. This year’s quarterly award winner, Conor Carew, provided it when his delivery into the edge of the small square picked out Peter Hennessy and he punched over. Tinryland turned the screw and went on to seal a 0-14 to 0-10 victory. Earlier on, Conor had converted a two-point free which was crucial in keeping confidence and momentum on the front foot. He finished the game with 0-3 in what was a hugely joyous occasion for Tinryland and their supporters.
The same player is also one of Naomh Bríd’s scoring threats in their quest for championship hurling honours. It has been a busy last few months for Conor. The work-load is not going to diminish for this dual-status player as the hurling season gets into full swing while the football season will kick in after that.
Carlow might not have won any silverware this year but it was a solid season for the minor hurlers. They started off the Leinster campaign with a good victory against Kerry. Despite a good first half performance, Carlow lost to Laois but made up for it when they went to Kildare and came away with a brilliant 3-13 to 0-12 victory.
The margin of victory flattered the away side that day as Kildare gave as good as they got at times. In the heart of the defence, Naomh Eoin, full-back, Aodhán Keogh was outstanding. Some of his high-fetching was of the highest quality but he is also a clever hurler. When in possession, he has the ability to pick out colleagues who have funnelled back in support. He also has a long delivery and there are times when it is best to let the sliotar do the talking. The Carlow minor full-back of 2025 is aware of this too. He has performed well all season but that day in Newbridge, Aodhán demonstrated that all going well, the young man who carries out his trade with the Myshall side is set for a long and successful intercounty and club career.
It has been an up and down season for the Carlow senior camogie team. The league proved to be a learning experience where Carlow just about held on to their Division 2 status.
They showed that they had learned when they took the Leinster intermediate championship by the scruff of the neck beating Westmeath and Dublin away from home in tight games. The big one was the Leinster final against Laois where they edged out their neighbours by 2-9 to 1-8 at Netwatch Cullen Park.
The All-Ireland intermediate campaign brought its highs and lows. Carlow qualified for the quarter-finals from their group but Offaly dashed their hopes of progression in the knock-out stages.
This quarterly award winner was a model of consistency throughout the season. She scored 1-9 but it was her high energy running game which captured the imagination of Carlow camogie supporters. Playing from deep, she was ferocious when competing for possession and when she was given even an inch of space, she cut through the opposition defence. If she didn’t find the posts she set up those around to pick off scores.
It is upwards and onwards for Carlow and Caoimhe is sure to be one of the leaders as the game develops in the second smallest county in Ireland.
This quarterly award winner was one of five players who featured in all 14 games (league, Leinster championship and All-Ireland junior football championship) that the Carlow ladies junior football team were involved with this season. Even though she was playing midfield, she scored 1-3 for her county in the league campaign. Yet it is her running game which stands out where she has an engine which never stops. Playing mainly in a midfield roll she battles for possession and when she hasn’t got the ball, she continues to work for those around hounding the opposition players. She works well off the ball for her colleagues or when she is in possession herself, she can pick out her own team mates with some accurate foot deliveries or hand passes.
Carlow to her fingertips, she proved to be a motivating captain, never letting the head drop, leading by example but most of all supporting those around her through a difficult season.
This year the 8th CSIT World Sports Games (WSG) were held in Loutraki, Greece.
The Games are an international event that take place every two years, and are a wonderful opportunity for athletes to gain experience of competing in an international competition.
St. Laurence O’Toole A.C. athlete Jennifer Sawyer was one of 16 athletes selected by Athletics Leinster to compete on the team. Jennifer had a brilliant run in the 400m hurdles and secured a magnificent gold.
The Leinster squad not only shone in individual competitions but also claimed victory in both the men’s and women’s team events and were crowned overall winners, an incredible achievement.
After winning a first senior national title last year, this was Sawyer showing her skills on the international stage and there is still more to come from the hugely talented athlete.
Goalkeepers don't often get the recognition that they deserve, but with this man, it's impossible to not give him the plaudits that he deserves. It's been a big few months for New Oak's netminder and he's played a major role in New Oak's success over the past few months. Whilst others in the squad like Dean Kelly and Lee Walker to name but a couple may get the headlines for their exploits in front of goal, Kearney can sometimes go under the radar.
He pulled off big saves in big games on the way to ensuring New Oak booked their place in the LFA Junior Cup back in May, becoming just the second Carlow side to make it, after four years of heartbreak in the latter stages. In the final itself, he made two big saves in the second half to deny Evergreen a second goal and keep his side in the game.
In the Premier Cup final just five days later, New Oak found themselves on the end of a barrage of attacks by Parkville, who put the Paupish under pressure. Kearney received the Player of the Match award after that game, due to him keeping New Oak in the game as he made save after save to deny the Tullow side. In the Carlow Cup final against St. Pat's he again made some big saves to keep New Oak in the game. In the penalty shootout, he made an incredible save from Callum Warfield to give his side the win as New Oak claimed their 13th trophy of the Gavin Dowling era.
Having started his career in Carlow Cricket Club, Febin showed great potential and moved to Dublin to further develop as a cricketer back in 2019. Earlier this year, the Knockbeg College 5th year student got called up to the Irish U19's team for three One Day internationals against Zimbabwe, having previously played for the U17's last year. In three games, he took four wickets, including 2-37 on debut. He also scored 30 runs across the three games. For his club this season, The Hills he's got ten wickets and 62 runs from nine games for the first team as they sit bottom of the Premier League, playing in all their games so far this season in the top division of Cricket Leinster. He's also got five wickets from four games for The Hills second team in the 2nd XI Premier League.
It has been a few weeks to remember for Richard Kearney. At Mondello Park recently, Kearney delivered a dominant performance in the Formula Sheane Championship. Kearney secured double pole positions, back-to-back victories, and capped it all off by setting a new lap record of 57.035 seconds in Race two.
The second race was anything but a cruise, with Keith Hogg mounting a fierce challenge and pushing Kearney to the limit. Despite Hogg's relentless pace, he had to settle for two hard-fought second-place finishes, showing strong form throughout the weekend.
Kearney’s pace and precision continue to set the benchmark in the championship, while Hogg’s tenacity promises more thrilling battles ahead.
Kearney is looking forward to the back end of the season and is excited for what lies in store.
Amy O’Rourke has had a year to remember so far this season, with the young athlete picking up bronze at the Aquabike National Championships recently in the 16-19 age group.
The race was held in Galway city, with the distance of the swim being 800m, and the cycle being 22km. It’s Amy’s first year at the longer distance so to be getting on the podium was a big achievement.
The Sky is the limit for Amy. The youngster swims eight hours a week, cycles 140km a week and runs 20km a week. She also competed at another national championship race recently, a full triathlon in Longford.
O’Rourke wasn’t the only member of the Carlow Triathlon Club to claim a medal in Galway. Anthony Lawlor finished second in the 40-45 age group. Fergus Meade picked up bronze in the 40-45 age group, while Mary Shirlley finished third in the 50-55 age category.
